What's it like in Kadiolo...

Drew was doing his school work and received this project...

Imagine that your community has no government. Write a paragraph describing what it would be like to live where there are no laws to provide order, safety, and protection of rights.

This is what he wrote...

Imagine if there was no government. Imagine if the police didn't do what they were supposed to do. Imagine if the government didn't keep the roads nice and people would use the good stuff for the road for their building projects. Imagine if the government didn't make any laws about the road so the people drove wherever they wanted. Imagine if the government had no trash system so the people just dumped their trash outside the door. Imagine if the government didn't have any rules about covering wells and the people just left them open. Imagine if the government didn't pave the roads so the road got too bumpy and people had to drive on the side of the road.

Oh wait... that's where I live, Kadiolo, Mali.

Drew's Lego Mini-Walker

Hi Nikos,

I'l like to show you my Lego Mini-Walker. I made it with Joe one rainy day, and I think you have one like this.

I went on the internet and searched for the instructions for my Lego speeder for droids that I lost, and I found the instructions for this too. I don't have the Mini-Walker Lego set, but I found my own pieces to make it.

I hope you will be able to come see me soon.

My Lego Star Wars Clone

This is my lego star wars Clone he has a lite saver.

I had him from U.S.A. He is my favorite lego person.

October 2004

This picture is from June 6, 2009

In October of 2004 Drew spent a week with Lulu and Pappy. He had just turned four years old. There was a missionary family staying here at the same time. Drew was as thick as thieves with their daughter who was the same age. This is a conversation Drew had with Lulu.

I'm going to make a boat to take to the sea.
I'm going to fly to where Isabelle is and build a boat for her.
I will row and row and row.
I will get some rope. (When asked "What for?")
To tie our boats together.

That boy is sweet through and through. I bet he'll be a romantic young man, but he will tell his mom about it, not me.

This is a picture of Drew admiring himself in the mirror after getting dressed up with stuff he found in storage.
Many of you know we send out a prayer e-mail every day. Well, today, Drew did the whole thing by himself. This is it below:

May 27, 2009


John 14:15
"If you love me, you will obey what I command."

Praise God for keeping care of His creatures.

Pray that we would be safe when we go to Africa.

I helped him with the Photoshop, but he made all the choices. When I asked him he knew what the date was. He took the pictures and edited it down to one. Then he decided how he wanted it to look with saturation and dodging and everything. I asked him what verse he had been thinking about lately, and he quoted John 14:15.
Then when we were putting it all together in an e-mail he said, "That verse is perfect for that picture because if the puppy loves Pappy then he will obey him."
I love the way my boys brain works. We often see him working out what he knows about God and the Bible compared to the world around him.
Oh God, keep Your grip on Your sons heart. I acknowledged that he is Yours since before he was born, and You have been so faithful to him, not like I have been faithful to him. I praise You!

Independence: Drew fills bike tires

This video is from about October 2008. We love it when Drew shows his independence. He is such a trustworthy boy. We almost never find him doing something destructive or dangerous. So... we pretty much let him do what he wants to. We're so glad to be his parents. He is going to do great when we move to Mali!

Where in the World?

Yesterday,
Drew and I were cleaning the kitchen, and I asked him, "There are thousands of cities in Mali. So how should we decide which city to go to?"
Drew was thoughtful... He always is. And he said, "We should find out where there's a lot of people who don't know about Jesus."
I think he's right, and that's primarily what's on my mind right now as I think about where to take our family.
I asked Joe the same question this morning. Check out his blog.
(Written by Jeff)