This evening we attended the annual Ouelessebougou Gala.  We’ve been involved with the Ouelessebougou Alliance for years.  My first invitation to help the Alliance was shortly after I returned from living in Nigeria (1984-1987).  A small group of businessmen led by Elder Duff Hanks asked me to consult with them as they brainstormed about beginning this organization that has carried on all these years.  They had chosen Mali, the poorest country in Africa, and then chosen the poorest region in Mali to begin their humanitarian work.

After John and I married in 1990, I learned that he also had been involved with the Ouelessebougou Alliance.  WordPerfect sponsored a table at the Gala every year and he got to attend.  As our kids got older, we became more and more involved.  John served as Board Chair for many years, and we traveled to Mali many times.  All 3 of our kids have been with us there on humanitarian expeditions.  Then from 2020 to 2022, we were full time missionaries in Mali and Cote d’Ivoire.  More recently, we’ve both served on the board.

This evening as they announced the Chiwara Award and called us up to the front, we were completely surprised.  What a sweet honor!  We love our Ouelessebougou friends and the people of Mali.