When I was a senior in high school, I sensed a calling to go into youth ministry. Central College did not have a major like that, so I basically designed my own, taking courses in religion, adolescent psychology, teaching, etc. Twelve years later I felt called to go to seminary. The call to ministry happened gradually during the eight years it took to complete my Masters of Divinity.
I was happily serving as a nursing home chaplain when I sensed a restlessness to be involved with something I can only describe as more “global.” Something to focus on as a mission to support. Experience had taught me to pay attention to such sensations. It had also taught me to be patient, to wait for what was ahead: a new kind of call.
Within months, my husband and I became aware of the Luke Society and their need for team member to support their mission in northwestern Mali. Doug, a friend from our church, was part of that team, and his description of their work convinced us to check it out. (Keep Doug in mind; he will reappear in the story.)  My rusty French language skills could be an asset to the Partnership Ministry Team for Indielou Dougnon, based in Kayes, Mali. Like other LS directors, he was a medical professional serving the needs of the very poor and while also sharing the gospel locally.
I went to Mali with two other ministry team partners to see if it felt like the right fit for our support. Our trip took us through the capital city of Bamako. When I came home and described the people and work I witnessed, we signed on to support Indielou in his work.
	Meanwhile I received a call from a local ELCA congregation and accepted it. One day as I was passing through the fellowship hall during the women’s meeting, I noticed the video they were watching about Lutheran World Relief. The women made quilts for that mission, so it was exciting to see someone overseas who benefited from their work, if indirectly. The woman on the screen who received some LWR quilts was Bibi, the director of an orphanage in Bamako.
	Hey, I thought. We travel through Bamako for the Luke Society. I wonder if I can go and visit that orphanage. I contacted Lutheran World Relief and set the wheels in motion to do just that. My curiosity was piqued. 
	On our next Luke Society trip, we team members walked through the gate of the orphanage to meet Bibi and the children in her care. The children were lined up neatly in rows, eager to enjoy the feast that had been prepared in celebration of our visit. It startled us to see all the children wearing t-shirts with my image on the front and “Hope for the Future” on the back! Bibi asked me to greet the children and lead them in a prayer. After recovering my bearings, I put together a few simple sentences for a prayer in French. Bibi led her guests to the roof for a delicious meal of goat and sweet potatoes. After the meal Bibi and I leaned together on the half wall at the edge of the roof and got acquainted. I felt a wonderful connection with her.
	After returning home I prayed about that connection. I had the unmistakable sense that Bibi and I were to become more involved with each other’s lives, and I could have an impact on her work. Gradually my husband and I sensed the Spirit directing me to provide spiritual and partial financial support for Bibi, while other people and organizations supported the orphanage itself. This was part of the call I had sensed for something more global in my life.
I stayed with my new friend on subsequent trips, adding days beyond my Luke Society obligations. She shared her dreams for the orphanage, which eventually were realized through the substantial help of people from north Africa and Europe, as well as a church in Sioux City, Iowa. I gave her a French Bible with many verses underlined that had been helpful to me. We laughed and cried as we told each other stories about our children.
Bibi and I grew close in heart. She relied on me for prayer and spiritual support, and I looked to her for inspiration. Her faith, joy and determination have had an impact on me in times when I needed personal strength.
	Bibi’s own life story is remarkable on its own. When she was going to school as a teen, she met an American missionary couple who hired her to take care of their boys. They helped her to learn English. She spent a period of time in the U.S. as well. 
	Bibi’s work is hard. She depends on God to provide food, financing, medical assistance and many other needs for the children she takes in, through the contacts she has made in France, Turkey, the U.S. and other African countries. She has passion and charisma in full measure, and she uses them for the sake of the children. 
But there have been challenges. One staff member embezzled funds. There is no governmental aid. She struggled with cancer for a year. Through prayer, passion and charisma, she has gained many friends who come through with aid as needed. At one point the Malian president’s wife sent several boxes of frozen fish, shared with her grateful neighbors before they would spoil. I have called her “Fish Lady” ever since, and she calls me “Blue Lady” for my favorite color of clothing.
	Over the years of our friendship, Bibi has stayed in my home, and we hosted her teenage daughters for several weeks. We have assisted her in times of crisis, but the help goes both ways. Bibi’s love, support and friendship have enriched my life beyond anything I could have imagined.
	It feels as though God brought us together despite the miles between us. Even though we don’t talk often, our hearts are always close. Ours is a mutually life-giving connection.
	Those t-shirts with my picture on them? Eventually Bibi explained that she thought I was a celebrity. She had looked me up on the internet and found me on the website of the nursing home I previously served. She did not know that women could be Christian pastors, and she was astonished. She never wastes a chance to appeal to people who she perceives to have influence, leaders who might be able to help meet the needs of the orphanage.
	One story stands out as having God’s hand all over it. At one point, some of Bibi’s neighbors were hostile toward her and her family. They threw rocks at her and her daughters, and they felt their lives threatened. Bibi and her youngest daughters fled the country temporarily.
	My husband and I were driving down the highway when I got a desperate Whatsapp message from Bibi. They had landed in Accra, Ghana, and did not know where to go next. God knows why she decided to call me for help! The Spirit had to be at work. I told Bibi that I knew the Luke Society African Director who lived in Accra. We had shared many hours riding together in the bush of northwestern Mali. I would contact him to see if he could help.
	All I had was an email address for John, the LS director. I described the situation to him, hoping he would see my message soon. Only moments later I got a reply. He was at a Luke Society conference in the Philippines, and Doug and his wife were standing next to him! John gave me his brother’s phone number and told me that he would find a place for Bibi. I passed the message along and later learned that they had found a safe haven thanks to John’s brother. 
What an amazing experience, to serve as the go-between for my soul friend and someone who could help her in a time of great need. A Ghana-Iowa-Philippines connection that could only be orchestrated by the God who loves us all.
	Even though Bibi speaks English, I keep polishing my French. I want to go back to see her. It is not possible right now, since the country is in chaos and travel is not advised. But our friendship does not wane. Bibi and I are grateful to God for bringing us together. 
As Maryann Radmacher says, “I am not the same having seen the moon on the other side of the world.” I am not the same having become close friends with a Malian woman named Bibi. The Spirit made me curious about the Luke Society and the orphanage, leading to the gift and calling of an unexpected, delightful relationship.