The last three weeks have passed in a complete blur. We've been living life in the fast lane. We've had a team of 26 college kids come through who will spend a semester in West Africa to minister and see what it would be like to be a missionary out here full term. We helped as best we could with them to relieve just a little stress from the missionary family assigned to that task.
After that we met a new (to us) member of our West Africa mission family. We've had a house guest for a week and a half that has been helping us do research on the people group we have been assigned. He is fluent in their heart language and has been a tremendous asset to us.
He has brought into our life meetings with Mossi believers, worship in Moore, and a host of insights into African culture. We have now experienced tou and sauce and African beans and rice. We've eaten guinea now. I have to say there's nothing quite as amusing as eating fowl with about a dozen chicken running in and out from under your table while you do so!
We even have our first ever near arrest story, but that will be for another post. For now just rejoice with us that we walked away an hour later with laughter and thanksgiving that life is never boring here!
Please pray with us about our ministry. We will be faced soon with some decisions about direction. We want to walk solely in the path God has laid out for us.
Heather
Monday, January 28, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
New Year in a New Land
These are some pictures of our gathering on the 24th. 
The new year is here and and we are getting back to our normal routines. We are still spending most of our time every day learning French. It is fun to actually be able to put some sentences together to make a mini conversation. Of course the listener has to be willing to do a little piecing together of incorrect structure and it helps if they are very good at playing charades too for when I get to words I don't know!
We've noticed some odd behavior already in our little MKs! As you'll see below, Koolaid has become a much cherished posession. Someone sent us some packets from the states and you've never seen two kids more excited about a packet that flavors water!
Life in Africa is life that is lived in community. The little church we've been attending wants us at all functions now. They seem to be enjoying having the white people at their church. Mike and Karis have joined the little dance group during our praise time twice now. I got invited last week to join, but they just don't know that this little Baptist white girl has two left feet!
Below also is my friend Asatou and the little girl with the drum is her daughter, Faritah. Her husband has died and she lives with her daughter with her father's family. She is a Muslim like many people here in Abidjan. She thinks that we worship the same God and how we worship him is just different. Please pray that I'll begin to know how to show her that Jesus is the only way. She came with us to church on Christmas and I visit her many times a week. She's very patient with my French and is anxious for me to finish French so that she can teach me Moore.
The new year in West Africa brings with it the necessity to bless all of our friends and acquaintances with wishes for them in the new year. Fortunately enough the same blessing can be used over and over. I can't imagine what I would have done if I needed to remember many different blessings. I wanted to bless all of you as I have our African friends. In the coming year we wish you much happiness, good health, prosperity, peace in your family, and the blessings of God on your life. Happy 2008!
The new year is here and and we are getting back to our normal routines. We are still spending most of our time every day learning French. It is fun to actually be able to put some sentences together to make a mini conversation. Of course the listener has to be willing to do a little piecing together of incorrect structure and it helps if they are very good at playing charades too for when I get to words I don't know!We've noticed some odd behavior already in our little MKs! As you'll see below, Koolaid has become a much cherished posession. Someone sent us some packets from the states and you've never seen two kids more excited about a packet that flavors water!
Life in Africa is life that is lived in community. The little church we've been attending wants us at all functions now. They seem to be enjoying having the white people at their church. Mike and Karis have joined the little dance group during our praise time twice now. I got invited last week to join, but they just don't know that this little Baptist white girl has two left feet!
Below also is my friend Asatou and the little girl with the drum is her daughter, Faritah. Her husband has died and she lives with her daughter with her father's family. She is a Muslim like many people here in Abidjan. She thinks that we worship the same God and how we worship him is just different. Please pray that I'll begin to know how to show her that Jesus is the only way. She came with us to church on Christmas and I visit her many times a week. She's very patient with my French and is anxious for me to finish French so that she can teach me Moore.
The new year in West Africa brings with it the necessity to bless all of our friends and acquaintances with wishes for them in the new year. Fortunately enough the same blessing can be used over and over. I can't imagine what I would have done if I needed to remember many different blessings. I wanted to bless all of you as I have our African friends. In the coming year we wish you much happiness, good health, prosperity, peace in your family, and the blessings of God on your life. Happy 2008!
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