So much has been going on in the last month I'll start from last month and work up to speed.
We had 6 missionaries come to visit and help out for 3 weeks and I know they're reading so I'll say all nice things... [for the real story check out the other blog I started and didn't tell them about; just kidding I barely have enough time to upkeep this one]
Canadians invaded Kedougou, Etiolo, and Ekess and it was a fantastic affair. The team veterans were John and Jim Stanley Sr happy to be back in territory so familiar to them. John's legendary bartering skills were met head on with vendors' classic line "Sir, any lower and I'll have no food for my family."
Jim Sr brought with him a line we all borrowed throughout the trip: "I LIIIIIKE IT!" I was impressed when in his sermon, after explaining God's love expressed through the cross of Jesus;
from the bottom of Jim's heart came "I LIIIIKE IT!" haha
The father daughter team; Jim and Kylie's service didn't go unoticed with little kids proudly flashing their new bead bracelets (which has backfired since it's now obvious they're cooler than I am; the bracelets officialize previous speculation) to the elders at the christmas party finding shade under the new roof addition Jim helped build.
Amanda didn't miss a beat jumping in with her spiritual gift in leading a mosh pit/dance off with 150 school kids, part of our outreach at the local school.
'Momma T' Terry helped out at the local clinic and played a significant role in our kids days; steadying kids as they transitioned from dizzy double vision back to regular ol' single. Ok Ok I picked the game , BUT we needed a filler and I was thinking on my feet.... we'll chalk it up as a experience for next time.
Overall we had fun, ate good preservative filled Canadian food, and touched many lives. Also it gave us a surge in our ministry whose momentum we've been able to and will continue to build upon.
Personally it was an encouraging, and refreshing time being invested in and I thank you all for that. Jesse's life has been transformed by the little battery operated blender Jim left him; I have suspicions he's a vidabanane; vidacafe addict.
I had the waters of my heart stirred in receiving letters from home. Haha also the packaged meat was awesome too! Apparently Africans don't like beef jerky! Haha but it was hilarious watching them try to maintain their composure.
On the other hand the Bacon was a hit; here's the story. Eggs are pretty tough to come by here since the Bassari see a better stretegy in raising them to get more meat. So I hiked to neighbooring Salimata, about an hour and a half walk over 2 mountains, bought some eggs and made a nest for them in my bag so they wouldn't break (the locals liked that). So I plan my first bacon and egg'er in 3 months, but truly I thought in my head "back off Africa this is for me" haha but a young guy named Edouard came by who has a great personality (or ola likik) and it weighed on my heart to share it and let me tell you I have never seen taste buds be satisfied like I saw in Edouard's face that day! It was the good breakfast we needed that day cause he stuck around and helped me build a bed out of bamboo.
In running on a tangent here but the bed is my 3rd bamboo project joining my bookshelf and desk. The trick to working with bamboo is..... I don't know, there isn't one, patience I guess. Half the nails bend on you, half the bamboo splits on you but the labour wages are great cause I pay kids with candy and juice mix, and if they ever watched Seinfeld I'm sure they'd respond in broken english "Gold Jerry, Gold!"
Let's continue with another update. In the last month it's been great being more involved in the culture. I have carried millet in a basket on my head over ruged mountain territory.... in sandals, I have also joined 20 other guys surrounding a pile of rice and beat the rice off and out of it's stem... blistered hands? Believe it.
There are ongoing new experiences inwardly as well as outwardly.
I'm being challenged and encouraged in God's word. I read a great quote, "don't focus so much on what your going to say, but on how your going to serve." and that has been the theme of this last 2 months.
Also I came to a personal deliberation in how to respond when your angry, upset frustrated.
I was frustrated and was stuffing it down publicly but praying it out privately really wondering What do I do with this? And reading Jeremiah, I was encouraged having God's example in expressing His feelings. I don't believe in lashing out in malice for the bible says "be angry but do not sin."
But I believe feedback is neccesary, healthy and a blessing for the other person for "iron sharpens iron" Proverbs 27: 17 and proverbs also says "rebuke a wise man and he will be wiser still."
However we are required to forgive and keep our heart soft for Jesus died for them too for "hatred stirs up dissention but love covers all wrongs"- Proverbs 10:12
And also "it's no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me" so why am I frustrated cause it's not my life anymore. Also God's in control and He allows trials into our lives and reflecting back, I'm grateful for it because God used it to show me something cool.
So it was freeing to sort that out between God and I, perhaps you won't come to the same conclusions but I'd be interested in your opinions.
Now for Christmas!!
The church was excited to have a party so we invited the other churches and started to prepare and prepare; and then we got bored and prepared some more.
The youth we're amazing, I was so proud of them. They organized all the food and had worked throughout the year and saved money towards this party. It all came together in God's time. haha, There is a difference from a North American mentality to that of the average African. For example: we use watches, they use the sun. It's funny reflecting on their 'laissez-faire' indifference, but it all seems to come together on the daythey need it to... just not the right hour.
Most of the village came out over the 2 day Christmas party including the elders of the village and the chief. God's amzing love and grace slam dunked using our gospel delivery systems; our youth theatre portraying Jesus' life and the christmas messages.
But truly God's beaming affirmation glowed over us in the afternoon for our baptism along with the shining sun. There were 15 people baptised! We used in a rusty barrel which worked great! Though it was kinda tricky to manoever getting out in some cases. We had some laughs.
The hilight for me was baptising Mary-Theresa who is a widow who lives next door to us. She is quite a sassy character who keeps on proposing to Jesse and I to marry her daughter lol. But God specifically pointed her out to me to really served her; helping her out picking peanuts or whatever the need. It opended a door to show the love of God and the night before the baptism she came to mel solemn and quiet (not her normal disposition) and asked if she could be bapstised saying she had faith in Christ as her saviour! AMEN! it was really encouraging.
Funny Story: 2 weeks ago when as I was building my bamboo bed; Mary-Theresa came by asking what I was doing. I replied "Je construit une camion!" (I'm building a car); she laughed and I said "but it's one that you have to puch and I'll need you to push me around" (i used the Bassari word for push 'AFIM.'" So we're in a packed Saturday night service and we leave a pause for testimonies. Mary-Theresa stands up and says in Bassari "I'm happy Joseph is learning Bassari and how to build cars..... AFIM! AFIM!" haha it was a great moment that I won't forget.
So I'm in Kedoogoo for a few days checking email and eating 'white man food' as Jesse calls it; like process chicken luncheon meat.... oh yeah baby! Precious. It was a great Dec 29th yesterday in Senegal; the sun was shinning and so Jesse and I went swimming in the Gambia river.
It was good and bad news that we didn't see any Hippos I'd lmike to catch a glimpse before I leave... From a safe distance mom I swear, no Hippo-back rides.
TRIVIA: Is the plural of Hippopatamus; Hippopatami?
Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to put up for this blog..... I'm sad about that too.
So Merry Chritmas and a happy new year to all!
Joseph
PS - please forgive any spelling mistakes I don't have time to proof read this one
