West Africa – April 2011
The Hills of South-Western Cameroon
4/17/11 (Sun.)
It is Palm Sunday and we are in Cotonou, Benin. We were not able to attend a church service this morning, because we took a morning flight here from Douala, Cameroon. We have not had internet access since the Atlanta Airport on the 13th and probably won’t have it until we arrive in Ghana on the 21st I think, unless we go to an internet café somewhere. Well, it’s not entirely true that it has been since Atlanta. I’m sure there was wi-fi in the De Gaul, Paris airport, but we did not have a chance to use it. Instead we hopped on a train and went into the city for about an hour. We didn’t get to go to any of the big sights, but it was so refreshing to be outdoors after a 9 or 10 hour redeye flight. It was a little chilly there to be wearing capris and flip flops, but I didn’t pack or dress for Paris but for hot and humid West Africa. Paris was a nice little excursion. We will plan go through Paris on the way home from Africa sometime and stay overnight so as to see and experience more of it. Might as well, eh?
Our Brief Paris Excursion (4/14/11)
From Paris we had another 7 hour flight to Douala, Cameroon. In total, from the time we got on the plane in Fort Lauderdale to the time we touched ground in Douala our travel time was 24 hours and 13 some minutes. That, plus about five days of non-stop “go, go, go!” prior to traveling made for a pretty exhausted Jon and Lisa on arrival in Africa for our first time. But it was exciting and interesting enough to keep us going. We arrived at about eight-thirty/nine in the evening along with our boss Tom, who we are traveling with, and were very enthusiastically greeted by a most wonderful lady! the national director of Cameroon. (I’m going to refrain from using some names for their safety, especially in areas more influenced by Islam. Cameroon is mostly Christianized, but just in case… I’ll just call her L.) She lives in Northern Cameroon on a mountain, but we met her in Southern Cameroon close to where we would soon be doing ministry together. She is a short , sturdy woman with a fireball personality! (I will be posting pictures later). She greeted us with big hugs and some excited dancing around as we made our way out of the insanely crowded airport, avoiding and saying firm “no”s to the young men who were trying to force their luggage-carting services on us (for a fee of course ;). Jon and I were pretty clueless, at that point we knew nobody but Tom, and Jim the Regional Director for French-speaking Africa who also met us, so we did not even know if the young men were with our party or strangers! Good thing we had L. and Jim with us.
Paradise Hotel
So far, we’ve been pretty clueless about what’s going on or what the plan is. It’s been pretty funny. We just kind of follow along and figure out the plan as we go. We drove to Limbe the day after arriving in Cameroon, dropped our stuff off at Paradise Hotel, and got right to ministry! L. had a teacher’s training set up for that morning, so we went and got to see her train people for local churches how to do distributions of OneHope materials in schools, and how to report on it. Straight away after that we split up into groups to actually do our first school distributions (it was the first time for us as well as all of those being trained). It was great to see and be a part of the actually distribution, giving the books to the kids and explaining its importance to them. The team will be doing follow up in those schools.
L. Training for Book Distribution
Giving out the books in Schools
That night we had dinner on the beach. It’s a beautiful spot, because the shore of Limbe is in an indent of the coast, so the beach curves around on either side of you. Lovely! And we had fish (barr), caught right there, brought in, and put on the grill. It was fabulous! We started to eat at sunset, then the bats started coming out, high above us. They just kept coming and coming. Then, after it was dark, lightening started flashing in the sky behind us. Just as we were finishing we started feeling drops, then a wave of wind swept over us and the rain started pouring down. We rushed to the car and drove back to the hotel, hardly able to see through the thick down pour. It was an exciting evening!
The Beach where our Dinner was Caught
The next morning L. trained the same people in showing the GodMan film. We sat with L. after lunch to ask her about her ministry, and at 4 or 5ish we set up for The GodMan showing. Our first time seeing children, as well as youths and adults, gathered to watch the film (though we had watched it ourselves a couple of times) and then seeing many of them respond and accept Christ! The team there got connected with each of them and encouraged them to come the church near them.
Setting up for the GodMan Showing
We had a wonderful time with L., though it was brief, seeing her doing what she is so passionate about and getting to be a little part of it. The amazing thing was that Jon and I feel like we hardly contributed anything, yet the team that L. trained was so encouraged just by our presence there, being willing to come and be a part. Praise God!
4/19/11 (Tue.)
It is a warm day in Parakou, Benin. Not too hot by their standards. Only about 38 C, which is 100 F. It may have been a little warmer earlier today as it’s already 5 in the evening. It’s dry and dusty up here in the north (in about the middle of the country), not humid, so the weather doesn’t feel much different than a hot summers day in Southern California – though in SoCal you can escape into air-conditioned buildings. Here we are hot all day (we are grateful to have an air-conditioning unit in our room to use at night).
In any case, we’re warm, but we’re not sweating as much as we were in Cameroon near the coast and further south which is more humid. And the most important thing is not the weather but the things that are happening here. As I said at the beginning of the last entry, we flew into Cotonou on Sunday and were able to relax that day – sitting on the balcony during a rain storm and reading – then we got up early and started our drive to Parakou at about 6:30am. It took us about 7 hours or so. It probably would have taken much less time if the roads were all smooth, but in many places there are pot holes all over the road and our driver had to swerve expertly around the road to avoid not only the pot holes, but also the other cars and motorcycles which are doing the same (Jim hired a driver who was his guard back when he lived in Cotonou. His name is Valentine). The road to Parakou does not, however, come close to being as bad as some roads around here.
A Brief Visit to the Beach in Cotonou after the Rain
Our days have been very busy. Yesterday we got to Parakou at about 2:30 or so, dropped off our luggage at the guest house here, then drove over to the home of the Benin National Director, Sev., for lunch. His wife, daughters, and a friend made and served us a good African meal. Sev. is a pastor and his home is on the same property as the church where he pastors.
Jon road with Sev. to His House for Lunch
After lunch we visited a place called the Ruth Center (only, in French), which is a sort of shelter for young girls most of whom are the victims of forced marriages due to their families’ poverty. They are accepted into the Ruth Center where there is a dormitory for them and they spend three years there learning a skill-set which will allow them to live on their own after their time there. At the center they attempt to get them back in contact with their families if possible, but many have to live on their own after they leave – often around the age of 16. It is a very good ministry, which is supported by the local church as well as missionaries from Sweden I believe. Sev. had already done OneHope ministry at the center, but he wanted us to see more of what he is involved in here.
I can’t even remember what we did the rest of the day until the evening… I think we just had about an hour at the guest house, then we drove out to a new neighborhood near the edge of town to do a GodMan showing. GodMan is a OneHope film which is an animated story of the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. There is also a secondary live action-story of some African kids who get into trouble and a father-like figure takes care of it for them and then tells them the story of Jesus (which is when the animation starts). We set up the projector and screen etc. next to a new church out where there are no lights. Many kids gathered, as well as teens and adults. The crowd grew as we went as people walked to or from town in the dark, being drawn to the light and the sound. The team from that church who have been trained in showing the GodMan then led many kids, youths, and a few adults to Christ and set up a follow up time with them to talk about their decision and to help them grow in their understanding of God and the gospel. It was beautiful seeing a very genuine response to the Gospel through the film.
We were all very, very tired. We did not leave till about 9:30 and we still had dinner planned at Sev.’s house (his wife is an excellent cook, btw. We had lots of good African food there). So, after dinner we got back at about 11 and hit the sack in our wonderfully air-conditioned room. (we’re really being spoiled with air-conditioning and clean, comfortable rooms). Gladly, our schedule was shifted so that we did not have to start at 6:30 this morning! These Africans, man. They work hard!
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A Village Gathered under the Tree to Hear the Gospel
Today was a good day. We didn’t have to leave till 9, well, it actually ended up being 10. Then we went out to three villages to speak with the people, give books, and share the gospel with them. At the first village we gathered under a large Mango tree where it was cooler. Most of the people in the villages do not read, so we gave them a book called the Story Edition, which is full of pictures from the GodMan film, and B.B. (the National Director for Niger who joined us today with his wife) went through the pictures and shared the story of Jesus with them. There was a wonderful response. Because of the oral tradition being so strong in Africa, pictures and storytelling is a very effective way to share with them when they cannot read.
The Girls and Women with their Books
The children in the second village, well, not even just the children, everyone in the village! was SO excited to receive the book. They went kind of crazy with enthusiasm actually. Crowding and reaching and pushing, trying to get the book in their hands as soon as possible. Some kids were sneaky and hid their book in their hut and came back for more. I caught some of them, but it’s hard to recognize everyone in that kind of confusion! Haha they were very cute. It was good to go to villages rather than more urban areas and see more traditional African life. I took pictures. =)
Worried They Won't get One
We’ve had time this afternoon since lunch to sit and meet with Sev. and B.B., talking with them about their ministry and finding out their challenges and how we can help. In just a few minutes we will be leaving for another GodMan showing. I’m not sure where… we just follow the leader! Tag along and enjoy being a part of what’s going on around here.
Jon Helping the Team Solve some Reporting Problems
By the time it’s dark it should have cooled down to, I dunno, hopeful 80 F or something. That would be nice, with a breeze. I’ll write more when I can!
