Having finished our training, Dave and I were ready to fly to Abidjan. (And, praise the Lord, God had also provided, in less than the week, the visas that Dave and I needed to get into Abidjan. It is so amazing that He takes notice of His children!) We checked in at the airport in Niamey…and had to wait in the foyer area of the tiny airport. Fortunately, we sat down next to a gentleman we had spoken to earlier while we were in line. Dave began talking with him, as he was from an English speaking country in East Africa. We talked for a while, hoping to find an opportunity to share Christ with him. But as we began to discuss religious issues, we only got sidetracked. Then another gentleman jumped into what was now a group discussion: Dave, myself, these two men, and some other listeners. The first gentleman had a moralistic religious mindset. The second gentlemen, the one newest to our conversation, told us that he was a priest. He was posing some questions about Scripture and appeared to have a more liberal mindset. When our conversation had finished two things were apparent to me. First, these two gentlemen, one moralistic and one a liberal Catholic, seemed to agree in a relativistic way. Secondly, and more importantly, when the conversation was over I realized that I had never presented the glorious gospel of Christ. I realized that in our half-an-hour conversation, I had managed to continually get sidetracked with topic after topic. I never got to the gospel! How foolish of me. Repentance was at hand. Hopefully, a lesson learned. All the more, if you have a moment pray that these two men would come to trust in the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
After a short flight from Niamey to Abidjan, Dave and I were finally glad to get settled into our more permanent location. We had been anticipating Abidjan for at least 6 months. Finally, we arrived! We were welcomed by our blessed friends and missionaries, Mike McAfee and John Moody. Mike brought along his adorable daughter Karis, who is seven. Mike also has a son named Caleb and a wonderful wife (and cook) named Heather, who is also about 7 months pregnant! They have lived in Abidjan for 2 years now and work with the Moody’s, who have been here for almost a year. John Moody is married to Theresa, and they have a 14 year-old daughter, Autumn. Both families have been such a blessing to Dave and I. A third family here, Trevor and Kimberly Youakim, and there four children, have also been a tremendous blessing to us. Since we have arrived, these families shown us around town, taken us to some local groceries stories, taught us many of the cultural do’s and don’t’s, and provided us with many meals. It is truly a joy to know and fellowship with them. Dave and I are sooped to be working with them.
To catch everything up to date, so far Dave and I have spent much of our time learning French, as you might of seen in our video . Besides that we have been busy with seminary homework, and, thank the Lord, we have already been able to get out into Cocody, a commune in the city of Abidjan, in order to start our ethnography. We have interviewed about a half-dozen people already! As many of you already know, I had malaria after only being in West Africa for 10 or 11 days! Big surprise! Like everyone didn’t see this coming. The missionaries have informed that I have the record for catching malaria the quickest! Unbelievable. Thank the Lord though; it was only a mild case. My main symptoms were fatigue and random lightheadedness. Thankfully, I have fully recovered, and back in full swing to continue our missionary gospel adventures. I also wanted tell this story, which just happened tonight, Sunday 8/30/09. This evening, just before dinner time, a young man who interviewed with us for our ethnography, Junior, told Dave and I that he has malaria. So, we were able to help him out by bringing him some medication. From our short conversation with this new friend of ours, he is a Catholic, which is pretty popular here in Abidjan. And us being able to serve him in this way is great because it has widened the already open door of our friendship. So please pray for Junior’s physical health and especially for his spiritual health. That we will have the boldness and opportunity to share the gospel in great depth with him, and that he will see that salvation is not by works but by faith alone in Christ.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Chronicles of Africa-2
At the airport we ran into more troubles...but as usual God provided! (Praise Him) As we approached the desk to check in our luggage, we were informed that Dave and I were booked for the flight but that the young ladies were traveling with were not! To make a long story very short, we had to run around the airport a little bit, but details were worked out and we all traveled to Niamey safe and sound. After landing, going through customs, and waking up (in that order), we were greeted by a local porter holding a sign for us. With his help, we gathered our luggage from the merry-go-round, waited in line for an hour, and then traveled to the local mission’s compound where we would be staying.
The next ten days were filled with events. Some of the things we learned while there: to cook a few meals from scratch; to shake with your right hand (because the left hand has another use); when showering, to turn the cold water on first or you will burn yourself (this was learned more through experience); to pull the shower drain or you will flood the bathroom (again experience); drinking vinegar is gross (thanks Todd!); Mon Amore (in French) means My Lover; cars do not stop for pedestrians, they only swerve at best; traffic lights, lanes, and laws are optional; look all four ways before crossing the street; lizards are everywhere; we DO need a visa to leave for Abidjan in a few days; the locals drink 3 rounds of very strong tea before bed; and most importantly, Islam dominates Niger! It is appropriate to reference Piper here: Missions exists because worship doesn’t.
One particular event worth detailing briefly was Dave and I’s “Bush Night”. Quite simply, this is when Dave and I spend the night sleeping in the bush. It was worthwhile. We spent the night at Oudou’s (Oo-doo) house, getting to know Oudou, his family, and his extended family. All together we enjoyed the company of about 25 folks, most of which were children! (Yeahhhh!) And even though we could not speak their local dialect, Zerma (Zar-ma), Dave and I were able to communicate with Oudou, who knew French and a little English. Throughout our time there, we learned some French, drank tea, walked the fields, and ate some rice, millet, and corn.
Several hours before Dave and I had to go, we had the opportunity to share the gospel with Oudou. What a privilege! This was very tough because of our limited communication. But God was gracious. After discussing some concerns between Christianity and Oudou’s Islamic beliefs, Dave and I labored to communicate the riches of Christ’s grace. We used what French we knew, what English he could understand, a little drama, and, praise God, some Spanish words that paralleled French in order to help Oudou grasp God’s plan to save man. Dave and I think he understood, and Oudou said he would consider whether or not he would abandon Allah and come to Christ! Please pray for Oudou and his family. Phil Cain, our host, lives in Niamey is planning on following up with Oudou. His conversion would be drastic as it would mean abandoning the faith of his ancestors and his village, and would certainly result in rejection from many he depends on within his community. However, it would likely mean that others in his family would follow him, at least formally. Pray for Oudou and his family as we know that people from all tribes will, one day, together worship Christ.
Also, throughout our ten days of training sessions we discussed many things to prepare for the next four months. Phil and Kimberly Cain, our hosts and trainers, were very pleasant and accommodating. They spent the next ten days teaching us how to live and do missions in West Africa, and we loved it. We talked about common sicknesses and symptoms; house churches; church planting; how we can maintain our health; how to bargain at the local markets; because many locals cannot read or write, the details of orality and the storying of Scripture; how to interact with and evangelize to Muslims; the common occurrences of demon possession; and much more. By the end of the ten days Lauren, Lacey, David, and I were fatigued but eager to trust the Lord in carrying out the missions He appointed us to.
Having finished our training, Dave and I were ready to fly to Abidjan. (And, praise the Lord, God had also provided, in less than the week, the visas that Dave and I needed to get into Abidjan. It is so amazing that He takes notice of His children!) We checked in at the airport in Niamey…
The next ten days were filled with events. Some of the things we learned while there: to cook a few meals from scratch; to shake with your right hand (because the left hand has another use); when showering, to turn the cold water on first or you will burn yourself (this was learned more through experience); to pull the shower drain or you will flood the bathroom (again experience); drinking vinegar is gross (thanks Todd!); Mon Amore (in French) means My Lover; cars do not stop for pedestrians, they only swerve at best; traffic lights, lanes, and laws are optional; look all four ways before crossing the street; lizards are everywhere; we DO need a visa to leave for Abidjan in a few days; the locals drink 3 rounds of very strong tea before bed; and most importantly, Islam dominates Niger! It is appropriate to reference Piper here: Missions exists because worship doesn’t.
One particular event worth detailing briefly was Dave and I’s “Bush Night”. Quite simply, this is when Dave and I spend the night sleeping in the bush. It was worthwhile. We spent the night at Oudou’s (Oo-doo) house, getting to know Oudou, his family, and his extended family. All together we enjoyed the company of about 25 folks, most of which were children! (Yeahhhh!) And even though we could not speak their local dialect, Zerma (Zar-ma), Dave and I were able to communicate with Oudou, who knew French and a little English. Throughout our time there, we learned some French, drank tea, walked the fields, and ate some rice, millet, and corn.
Several hours before Dave and I had to go, we had the opportunity to share the gospel with Oudou. What a privilege! This was very tough because of our limited communication. But God was gracious. After discussing some concerns between Christianity and Oudou’s Islamic beliefs, Dave and I labored to communicate the riches of Christ’s grace. We used what French we knew, what English he could understand, a little drama, and, praise God, some Spanish words that paralleled French in order to help Oudou grasp God’s plan to save man. Dave and I think he understood, and Oudou said he would consider whether or not he would abandon Allah and come to Christ! Please pray for Oudou and his family. Phil Cain, our host, lives in Niamey is planning on following up with Oudou. His conversion would be drastic as it would mean abandoning the faith of his ancestors and his village, and would certainly result in rejection from many he depends on within his community. However, it would likely mean that others in his family would follow him, at least formally. Pray for Oudou and his family as we know that people from all tribes will, one day, together worship Christ.
Also, throughout our ten days of training sessions we discussed many things to prepare for the next four months. Phil and Kimberly Cain, our hosts and trainers, were very pleasant and accommodating. They spent the next ten days teaching us how to live and do missions in West Africa, and we loved it. We talked about common sicknesses and symptoms; house churches; church planting; how we can maintain our health; how to bargain at the local markets; because many locals cannot read or write, the details of orality and the storying of Scripture; how to interact with and evangelize to Muslims; the common occurrences of demon possession; and much more. By the end of the ten days Lauren, Lacey, David, and I were fatigued but eager to trust the Lord in carrying out the missions He appointed us to.
Having finished our training, Dave and I were ready to fly to Abidjan. (And, praise the Lord, God had also provided, in less than the week, the visas that Dave and I needed to get into Abidjan. It is so amazing that He takes notice of His children!) We checked in at the airport in Niamey…
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Chronicles of Africa
8/9/09- John’s Journal- The Chronicles of Africa
Being in West Africa has been very unique. So many things have happened for the “first time”. Since Dave and I left the states there has always been someone reaching out to us and assisting us in our cultural ignorance. We made some friends on the plane, our best of which was Yosef Mohammed. He was very kind and because he was a student, he had good English. Once we landed at a small terminal in Casablanca, Morocco, we immediately began to learn that West Africans do not form single file lines. I like to call it “polite pushing”. They will just push their way through the line if you let them. So you basically have to push your way through, but it’s still polite because you do it with a smile. Once we got our way through all that fun, we waited outside for the “red bus.” This was very exciting. The red bus took us to the main airport terminal so that we could talk to accommodations and get put up in a hotel for the night. On the red bus, I got manhandled by a woman twice my size. It the states it would have been embarrassing. Upon arriving at the other terminal we had some more help. A friend that we made on the red bus named Re-da, guided us through the airport to accommodations, which we were very thankful for.
Upon arriving at the hotel we were told to go upstairs but leave our luggage in the foyer. Needless to say I was hesitant to comply, lol. But after a short conversation, we agreed. We were led upstairs to the hotel restaurant where we were immediately introduced to some foreign foods. We had 3 courses: a taco-like flavored salad dish, followed by some fish with some interesting sauce, followed by some good old watermelon. The main dish was especially challenging for me as a I do not like seafood, but I ate it nonetheless. After eating we went up to our hotel rooms. They were small but in decent condition. Rather than go to bed we decided to take a taxi to the nearby beach!!! Being from Southeastern Massachusetts, I liked this idea. The taxi ride was fun. I learned quickly that they do not share many of the same driving laws and requirements that we have in the States. Upon arriving at the beach we noticed Muslim men praying. They were side by side in a secluded area with their prayer rugs in front of them. This grabbed my attention and was very thought provoking. Knowing that much of Africa is dominated by Islam, I knew that what I was observing was the one of the greatest obstacles to the gospel of Christ. Our friends Lacey and Lauren from the states, who are also doing some missions work in West Africa, began to pray.
We decided to follow up this visit to the beach with another visit to the beach the following day, this time to swim! I have never seen so many people at the beach in my life. Their were thousands, about twenty soccer games going on at once (which we participate in!), barely any open sand to lay on. It was exciting. And because we were the only white people there, literally, everyone was watching us like we were a TV, lol. While swimming we made some friends and then when we got out we made some more, these were the one we played a soccer game with. This was slightly embarrassing as my soccer skills are sub-par. We left the beach and finished the day with a two mile walk. This was not exactly by choice. We just started walking towards the direction of the hotel until we were able to find a taxi. Once arriving back at the hotel, we ate and then packed up for our midnight flight to Niamey, Niger.
At the airport we ran into more troubles...to be continued
Being in West Africa has been very unique. So many things have happened for the “first time”. Since Dave and I left the states there has always been someone reaching out to us and assisting us in our cultural ignorance. We made some friends on the plane, our best of which was Yosef Mohammed. He was very kind and because he was a student, he had good English. Once we landed at a small terminal in Casablanca, Morocco, we immediately began to learn that West Africans do not form single file lines. I like to call it “polite pushing”. They will just push their way through the line if you let them. So you basically have to push your way through, but it’s still polite because you do it with a smile. Once we got our way through all that fun, we waited outside for the “red bus.” This was very exciting. The red bus took us to the main airport terminal so that we could talk to accommodations and get put up in a hotel for the night. On the red bus, I got manhandled by a woman twice my size. It the states it would have been embarrassing. Upon arriving at the other terminal we had some more help. A friend that we made on the red bus named Re-da, guided us through the airport to accommodations, which we were very thankful for.
Upon arriving at the hotel we were told to go upstairs but leave our luggage in the foyer. Needless to say I was hesitant to comply, lol. But after a short conversation, we agreed. We were led upstairs to the hotel restaurant where we were immediately introduced to some foreign foods. We had 3 courses: a taco-like flavored salad dish, followed by some fish with some interesting sauce, followed by some good old watermelon. The main dish was especially challenging for me as a I do not like seafood, but I ate it nonetheless. After eating we went up to our hotel rooms. They were small but in decent condition. Rather than go to bed we decided to take a taxi to the nearby beach!!! Being from Southeastern Massachusetts, I liked this idea. The taxi ride was fun. I learned quickly that they do not share many of the same driving laws and requirements that we have in the States. Upon arriving at the beach we noticed Muslim men praying. They were side by side in a secluded area with their prayer rugs in front of them. This grabbed my attention and was very thought provoking. Knowing that much of Africa is dominated by Islam, I knew that what I was observing was the one of the greatest obstacles to the gospel of Christ. Our friends Lacey and Lauren from the states, who are also doing some missions work in West Africa, began to pray.
We decided to follow up this visit to the beach with another visit to the beach the following day, this time to swim! I have never seen so many people at the beach in my life. Their were thousands, about twenty soccer games going on at once (which we participate in!), barely any open sand to lay on. It was exciting. And because we were the only white people there, literally, everyone was watching us like we were a TV, lol. While swimming we made some friends and then when we got out we made some more, these were the one we played a soccer game with. This was slightly embarrassing as my soccer skills are sub-par. We left the beach and finished the day with a two mile walk. This was not exactly by choice. We just started walking towards the direction of the hotel until we were able to find a taxi. Once arriving back at the hotel, we ate and then packed up for our midnight flight to Niamey, Niger.
At the airport we ran into more troubles...to be continued
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