Mission Accomplished

I had two big goals for this trip in West Africa. One was briefly mentioned in the last post: to listen. Serving as a bridge between the church on two continents, I wanted to hear the stories of people not like me, which happened naturally with no effort on my part.

The other goal was simply to enjoy Africa. Because our work is with families in crisis, so many of the stories we tell are full of tragedies. (See the last post, for example.) We don't want this country to be known for its hardships but for the greater story of its friendship and laughter. 

To enjoy Africa and to listen to their stories: both of these hopes were realized with no effort on my part. Both are the natural overflow of life there, and I am thrilled to get to share them with you....

Titus brought his own fun with this portable ping-pong set that can turn any table into a tournament.

Here he is playing with our language teacher, who has been a close friend since 2014. 

When visiting with the friend pictured below I said, "If the whole trip was for this one afternoon, it was worth it."  Even stuck with extra days in the capital, it wasn't enough. 

We left wishing for more time to visit friends.

We ate as many mangoes as we possibly could.

Anne's actual words were, "Can we move here and eat riz gras at this restaurant every day?"

Daniel had friends cheering for him as he read his book in Braille.

If we boiled the trip down to a chance for me to listen and to enjoy Africa, then the whole story can be said in two words: Mission Accomplished.

Breaking news!

Let us interrupt the barely begun trip reflections to talk about this breaking news!

Philip just got a phone call from our ministry leader, who was dancing around the office, to tell us the ministry was given a rather large gift today:

That's right, it's a cow. We have received chickens before, we have received guinea fowl. But this is our first cow. 

The cow is a gift from a father whose son recently graduated from the formula ministry. In his thankfulness, he provided this cow to sell so that the funds can help other babies and families in crisis.

On our recent trip we marked eleven years since our first visit to this country. All that's come since with the ministry, the friendships, the growth of our worldview, the faith journey, none of that was on our radar back in 2011. Had you asked, we would have said none of it was realistic, practical, or viable. But as Walter Brueggemann says, "We need ask not whether it is realistic or practical or viable but whether it is imaginable."

Today we got a phone call from an African friend dancing around to tell us we'd received the gift of a cow from the thankful father. I'm so glad we didn't stop at what made sense in our little world at each step of the way. We are in awe of a God whose goodness is all around.

As the Words Come

"Too many words about God - too much talking, reading,

and listening about God - can disenchant our faith.

We trade a relationship with God for knowledge about God.

But life with God isn't a test; it's a love affair."

-Richard Beck, Hunting Magic Eels

Just like last time I dropped off the face of the blog-planet, I have really good reason, I promise.

Our whole family got to spend two weeks in the country that we love in West Africa.

There is an idealism in Christian mission that likes to imagine our traveling to distant lands and unfamiliar routines is a sacrifice we make for our love of God. That couldn't be farther from the truth. Everything about this trip was Him pouring out love on us.

I want to hold in the stories because they are sacred and I don't trust my words, but I also want you to have been there, beside me in this other world full of friendship and laughter and striking poverty and hard awakenings. The tingling of new dreams surprised us, the culture stress brought out the worst in us, and we only cried when we had to leave.

Pull up a chair and I'll tell you all about it, as the words come.