Children in the Trees

Because I only have a three month visa,we are heading down to Cotonou to renew mine as well as Suzy's year visa. There are many sites alongthe road, if fact, I am typing right now as we drive! The truck in front of us is spilling out black smoke, hopefully we will pass it soon! As I said that you can see alot along the road on a nine to ten hour journey. The trip is actually on about 670 km but the last portion is quite filled with potholes, truckes, and narrowing roads!We spend the time chatting, observing new things (well new for me and Suzy explains them), listening to audio Bible and other audio books. We have a couple other travelers with us, church members who are goingto visit family members in Cotonou. One particular view really grabbed my attention. It was only a few seconds as we drove. I noticed an interesting site, trees in nice neat lines. Fruit trees grow natural here (Suzy has a big guava tree, a lemon tree, and a papaya trees just in her yard), so seeing what looked like an orchardwas an unusual sight. I asked Suzy what it was, was it really an orchard, what kind of fruit? She remarked that it was a paper tree orchard. Those particular trees grow very fast and thus are favorablefor making paper several times a year. I continued to look at the passing paper orchard, then all of suddenthere appeared people. Among the trees with some older folk and several children. They were collecting dead woodand broken branches in between the rows of trees. Some were deep into the leafy paths, others closer to the road. The scene just seemed suspended in time. I do not want to sound too romantic, as missionary work can sometime be made out to be. But it was indeed captivating. In the shadows of beautiful, leafycreations of Go burdened souls labored for some extra income, gleaning much like Ruth in Bible times. Most of those children probably were skipping school at least for the morning.Collecting wood to make charcoal most likely, they were engaged in survival. This seems to be a theme here. Not talked about directly, but it's just the truth. Everyone is trying to survive. Trying to make a living, trying to sell something, make something, rent something, to make money. Thereis a particular saddening on a street I walk down sometimes in Nati. Right beside the soccer stadium(the insastiable dream to play more soccer, is a whole other subject), the street is lined on both sideswith vendors of all goods western. Backpacks, attache cases, cell phone cases, clothes, shoes, sandals,sunglasses, all mixed with bolts of African style fabric and other collectible cultural items. What really strikes me is the hopeless cycle thus presented. Here are all these vendors trying to sell some material goods (especially to whites, we have money susposedly), to make enough money to buy more of the very things they sell. To buy in essence status, to show by a stylish wardrobe,up to date cell phone, and flassy car, that they have made it. Sometimes is appreas that peopleare simply callous. Once they are successful in secouring a good job, a steady means of income,they build up their material kingdom, other people in the impoverous state they once were in, to themare passed over. Their gain they have is kept for themselves, what they deserve apparently. But it'snot conscious, it's just accepted, I have made it in life, you can too, but I do not really haveto help. Well I do not know if that's what they actually think but it appears to be a mindset. And thereare exceptions. In Cotonou I met an Adventist that was very rich, but he has determined to help othersnot only by training the young people of the church and community but as well by giving his fininacialabilities to again help church and communities. Now phase two. The battery ran out on the laptop so I am now in Cotonou at the Baptist Guest house.It's been a month and a half since my last trip to Cotonou. It actually nice to have a bit of a break in a way. We are here on visa business, but having a shower that runs from a spout and not a cold bucketis nice, although the water is off for the moment, hope it comes back tonight. The rest of our trip wasokay, slow, but okay. God kept us safe on the road. Had we come upon some misfortune, would God not have been with us? Hmmmm....ponder that. I have an answer, but I'll let you think about it.