The Mystery

Here in Cotonou it is always an interesting experience. It is almost a culture shock going from Natitingou to Cotonou. Nati is a city fo 55 to 60 thousand but Cotonou is the big city comparitively several million, and a city not like our somewhat organized and clean western cities. The funniest part is people's reaction to me. I don't always like to take moto taxis, walking can be good for your health. So when I ask for directions even if my destination is only five or ten minute walk away, the answer will usually not be given until I convince them to give me the directions and not to a zemi (moto taxi). People say, "with just a hundred franks you'll be there! (twenty five cents) True but i could save even that little bit and walk. I try not to angry, people just think I am light skinned I should have the money, and I do but I can walk and there's supporting too pollution, but that's another story. So I am a bit of mystery to the people of Cotonou, but I find it amusing to my day!

A farewell to another chapter of my life

Well now I am here in Cotonou. Natitingou has been left several hundred kilometers behind and the time is soon coming to say au revoir to all of Benin. Certainly comes with mixed feelings. A question people ask me is am I ready? I find that like asking if you are ready to take the hardest math test in the history of the world. You'll never really feel like you're ready but you will have decide that you are. This has been a growing and fruitful experience and I am glad to have embarked on the adventure. But it is true that I can't stay terminally, there is school and I just simply have to move on. But assuredly what I won't move from is the lessons I've learned and the inspiration I have been given to give my life to missions work wherever God sees fit.

How to say goodbye in Africa part 2

Well the first part was just to give you an idea that I still really don’t have much of an idea, but I am learning. I don’t think there ever will be a time, anywhere in the world where saying adieu will be a piece of cake or pie or truffle, well you get the idea. I have been trying to squeeze all my last visits with friends since last Friday, and it has been a bit challenging. I have learned that if you don’t tell people in advance that you are coming to say goodbye, then you have to set up a formal time to meet again, to really say au revior. Which in my scheduling to the limit can be complicated. But I have appreciated the kindness and genuine sadness people have shown. It encourages me to know that they will miss me. I surely will them! This is another reason to thank God for prayer, because it fits as a fitting and wonderful way to say goodbye. And why not, God is what brought us together, let Him be the one to watch over our separation.

How to say goodbye part in Africa part 1

Uhhhhhh. Ummmmm.

Babylon is Fallen

I have wanted to write about this for quite some time. And this week I have particularly inspired as the church is doing their week of prayer for 2009. It is by Karl Haffner and talks about our mission as Adventists, a message of hope. The base is the three Angels’ messages. I often pass by the big mosque in town on my way to the market from my house. I am reminded of the second angel who says, “Babylon is fallen…” Simply because of unique visual aspect. The mosque has two great spires and each one had (well used to have) a sort of large crucifix except they were the Muslim symbol of a crescent moon with a star inside. Well one is completely gone (hope no one was standing there at the time!) and the other is hanging on by, I suppose, the rebar used to fix the concrete in place. Though I know many great Muslim people, I cannot say that they are following the right way. It is something I hear among many people here, Catholic, Muslim, whatever else, even the Fetisheurs, we all serve the same God, one supreme God. Well sometimes I’ve touted the company line, skirted the truth, but reality is no. I serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the three in one, all knowing, all loving, God. A God who bought me before I asked, and is waiting to come get me and all His faithful (which I hope will grow always). So yes Babylon has fallen, now we must call people out! I will note that I don’t tell people this to their faces, God didn’t say to insult people, but to point them to Jesus.

Leadership, only a farm away!

Indeed some time has past since my last entry. And though I am sorry to not have written last week, I can’t say that I missed it too much. That is I really enjoyed being out in the bush a bit, missing all the regular, mundane things of living with media and such. Well sometimes not very mundane more like obnoxious. So yes I was out with the Murdocks, Matt, Sarah, Riley, Duncan, and Bridget. Matt and Sarah are missionaries with “Ministry of Jesus” and have a bible and agricultural school about an hour and half north of Natitingou. It was real nice to spend five days there. It was quite eventful. I went to do some leadership training for the students at the school. I had the privilege of setting up a low ropes challenge course, as well as doing an intensive training time, call the Gauntlet or translating into French, called the Rolling Fire (that’s the closest wording). It is to push each one to their limits both physically and mentally, and to train how to be a good leader in all situations and scenarios (well as many as possible). Most of them told me after that at the beginning they thought the whole thing was crazy, not very useful, but by the end at our concluding debriefing, they all admitted how much it helped them, for that I thank God.

The trap is set

It seems as an Adventist church we stick close to doctrines like the Sabbath, adultery, things that are laid real clearly in the Word, and that’s great. It’s easy to see all the Sunday keepers and say man I’m glad to have the Sabbath. But the second commandment has slipped on our radar, I’m afraid. We know not to worship other gods like the first commandment says, but we haven’t completely understood the second commandment, to not worship God the wrong way. So I’d say the problem is music but it’s deeper, it’s about worship. I really couldn’t go over all of it now. I had a room the last semester I was at school, who had been recently converted to Adventism. He had had some dark episodes on the other side and we spent much time talking about issues facing us personally and the church, especially about music. I can’t remember why, but one day Sunday morning that semester, I was really feeling convicted on this, I think it was the weekend where Ron Du Preez came to share at our school. I knew I didn’t listen to non Christian music, but even within my Christian music library I had a lot that did honor God, worship is a lifestyle I believe, so I just couldn’t seem to start that day without getting rid of what was pulling me down. I chose those CD’s that were real bad you could say, heavy rock beats, rap, hip hop and shattered them. I didn’t get some mighty euphoria, a quiet peace and I continued the day. I still had some contemporary music that I liked and felt still brought me close to God. My roommate did lend me a book by Karl Tsatalbasidis called “’Rock, Drums, and Worship”, but I knew that it condemned the drum set, which I thought was just exaggeration so I didn’t really take it seriously. Until now that is. I guess sometimes the spoken word has more grip. I’ve been listening to sermons from GYC 2008 and one was a series by Pastor Karl. Now I was hungry to learn what God said about music. I



know out here music is a big issue, what rhythms are right, can we play the bongo in church, or just in social church events, is certain dancing alright? In reality all of it is universal, though in different forms. Our church has somehow not looked at the Biblical perspective for music. They do have Biblical guidelines in the church manual, but there just seemed to be any basic Biblical foundation to follow. I can’t lay it all out here, listen to the series (http://www.audioverse.org/people/231/karl-tsatalbasidis.html) or read the book mentioned and it will be clear. For me it has been liberating, I’ve felt like I have been on the fence (which is impossible actually) with this issue for a long time. The standard of the Bible is music that promotes melody and harmony, is rhythm forbidden, no, you can’t have music without rhythm, but when it drives a song, that is a problem.
Here’s a question: can you use a gun for anything else but shooting things? Well the smart alecks like me might say, yes for a doorstop or perhaps as a baseball bat. If a police man came by while you were using a semi-automatic rifle for little league baseball practice would he think it was a good idea, would anyone? The point is you cannot play the trap set or drum set without playing rock, jazz or one of their derivatives. It was invented to convey the music of spirit worship from Africa by slaves in the Caribbean and The USA and that’s all it can do. Every beat from it is rock or jazz, if you’d like to change that then you’d better perfect time travel and go back and invent it for a different purpose. And this is what historians, non-Christian musicians, music researchers, all say, its not the idea of someone who has a bone to pick religiously, as Pastor Karl would say. Can you play rock without the trap set, yes. A gun is always for shooting, but a knife, well that’s been around a long time, and it can be used to cut fruit, carve a relief, severe rope, perform surgery, and the list goes on. Unfortunately it can also be used to harm people and damage property. You see a piano, guitar, etc. is meant for good, but can be used for bad. The drum set was meant for bad and cannot be used for good. I am really just presenting the skimmings of an entire Biblical study. What does it mean, well I’ve gotten rid of anything that has a drum set in it. That’s nut, I thought at first, but we agree that we can keep the Sabbath when most everyone else keeps Sunday, why can’t we agree that something that it seems everyone uses for music might be unholy too? I am really glad God has convicted me fully on this now. A little while ago if I had been doing this my motive probably would have been to save my soul. Now, though it is still tempting to think that, I really want to just rid my life of what can ensnare and prevent me from have a clear relationship with Jesus.
The drum set is only one part, the issue is how we are worshiping. Pastor Karl uses the Bible to show that the sanctuary is not just articles in a temple that represent Jesus, it is an intricate philosophical and theological foundation for doctrine, especially worship forms. When we are so united on the music front with many denominations then we begin to think that we are not so different doctrinally after all, and it all starts when we don’t build our worship form foundation on the Bible and it can be done. This I will say is preaching for the choir, that is for those grounded in their Adventist faith. The music issue does need to be a part of an evangelistic series, bringing people to Jesus is first and foremost, these things like music will go as a person comes closer to Jesus. But for us who are members, who have understanding in the Word, we need to study it out, we need to follow God’s word to the letter. Is there room for creativity, well yes, room for different music styles and instruments, hallelujah yes! But if that creativity doesn’t have guidance from the Bible, the devil will be happy to give it. I hope we can all be blessed together by a refreshed look at music today.

P.S. Did you catch the title word play now, the trap is set? Take out the is, and what happens.

Over the falls in a barrel

Well we did take a trip out to the Kouta Waterfalls yesterday, but my dream of someday going over a falls in a barrel didn’t consummate. But that’s okay because in the end I think the risk outweighs the risk. I did get to swim though and going behind the falls and sit in on this rock, it was pretty neat. The biggest falls are 100 feet or so, and they are some small ones that are 10-20 feet. It is really neat because you start at the top and work your way down along the side of the river, until you get to the bottom to see the grand finale! In Natitingou it can get kind of dusty and noisy, and though nature is just a walk away over the hill, I don’t find a lot of time to get there. So it was real nice to be able to take some time out and go to this nice setting.

The New Year II

Had an interesting New Year's. Our church had a potluck then evening program that went until 12:30AM.
There were special songs, skits, and we played Bible pictionary, with white boards we made ourselves.
The next day, the first day of 2010 I was a wee bit sick with stomach issues, except for this issue
I couldn't just take a tissue, pardon the pun. But God made me well enough to visit old neighborhoods
to give the kids candy bags, which they enjoyed quite rapidly depsite my words to save. By evening though I
was ready for home, and came home, finally released what I needed to, won't go into description, and
was able to sleep. I told everybody that I was smart by getting sick the first day of the year, then I don't need
to sick the rest of the year, (fat chance). Well wish you all wonderful near, the second decade!

Where you stand

As I wrap up my time here in Benin, I am wondering about the two Bible studies I currently have once a week. For both of course, I can’t worry, God can take care of them. But I also want to be responsible and see how God would like them to continue forward after I leave. We have a small church and thus there are people in which to confide these precious souls. The first study is with Blandine and her brother Laurent. Laurent left south for a while, but now is back. Blandine has been faithfully studying since September 2008, only missing a week here or there and sometimes because of my own travels. We did fill in the blank lessons for 7 months and now are going through the Bible stories. I asked her recently about making a decision and when we were finished the fill in the blank lessons. She wanted and wants to keep studying. I realize a part is the chains of Satan, only by prayer can they be broken, but also I realize that the culture study we are working on right now, would greatly help to reach her, where she is at in her thinking.
The other study is with Roland, my good friend since arriving here in Benin. We don’t see much of each other nowadays since we don’t live in the same compound, and he works every morning at 6AM to 12PM, then every evening 5PM to midnight, at a local streetside café. He has been blessed and now is the manager of the café. We started studying, if you recall, last February, when his cousin died and he found out it was his cousin’s own mother that caused his death through sorcery. I asked him if he wanted to study to learn how God can protect Him, and how He can be free from bondage. He did. I realized that I couldn’t just teach God’s protection, one has to commit their lives to Him, it’s not just some specific prayer you repeat everyday, it’s a life of dedication. I gave him a Bible before leaving in August, and on my return we have continued to study. Well now I wonder what to do. This last week we finally arrived at the Sabbath lesson. He never has questions, and I didn’t really know where he was at with all this information and Bible study we’d been doing. He hasn’t talked about scares with demonic attack on him or others like when we started. So I was a little nervous presenting the Sabbath. How do you teach someone about God’s special day, who never really even attended church on Sunday’s, but who isn’t either big into the animistic practices. Well I prayed and sensed God telling me to just present the Word and let the Holy Spirit do the work, that’s how it always should be! So I went over the lesson, and at the end he had a question! Although it wasn’t really exciting to hear, “So what is the Sabbath?” Oh, I just spent half an hour explaining that. Well it gave me insight on how much he’s really been understanding, and the insights weren’t done. So I summarized what we had gone over, with some clarifying points. He seemed to understand. I asked him if he wanted to follow the Sabbath, his manager job right now is 7 days a week, and I told him I knew he’d be taking a big risk, but I’d pray for him. This week I’ll ask him what he thinks or has decided. I asked him too about my leaving, since we’d only have one or two more lessons together. I asked if he’d like someone to continue with him. And he said yes, but he put in a request that was a blow to me, he’d like an European, one of the other missionaries. Now politically correctly that means, I shouldn’t be teaching him either, I’m Canadian, but what he meant was a white person. I tried to say we are all the same, that the Africans at our church know their Bible too. But no he’d like an European. I didn’t whether to laugh or cry. At least I knew where he stood. He certainly is not without hope, the seeds planted over these months will help, but I can’t do much to help with his attitude. If wants only an European teacher, how is he going to do in an African church, if he just wants benefits from white people, that’s not going to work. For now I’ll just wait, pray, and see what happens before I leave. It is disappointing to realize that since the beginning his main reason was to be connected with someone who he perceived as a benefit to him and not in a thirst for God, but that’s half the story, thought his may be what he thinks, he is thirsting for God, and I pray he’ll realize that soon.

Over the hill to Uli's house we go!

This past Sabbath afternoon the younger pathfinders, (that is, those doing the Friend level), headed out to Uli and Toussaint’s house for a night of camping. We all met at the church and with our gear, took a hike. We walked through town, past the main mosque, up by the Baptist church, through the old cemetery, across the Dasgartes primary school campus, then down the other side of the hill to the homestead. I bought 20 big plastic woven sacks, like those burlap potato sacks, which you can buy at the market, for 75 cents a piece, and Suzy sowed them together to make 5 tarps. These we used to make tents with big sticks cut from the trees surrounding the property (they started collecting two weeks in advance because there aren’t many trees!). The kids enjoyed putting up their tents, and in an hour or so, we had four nice tents, I used the last tarp to make a short of one pole shelter for myself. The kids played a bit of soccer, then we built the campfire, and had supper. The house is right down the road from an orphanage/dorm where I preached a few weeks ago, so those kids joined us as well for our evening worship and activities. We sang, and then I shared about fire in the Bible, and specifically about Elijah and the worship of God and how God is a refining fire, using the illustration of the silversmith. Then we did some charades, very interesting and enjoyable. We had a special treat too, Uli made the dough for campfire bread (I usually cheat and buy that Pillsbury stuff in the cardboard ready made). We had a lot, so the kids all made some great thick pieces and enjoyed them muchly. I tried the India version, as mentioned by John Baxter in the Frontiers magazine a few months ago, just making a dough ball and putting it in the coals, except without using cow dung as fuel, that might take too much courage for me! It was a wee bit hot and so the outside burned hard before the inside could cook well, but I let it burn, and cracked it open to eat, okay it was a little raw, but tasty. On Sunday morning some kids were up at 5AM, making a little too much noise, which they received a talking to for after. The property is down near a creek and so the evenings this time of year are quite chilly, so that drove some kids up out of bed to revive the fire which was still smoldering. Eventually after sending them back to their tents at 6AM, everyone was up by 6:45, and we got ready for the day, taking the tents down, and warming by the fire. We had a devotional based on Psalm 91 talking about God as our shelter, then had breakfast. Some played soccer after that, then we did some requirements, on knife, ax, saw, pick safety, and what to do when you get lost. Now we were up for a hike to the river, and went exploring for a half hour. It is already 11AM and the kids spent the rest of the time playing soccer or a new game Uli received of I Spy.
Lunch of rice and beans was served then, and was enjoyed by all. Some rest and all too soon at 3Pm it was time to hit the trail again. The kids had left with a quick pace and ready to go, now on our way back, after much activity, they dragged their feet a bit, but we eventually with some pushing from me, made it over the mountain and then each headed in the direction of their particular home.