Cotonou Alive

Hi friends,
I can here the honking outside my window right now, the city is alive with motorcycles and cars. Would you bleive I forgot my pictures and since I am at an internet cafe, I cannot go back and get them, so hopefully I will have them up soon. I am a training for Pathfinders, mostly we are working on first aid and team building, so it is a great cultural introduction. I will be heading up the project next Sunday. God has provided me with some great friends here from the Adventist Church, an awesome way to sort of ease into Benin. I am excited to see Gods hand moving (pardon the grammar, I am on a french keyboard). For a few mornings the bats have woken me up real bad, but I have asked God each time to silence them and I drift off to sleep again. Little things He does. I suppose after these few days I have not seen His hand in mighty ways, that I always think about in themission field, but really I need a change of perspective. In everything God is mighty. He does not have to do mighty things, He is, that is a great comfort. I do know to that He is working in ways I cannot see, I am sure there are great things he has already done that I will not know about until eternity, that I am sure for all of us. The city is a little overwhelming, a lot of car exhausts especially when sitting on a motorcycle in the middle of traffic at a stop light. But people are used to foreigners here and they have me greatly, even when I do not know them. I tried a trick that John Kent suggested at training to learn language, ask for directions to a place you already know the way too. Everyone kindly pointed me in the right direction, but also suggested I take a semi john or motocycle taxi instead of walking, but hey I could handle on forty five minutes, being a great Outward Pursuit hiker and all(: Well I must be off, hopefully pics will be here within the week. God bless you all.

In His grip,
Eric
Almost forgot to tell you about the clothing market, this little girl mabye 2 years old came to me and held my hand in playful wonder, she said ca va, which is how are you. It was really heartwarming, It reminding me that for these children,younger and older, I am here with Christs love.

The Arrival

Hi friends,
With joy I write to you of my arrival here in Benin! It was a pretty uneventful trip. I did have some excitment getting into the terminal at Cotonou, Benin's largest city and where I am staying for the first couple weeks. Had to show my vaccination record, the up to customs, but no questions, just stamp and gone. But one of my bags did not arrive with me, but such is life! Lots to see here for sure! Amazing walking or riding a motorcycle taxi and never seeing a single white person, well I have seen about five the whole day, but all in the evening. The people here are very nice. Spent most of the day at the Adventist church in pathfinder training, went well. Not much contact with mosquitoes yet, but that's alright, definitely not complaining! Take care and God bless. Oh yes and welcome back to school (especially the CUC'ers, will miss you)
In His grip,
Eric

To be announced

Hi friends,
No longer is my unofficial motto, "to be announced", for I have a date of departure! One step closer to a wonderful year of missions. Wonderful, of course, should not be confused with easy. It will be wonderful, but challenging and intense for sure. I am excited to heading off. It was a bit nerve racking to not have the sure date in mind, waiting for the visa, trying to pack and not knowing when the date would be, etc. So this Sunday, August 31, 2008, I will be off and away. The flight is overnight and then a 7 hour layover in Paris and then onto Benin. I was just talking with my mom today how so many people are gone for the long-weekend, "Everyone goes away for vacation on the long weekend." Then I thought, yeah me too! Just I am going a bit further for a bit longer than most indeed! For those of you reading who are starting school, or started, I do wish the best for the new school year, I pray it is a blessed one. And for everyone else, have a great year. I will be updating you as much as possible over the next year on happenings and such. I will let you know that my challenge for the first thirty days is to keep contact limited to absolute essentials. This is a way to ensure that all my focus is on getting to the people and the project. But I will most likely send one when I get there. Take care and God bless.

In His grip,
Eric

Disclaimer

Hi friends,
I had wanted to put this up earlier but kept forgetting. This is just a note that I am putting up for my own peace of mind. This blog belongs to me, in other words, while I am a missionary with Adventist Frontier Missions, this blog is not officially connected to them. AFM does not proof-read all the content. So if there is something you find disagreeable or questionable, feel free to contact me with the email in my profile. While this blog is not official AFM material, I do realize that I represent AFM and its mission and I pray that all content on this site is of a wholesome, pure, and uplifting quality, ultimately representing Christ to the world. Thanks again.
Sincerely,
Eric

Another chapter

Hello friends,
Life moves by chapters in way. Steps on long road. A long, but joyous road with Christ. Another chapter has moved past, I completed the Adventist Frontier Missions Profile training and am now at home in Oshawa awaiting departure to Benin! It's pretty exciting. I am going for 9-10 months but really it seems as if I have been a missionary for a year already, just applying and telling everyone about the trip! But really the truth is that missions is life long. Everyone is a missionary. Oh yes, nice to say, but do many people really take it to heart. Well I suppose that's up to you and me. I can only decide for myself, I pray you all with take decide that too; to be a missionary wherever you are, a living example.
With excitement and prayer,
Eric

Ya, it's about time.

Howdy Jungle Friends,

It really isn't about time, life that is. It's about people. Sure time is important, Paul calls us to redeem the time, but more so he means the opportunities, so again it is about people. But what I was really talking about was that poem I promised all of you last week, and now that the Internet is back, it is once again a possibility.

"The Product of Commitment"

Whatever the nightmare may be,
God wants to set me free.

What every my struggle is,
God can make me wholly His.

Whatever God has me do,
He will get me through.

Whatever God asks me to give in love,
He will send help from above.

Whatever I experience in tragedy,
God will show His mastery.

Whatever cause like take,
All is for Christ's blessed sake.

Now as the battle is fought,
With a priceless cost I have been bought.
That in the end God has this one thought,
In you I wish all blessings wrought,
For has God my salvation sought,
And in my last dying moments by surprise not caught,
For God's words have in all ways I've been taught,
That His promise is fulfilled to the last tittle and jot.


I pray this poem blesses you. It's kinda long for a motto, but it is somewhat of a motto for me.
Andrews is a wonderful place to be, but really it is the training that really excites me. Adventist frontier Missions seriously is the best, and I am not sure how other student missionaries do it. AFM is not for everyone, and we need to go everywhere, even to established missionary posts, because if those die, thousands are lost as well. Yet AFM in training and locations abroad is creme de creme.

God bless.
In His grip,
Eric Anderson

I am here

Hello friends,

    My grandfather used to say, "We are here because we are no where else". That's pretty profound for me. I have just begun training here at Andrews University for missions with Adventist Frontier Missions. It is God who has lead me here, and if he had not, I'd be somewhere else. Praise God. I have a poem I'd like to share with you, but I am in the lobby and it is not with me, so I will make it a little suspenseful and say wait until next time! 

    I have been enjoying training. Two days are done and already I have lots to do, think about, and absorb. God evidences Himself everyday. The challenges have been abundant as well, but that only builds character more! I appreciate all you who are praying for me. I'd also ask that you would pray for Suzy Baldwin and Urlike Baur and her husband who are ministering there already. I am going really to be a support to them in the capacity of young people. Servant hood is the ultimate goal! Thanks again for spending time reading. God bless.

In His grip,

Eric