Blog Flood

Hi friends,
adding a few entries at once to make up for lost time! I hope all is well.
God bless,
Out yonder,
Eric

"A Broken-Heart Journey"

Dear friends,
Apologies for the delay, times are busy here! Interestingly times are not busy at the same time. I have a lot to do, but unlike back at school, I never get them done in one day! When washing dishes almost an hour, clothes perhaps an hour and a half, and so on, it just doesn’t allow a lot of time. As well there’s more time for people, getting to know others, sitting and talking, walking. It’s a slower pace you could say. The challenge is to remain occupied as well. Because while I can enjoy time with others, have fun, and such, I am also here with a call, a job to do in help train young people through Sabbath school, Pathfinders, etc. and that’s takes some preparation on the computer, talking to people etc.! But things seem to be running well. School starts tomorrow, finally! The teacher kept pushing the date later and later, until now. This means I can really get into ministry, I hope to spend a significant portion of time at the local high school doing friendship evangelism, getting to know the students, maybe leading out in some practical seminars and training on relationships, team building, etc. And also to get some Bible studies going with those who are interested.
I told myself that I should start writing down little notes of interesting things that happen here, there’s so many I forget them and with the amount of time I go to the internet café, the events really pile up. I’ll to get a few down and promise maybe better results next time! This is the start of my sixth week already in Benin and my fourth here in Natitingou. It’s been a great adventure so far. Although there has not been really really exciting moments yet, it has not been dull. I spent a great deal of last week looking for a room to rent. I thought at first to stay with a local family here, either a church member or someone Suzy knows very well. But the availability of this prospect was not too great, there were one or two, but when the children started school and the parents were working or busy about the house, it would be more or less me on my own, thus I decided to rent some rooms. I prayed God would help me find the right place. I wondered if this might be a faith experience, because as school is beginning rooms fill up fast and are hard to obtain. Well it was a faith experience, but not how I thought. There were an over abundance of rooms, as well as people willing to help me find one! The faith part, was praying and asking God which one. It was asking God to really lead, to guide my thoughts as to which one was best. The hardest part was being firm on a decision. I choose a place right beside the high school where I plan to spend quite a bit of time and near Suzy’s home. It is only about a twenty minute walk from the church as well. It is a nice room in a compound with several other families, two rooms a large living room, small kitchen, and shower. I’ll try to send pictures when it is set up, because probably the image you are seeing in your head right now is a little different than what the actual place looks like! There is electricity but no running water in the house, there’s a pipe/faucet outside and well in the compound to fill up with. The toilet is outside the gate, whose door needs to be fixed, or else it will become a public toilet.
There is much to be joyful about so far. Met a few new friends, Jean, Phillipe, Samson, between ages of 19 and 50’s; they’ve shown me around, as well as helped me find a room, and with Samson’s friends we’ve started a Bible, as I may have mentioned before. All there stories are interesting. Jean is 19 and finished high school around 14 or 15, not quite sure. He is now working hard at college to be able to marry and support his family, and as many hope here, to some day go abroad to Canada or the US. Phillipe is 20 and in January is starting four years of veterinary school to be able to work on his father’s large farm. He helped me find the room which is in the same compound he lives in, until school starts he is garbage cart puller (no trucks here), the only job he could find, he says.
There are a lot of things that break my heart here too. Just before I left for Benin I rediscovered (not sure the last time I actually sung it was) the hymn “Let Your Heart Be Broken” number 575. The words are really wonderful, I encourage you to read it and sing it too if you wish! Anyway the things that break my heart, some I can help, others not so much. The biggest is probably the alcohol problem. As in many developing countries (not that we do not have it developed nations, just seems more raw and sensitive in developing ones) when a man does not have steady work, on the down time he drinks. You can smell the alcohol as you walk by the cabarat’s (their name for bar). And I have talked with a few drunks and it’s not pleasant. Not in the sense that I have been in danger of being harmed, but just how do you talk with someone like that, how do you share the gospel in that situation. Most of what you say is probably going to forgotten, so being courteous is the best means. They sad part is these men, and some women, slowly fry their brains! They will even tell you that they think that getting stone cold drunk is not guy, casually drinking not so bad, and that evening you’ll see them staggering home. But there is hope, a friend of Suzy’s, an older gentlemen in the last few years, gave up drinking and smoking. So some are seeing the dangers and letting go. The family life is heart breaking thing here too. Families are often broken up, by unfaithfulness, disrespect, and even if not in these conditions, they are harsh especially for the children. Also the young people have a lot of misconceptions on relationships and sex. They do not take it seriously. While it seems more open here, all these problems, they are really global problems. In Western culture it’s just easier to hide. Now let’s not misunderstand me here, the people here are not evil! I have met many sincere, kind people, but misconception, deception, and cultural chains bind them! That’s the saddest part.
Well if you can handle a bit more, there’s a few more things to add! I am learning lots spiritually. Which is expected you say, but truthfully I do not believe I had to come here to learn them, it is true going on missions changes the missionary sometimes more than the target people, yet that’s, in my mind, a less than noble reason to go. I say this to say this, that wherever you are I encourage you to let God change you. God is not confined to extreme experiences, they sure help, but in all our day to day he looks to change us. More and more I realize the daily walk with Christ. I’m a futurist you could say, I am always tempted to dream of what is coming next, when I’m done this, I’ll do that, when I finish this, I will, etc. God is teaching to me take up the cross daily, accomplish that day well, then move to next. We do need to plan into the future, but there’s only so much of that one can do. The hardest has been loosing control. Not in the sense of going crazy, but loosing control on my life. Self-sacrifice. My life has usually been in my control, classes I’ll take, money I’ll spend, people I will spend time with, schools to attend. But God is asking that are give it to Him and myself too. I realize this is not self-abuse. I tend to want to push myself to the extreme for the cause of Christ. When necessary it’s ok. But God is asking that I lay down my life for Him and give my plans to Him. So staying healthy is a part of that, living balanced in relationships, work, and relaxation. All under the great banner of bringing humanity to Heaven through Christ! I have been reading much of the Bible and Ellen White, about David’s life and Christ’s object lessons. Amazing food to eat. It’s true sanctification is the work of life time and giving up self is the hardest battles we will ever fight (see COB chapters 3 and 7)! So it’s not overnight and is. Each day we give up self, and each day the life is change silently and imperceptibly. I do not want to preach, so that about does it for today! I will plan to share more of what happens in life here in the future, and pictures too! God bless you deeply.

In His grip,
Eric “Broken-Heart” Anderson

"Our Great Controversy"

A couple Friday nights ago I read a few sections from chapters 36-42 in the Great controversy by Ellen White. I say sections because it was so intense that I read a bit and skimmed a bit, unfortunately. It scared me! Should it? Should more of faithful Adventists be floored by these chapters. I believe there’s yet a balance to find! It is real, if I believe the other councils of Sister White, than these chapters are just as binding. But my thoughts start me thinking and worrying if I’d make it through that last terror. While most things are imagined worse than they really are, these events, she says, will be really be worse than imagined! The truth is that I cannot now go through a test to see if I’ll past the end times, it’s a time on it’s own. What I can do is let Christ prepare me. I can put effort each day, to study His word, claim His promises, rely on Him. The more I do these things now, the more I will be able to stand. But the mind is not easily convinced, and so I daily give it all to Him. I think we need to all be familiar with the coming conflict, but also to realize the power behind the end result, Jesus’ coming, He who comes is able to pull us through, let’s be faithful today! I had this on my heart and hope it encourages you and gets us all praying! God bless.
Becoming salty,
Eric

"Changing Dreams"

It was not my idea, but they had insisted so I went along with them. The three of us were returning from cyber café, and my companions suggested an alternate route back home. It looked a bit more uphill than the other path, but they promised it was shorter. Indeed it was shorter, up over the little rise instead of all the way around it. But it was not the length nor the trail itself that was, how do I say, mind-boggling, or changing perhaps. It was the view. As we crested the little rise I could see the hills the surrounded the valley, the splendor of the green grass and tree covered hills and the misty sky shooting up from their plateau tops. My heart fell in love with Africa. For the first time I thought I may be able to give my life for this place. That is not really true though. The place may be wonderful, but it is my love for Jesus that brings about the love for the place. Yet as this realization gripped I began to fight it. Such a thing as I had prayed for since coming here, why should I fight it? If we go back to the day before I had been thinking about a certain dream of mine, to reach a group of people that have not had much if any Adventist contact, I was thinking of ways to reach them, how to do, just mulling it over in my mind. Yet I knew that even if God should call me to that region, it was not now. Now I was in Benin, needing to focus, to work hard, to love strong. I prayed that if this dream of working with these people was not for me that it would disappear. Up to that point when of thought my dream, I was very excited, a joy would rise inside of me. The dream I do not share just because it was between me and God, you understand. The goal and purpose of it was just fine, noble, but like I said, just not for this time. So it was as I crested that hill that a new dream replaced an old dream. Time will tell where God leads. In my human nature, it’s hard to give up something that seemed like it would be great. But oh the joy to know that God is changing my heart. I pray God will make me more African everyday, and His faithful servant.
God bless.
In His grip,
Eric

The Hat Has Eyes and Other Stories

Hello friends,
Well over a week here in Nati and things are moving along. It's a bit challenging right now, as there is no school, thus my work with the youth is a bit hindered. But once school starts and the students return from farming, there will be some real grand things happening. Well that' s a bit deceiving, there is still are things to do and more importantly relationships to build. I am in a neighbor friendly due tocontact with the missionaries in whose home I am staying and so I am getting to know lots of people. I also made a few friends playing soccer the local high school field. I am going to try to upload pictures, but internet is not exactly picture upload friendly.
I have always thought highly of story books, it's amazing to have an intriguing title and then realize there are many more of those intriguing stories. Well I want to share a few with you.

The hat has eyes
Some children from Suzy's neighborhood, came over with me to my house for a visit. We looked at pictures and munched on some sweetbread. But they were tired and one of them decided to retire for a nap. He was soon back in the living room. I asked him why he had not slept, he said there was a hat with eyes in my room. I started to worry. But he quickly showed me my Marks Work Warehouse baseball cap that has two led lights on the brim, which I had accidently left on. It scared him, until I showed him how it worked. This really sparked my mind, something I thought was simple was yet unknown. Also that even children are aware of the spiritual qualities around, that a hat with eyes would frighten them.

Happy Marriage
A very close friend here in Nati, just got married, and I was invited. The young man has had a rough time, loosing his mother several years ago. Marriage here is so much more of a simple affair here. It's not business like, it still has much meeting, but just small. We celebrated with chocolate cake and pop in glass bottles. The ceremony was in a small courtyard conducted by the local Justice of the Peace. It was heart-warming, perhaps the simple elegance gave a more meaningful peace to the commitment than some of our services in North America.

Friends, Friends
This is more a comment than story. I been marked. Well not because of something I did, just because here for some people white skin means foreign finances. I have been inudated but there has been a few friendly people who have imparted there woes to me and implied some help. I offered what little I could, which is basically not much. You can give 25 cents to give someone a meal and then every other person in Nati is on your doorstep. But I don't mind too much, if I connect with people who want money out of me, that's better than nothing. Although it's not hopeless, most people here are genuine.

Jumping for the Bible
I was invited over by a young man last week. The man explained he always loved to talk to Europeans and such. I kindly refused an alcoholic drink and was instead supplied with cooked all natural sugared drink, which was interesting to taste. We had great conversation. After I explained I was a missionary, they were excited to talk about God. They had many questions, which I prayed silently and answered as best I could, most of them were Catholics and one was Muslim. They invited me back the next day. I was glad. The next day, they invited me back again. I informed them that this week I could spare the time but after I would be a bit busy. So we've set up a time twice a week. We did our first lesson toda. It is a simply Bible study they fill out the blanks in Bible verses. They were so excited today to have the right answers they jumped for joy. I am excited to as one woman shared she would share the study with church members. This is only a part of ministry here. My focus here on is on youth, but I am glad to have opportunities to connect with older people too.

Weeding Scars
The missionaries here are working on a culture study and decided one way to learn about the culture was to do some farming local style. They have a couple plots of land a ways from town. I was able to go and help weed this past week. Unfortunately I was not able to have a hoe since there weren't enough, so my hands were the tool of choice. My right arm has suffered since. After displaying my scars at prayer meeting that night, the others informed me I should have worn long sleeves as they did. It was a little late. The hot son during the work was well hot. But we only work in the morning so it wasn't too bad for around here, and apparently it gets hotter!

Well these are only a few stories and I am sure there will be many more. Thanks for all your prayers and God bless.

In His grip,
Eric

Bon Arrivé

Welcome to Natitingou friends,
Or as most people would say Bon Arrivé (French keyboards may be difficult to handle but they are certainly are nice for accents!) I arrived here in Nati (the local term for Natitingou, as you may have guessed) yesterday afternoon. Suzy was there right away to get me, she said she almost missed seeing me, but one of the children in her truck pointed my bus out as it passed, thank God! It seems one of the best regulators that I am going farther from civilization is slower internet, but I know that having internet is a great privilege. Well the night went well and I went out and bought some bought some cooked rice and cheese and bread for breakfast, delicious! I am staying at one of the missionarys home, for a while as they are out on furlough, until I find a more permanent place. God bless. I hope to have pics up soon, well relatively.
In His strong grip,
Eric

They Call Me Yovoe

Hi friends!
Tomorrow evening will be exactly two weeks that I have been here. I am sitting in a somewhat croweded internet cafe, there is a cell phone playing the lastest French hits loudly, it was interesting to here an English tune by Celine Dion, maybe she is the best singer in the whole world! I have been spending my time here in Cotonou in Red Cross training, which by Gods grace I passed on Friday. This will definitely aid me in helping the young people up north, as the training was not only first aid but also health education, psychology of groups and such. I walked to church yesterday, which was tiring and refreshing. As I walk the streets here, the little children will usually be very exactly as I pass, calling Yovoe! Yovoe! which is the term here for white person or stranger. I really wanted to make some connections here even though this is not the exact place of my project. I was able to meet a young boy named Alfred, who was excited to know all about Canada. I have visited him the last couple days. Hopefully I can see him on a return trip here to Cotonou. I also met Prospere, who was interested in coming back with me to Canada, as most people do here. After explaining I was a missionary to the North, he surprised me by asking me that I pray for this country that the people in Benin would have peace. I assured I would and that many people in Canada were too. It really hit me as I walked to streets, people here are here, they cannot leave unless by some miraculous good fortune. Yet I, I am here for only a little while and then I am gone forever or for a while, back to my comfortable home. It is the way things are, but really makes me consider the duty I have to these people in Christ. In these two weeks God has really asked me to rely on Him. During the day I am with friends but the evenings finds me alone in my room, just myself and God, where I have felt loneliness, but realized His supreme love and care for me. I tell you this not for you to see that I am some great missionary roughin it like in old times, but to say that we are never alone, and to say praise God that I can now relate to people who though surrounded by people in a city can feel alone inside. Yet God is true, Jesu est fidele, as a song I learned during training, Jesus is always there.
God richly bless you.
In His grip,
Eric
p.s. Indeed I have alot to learn! What sounded to me as Low Voe was actually Yovoe, as Suzy pointed out to me. Good to know.

Thanks

I just figured out I had comments. Thanks to you all. I very much appreciate your prayers. I ask you to remember the people here too. They are really in need of Christ, as we all do! God bless.
Eric

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