What do ya think?

Well as you can see I have a bit of extra time this week to write. I thought I'd try this time to split the entries up, instead a big long one, some smaller ones. Maybe then if you don't have tons of time you can read one and come back later, let me know what ya think, if you wish. God bless.

Now and Forever More

Promoting Disney is really not a passion of mine, in fact I am rather against most of the empire'swork, so much hidden spiritism, scary if you look at it. But the song caught me off guard and I wantedto share the truth I learned. Oh and neither am I a propenant of listening to secular music or moviesto find the truth in them, but if by chance I stumble upon something, well there is a difference. I am just differentiated between searching and being suprised, now that you and I are confused, I will continue(-: So the song was, "You'll be in my heart" by Phil Collins from the Tarzan animated film. The song reallygrabbed me because it was in English being played on a cellphone help by a passing motocyclerist (is that a word).English grabs my attention ashamed to say a little. The words came to mind immediately, since wehad the soundtrack on tape when I was younger. "You'll be in my heart, no matter what they say, You'llbe here in my heart, always." In another part it says, "You'll be in my heart, from this day on, now and forever more."The profound simplicity hit me. I am in God's heart, no matter what other say. From even before creationI am in His heart now and forever more. That means that all people are lost and saved, those in Heavenone day, and even greater those not. No matter what anyone says, forever God will feel the void ofnot having all humans with Him in Heaven. Wow doesn't even cut it! Ellen White reiterates it in thelast few chapters of the Great Conterversy saying God will feel the void of those lost sinners forever.He still be glad that many are saved, but their will be still a hole. Let's all try to make that holeas small as possible. Deal.

The Real Difference

Finally a small incident. Walking down the street I was greeted by a gentleman passing by. Heseemed to believe we met before, possible, but then again, if you are white you look the same as everyoneelse. Last week a slightly crazy guy said he saw me in a video with Celine Dion, I assured him no, but he moved on quickly. He asked me if I had come from Church on the Sunday morning. Yes and no, from Pathfindersbut not from he worship service. I told him I worship on Saturday. Why? It's the Bible sabbath, I was hungrywanted to get home, so I almost ripped a good Adventist doctrine lesson into him, but chilled to listen.He said we are all the same, Catholics, Muslim, Adventist, all the same God. Well yes and no. The sameGod, but not the same beliefs, I tried to explain. Well even then it's not all the same God. We do believe to all worship God, but at the heart of Islam and Catholicism is unfortunately much Devil worship!Yet it got me thinking, am I really different? I do go to church on Sabbath, seek to follow the Bible,Pray everyday, but in the end, do I really trust God with my whole heart? Do I turn to self, a sortof Satan worship in a way? Do I look to God in crisis and in good times, or to misfortune and fate?I know the answer, I do trust God, I do look Him. Not always perfectly. I think it's a way to get meoff track to question. If I believe, I believe. I have seen the difference a real faith makes in people around the world more and more. But I see it is healthy to ask how am I different, and to make those differences evidence in love and tenderness. I pray in faith, not manipulation; I see God as loving. I seek others well being. I believe in less I and more God! Let's all believe. Therecomes a point where believing must be beyond reason.

Marching Reordered

My call here is to connect to the youth. I am brainstorming how to grow friendships withthe local high school students, one of the local schools is literally outside my front door, just in the nextstreet. So I can have a great base for the youth to come over and hang out and such. Someonesuggested an English study group would be a great starter. I could help them with comprehensionand reading, grammar not so much, but we'd try and it would be free, so no need to worry aboutbeing qualified as a teacher. Suzy was quick to mention that I'd have to set some times and makesure to put a cap on the number or else I may have the whole school at my house. I want to reach manybut my house only fits so many, and time allows only so much well time. Since we have our trip to Cotonou, I am going to go on all engine firing the next week. Pathfinders is also going well. I amtrying to adapt North American games and activities to here. Youth do not grow up real analyticalhere, they are experience practically in life skills, cooking, responsiblity, money management, etc. But thinking deeply is not developed (out of the two the practical aspects are bit moreimportant first, a lack in the modern west indeed). So we are working to do interesting and yetsimple things and learn together. The only discouragement is uniforms. We have an adequate supplyof the cast offs from North America's switch to black from green, but getting it organized is anotherchallenge. And we have Pathfinder Sabbath in three weeks. So marching and uniforms will be a priority, but hopefully they will go well. Oh the marching! I can march, but I don't know the commands in French.So I have had to swallow pride as the Pathfinder leading and let the students teach me. The hardpart is that some moves I see as easier my way, but I just go along with it. The about face is okay, but smoother Canadian style (isn't that the case, my ways is always better, not the best attitude!), but it makes little difference. So I am glad to relearn.

Our Daily Process

This past week has been eventful as usually, conversing with people at home, they have askedhow was the week and I can barely remember everything. Yes, I agree with those who promote journaling,you easily forget the wonderful things God does, and that's not a good habit. I did meet an interesting fellow this week, Fidard. He accosted, though politely, as I was visited some friends who I do Bible study with twice a week. People are always saying hi to me, and he asked me if I rememberedhim. Well no, but I love to listen to what he has to say. He begged me to come over, but I told himI was going to travel soon, but no he would have non of it, almost teared up. Although I think he wasa bit tipsy. You can encounter unsobered people at any time of the time, as I said before. So I said I'd try on Friday or Sabbath. I did on Sabbath, and he was glad to see me. I am challenged always by people that approach me. I want to help them but they do not always want to sit and talk, they wantmoney, help, food. They are not selfish, they probably really need it. But I have to be realistic, I am one person, and when I start giving to every passer by, whom can say no to. Once I get to know a person, I know there real situation, I am willing to give. Unfortunately you just cannot alwaystell the fake stories from the real, so I do what I can always do listen and try direct them to more suitable help, like the orphanage, the charity house, etc. Well Fidard was not wanting my helpmaterially, well he never asked that is. He explained to me his situation, out of a job that he hadwith the Catholic Sisters of Charity, and trying to survive on rent from the store shops he rents out.He would repeat statements over and over, very dramatically. This is how we get along, this is how weget along, this is how we get along; in a quiet, sad voice. I could sense he was trying to play on my emotions a bit, but he sincerely continued with the story of how he and his wife got into a heatedargument over money he had earned. He had given her a fifth, payed bills with a fith, and kept the restto buy groceries and whatever else. He went to a bar and she came to get him, and demanded the money.There was some physical violence and then people showed up. Most on her side. Although from his storyshe attacked first. Well he had some wounds to back the story up, but he first told me the story it hadhappened three days ago, on Thursday, but after checking his medical record book, he changed it to almosttwo weeks ago, on a Thursday. That made me suspicious. But I did not bother questioning. He said therewas no peace in his family, he so longed for peace. I had read in Christ's Object lessons about howJesus engaged His hearers in there needs, so I read some texts on peace. He is a Catholic, so the Bibleis a trustworthy source to him. He appreciated the words from John 14 and Jeremiah 29:11. I admitit was not so easy. I was sure I would fail, I would say the wrong thing. Not only am I learning whatit means to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove, I am learning that conversion is a process, notan event. There is the step of baptism, but there are years of study, nurturing, before and after, a processthrough which I find I am still in, we all are in. So I have given up trying to convert people on the spot.My goal is to give everyone the truth that I can through Christ, which in the end I pray will end up in their conversion to the Adventist faith and a saving relationship with Jesus. Can one exist without the other, but I do not believe it will work out well. The Adventist truths are Biblical and if learn themand then decide that they are not required with a saving relationship with Jesus, you are kinda dead in thewater, because the Bible is the guide for learning of Christ! So Fidard and I talked some more. He appreciatedmy reading of the Word, and said I have awakened him, caused him to want to go back to church, to prayagain. I am learning slowly, but surely, that God changes heart, this is the second time someone has saidI have convinced them of something, and I have not tried to by any means. God does it. I prayed before weparted. The tough part about witnessing here on Sabbath, is everywhere pretty much there is TV andit's on 24/7 it seems, like a radio that you watch once in a while. So I either talk with peopleoutside the home or sit in a chair not facing the TV. I do not believe in TV on Sabbath (or really any day forthe most part), but in the interest of people, I will ignore it. Consciously watching it with them,I politely refuse, but if it is while we have a conversation, I'll deal with it. As he walked downthe street, Fidard promised to pray before bed and in the morning, and would be at mass on Sunday, with a definite plan to attend confession. Peachy I thought. I have just taken a backsliding Catholic, backto Catholicism. On the one side I did not wish to discourage his renewed faith in God, knowing that with a growing friendship I can share gospel truths as well as the other missionaries and church members. But also realizing, that maybe God was trying to get him to see the deficites of beingCatholic by allowing this lack of peace to settle upon him and his family. Well by that time, I thought it wise to part peacefully. I dropped off a pamphlet from the French voice of prophecy the next dayon having a happy a family. Pray for him.

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.

The Chickens Hurt My Feelings

Whenever I head over to Suzy’s house there is always something that I can pretty guarantee will be there to greet me, the chickens. Not exactly greet me, more like run away from me, squawking and fluttering, and the babies chirping. Makes one imagine there’s a disaster about to strike that only the chickens know about. And it is this way that they hurt my feelings. Of course I am here to get to people not chickens, but those guys are kinda cool looking and interesting, if they realize I was not out to hurt them, maybe they’d warm up to me a little. Probably there Uncle Henry McCoopster told them about how all chickens eventually die a horrible death and how he barely escaped with feathers still intact. Despite the obvious ridiculousness of how the chickens keep hurting my feelings, I was reminded of Heaven. Someday not even animals will be afraid. Love will be the sentiment of all creatures, humans and animals alike! That’s something to look forward too.
But there is a whole lot more around than chickens for sure. The heat has been rising during the day, but keeping pretty cool at night. I am actually a chilled during morning devotions! Like an ominous warning of impending warning I am told that soon dry season will begin and along with it heat, dust and more dust. Suzy says that good thing for me I have a big hole in the road in front of the house, which means motorcycles won’t go flying by making huge clouds and as well I do not have any windows (except the portholes in the shower that face outside. But I will have to wait and see, although I know it must be pretty hefty on dust because the job description for coming here said you couldn’t be allergic to dust! About the heat, I am glad that I do not have to complain about it, many of the Africans do it themselves. When it’s gets hot, they say “C’est trop chaut.” (It’s too hot!) And then follow that by a comment on how it will soon get even hotter. Really the heat has not been to bad for me, nothing worse than an Albertan or Saskatchewanian (is that right Saskatchewanian) summer.
I am learning lessons everyday, some harder than others. Not that I am making a lot of mistakes, well big mistakes anyway, I am just learning as I go along, like an bird-watching trip, there’s always something new to see. Okay bad metaphor, but I tried. I can see in small ways how the dots connect from day to day. I am talking about how God makes sure things are timed just right, even when I think things are going haywire. Like last Sabbath when I went to visit a friend in the hospital. I waited an hour at his house, because his friend said he had gone to get medication at a charity house and wouldn’t be at the hospital then. After the hour I went with a lady who knew his room to the hospital. When we arrived, he wasn’t there either. So after the rain stopped which started just after we arrived I headed back home. Along the way a small boy asked if he could tag along since he had to go to Taekwondoe practice over my way anyway. He had amazing French for a little boy, and swindled me into the deal! But rain halted our progress again, actually lightning did, rain is not so bad. As we finally headed home, who should I meet walking up the street but my friend! What timing. Then the small lad came over to visit, he asked if he could stay the night, I assured him that wasn’t possible and so we decided he should go to Taekwondo practice at the Youth House, but since night was coming, he asked if I would take him to the main road instead and he’d go home. So after this long process, he headed home. Just as the sun set I arrived home to find the table I had some carpenters make arrive at my house. If I had not been there, it may have sat outside for a while! What timing. Eternally I cannot see the significance of God’s timing, but at least in the present I can see Him working faithfully. Another lesson is learning to let others help me. When I need help, that’s just fine, but there are things I can do, which some believe I can’t, specifically the market. Most Africans believe I will get ripped off if I go bartering myself, it has happened on occasion in the beginning of my sojourn here, but not so much lately. But I really want to learn the culture, learn bartering. But my one friend, Rollande, says he’ll go the market with me and get me good deals. Yet he’s a little over the top bartering for what was at the price everyone already pays. But he just wants to help, and in the spirit of building relationship I go with it. But it is tough. I do have to draw the line when he invites a seller of random goods into my house (while I am there of course) to see if anything interests me. Well I am not really interesting in spending a lot. So his help is appreciated but not necessary in that case.
One more thing, more of an observation. The other day I went outside to discard some vegetable peelings, I think, and noticed a group of men speaking just up the street. More than an hour later I went outside to the outhouse and those same men, in the same spot were there talking! I thought how different from the West. We will sit and talk for hours to talk, but it takes at least a week or two in advance to plan when we will find the time. Here, some people meet they talk. I am not really saying either is good or bad, just noticing life around me.
Again farewell for now and God bless.

In His grip,
Eric “Learner” Anderson
P.S> I have one photo up on Flickr.com, but I haven't figured out the link to it. If you can do it go for it, the account is Beninpics
Next week I'll be in Cotonou with faster internet so I'll do some mad uploading then!