The First Goodbye

Time is dwindling down, days fly by and it seems too soon I’ll be leaving here! I have much to do before leaving, so I am planning out my days with much prayer and prudence! Yesterday I went to visit a good friend of mine. He is an older man for Benin that is, being he is 53 years old. He works at the mayor’s office in the civil department giving people their identity cards. His name is Laurent. He has helped me greatly with culture study research. Manny and I spent three days with him in February, enjoying thoroughly the time together. He loves to talk which is helpful when I need to ask him a lot of questions. He also has two sons that live at home, Armand and Olivier, some of the nicest guys I know in Benin, well mannered and caring, unfortunately not always too common among young folks here. But thanks to their father I surmise, he is a man of principle and virtue. He is always working on some new project on his several acres of property on the outskirts of town. I knew that it would be last chance to stop by his house, as he is only there on Saturdays and Sundays, working the rest of the week. So I stopped by to share a meal and conversation. I gave him a book as a thank you present, the French translation of “Bible Readings for the Home”. The man devours books, and he was thoroughly thankfully for the gift, saying he might not get much sleep that night! I always pray for him, that he will see the light of God’s word fully. He is very faithful in his Assembly of God church and has left all the traditions behind. But he is very tolerant. What I mean he allows everyone to have their opinion, surprisingly post-modern mindset. For him, what he believes is good for him, but maybe not for someone else. This is perhaps worse than someone who is a straight pagan, at least this type of person when convicted sees how twisted the old ways are and how liberating a life in Christ is. A man like Laurent well educated and open to anything, is hard to convince that there is absolute truth, good thing the Holy Spirit does all the convicting and I just maybe do the talking and praying. But I can sense him questioning. This last visit we discussed Jehovah’s witnesses, who don’t believe in the Trinity. He asked me what I thought of this, I mentioned how either Jesus is the Son of God or He is a liar or a lunatic. This he agrees with, but here’s a challenge to his openness, the Jehovah’s witnesses believe what is wrong? So not everything is right if you believe it? Questions are such a good way to get people to arrive at their own conclusions, the series by Shawn Boonstra and Jeff Rosario in my last entry talk about this, very powerful. Well we ate late, the usual in these parts. I was really tired after the big campmeeting weekend, but I knew I could sleep in on Monday and this was our last visit! Laurent wished me much success and God’s blessings. We know that we may never see each other here on earth again, I hope we can both meet in Heaven.

Atacora Campmeeting

This past weekend was a big get together for all the Atacora region churches. There was the folks from Koutie-Tchatidoh, our church from Natitingou, the evangelist Bony from Touchountouna and a member from a church in nearby Togo. We all met at the Boukoumbé church about an hour northwest of Nati. It was a real neat experience. They area churches are trying to make a tradition of meeting at a different location every thirteenth Sabbath, as much as possible. This thirteenth Sabbath was also the day after Christmas, so everyone was together to celebrate Jesus’ birthday too, well the day we remember his birth that is. I was able to bring most of the pathfinders along. There nineteen of us, three non-pathfinders, but still young people from our church. All the kids really enjoyed it. It was a bit tiring though, as on Christmas day we stayed up with the program at the church until midnight or so. Then up at six to get ready for church. The morning church service was done by our pathfinders as well as some songs from the choirs of Koutie and Nati. I shared the message, translated of course into Ditimarri, as half the people gathered didn’t understand French. I shared about Joseph, Jesus’ earthly Father chose to risk his reputation and his whole life to accept Mary as his wife with child, and that he was used as an instrument to help bring God’s salvation to earth, and how we too can be used to share God’s salvation with others. In the afternoon there was a parade with our pathfinders marching along, and members from the others churches in tow. The kids sang loud, but by the end they were pretty tired. It was a real neat experience. I didn’t even know we’d be doing a parade, and as we marched I realized God had unexpectedly given me a great gift, as I had not been able to be in a parade yet with the pathfinders and leaving in January there were not be another change, Praise the Lord! He does beyond what we ask or imagine! We left on Sunday morning at 6:30, and arrived in Nati by 7:45. This is a dusty time of year so the dirt road drive gave all of our hair a nice red tinge! I thank God for His blessing and for the opportunity to be a part of the work here in Benin.

Big words, little words

I am someone that appreciates words, and their impact on me. It can be a weakness, because I may
ride up and down on them, that is I will feel moved, and touched by something, and the next minute
not feel that feeling, and move on. That's why God said to hide His word in our hearts, a place where
it is fixed and not just in one out the other. The other danger is that the words don't change my life,
that I hear them or read them, but still continue on doing what I want to. How does my perspective change?
Is there something I need to give to God in my life? Questions are good to ask after being moved.
There are big words, aka sermons, books, Bible passages. Thoughts and writings that you can really chew
and get into. A book that has been helping me recently is "Overcoming through Jesus" by Bill Liverslidge,
basics of salvation and I often forget, or never even thought of before. I've been listening to sermons on my Mp3
too, here are the links to some real powerful ones.

http://www.audioverse.org/people/234/shawn-boonstra.html

http://www.audioverse.org/people/70/jeffrey-rosario.html
Engaging The Culture, Part I
Jeffrey Rosario · 08-12-18 2:30 PM · Sermon
Engaging The Culture, Part II
Jeffrey Rosario · 08-12-18 3:45 PM · Sermon
Understanding the Worldview Web
Jeffrey Rosario · 08-12-18 10:45 AM · Sermon
Loving God With All Your Mind
Jeffrey Rosario · 08-12-18 9:30 AM · Sermon

http://www.audioverse.org/people/138/nathan-renner.html

http://www.audioverse.org/people/236/steve-wohlberg.html

But there are little words too, a phrase here or there that catches my attention and impacts me. I was watching
some marantha stories episodes from a sample DVD I got I think at GYC in 2007. It was real neat, often I forget
that I am not on the only project in the world, there are many others sacrificing their time and effort for the forwarding of the
gosepl. There were two small testimonies, one about a 72 year old man Roger Hatch, since age 40 he's supervised countless
church people projects for Marantha. The interviewer made this statement and asked for Roger's reaction "Roger Hatch loves people."
Roger teared up, it moved him, he said it hurt him to see fellow believers worshiping under trees, when in North America
we have our stained glass and padded pews. He wanted to help others have a place of worship, a place
to bring in new members, a place to grow. The other story was Manuel (sorry forgot his last name), he is a project
coordinator for Marantha, the onsight guy who helps the incoming building teams get things done. He was asked
how one goes about finding work with Marantha, his response, "Don't ask how to work for Marantha, but how can you work
for God?" Neat-o! There was also several features on ultimate workout, a great teen mission trip every summer, to
different locations worldwide. One girl interviewed made this comment, "Out here we have to rely more on God than we would at home." Unknowingly she summed up the entire problem with the church in North America. Now I what
she meant to communicate, that there didn't have all the neccessities of life out there and that is was harder just
to get water and food, etc. True, but for many people that statment is the truth. But it doesn't have to be so,
though we may physical comforts in North America and Europe, we need God all the more, to be dependent on Him! Easy
to say, harder to do.
A last word was not from a Christian source, but was intrigueing. Whenever some hollywood star passes away, it's sure
to make some lasting news. Yes it is annoying because they are humans like everyone else, and thousands die
each day without even a blink of the eye from anybody but their surrouding people. But after logging off my yahoo mail the other
day I say a news article about Brittany Murphy, a lesser star, so to speak, aired in a few films and once on the Clueless
sitcom. She died suddenly at 32 years old. It reminds me that even those society sees as the rich, untouchable are human
like us all, and it is sad to hear of anyone dying. I certainly can't judge her, I can only hope she lived up to what she knew
was right. But what struck me was what her ex boyfriend (she married somebody else later) Ashton Kutcher said on Tweeter, "2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon." and also "see you on the other side kid."
This is what our society holds as the creme of the crop, a guy who says, 2day, instead of today when someone's life has ended. Am I
old fashioned, don't really care. But also his end words, see you on the other side. Reminds me of "eternity in their hearts" from Solomon
in Ecclesiastes. Even the stars of hollywood are missing something, are hoping to go to a better place after they die (well we know
that it's not right away.)

So words, what will you say today? As we come into a new year, we will a whole new 365 days, to say and live for Jesus!

Soon it will be Christmas Day

It's always interesting for a Canadian in an African country at Christmas, dust replaces snow, and heat replaces cold, though everyonce in a while I might stick my head in the freezer to not forget my heritage! It's also a tough time for the church, we kind of walk on eggshells, some believe that celebrating Christmas at church makes us look like the Catholics, who of course take Mary and the others to a new level of worship where they shouldn't be (well that worshipped at all!) But I am excited at least because this year all the Atacora region churches are meeting in Boukoumbe, Northwest of here, to celebrate the season and the thirteenth Sabbath together. Should be fun and a blessed time. Here are some Christmas peoms I wrote for your enjoyment and blessing!

"The Christmas Spirit"

I was looking one day for the Christmas Spirit,
I wondered exactly where I’d find it,
I thought about a song to sing,
So I went to the library, looking up Crosby, Bing,
Nothing there, how about Sinatra, Frank,
But again the answer pretty blank.
So onto Google I went,
Looked through holiday videos until I was spent,
No aid from Charlie Brown to the Winnie the Pooh,
Not even Dr. Seuss could help, oh boo hoo!
So I looked at some true stories,
Looking for perhaps some hidden treasuries,
There was one about allies and axis fighting away,
Who stopped for a while on Christmas Day,
There were stories of help for the poor,
Or miracles at a local department store,
All were quite touching and nice,
It was a great holiday slice,
But nothing seemed to hold a solution,
What was it really about was the question.
So I tried one last thing,
Maybe this would with truth ring,
I reached up high on the shelf for my Bible,
I once learned that God was always able,
Could He answer this puzzling query?
Or would He shuffle away in a hurry?
The was sadly very dusty,
Of its words my knowledge quite rusty,
Yet I hoped the reason was in there,
The real answers it had to bear.
I leafed all the pages through,
Until my eyes fell on the book of Matthew,
And there I cried tears of joy,
As I rediscovered what I had learned as a boy,.
The message was so crystal clear,
I knew God’s presence had drawn near,
Oh, the Christmas spirit is wrapped up in thus,
One simple word Emmanuel, “God with us.”

"The Homeless King"

There’s no home for the baby,
Not that His parents are lazy,
Or that they are a little crazy,
There just isn’t a place for the baby.

As of yet He’s actually not born,
But soon He will be here all forlorn,
Into a life of victory and scorn,
A real rose among thorns.

Knocking on ever inn door,
“Rooms!”, is the cry “Are no more!”
Not even a closest or a store,
No where to lay the head for a snore.

How can this thing be?
Now room for the King of Eternity,
So in a stable the shepherds will Him see,
The grand Savior of you and me.

It’s a different kind of King,
One for whom the angels sing,
For whose coming all the heavens ring,
Let us to Him always cling.

Cleaning Beans

Cleaning Beans
There are many tasks that have challenged me in Benin, from Pathfinders, to bush taxi travel to spending three days sitting with an old guy I couldn’t talk to, but there is one that I am deathly afraid of, you guessed it, cleaning beans. Beans here are usually small whitish ones, that turn light burn when cooked, I don’t their official name. Before you cook them, you have to go through them and take all the bad beans. I used to let Manny do that, he didn’t seem to mind, although I helped once in a while. It’s tedious for sure. I bought some beans like two months ago, and finally decided to face my fears. I had company coming on Sabbath and set down to clean those beans. I barely got through a pile and my neck hurt and my back. I sit in one chair with the pile of beans on another, then with a bowl in between my knees I clean the beans, a bit tough labor yes (hey if you know a better way let me know). Well I have a bucket full several kilos, but only did what I needed for the next day, maybe one kilo, and it took an hour and fifteen minutes about!
I have been reading the life of James O. Fraser pioneer missionary to the Lisu people of central China called “Mountain Rain” by Eileen Crossman Fraser. He once wrote:
“The temptation I have often had to contend with is persistent under many forms; ‘If only I were in such and such a position’ for example, ‘shouldn’t I be able to do a great work! Yes, I am only studying engineering at present, but when I am in training for missionary work things will be different and more helpful.’… Or’ Well, here in the training home, all my time must be given to language study- how can I do missionary work? But when I am settled down in my station and able to speak freely, opportunities will be unlimited!’ etc.,etc.
It is all if and when. I believe the devil is fond of those conjuctions…The plain truth is that the Scriptures never teach us to wait for opportunities of service, but to serve in just things that lie next to our hands… The Lord bids us work, watch and pray…
Since the thing things that lie in our immediate path have been ordered by God, who shall say that one kind of work is more important that the other.” (pg. 28)

Very thought provoking and moving!

These past few weeks I have struggling over a decision, whether to leave a little early or not. I have been dealing with emotional and mental issues that had me questioning whether I should stay or not. In the end I decided to head home the end of January, a little earlier than the original beginning of April. It is not an easy decision, but a necessary one for my long term health. Don’t anybody worry, I am not on the verge of collapse, but see this as an opportunity for prevention of future problems as much as it for healing. I can only praise God for how He has been able to get things done here. The Pathfinder club is getting along well, they have several people who will sustain it after my departure, and the culture study research is wrapping in the next month. I will be continuing to write and compile at home for the cultural scrapbook, so I won’t be necessarily be giving up my post entirely. Though this does mean my time with AFM will come to a close officially. I am heading out on January 21 to Cotonou and flying to France for a small visit on the 24th, then home on February 8. So much is left to do in this last month, and I look forward with dread (is that possible) to see friends and family, but the dread of leaving all my wonderful new friends here! Thank you always for you prayers. It thus has helped me thinking of James words, I know that what God has put in path here in Benin, from cleaning beans to counseling and praying for a broken marriage, has been all sacred work, and I am confident He’ll be leading me on His path in the future too.

Above the Din

Here is an interesting situation I have never been in before. Uli and Toussaint moved to a new house a few months ago and now live right by an orphanage/dormitory. Some of the kids there are real orphans or their parents can’t take care of them, others can’t get schooling the remote villagers and so come and live there. Uli and Toussaint have really taken to heart the kids, especially the real orphans and help them in many ways. They’ve started a weekly chapel time on Sunday nights at the orphanage. It’s a time of prayer and worship. I wanted to go to one and this past Sunday Toussaint said I should come and share. I was real excited and nervous. I can preach before huge churches, but with a small or large group of just young people like me I get nervous! I prayed and God gave me a message, one that had really blessed me from 2 Corinthians 5:19, how God doesn’t hold our sins against us for now, so that we may come to Him. If He did impart our sins against us we’d be dead! I shared with this the parable of the workers hired at different times in the day in Matthew 20. The youth from little children to late teens, listened so quietly. What was the hard part was prayer. The group is made up of many church goers, some to the Assembly of God others to the Catholic church. Well when I prayed to open, the Catholics start praying the Rosary, I think or something like it. Well I prayed loud and go through. At the end I prayed to close and it seemed their courage had grown and mine diminished, I wondered if anyone beside the front row could hear me. After words I was confused, I didn’t know whether to be sad or mad! These people couldn’t they relax. I mean nobody I’d ever met would pray their own pray out loud while I prayed. In the end I couldn’t get mad over it, there was not point, I could only be sad. These young minds so easily swayed by such a heresy, that they had to pray that prayer whenever prayer was being held, just to get into Heaven or at least purgatory (in their minds). I pray the message planted some seed in their minds. With the story of the workers I shared how it was the hirer who went out to get the workers, that He brought them in, they did nothing but accept the call!

Don't Stare

How often as a little kid I head those words, don’t stare! Sometimes you just couldn’t help it, the guy had a monkey on his shoulder, or that woman was wearing her dress backwards! Well those would be extreme cases, but you get the idea. I remember at New Frenda Youth Camp one summer on Sabbath we played a Waldenses role play game. We had to smuggle Bible verses to a secret location (well not to us) without being caught by soldiers. I did get caught once and set to jail. Then myself and another camper were sent before the queen (Tim Putt with wig and all, quite a sight), and were ordered to at three different intervals along the big concrete staircase that lead up the side of the hill stop and shout “The Queen’s hair is so fair I can’t help but stare.” (The rhyming helps me remember it.) And then we were released to get more scripture.
I read in a funny and inspiring book my dad gave me called “Here I am Lord- Send Someone Else!” By Kurt DeWitt about the staring habits of Kenyans, apparently they like to stare at everyone. Here I think that may be the case too, but I have a feeling it is reserved for those of paler skins! Yet I too have the staring bug at times. You see here people don’t live by matching colors, well at least the villagers don’t. You may see a bright pink top with some yellow and red skirt, but it’s not so simple. The designs are crazy. You may be familiar a little bit with African prints. I have seen clothing with drawings of fingers, of an entire antique living room, of American dollar bills, of just crazy swirls and squares. It is entertaining! One guy at church has this shirt that is blue and yellow with some East Indian type design. Twice I ended up sitting behind him and trying to figure out what was on the back of his shirt. People buy the fabric and then the tailor or seamstress makes it, and sometimes it can be sideways or upside down if it is a recognizable thing. So I study this shirt, I thought maybe it was some sort of worm with wings, or a backwards fish thingy, like those weird deep see blind fish. Then the second time it clicked, it was an upside down elephant head! Oh how fast the mystery went away.
There’s another mystery I have been trying to solve here. Well it’s not completely mysteriously, I know the reasons, I just wished I had the exact answer. Like I am distracted by weird designs on clothing, people here are distracted by Satan. Yes that sounds obvious, but the one area really baffles me. I invite people to church or a evening meeting and they will say right to my face, I will be there, and they don’t show. Well that’s happens all over the world. But this last Sabbath was a real puzzler. There is a man from Ghana who repairs shoes on the market, he said to call him and we’d go to church together. I did call him and he’d said he take a moto-taxi and come. . But he did not show. I went to go get a friend to go to church, he was still sleeping, his sister said he’d be ready later and come. He didn’t come. As I walked to church from the second friend’s house, another friend say me in the street, and asked me what I was doing, I said going to church. He said I will come. I told him it is at 11 o clock church service. He said he’d go shower and come. Our church is right beside a well known private school, so many people find it easily. He didn’t come either. Two hours before church I invite someone, and they still do not come! I was just dumbfounded. How Satan can so distract that in two hours, they can forget or put it aside. It is also a matter of priorities. I can’t expect these people who have never once come to my church to put it first before making money, talking with friends, etc. They need much encouragement! And most importantly much prayer.