New playmate for the kids

Three days ago we were able to adopt a new member into our extended family – a baboon.  She actually belongs to another missionary couple several hours south of us who are currently on furlough.  So we get to baboon-sit for 7-10 months, giving the kids the chance to “have” their own baboon before we return to the US.  Her name is Kito and she’s about 2-years old, and adorable.

Bridget with her new friend, Kito

Boys will be boys

Sometime last week I included a photo of Kim & Tom drilling our well at the farm in the neighboring column, I’m not certain everyone noticed two cute little boys playing in the mud.  Just give you a better sense of the absolute joy of having so much mud to play with, I thought I would add these…

Benin mud bath

Wild boy of Benin

Did I mention the elephant?

What happens when an African elephant meets a Wyoming barb wire fence? The fence loses.

We discovered this last month after discovering our barb wire fence “strewn” apart. The destruction was so impressive we knew it couldn’t have been anything less than a herd of wild cows; it turns out it was a roaming elephant that was sighted in several villages near here after New Year’s. I guess I forgot to mention this possibility to the Wyoming team of cowboys who put the fence up several years ago, the fence specs just couldn’t hold up.

We’ve since repaired the fence and have resigned ourselves to losing this fight if ever happens again.

Fire

Huge blaze yesterday, caused by the exhaust from our mill which ignited some near by grasses in the middle of the hot, breezy day. Heroic efforts by all stopped it from damaging too much, but it got pretty scary. I could see flames reaching far above the tree tops, and new fires kept popping up all over the place. It was heading right where the cows were grazing, and one of the interns freed the cows, wrapped the electric wire (which made a temporary fence for the cow’s pasture) around himself and grabbed the solar battery before leaping to safety on the other side of the barbed wire fence. Other interns grabbed jerry cans of water, with the opening facing forward over their shoulders, opened them and ran into the fire with the water pouring out ahead of them. Matt inhaled an inordinate amount of smoke and felt pretty ill afterwards. Fighting fires here is always a challenge, since the only tools we really have are machetes and green branches of leaves. Fortunately this time, there was plenty of water on hand that had been collected to drill the nearby well. We are glad no one was hurt, and thankful it did not damage more.

No well, yet…

Sadly, Kim & Tom had to leave Benin before they could finish either of the two wells here. Each well is nearly 100ft deep, but we had problems cleaning the wells enough to get our casing down. Thus, I will have to try that myself once I return to Benin.

We are very pleased with the progress that was made, and as you can see from the photos in the next column – the boys also loved the mud. With God’s blessing, both Kim & Tom will come back later to drill more wells and help us with some grazing management issues.

On a side note, the interns are now busily studying at the center and classes are going full swing now.

Please keep Kim & Tom in your prayers as they travel back to Wyoming the next few days and for the training to get the needed water out of the ground and for the students to be serious about their studies.

Food

Have you heard about the things people in other countries eat, like slugs and fish eyes and fried termites? Does the idea of eating strange foods in other lands make you a little apprehensive? Well, guess what – it works both ways. Did it ever occur to you that non Americans might also recoil at the food we offer them? Just this morning, as we were breakfasting on hearty whole wheat bread, with butter, peanut butter, our farm honey and a variety of jams, our farm manager came in. We offered him some food, and he said, No thanks, Ill get dysentery. After eating spaghetti at our house, one of our students confessed a few months later that he almost threw up. And a Fulani friend of mine (the Fulani are nomadic cattle herders that roam throughout West Africa) used to spit out some of the food I gave her. Once she invited me to a party out in the bush with her extended family. As we waited during the afternoon for the preparations to be made, she brought me some roasted chicken. Yum! I began to dig in, then noticed some pink meat. I casually put the remainder in a bag, saying, Ill save the rest for Matt. Later, I shared with her a granola bar I had brought. She took a few bites, then put it in her pocket, saying, Im going to give the rest to Baba (her husband). As believers in Jesus, may our presentation of the Bread of Life be palatable to everyone in every culture!

Progress!

Both Kim & Tom arrived safely in Ouaga last Sunday, and with all of their luggage (always a praise here). After a few days of ups and downs they were able to begin drilling our well yesterday and are already 25ft down this morning. We’re expecting to find water at about 100ft so we’re nearly a quarter of the way done with the first well. Then, Lord willing, we will be able to drill 3 more wells making it 4 total.

Please continue to pray for them and this project, we have been hampered a long time without a good source of water here at the training center. Finally having a well will open many doors for us as well as make life a whole lot easier.

Thanks?

Americans are often incredulous to hear that when we return to Benin after being in the US and inevitably putting on a few pounds, people greet us with:  “Hey, you’ve gotten fat!  Life there must be good!”  Nice, eh?  It’s a real compliment in this culture.  This time, Matt got the same sentiment expressed a little differently:  “Oh, you look good now.  I mean, you were really looking ugly before you left.”  Gee, uh – thanks?  About 10 years ago, after returning here quite a bit heftier than we left, we were getting the fat compliments right and left.  Finally, to a friend I said, “You know, where we come from, it’s a real insult to call someone fat.”  He just laughed and said, “Come on, I don’t believe it!”  Here, thinness is a sign of poverty, and having some fat on the bones means you are doing well financially – an interesting perspective for those of us from the West.

A rooster and Lego men

During my meditations one morning a few weeks ago, I read Psalm 90:16 in the NLT – “Let us see your miracles again; let our children see your glory at work.”  It became a prayer – I want my children to see God at work, and to recognize it and give God the glory.  Soon, an opportunity was at hand.  Jacob, one of the interns, brought me my rooster that evening (the rooster has been hanging out down by the interns’ housing since we left).  Its throat was swollen big as a golf ball.  I asked what on earth was the matter and Jacob said they all figured he had been bitten by a snake, and would die that night.  I thanked him for bringing the rooster to me, took him, and called the children.  I told them we were going to pray for him, and I specifically prayed that God would show the kids his glory.  Well, the next morning we heard the rooster crowing outside – and there he was, perfectly fine!  Riley and I gave God glory as we high 5’d.  Was it a coincidence?  I don’t think so.  At any rate, I agree with the man who said, “If it is a coincidence, I sure have a lot more coincidences when I pray than when I don’t.”  And today, the boys found some of their Lego guys that had been missing.  They gave God the glory for it, making up their own little rhyme – “There is no end to what God can send.”  Amen!

Home Sweet Home!

Our trip could not have gone more smoothly – easy flights, entertained children (read “happy”!), got all of our luggage at the other side – thank you, Lord!  For dinner we ate at a local restaurant near our guest house, and the kids smacked lips over fresh mango juice.  The next day we spent in the city running errands and the kids got to play with some other MKs at the guest house, which is a rare treat for them.  On the road early the next morning, as we got out into the countryside, Riley began to chant, “We’re back in Africa!” and Duncan joined in.  When I announced the Benin border, Riley cut loose at the top of his lungs “Yaaaaaaaaaay!”  After another hour or so we turned onto the dirt road leading to the farm and the boys could hardly contain themselves – it was so fun to see.  We got home around 1:30pm, and the kids spent the rest of the afternoon reacquainting themselves with all their toys, while I unpacked and Matt set to work on getting the solar system working while we still had some daylight.  He was able to get the fridge running, and we had power all night for the kids’ fan.  Yay!  It was not long before the farm kids came round, and the boys had a ball playing and running around outside – freedom!  Soon the interns and farm workers came to greet us, and Bridget immediately gave Wo-wo (Robert) and his fiancée, Antoinette, big hugs, and then was overcome with shyness.  Great to see everyone again!

The next morning, wanting to conserve power, I washed my face by candlelight.  As I was splashing, I heard a sputtering sound.  Assuming some water got on the candle, I raised my face to look at it on the sink (where the soap usually goes), but there it was, shining serenely.  The sputtering continued, so I finally looked up into the mirror – my hair was on fire!  I hurriedly patted it out, then began pulling out all the charred bits – ugh!  Thankfully, not too noticeable.

Duncan has already complained of being hot and sweaty.  Hate to break it to you kid, but plan on feeling that way for the next 20 months, most of the time…

I began to read a biography on Eric Liddell (of Chariots of Fire fame).  I cannot believe what he and his parents and siblings had to go through, the sacrifices they made back then.  When Eric was 5 and his brother was 7 (same ages as my boys now), their parents and sister (3) left them in a boarding school in England.  They would not meet again for 7 years, during the next furlough.  Boy do I feel blessed that I can home school.  We have it so easy these days – and I think it has made us soft.  It is rare to see nowadays the grit, determination, perseverance and hardiness of those pioneers.