Kabrousse

I visited Kabrousse this weekend. The trip turned out to be a really fantastic time. Jeanne and I had to wrestle through discussions with my french and her lack of english. But it was awsome. Last night she said to me, 'I am praying for a miracle for Kabrousse because it seems like that is what will save the town.' I said we were praying with her for that miracle.

In church on today we had a discussion about a parable and it was very interesting and they asked many questions. Gabriel said that is the first time he ever enjoyed worship so much in his life. After church Jean Baptiste, Gabriel and I went for a prayer walk and walked right into a festish feast. They all wanted to shake my hand and they thought I should bring meat for a sacrifice. Jean Baptiste and Gabriel looked terrified. It was fine I shook everyones hands and took a picture and we left to keep praying the devil out of Kabrousse.

Gabriel's father has six shrines in his house alone and more in the forest. Everyone has a shrine on their house in Oussouye. I saw the big fetish for the women it is an enormous shrine. Also for Eileen Sittoh Diatta, she was considered a traditional fetish prophet but died in prison in Timbuktu. She fought for the Liberation of the Cassamance Region.

I really like visiting Kabrousse and am thankful for the friendships there

Yeah its a white lady

Farm Living is the life for me

Yesterday I worked on clearing the land for the wall around the center. It was so Little House on the Prairie.

It's American

Last night I cooked Hamburgers and French Fries for the family I live in. It took me all day Friday to find ketchup and there is no ground beef in Oussouye, so the hamburgers were beef on a bun!!!!! Surprisingly the family was absolutely crazy for the food. It was fun watching them enjoy the American feast.

No Baking necessary

I was given this no bake cookie recipe recently from a friend that knows a thing or two about cookies that taste good. I adjusted the recipe because in Senegal oats are difficult to find. I used pounded ground nuts instead. The whole thing looked like a big sticky mess when I finished. Later though, the black balls turned into chocolate and peanut butter delights and the whole family enjoyed them.

Its a Saturday Night

Oukout

Cashews

Cashew Fruits
Yesterday I visited the village of Oukout with Damion and Ferdinand. Damion is apart of the Bible Study at Jerome's house and invited to come and see where he lives. We were taken on a fantastic walk through the forest. Within the forest was a huge pomme de cashew orchard. The cashew nut grows on the the tip of a fruit that tastes like a cross between a grape and an apple. So we spent the day climbing trees and eating cashews. There were a few rounds of Bob Marley songs while we rested in the trees and talked about life. It was a great day of getting to know Damion and his buddy.

Girls Love Parties

Monday was Gnohi's birthday and parties are parties anywhere in the world. Gnohi was seven years old this year and every single kid in the neighborhood must have been at my house. There was plenty of noise and lots of kids to sit on my lap, touch my hair, dance, scream and jump around. It was surely a Senegal good time.

A Day In Oussouye

A Day In Oussouye
I have read that people who live overseas often become bipolar because of the ups and downs of everyday life. The key to survival, take everything as it comes and relax.

Here is the story of a day in Oussouye. At 6:30 a.m. I wake up and get dressed for prayer. After prayer I went to Bernard's house and we met up with this very old woman, Yvonne, who is sick and her daughter Georgette. I was able to give a vision to each women and they both started a relationship with God. Afterwards Bernard gave me a fantastic history lesson of the missionary work that had been done in the Cassamance Region.

I returned home to extreme cramps and stomach ills. This happens periodically and is sort of the nature of life no matter how clean your surroundings. Thankfully it subsided and I was still able to get work done.

I walked to my Bible Study that was to start at 6 p.m. and met two of the girls in the study on their way to take a shower. I knew then that things were not going to start on time so I took the opportunity to visit the husband of Harriette. He is sick and out of work so I thought I would go and pray for him. Things went well considering I hardly speak any French.

I am super duper happy that God is all powerful and that He likes me because a miracle happened!!! Jerome did not show up to translate the meeting but the women all said that it was ok they understood my French. So Victorine MC'd the meeting and then I taught the Bible Study in French. It was then translated into Jola for the group that don't speak French. To me this is just amazing. On Monday I was completely frustrated that I was never going to get this whole French language thing. Then two days later I am teaching a Bible Study in French.

I still have a lot of pride in certain areas of my life that God talks to me about but when it comes to French I have no pride whatsoever. I am sure that I sound absolutely ridiculous. They do not seem to mind though because they want to speak English and practice with me whenever they have a chance.

As I was walking home a young boy asked me to marry him. I said no, but its good to know that I have options if I get lonely. Marcel said that he has a job working with pigs to offer the young man, should I decide to marry him.

The only English reading material I have been able to find for entertainment was a copy of Huck Finn that a missionary left behind. Last night I enjoyed reading a conversation between Big Jim and Huck about why some people speak French and not English. Big Jim's conclusion was if the French were “Real” men they would speak English not French.

Long Lives

Funeral Photos

The world in Black and White

In our busy worlds in the west there are often too many colors. Each day is vast array of choices to be made and lists of things to do. Whose got a case of the Mondays today? Much of the world lives in Black and White. Each day is survival at best. Last night at dinner there was an argument about whether something was right or wrong and all I could think was what a waste of time the conversation was. What is true? Hmm I need Jesus and the people around me need him too. How can I affect this? I met several people yesterday who have no hope in their lives and their Mondays include animal sacrifice to a shrine because they need help.

Moi

Bible Studies in Oussouye

Each week the Bible Studies in Oussouye are a fantastic time for young people to discover who Jesus is. Some of them know Christ a little and some of them do not know how to pray or even to read. They come from vast spectrums of life here in this small town. The Bible Study on Tuesday nights is in the Muslim section of town and primarily run by a handful of students who have been learning about God for a few months now. There is nothing like these Bible Studies at all in Oussouye. They are meant to be a place of personal discovery. Pray that they are able to hear the voice of the Living God.

The face of a woman

The Funeral

A Funeral, What Fun!
The funeral really began for me on Saturday afternoon when news came around to the women at the church that Bernard's mother had died. The women began to dance. Each in their turn they would dance and instruct the young ones on how it was done exactly. There was a specific shake to the backside that the young ones weren't getting. Awa says to me “Have you heard the news that Bernard's mother is dead?” I gave her a puzzled look thinking at first that it must be my French again, I was sure she had not just said Bernard's mother is dead with that giant smile on her face. So Awa pinches her nose and roles back her eyes to signify death, laughing and squealing with delight. I was sure at this point that my I must have misunderstood, laughing, dancing, joy, death. The women began to play the tom tom again practicing their moves for the dancing circle.

I returned home that evening and Astou explained that yes Bernard's mother was dead and she was going to visit the family. I went along with her, thinking perhaps I could understand more about the excitement. Bernard's mother was laid out in the backyard on someones bed. The light was muted by the sheets that had been hung around the body. There was incense burning and family members had begun to gather at the house. They would remain there for two days until the body was put into the ground. Astou and I greeted Bernard and his wife giving them our condolences.

The next day people arrived from all the surrounding villages. Bernard's mother was a priestess in a shrine, she was very old and she was a Diatta. The house was filled with women from the young to the old they had gathered to celebrate the passing of their friend into another life. And the women were ready to dance. They began shouting in celebration one after they other, high fives were flying as were the hips. Dancing, dancing, dancing, it is time to celebrate. Palm wine was served in calabash bowls and women continued to attend to the body in the yard, fanning the flies off of her face. I am not sure she cared.

The evening would soon come and she would be put into the ground.

The Deatta's

Le Centre

Each day the work on the center moves ahead. They have poured the cement for the floors already. The veranda roof is coming along nicely. Next week there is a trip planned to purchase almost all of the finishings.

UNO

There are dozens of children around the house I am living in everyday. I have indtroduced them to the fabulous game of UNO. Now there are UNO competitions and the games go on late into the night. I have taught them other important childhood games such as thumb wars and noogies.

The ladies of the house

Independence Day

Other Marchers in the Independence Day Parade

More Parade

Independence Day

Today is Independence Day here in Senegal. I marched in the grand parade with the jam ladies. It was fantastically fun. After all of the time getting ready and an hour standing waiting to march, the actual parade in front of all the dignitaries was about 10 minutes long. I think the last time I was in a parade was girl scouts or when I twirled the baton or something a very very long time ago. Everyone from all the surrounding villages was in Oussouye and even the King was out for the festivities.

The New Road from Ziguinchor to Cap Skirring

They have been constructing a new road that goes all the way from Ziguinchor to Cap Skirring. The road is 200% better than the previous road making travel much easier. This week they began paving in Oussouye. The equipment was so loud and causing so much vibration in homes that people were afraid there houses were going to fall apart and came outside to watch the festivities. The interesting thing is that just the other day I was reflecting on the foundation of prayer and ministry that have been done in this town and the surrounding villages preparing the way for Christ. These verses came to mind Isaiah 40:3 through 5
A voice of one calling:
"In the wilderness prepare
the way for the LORD ^[a];
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God. ^[b]

4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Rosy and Victorine

Rosy and Victorine are helping me with the Bible Study on Wednesday nights in Arlem. Rosy with worship and Victorine with games.