Questions

I've been thinking a lot since I've come back from my trip home what I want this next year to look like. Several ideas and questions come to my mind that I am mulling over. One question that needs to be addressed is my health - what do I need to do about my lingering sinus infection? Today, I felt achy along with a sinus headache and congestion and a colleague suggested I have elders of the church anoint me with oil and pray over me. When I came back home this evening my neighbor told me I should drink local tisanes and juices to clear my sinus and boost my energy. Another idea I'm looking into is purchasing an air filter and looking for a new apartment that is not on a sandy street. I go back and forth about moving...I love my little neighborhood and would be sad to leave all of the kids who run up to me every time I go out and shake my hand (and sometimes even curtsey). Sunday I found out that my neighbor had a baby girl and named her little Anna "Anna Ndaw." So I am torn... another factor is that I would like to be closer for a while to the village churches to be able to visit more often and understand their economic constraints and opportunities. Another potential opportunity is for me to study French in France for a month to have an intense time of sharpening my language skills to be better equipped to train church leaders. I may not go if a training opportunity comes up in economic development. To throw into the mix a female intern is coming in November and would like to live with someone, and I am planning to find a place with her. Adding to this most of my teammates are returning to the States for a few months and I will be mostly by myself and thought it would be nice not be in Dakar as much and mostly stay out in the village area. I've found a place I can stay for a while in a city near the villages and my colleague has offered to let me store some of my belongings in her apartment. But then the decision comes back to my health and maybe I need to have a procedure to clear up my infection - I'm waiting for the doctor to find out about this. Well I'll save my other questions for the near future. I could use prayer for wisdom.

If you read this and understood my rambling thoughts, I'm impressed. If you have advice feel free to comment.

"Once a bright point..." Article from IHT

Interesting article about the discontentment in the beacon of West Africa.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/18/africa/senegal.php?WT.mc_id=rssmostem

It's a little ironic because I just read this article after having an 8 hour electricity cut.

A friend sent me this quote and verse in her prayer letter and I wanted to share it with you. Will you pray for transformation in my life and the people I encounter in West Africa?


'Give a man a fish and he has food for a day (relief)
Teach a man to fish and he has food for a lifetime (development)
Empower a man to think about fishing in new ways and his life will be changed forever (transformation)'

Old Chinese proverb adapted by Scott Allen and Darrow Miller

Romans 12:2

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Ghana

One of my favorite aspects about Ghana was the Presbyterian church we worshipped at on Sunday at 7 a.m. in the morning (the sun rises at 5 a. m. and they only have one English service). The church building dates back to 1902 and on the morning we went it was packed. It was beautiful to be in such a large church of a few hundred people when I am use to going to small churches, sometimes of 20 people.




The first morning in Accra I took a long walk and found the advertisement signs amusing. Maybe you can explain to me the meaning of this sign.



This was the first time I've seen this written on an ambulance and thought it was picture worthy.

Ghana

I spent this past week in Ghana at a Christian Economic Development Institute facilitated by the Chalmers Center. It was a privilege for me to see my professor, Dr. Brian Fikkert and meet Christian African leaders from Kenya, Brundi, Rwanda, Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda, and other African countries. It was a reminder to me of God's presence in Africa and the history of the church. In this picture I am sitting in between a Togolese Pastor and Ghanian Pastor who were at the conference and are involved with our mission's theological education program. We stayed at Salvation Army hostel that had the bare minimum but that worked fine for a week.

Back in Senegal

After taking a nap, re-arranging my apartment, having a good night sleep, talking to my neighbors, getting some work done and going for a swim, I feel better being back in Senegal. it is warmer and more humid than when I left, and with the heat brings more frequent electricity outages. I have to remember I'm in Africa and if you don't have the luxury of a generator and air conditioning you just have to take it a little slower.

Return from vacation

Welcome back to Senegal! I was greeted by the smell of polluted air as I stepped off the plane and made my way to the baggage claim to be told one of my suitcases had not arrived. After bartering with a handful of taxi drivers, I was on my way to my apartment to discover an electricity outage. Since I didn't sleep on the plane I headed for bed with the distance prayer calls of the morning...

Yesterday, I was fine coming back to Senegal, but I think this morning I'm realizing it may be more of an adjustment back than I realized - and that's okay. I loved getting to see many of you and appreciated your support and encouragement to me.