Benin has been good to me so far.  With wide strokes you can paint it the same as Cote d’Ivoire, but stopping to look reveals divergences.  And it is the differing details that make me feel like a stranger, or at least stranger than I expected.  I stare at every pot along the road wondering which of these familiar yet unknown foods she is selling there, and more importantly, how to get some on a plate without knowing its name or price.  I do not know how at home I will feel after only two…

Father, thank you for the struggle within me.  It molds me and reminds me of all that I tend to forget when life is easily managed. 

The decision to stay indefinitely in missions (mostly easily done by seeking appointment with World Venture) will always feel like a decision too big for me.   Even though whatever we do should be rendered to God, missionary seems to require an Old Testament style calling.  At the same time, I do believe waiting for a guiding pillar of fire can…

Last week our group voyaged to Abidjan, little Paris compared with the rest of Cote d’Ivoire, for a seminar on the values and perspectives of West Africa from a Pasteur Sougalo. He is a pastor of one of our churches and teaching at a seminary in Abidjan. He works too hard but took the time to brief us on this vast subject. I would like to convey to you what was not just interesting, like most new information is, but an enlightening of how I see the world through the window of comparison. My…

Last week was mostly spent in the northern city (Korhogo) which is the other city where journeyers are living and that I frequent to help with different things.  The new Journeyers spent the week living with an Ivoirian family (Soro Zana); a of the host families of a previous journeyer.  Us that have been here longer came together throughout the week to visit families, pastors, and to familiarize the new journeyers with the city and the people.  While in Korhogo I stayed with an old friend…