Thunderstorm!

Friday night as Bethany and I sat on the couch in our living room watching The Bourne Identity, I saw a flash of light down our long hallway through the window. It was a bit spooky sitting there watching an action flick and seeing a flash of light enter the second story of the schoolhouse, but after thinking it through I came to the conclusion it was lightning... which the thunder soon confirmed. As the thunder intensified, I looked over to Bethany and said "What do you think about pausing this and going up to the roof and watching the lightning?"

Soon we were both standing on the roof watching the lightning from the distance streak across the sky and sharing our amazement over the wonders of the power of God. A few moments after standing on the roof I thought I felt a drop of water hit my arm... and I looked over to Bethany half laughing to say "I think I just felt a raindrop.... but that'd be impossible (since it is dusty season = no rain) so I must be going crazy imagining rain since I haven't seen it in so long."

As we continued to talk, a minute went by and I felt something hit my back... and I knew this time it was not my imagination. I screamed out "It IS raining! That drop definitely was not my imagination." Sure enough, the drops were soon sprinkling down on the two of us :) I was so excited, but it was only sprinkling and I was so hopeful that it would be more than a sprinkle... and then the winds kicked up and Bethany and I gazed toward the lightning as the rain doused us. We stood there shivering until I decided I needed to run downstairs for a sweatshirt. As I ran downstairs the thought of the rain stopping and missing it made me rush to grab the nearest item that would keep us warm-- a pagne (a length of african fabric). Fast as lightning I was back to our roof throwing half of the pagne around a shivering Bethany and gazing at the storm again.

I do not remember ever feeling so happy and excited about seeing rain or feeling as cold as I did at that moment, but after living without rain or cold all winter... It was amazing to be able to witness the refreshing power of one rainstorm. This weekend looking at the plants and trees, I feel as if everything is greener again already, just from the small amount of rain on Friday night.

Thank you God for RAIN!

Kabiye Women's Retreat

This weekend I had opportunity to stay in a village with a couple of the other missionary women and go to a retreat for Kabiye women in Soumdina Powayi. Among the women from our team, Becky Reeves, Grace Hangen, Jacque and I along with two of our 6th grade students, Hannah and Maddie all stayed the night in the village. We slept in a schoolhouse situated near the church in Soumdina Powayi and the meetings were held at desks that were pulled together under a large tree nearby the schoolhouse. I had such a great experience singing, praying and reading scriptures along women who shared my faith, but not my language. At the beginning of the retreat on Saturday afternoon we split into small groups where we read scripture and prayed together.

Jacque befriended a woman named Julianne in her small group the first night who made sure to keep us both included in activities throughout our night there. We both were able to watch as the woman prepared our dinner for the night, moto (cornflour and water), in a huge pot over a fire stirring with one large wooden spoon (about 4 ft long) and two smaller wooden spoons. Then Julianne offered to have both of us try to stir the thick mixture. It was quite an interesting experience after watching these strong women hand over the large spoon to me to spend only a few moments wrestling with a wooden spoon and an unfamiliar mixture and tire myself within seconds.

After we had helped with the cooking Julianne began singing to me in English "Remember Me O Lord" after singing along with her she taught Jacque and I the French and Kabiye versions of the song. Soon we were singing Ameya, one of the Kabiye songs we remember enough words to sing on our own, and she and a friend of hers joined in. It was beautiful standing there with two women I had only just met and Jacque who I have been blessed with living with for this year. Singing and praising the Lord together crossed our cultural and language barriers and although it was only for a short time, that moment made my weekend :)

Photos and Links!

I recently posted pictures on facebook from a few hikes I've been on during my time here, some pictures from the village and some safari favorites, but I decided for all of you without facebook to provide a link so you may enjoy the photos as well :)

Togo 2009-2010 Facebook Album

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2116075&id=71002223&l=4d9f823824

Also, for any of you interested in reading how our teaching here affects the families that work with the Kabiye, Bethany has an eye opening blog post mostly written by the ladies of the families we teach for:

From the Missionary Ladies

http://bethanyintransit.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/from-the-missionary-ladies/