Floating on a blue lagoon~

Well it wasn't blue but it was a lagoon that we floated all the way to an isolated village on. It kind of felt like we had gone to a different country except that they still knew the word Yovo and used it even more frequently as "Yovos" (whites) were even more of a rarety there. 

The village was about 45 minutes away by a slow canoe. We saw how industrial one can be on a lagoon. One way to earn money is to dive down to the floor of the lake with a bucket and fill it up with sand, then signal to your partner that they can pull it up with their rope. After everyone has had their turn doing this you take your boat to shore with about 2 inches to spare before it sinks. It actually looks like quite a way to stay in shape. We're thinking about giving it a go next week. ;)

Other ways to make money is to simply ask for it. As you can see by the photos we had quite the following during our visit. These young children were not shy as they repeatedly demanded, "Donne moi quelque chose." (Give me something.) So far I've been asked to give my shoes because they were nice, my hair because they thought it was pretty and my sac because they liked it. ... I've given them everything but my shoes.

Little by little we're learning more and more of the culture here. The way they live and think and act. It's quite different, but one thing that we share in common is our mutual respect for God and His word and that gives us a nice place to build from. 

Rebecca

You Light Up My Poisson (that is French for Fish :))

We had the joy the other night of cooking without electricity. And as you can see we have a lot ingenuity, and we dug out our headlamps to assist us. It took us awhile to actually cook the food because we kept trying to look at each other and then shining the light in other person's eyes. This would then cause us to then collapse into a fit of laughing. I was very proud of Rebecca, she gutted and prepared the fish all by herself. I think that is listed in Proverbs 31 as a requirement for the capable wife. I wouldn't be surprised if next week she has bought a field.

Dinner by headlamp

We bought some hot chocolate for the next time the electricity goes off for the whole evening. We are going to light some candles and sit around singing campfire songs. Except, now that I think of it, this is not a good idea because of the extreme HEAT here. I lay in bed wishing that I didn't have to touch the bed in order to sleep in it. It's amazing how much you can sweat in just even one hour. I have one moment every day of feeling cool and clean... after my cool to luke warm shower. I dream of that shower all day long. We have decided that when we get home we are going to miss the smell of our body odor. It's fantastic, and really boosts your self esteem. We have taken to loitering in ATM booths to soak up the air conditioning in them. Don't be surprsed if we are arrested for our activities. The good news is that the heat has caused me to not be so spastic, I am forced to slow down because moving fast is just too hot and difficult. When I come home, I will be a whole new person, just wait and see!
The pace of life here really is so much slower. It's like having this constant sense of calm with no need to rush. I love the afternoon siesta. I think I am going to lobby for that when I get back to the States. I am also not sure if I will be willing to pay more than a dollar for my meals either, when I return.
posted by Katie with appreciated contributions from Rebecca

Foun Foun Sodji

Foun Foun Sodji

Foun Foun Sodji kind of sounds like a voodoo curse but it's actually the location of the Assembly Hall in Porto Novo. We spent last weekend attending our 3rd and final District Convention for the year 2011. The Assembly Hall seats a little over 1,500 people. Sunday's attendance was around 980 and 8 were baptized. This convention also hosted the ASL which had around 125 in attendance everyday. 

We were quite impressed with the theatrics of both dramas. These Beninoise really know how to act! ;)

Quite a few missionaries and need greaters were there too, it was fun to get to meet others serving in different parts of Benin. We're hoping to make our way to visit a few of them.  

Bon journee ~

Katie and Rebecca

Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Porto Novo Benin

All in attendances paid close attention to the program! ;)

Acting at it's finest on Sunday afternoon.

Here is Francoise one of our lovely roommates! :)

And here is Marielle our other lovely roommate. They have been so amazing to stay with! We're so grateful with how our accommodations have worked out.

A Family Affair

A Family Affair

Today we had the pleasure of studying with this little family, a grandmother with her grandchildren. After they had gathered all her glasses and books the young ones were anxious to take part in the study also. The children read french well and eagerly searched for the answers, they also translated the French their grandmother didn't know into Gung. It's refreshing to see these young ones be so interested in a Bible study.
Plans were made to study again next Thursday. We're all excited to see each other again!

... other exciting news is that we have a found a super market where the prices are prefixed and where there's air conditioning. We were assisted by 3 people for the 3 items that we eventually bought, one of which was peanut butter. Funny how good 'ol PB can bring you unparralleled joy when visiting a third world country... ;p

Katie and Rebecca

Local Fair

We are slowly getting acquanted with life here in Porto Novo. I am far from being a local, or as they say, Porto Novian.... but... I am finding my way around. Today Rebecca and I tried a local fruit that we found quite interesting. Here you see us "eating "it. I quote eating because consuming this fruit actually entails sucking out the pits and digesting the meat of the fruit around the pit. It isn't at all dignified, and the fruit inside is thick like glue. So for the rest of the day you are scraping a gooey substance off your lips. I have found several "restaurants" here in Porto Novo. My roomate Marielle and I were here enjoying this meal together. It's a pate of corn and fried fish, onions and of course...... pimante (ground up spicy peppers including their form of hobenaro)! I skipped the pimante because as most everyone knows I don't get along with pimante. I usually bring my own dish and spoon in service, and have a nice lunch break. Our lunch this day cost us $0.40. Wheww!! Expensive!

lunch break

sticky fruit

I have preached with several Nigerians here. They sell all the electronics on the main boulevard. Most say that my English is too big for them. I communicate with many of the Nigerians in French, because our English is so different, they don't always understand me. We have a couple in our congregation that I have no problem communicating with, but they are the exception. I am trying to learn their lingo so I can preach with them.  Add this to trying to speak French and I have my hands full with languages!
posted by Katie

"Friends"

The friends here have been so welcoming! We really like the congregation we're in. As you can see from below they'll just take your hand and walk with you out in service. It's pretty endearing, (a little awkward ;) but mostly very sweet. They're doing a good job of showing us the ropes of how to preach here. :)

Each meeting we have been getting to know more of the brothers and sisters and their stories. The more we learn the more we appreciate them. 

Katie has found her partner for the day. ;)

Service here has been quite a fun experience so far! :) We're getting more and more return visits and studies that we're excited to go back on. Getting to these new found calls however will be another story as there are no street names or addresses to go by... just a lot of intertwined dirt roads. :o We're learning to take really good notes on how to get to places that we don't even remember how we came to! ;p  One note is 'turn left at the round about by the unfinished building' ;). Today on my way home I was able to talk to an older woman, "Mama" (what you call older women) who was laying on a bench resting in her little lean-to. We started talking and she told me she didn't really understand much french so she went and got her daughter who help her understand the scripture I shared. We all had a nice visit and before I left she asked me to bring her a bible in Yoruba the dialect that she speaks. Now I have new friends not far from where we live. ;)

Getting ready for the invitation work!

How could you say no to her?

Les enfants dans nos congregation

He's all smiles all the time. ;)

We started a bible study with this bebe's mama last Friday. We're planning on visiting her tomorrow! 

Hope you are all well!

Rebecca

Voodoo Equals Insomnia

Here in Benin voodoo rules the life of everyone here. Unfortunately it also controls my sleep. The Beninoise find it necessary to celebrate from midnight to about 2 am. These celebrations include banging metal things together, yelling and honking their horn. Of course this only occurs after they have listened to the Muslim prayers that are pronounced over the loud speaker throughout the city. We are lucky enough to have one of these loud speakers just across the street from us. I feel so privileged.
Despite all of the above I do truly love it here in Porto Novo. The people here are very nice, and don't bother us very much. The locals are very respectful of the Jehovah's Witnesses here and the minute we say who we are, we are treated with deference. We live with 2 lovely French sisters. They have been so helpful and patient with us, and we have become fast friends.
We are doing the invitation work for District Convention that will be held in Foun Foun Sondji.  This is a 20 minute walk from our apartment.  So it's nice to ease into the ministry work with the invitations.  In the picture with this post my service partner, Elizabeth, is getting petrol.  She couldn't afford just gas, so they mix it with some sort of vegetable oil.  Talk about premium versus regular!  Never be surprised in Africa is my moto.

posted by Katie

door to door and on the way...

So we arrived in Porto Novo on Wednesday afternoon. Our first meeting was that evening. . . We were a little tired from all of our traveling but were really glad we made it! The brothers and sisters in our congregation are very kind and warm. They had been expecting us and some of them already knew our names. :) Their singing was beautiful, it brought me to tears(of course it was the song about Jehovah remembering those who we've lost in death, but still ;). I'll try to do a little video sometime.
We were able to go out in service today and yesterday. It's been really fun and interesting so far...(and hot;)! Thursday we shared in the invitation work for their district convention starting on Dec. 23rd. It was a nice simple way to start off preaching! :)
Today Katie and I accompanied a french sister that we're living with to another territory and went door to door for the whole morning. Everyone is so kind and warm here, they always invite us in and offer us a chair. Most already have a real appreciation and knowledge of the Bible so it's easy to have a nice bible based conversation. It's great! We'll go back next Friday!

Here's a few pictures from the territory. Notice our transportation. They call them 'Zims' here. :) It's kind of fun. ;) Also deepens one's faith in the resurrection! ; p

Yo-vo!

As you cross the bridge to enter the city of Porto Novo, the first thing you see are these fishers as shown.  It was a timely reminder from Jehovah why we are here.  Porto Novo has it's own culture, that I am beginning to learn and really like.... except...Yo-vo is the first word I learned in the local language.  You may ask if this is hello, or how are you?  But it's not...  In Gong it means white.  Yup, I always learn this word first.  The children even have a special song for you as you walk by.  Yo-vo, yo-vo! Bonjour, bonjour/ Ca va? Ca va.  Bien? Bien./ Merci. Merci.   I guess it's nice to feel special....EVERYDAY :)    Katie

Good Things Happen in Ouagadougou

Yes, we have arrived safely in Coutonou, Benin!  Had a nice stop-over in Berkina Faso in a town called Ouagadougou. To our surprise we discovered that the nice young French people sitting behind us were also need-greaters headed to Benin! We were so excited and encouraged to see others that are sharing in the harvest work. Hopefully we will preach with them in their assignments in Coutonou and Lakossa.  Notice how we left ourselves out of the photo with our new friends.  We must get some beauty rest before posting anymore pictures of ourselves :).

Last supper

Here in the Big Apple with some good friends sharing our 'last supper' before we go off to Benin!

Check out those T-Rex bones! ;)

...stay tuned for actual blogs from Africa...