Here is a quick update on my plans from now until I finish up my internship with Wycliffe Benin in August of this year. Although I dread the thought of leaving Benin, I also believe God has made his plan clear: He opened the door for me to come to Benin for a definite amount of time, 10 months, and unless he calls me to do otherwise, I'm going to stick to that.
That being said, I am very excited to have the opportunity to come home for a month in May/June in order to attend my brother David's wedding (wohoo! marriage!). I am looking forward to celebrating that happy day surrounded by family, and reconnecting with many dear friends. My excitement is surpassed perhaps only by my co-workers and host sisters--the Beninese are really enthusiastic about weddings! I will enjoy sharing the details with them :D
My flight home for May falls 8-and-a-half months after my arrival. However, I also knew that God had called me here for 10 months. On the one hand, it seemed like a trivial thing--it's only 1.5 months shorter! But it just didn't sit right with me, so after some prayer, I expressed this thought to my trip coordinator from Wycliffe USA, John. He was very understanding of my conviction to follow exactly what I believed to be God's instructions, and asked me if I'd be interested in returning to Benin as a leader for one of Wycliffe's summer trips called "Discover". College students/young adults from both the USA and Benin will be coming to Wycliffe Benin for a taste of what Bible translation work is like. I was energized at this idea, and said I would love to help welcome this group as part of the leadership team. What an awesome opportunity!
So in short, here's the plan:
mid-May - bopping back to Minnesota
late June - back to Benin to help lead Dsicover trip
early August - return home to Minnesota
I have gotten a few questions about this (and thank you for your thoughtfulness in asking!!), but I am still not certain whether I need to do any additional fundraising for this slight change of plans. That should become clear in the next month.
As always (although perhaps I haven't done a great job of inviting this) if you have any questions at all about how things are here in Cotonou, what I've been up to, cultural minutia etc. that I haven't addressed in a blog post, please feel free to post them in the comments section below. Who knows--you might inspire my next post! Plus, I always enjoy hearing from you people :)
You can continue to pray for us here at Wycliffe Benin, for the ongoing Bible translation projects in the Aja, Saxwe, M'belime, and Idaasha languages, as well as for a BIG event coming up on March 1st (at the National Conference Center of Benin, no less!). Wycliffe Benin is hosting an important fundraiser to help finance the construction of their new headquarters, and we at the office are all praying for God's help to make the event a success that points all the glory back to Him. Please join us in covering this day in prayer!
You can also pray for me, for discernment on the next steps God may want me to take after the end of my internship in August. As of now, I have ideas, but not a concrete plan. Through this decision process, I am continually reminded to trust God and listen for what he wants me to do next.
As always, merci mille fois (thank you so much) for your prayers and words of support! Please let me know if you have any prayer requests as well.
In keeping with the soundtrack tradition, play the song below before you scroll!
On my street. My house is at the end on the right (hidden behind the white one)
“When God asks you to go, that's okay. Whatever that means you have to give up or miss out on, that's okay. Whatever you are afraid of or anxious about, whatever causes you to feel bitter, whatever you look back at longingly, that's okay.... Take a moment and thank God that he doesn't seek to change his plan to fit our wants and needs, but instead seeks to change us for the better."
I typed the above excerpt in a sticky-note on my computer desktop on May 22, 2014, a few days after I learned that I was going to Benin. At the time I knew I couldn't even imagine all that God had in store for this journey. And whaddaya know, I was right. I'm learning that road you walk with God begins the moment you perceive God's voice and choose to follow it away from the complacent, stationary life, and then continues on from there until you choose to step off of it. But there are no shortcuts.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding."
Proverbs 3:5
Sometimes I think these words gets over-used, to the point that we don't even read the verse anymore when someone references it. But the number of times my understanding and God's way have pointed in two opposite directions have proved their relevance. It's relatively easy to trust God when he takes us on exciting and fun adventures.
But when I face difficulties and emotional lows here, there's nothing "funny" or "adventurous" about it. In frustrating moments, I'm often tempted to act and speak in ways that are less than what God calls us to.
On January 7th, in my journal: "When my desire to follow the world is screaming much louder than my desire to follow God, my conviction that following God is still the [right] choice needs to be there."
If you're familiar with Proverbs 3:5, you've probably met its conjoined twin:
"In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:6
What an encouragement to know that when we make God the Lord of everything we do--not just the Lord of our Bible study and worship, but Lord of our grocery shopping and Lord of family discussions, too--He is ready to meet us where we are, to be our gentle shepherd, and to lead us back to the path we wandered away from, where he delights to walk with us, and we with him. When we practice listening directly to God in every chapter of the day, we don't need to worry about extraneous voices telling us what we should do, or what God expects from us. I have a story to show what I'm talking about.
One day I was with Paulin filming a bridal shower. We were invited to share a meal with all the guests afterwards. The main dish was a West African specialty called "pâte", which literally means "paste". It is the grey-est food I have ever seen. But it's not as bad as it sounds! I frequently enjoy it with my host family or at work for lunch. Anyway, when someone brought us our food, she gave a plate of pâte and vegetables to Paulin, and to me she gave a box of crackers, and apologized, "We weren't sure what you would like to eat, since you don't eat pâte." We were surprised, because no one there had actually asked me whether I liked pâte! The assumption was that white people don't eat traditional Beninese food. It was kind of them to consider my needs, but Paulin helped me to politely explain that I do eat pâte. Relieved, they kindly brought me a plate identical to his.
Here's my point. As it turns out, what other people think God says or wants, or what I hope God says or wants, is certainly not the same as what God actually says and what He actually wants. So it's good to consult Him directly. He appreciates that. :)
And now for something completely different
For the second part of this post, you'll have to finish or stop the song that played for the first part of this post, and play this one instead. Then scroll down and enjoy this series of totally unrelated photos that illustrate some other fun shenanigans around Cotonou :)
(I know they're singing about volcanoes in central America, but just ignore that)
Last year my host sister Lowi completed her internship, which is one of the final stages of a university education in Benin. After their internship, Beninese students deliver a presentation (a "soutenance") about their internship experience, and what they learned. Lowi and her partner spent a lot of time preparing, and then Lowi invited many family and friends to support her for her soutenance, and I got to be the photographer :)
Lowi and her partner presenting (Sorry, the room was a little dark)
Luckily, Lowi and her partner passed. They were both so relieved and happy, and I can understand why!
Lowi and Sejes after she passed. Smiles all around!
Elisabeth and I came back to the "swimmable" beach another time. It's a fun change of scenery. This time, I took a hike out on the rocks that block the waves, and encountered some fishermen. Very interesting to see.
The massive rock wall that protects the beach from huge waves
A fisherman on the rocks by the beach
While I was working in the kitchen one day, one of my other host sisters came up the stairs and found me doing my dishes. "Where is your camera? I want to take your picture!" It was a really sweet gesture.
My sister Justine insisted on taking my picture while I was in the kitchen :)
A young boy carefully observes the yovo in her natural environment
(a.k.a. me in my office)
Enjoying the local fruit--the mangoes are amazing!!
One day I decided to bring a book to the beach to relax. I had been reading in the shade for at least an hour when I heard a distinct *chink-chink* sound coming from very close by. I looked up to see that kid on the right standing less than three feet in front of me! He was holding what appeared to be an empty tomato sauce can. I was so surprised that I began to laugh. His friends came over and struck poses next to him. They were pretty good! No one cracked a smile. I caved and gave them some change in exchange for the laughs and this picture.
Cool, dry, dust. Three words to neatly sum up the season West Africans call harmattan. While all my co-workers arrive at the office and wear their jackets all the way through morning prayer to warm up after "braving the cold", I come bouncing in with more energy than I've had in months, because it was only 72 degrees this morning! (It dips all the way to a chilly 65 overnight...) They all know that I'm loving this weather. :)
When many westerners think of an African sunset, perhaps it's a red sky and sprawling orange light, à la Lion King (just add an acacia silhouette and the image is complete). But the harmattan sunset is truly a unique and beautiful sight. The sun actually disappears behind the layer of dust that hangs in the air, and it's invisible by the time it reaches the horizon. From my rooftop, where I took these photos one evening, it's possible to hear the call to prayer resonating from a nearby mosque, which provides the perfect background music to a truly beautiful scene.
I'm sorry I was not a very prolific blogger in the month of December. Wycliffe Benin had a holiday break between December 20 and January 5, which to me sounded like a great opportunity to sit down and write a monthly update and send my best wishes to all my readers, but I think I got a little carried away with the restful hiatus.. All the same, I'd like to wish each of my readers many very warm albeit one-week-belated New Years blessings! May the God of peace and all worthy joys reign in your hearts, homes, and families in 2015.
Here goes my holiday update... (Can't forget the soundtrack! Press play and keep reading...)
Advent
I knew I wanted to be deliberate about celebrating Advent, the weeks leading up to Christmas. In a way, being removed from the commercialization that often surrounds Christmas in the US meant I had a special opportunity to focus on the true reason for the holiday without so many distracting preoccupations. I had a candle that I had brought along in my luggage, which became my Advent candle... It's cherry scented!
And thus, nightly Advent Bible studies on the floor of my still-unfurnished living room became my pre-Christmas tradition. Funny how being deliberate about carving out time to spend with God actually helps you to focus! It was so nice to have this special time to relax and unwind in the Word at the end of the day.
During these times of reflection, I journaled quite a bit. In one entry, I took time to reflect on cultural differences that I encounter in Benin, and focused on seeing these differences not as obstacles but as opportunities to learn new things about the character of God and the world that he has made.
For example, in moments when I'm impatient and tempted to say, "This shouldn't take so long," I forget that love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4). That means appreciating what is going on and valuing each moment for what it is comes before efficiency.
In moments when I feel like everyone is too preoccupied with "my business", I forget (in addition to the fact that Americans are fiercely protective of their privacy compared to Africans) that God, in his infinite love, knows everything about me (Psalm 139:1), every part of my body and mind. When someone asks about "my business", it is a way of showing that they care about me in a similar way, and I don't have to worry.
Christmas
December is a time of year when things start to cool down ever-so-slightly in this region of African. It's a season known as Harmattan, and it has something to do with dust being blown down from the Sahara Desert, and the wind makes it feel considerably less hot and much drier throughout Benin for a matter of weeks. The difference becomes more noticeable the further north you travel, but even in Cotonou, what appears to be fog in the distance is in fact a residing cloud of Harmattan dust. Objects left out, even indoors, can be found with a fine layer of dust after just one night. But the cooler temperature is quite refreshing!
For Christmas I was invited by an American missionary couple, Nancy and Terry, to stay for a few days at their home in a village called Azové, which is several hours northwest of Cotonou. I was so excited at the prospect of spending Christmas with other Americans and enjoying some familiar traditions! My host family was fine with me traveling for Christmas, since New Years is usually the main holiday that families spend together. So on December 23, I was off!
The journey involved a taxi ride to a village called Doutou, where I met up with another missionary, Marianne. Interestingly, there were no other passengers in my taxi, just two full-size fridges--one in the back (pictured below), and one on the roof. On the way I bought some bread for 100 francs (about 20 cents) and enjoyed a little brunch. The whole way to Doutou, I could barely contain my excitement to finally arrive and spend four whole days with other Americans!
Me 'n' the fridge.
I was in luck, because having no other passengers meant the driver could drop me off right at Marianne's doorstep. Later that day, Marianne and I set out down the dusty roads in a borrowed pick-up truck, and arrived at Nancy and Terry's in time for dinner (grilled cheese sandwiches, I could have cried with joy).
The lovely Christmas tree that greeted us on our arrival was a sight for sore eyes, and the familiar Christmas tunes playing on the stereo were a sound for sore ears! Back in Minnesota, I know my dad was treating my mom and other visitors to an endless variety of Christmas music. In Azové, Terry spoiled us with the Christmas carols from around the world, and my personal favorite, the Trans-Siberian Ochestra. I was so thankful to Nancy and Terry for welcoming us into their home. It was a wonderful retreat from constant cultural adjustment and adaptation that, if you can believe it, can be tiring after a few months! We watched movies--in English! And had interesting conversations--in English! I was on cloud nine the entire time, and had great company to enjoy it with :D
Enjoying Christmas cookies
I wish I had gotten a photo of the four of us together, because Nancy, Terry, and Marianne were really like my family for Christmas. The one at the table is the closest I got to a group picture. But their hospitality and kindness will not soon be forgotten!
After Christmas
The Sunday after Christmas, back in Cotonou, my friend Elisabeth from church invited me to attend a Christmas concert with her and her husband. It was fantastic! There was a curtain that opened, and a choir and an orchestra who played and sang festive music from many parts of the world. It was reminiscent of many past Christmases when I would attend or was part of similar Christmas concerts. Many fond memories! I am constantly thankful to Elisabeth for inviting me to things like this. She is originally from Switzerland, but has lived in Benin for a good number of years, and knows about many interesting things to do in town.
A few days later, Elisabeth again picked me up, and we had an afternoon outing at the beach with a couple other missionaries/volunteers. It was a beach I had not yet visited, with a row of large rocks built out from the shore to block the big waves, making it safe to swim. Concrete shelters provided space to sit in the shade. The water was fine, just cool enough that it felt absolutely wonderful to float and relax and enjoy the sunshine. This whole journey has been a huge line of firsts, and now I can add "Swimming in the ocean in December" to the list!
New Years
For New Years, I was back with my host family. On New Years Eve we attended a church service where we worshiped/prayed in the new year. It was definitely a night to remember, with lots of dancing and music! What a cool way to celebrate God's goodness throughout the past year, and confide in Him all of our hopes for the year to come...
While I was packing for this trip, I found it really helpful to read picking lists that were posted by Peace Corps volunteers who had traveled to Benin. In case it's helpful to anyone else, I kept track of what I brought with me for a 10-month internship in the city of Cotonou, Benin. Now that I'm almost two months into my internship, I've made some notes on what has worked for me. Hopefully this will be helpful!
What I brought:
Tank tops
Short-sleeve shirts
Long-sleeve shirts--For evening to keep off the mosquitoes
Skirts--Longer than knee-length
1 pagne--That measure of fabric used to make a wrap skirt. A friend gave me one before I left, and I brought it along (thanks Kellie!). I think they're pretty comfortable, and they're also really easy to buy in-country.
Athletic shorts--For at the house
Capris--I love them for going places on the weekends. It's more comfortable than skirts for me
Pants--I have not regretted having a non-skirt option for work
**I got prettymuch all of my clothing from thrift stores. Cotton, rayon, and linen are supposed to be really good fabrics for hot, humid weather, so that's what I looked for.
Rain coat--I'm really glad I have this during the rainy season. Mine is super lightweight with a hood.
Sturdy sandals--I have Tevas
More casual slip-on sandals--Especially for the house
A nicer pair of sandals--Good for church and weddings
Sneakers
Socks
Undies, etc
A few pairs of earrings/necklaces--I work in an office setting
Copies of my passport/visa
My actual passport/visa
Some US dollars and euros--I had a long layover in Belgium--got me a waffle ^_~
Bible--English and French
Laptop/case
Journal
Pens
Book for reading--I have also made good use of the eBook app on my laptop
Camera
Phone--If you want to travel internationally with your own phone (rather than buying one there), it needs to be "unlocked". I can't really explain it. If you need to know more, try Google-ing it. This also serves as my mp3 player.
Chargers for electronics
Power adapters--In W. Africa the outlets are the same as in continental Europe
Mosquito net--Yes, you have to
Twin bedsheets
Gaff tape--others suggest duct tape--this is just my preference, and I'm already quite glad I brought it!
Water purifier--This was highly recommended by other packing lists I found. I got a SteriPen from REI, but I actually haven't used it yet. It might be helpful if I have the opportunity to visit a remote village up north, but in the city people prefer to buy bottled water. UPDATE: Ever since I moved into my second floor apartment, I've found it's much easier to keep the 1.5 liter water bottles and refill them from my kitchen. So now I use my SteriPen quite frequently! Plus, it doesn't create as much waste from all the bottles.
Bulletin board/tacks
Photos from home--Don't forget these
Command hooks
5 clothespins
Headlamp--Or at least some kind of flashlight. Good for when the power goes out.
Sewing kit
Bananagrams--Potentially for literacy training and for funsies :)
Playing cards--or something to help you relax
Post-it notes/notecards
A few French novels--Also potentially useful for literacy training
A small knife--Thanks to my friend Tim for lending me one of his!
Cliff Bars--Always a good investment
All the basic toiletries--Toothbrush, toothpaste, etc
Various meds--Advil, immune boosters, malaria meds, probiotics, diarrhea meds, Dramamine, you name it...
Micro-fiber towel--From REI, nice for packing light for overnight excursions.
Some regular towels/washcloths--These I use at the house.
Cough drops
Band-aids
Alcohol wipes
Bacitracin
Anti-itch cream--I think this was recommended to bring because of mosquitoes, but I haven't used it yet. Maybe because I come from a place that has mosquitoes, the bites don't bother me too much.
Qtips
Nail clippers
Nail polish--It's a girl thing. Fun to do with host sisters!
Tweezers
Deoderant--It is noteworthy that no one really cares about BO here, but bring it if you prefer.
Hand sanitizer wipes--Sometimes you just don't see running water or soap for a little while, and that's okay.
Glasses/case--I also wear contacts but chose to leave them at home, because there's not always a good, clean, working sink available. But personally I don't wear my glasses all the time. If you need lenses all day and want to bring contacts, use your own judgment.
Sunglasses
Hair ties/headbands/bobby pins whatever to put it up--I'm discovering the simplistic beauty of the scrunchy.
Lunette cup
Gifts for my hosts--I brought them some strawberry rhubarb jam, a CD of Christian music, and some Sweet Martha's chocolate chip cookies. They loved them!
What I wish I'd brought:
Swimsuit/goggles--I didn't bring them after hearing about guidelines for modesty in W. Africa. If I ever wanted to swim in the ocean, I said, I would be just as comfortable swimming in capris and a tank top. But a very kind woman from my church said she goes to a local pool to exercise, and invited me to go along with her. Of course I said yes! Now I go with her most Saturdays, and I love it. I just bought a swimsuit and goggles (after finding out that swimming laps without goggles is kind of annoying, haha) at the supermarket so that I could join her, but if I had known I could have brought them from home.
A few DVDs--When I was in France, there were a few instances in the semester when I just needed to curl up with a favorite movie and give myself a mental break. I had thought ahead and packed a few favorites. I also had the luxury of living across the street from the main movie theater in Rennes, a fun place to go with friends. If they were showing an American-made movie, it was always possible to find an un-dubbed version playing at some point. In Benin, movie theaters are not a thing (big surprise) and although my host sisters will enjoy a movie together in the living room from time to time, they are always dubbed. If I had thought of it before I left, I probably would have chosen a couple movies to bring along so I could watch them in English.
If you are in the city of Cotonou (I don't know if Porto-Novo is similar), there is a huge hypermarket called Erévan near the airport, and it's a lot like a Target or a Walmart in the US. If you can't find something in a street market (or if you just want to luxuriate in aisles upon aisles of Western propriety) Erévan is a good bet. That's where I found the afore-mentioned swimsuit and goggles. They also have a large variety of food. The other day I was with someone who was looking for soy milk, and we found it! Unless you'll be living in a more remote area, you won't have to worry about not having access to everyday things. Heck, they even have yoga mats. It's like they know us.
UPDATE: You may have heard that Benin is the brithplace of the Voodoo religion. What I didn't know is that, in the same way that cross necklaces are often associated with Christians in some cultures, there are certain types of jewelry that are closely associated with the Voodoo tradition in Benin. This includes anklets, ear cuffs, and any visible piercing other than the earlobe. My first day in the office at Wycliffe Benin, I was kindly advised by my supervisor to take off an anklet I had made at camp the summer before. This is especially important if you're coming to Benin to work with a Christian organization. However, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are just fine, so go crazy!
If you just happened upon this post because you will be traveling in or around Benin, and have questions on packing or anything else, feel free to ask in the comment section or send me an email: kapitchford@gmail.com :)
