August Update

(I haven't had lots of extra time to blog lately. But I thought I'd post my August prayer update that I'm sending to friends and family.)

Dear family and friends,

As I sit down to write you a snippet from August, I am grateful for you. There’s definitely an ache in my heart that wishes I could see you in person. This week I said good-bye to my American teammates. They are now back in the States after a year out here. If I didn’t have such peace in my heart about staying 3 extra months in Cote d’Ivoire, I would’ve wanted to board the plane with them to come see you. But that day is not yet. In the mean time, I pray that this finds you well.  

Oh, August, where have you gone. From my last update, you may remember that I was in Benin (a few countries away from Cote d’Ivoire). The two weeks there were refreshing and allowed me to have new opportunities to apply what I’ve learned in the last year. I taught classes in French on women’s health and hygiene in small villages. Scroll down to the previous blog link to find pictures. Thank you if you prayed for those classes. Another highlight from my time in Benin was spending time with other Christians from all over the world. Asking questions and digging into their lives clarified some of the realities of living life in West Africa. Regardless of location, daily life can be full of drudgery and joys. At the end of the day, “missionaries” are simply sinners saved by Christ who choose to live cross-culturally. There’s a journey I’m on to learn about how God-centered, Gospel-driven, culturally-appropriate missions manifests itself on a practical level. The dialogue never ends, I suppose, but it’s important to keep seeking God’s mission for His glory among the nations.

As exciting as it was to travel, I was glad to be “home” for the second half of the month. We, as a Journey Corps team, have been busy preparing for our new Journeyers. They’re going to be here in just a few days! Would you pray for them as they transition? You can find their names and faces here on my friend Shasta's blog. I am super excited to assist them a bit through their integration process. How clearly I remember the emotions that come from stepping into a new place. Your prayers for them are appreciated. Pray too, for the leadership team. Pray that God would give us wisdom as we serve the new Journeyers, as well as unity of mind and spirit in decision-making.

As already mentioned, you’re in my thoughts. I wish I could share with you a bowl of fresh papaya. If you have the time, send me a little update or prayer request. It would be great to hear from you.

In God’s grace,

Emily

A Little Health and Hygiene in Benin

During my recent trip to Benin, I was given the opportunity to teach a class on hygiene to women and girls in two different villages. It was a privilege to teach some basic lessons that we merely take for granted in the States. The women were lovely and welcomed me with blessings, singing, and dancing. I wish I had pictures of us dancing together. The women and girls in both villages were Muslim, withholding from both food and drink during the fast of Ramadan. I began the lessons with some verses from God's Word about us, human beings, being made in the image of God. He created us as beautiful workmanship. We are to care for our bodies, as well as our souls.