Picnicking on a Mountain

This past weekend, while up in the city of Korhogo, we ventured out to climb a small mountain – imagine 16 people hiking, crouching, bending, sliding, and climbing up in a single file line, sweat beads rolling down our faces. Humidity = transpiration. Once at the top we enjoyed the view of Korhogo and other villages below, while munching on PB&J sandwiches and popcorn. It was quite the adventure. Aside from a trail of biting driver ants, we happily avoided other surly creatures. 

Woven Houses

yellow

weavers, plucking green grass

from the ground

carried up, wound around

building homes

together in the branches,

strength in numbers.

working, yes, but not

worrying. all they need

has been provided for.

why be anxious when He

who cares for the weavers,

thinks even more for you.

New Journey[ers]

 Soooo it’s about time for an update from Cote d’Ivoire. September blew in with hurry and keeps passing through…with small pauses here and there, but not enough time for blogging. Oh, priorities. All the little spaces in a day have filled up with chatter, story-telling, and laughing with the twelve new Journeyers who arrived September 4th. To keep it brief: I love these people. What a crazy, eager, caring bunch of Jesus-followers they are. God has been pouring out grace upon me through each and every one of them. Here’s their picture, (missing Richard):

Basically since the day after their arrival they’ve been learning French, eating Ivorian food, riding motorcycle taxis, attaching pagnes, and adjusting to the climate, noises, tastes, and smells of Cote d’Ivoire. While it hasn’t been a piece of cake to go through all of this initial integration and orientation, they have courageous spirits and honest hearts as they learn to do life together -- blending their own cultures and learning a new one. Here's evidence of what's called an end-of-a-long-day-mutual-encouragement-back-rub-train.