We just returned home from traveling to Dakar, Senegal. We had a wonderful trip and what a great experience to see more of West Africa. We were gone for a little over a week. Todd participated in a work-study with veteran missionary, Vern Finck, who has been working in West Africa for over 21 years. It was really helpful and refreshing to be with our collegues there.
We spent the first night in Kayes in a missionary guesthouse. Pastor Daniel Sagara and his family invited us to their home for a short visit. He is the Mali National Assemblies of God Director. He and his wife have five children and a sixth that they have adopted because her mother passed away and her father did not want her. Their kindness to us was overwhelming. What a priviledge to serve in ministry with them.
After our visit with his family, Pastor Sagara took us to the prison in Kayes where we were presented to the prison director and guards on behalf of our mission in Bamako for a gift that we had given to the prison for food. As a result of this gift and the kindness of the church in Kayes, there is a very open door into the prison for the Gospel. Here's a picture of Todd, T.J. & Bridgette with the guards and prison officials after we toured the prison. There is outreach into this prison and services are held on a weekly basis, several have received Christ. We would love to help them establish a garden to better meet their longterm needs for food. This past October and November several prisoners died from starvation. I think we left part of our hearts in Kayes.
After crossing the border into Senegal we encountered the much talked about "pothole road" and that it was. Pavement so riddled with huge potholes that we often tried to take reprive on the dirt road that ran along side of it. We are so thankful for our STL vehicle. Many kilometers of dodging potholes and 4 wheeling! This is a picture of a termite mound in the desert of Africa. There are many, many like this. The people here build out of cement and block because the termites are so bad and wooden structures would never survive.
We visited the ocean which was beautiful, and as we watched the waves crash onto the rocks we were reminded of the majesty and strength of the Lord.
Ps 93:4 The LORD on high is mightier Than the noise of many waters,Than the mighty waves of the sea. NKJVWe made new friends and ate fish together by the ocean. I think T.J. just swallowed an eyeball! Oops....
While in Dakar we visited Goree Island, a very important historical site where literally thousands of slaves said goodbye to their homeland of Africa and were seperated from their families and shipped across the ocean. The weak or ill were thrown to the sharks and the rest were chained, hands and feet. Between 300-400 were put into boats and 25-30% died along the voyage from the horrible conditions. It was a very sobering experience to say the least, a bit like visiting the holocaust museum in Washington D.C several years ago.
Just before we left, we visited a Wildlife Reserve on the outskirts of Dakar and enjoyed seeing some of Africa's animals.
The trip was a blessing, Todd learned so much from Vern who generously invested his time and experience with him. They visited many of Vern's work sites and completed projects. Vern shared many strategic insites for working and accomplishing the work of the Lord.
We leave for Niger next week to work on a large construction project there and will take more pictures for you! All our love.....
