busy but fun day

My! What a fun day I was able to share with friends on Saturday this weekend. I had planned to spend the day in Dakar with my friend, Yvette, and this is how the day unfolded.

The week before I had taken my vehicle in for service to Dakar, and was given a substitute truck to drive while it was in the shop. So Saturday I went first thing in the morning to Dakar to trade vehicles. I left a little later than I wanted, about 8 am, and arrived in Dakar just after 11. A 3 hour drive for 75 miles is never fun. Between construction, slow moving tractor trailer trucks, and vehicles breaking down traffic is often slow along this highway. You learn to just be patient while driving, but there's a bit of aggression you also have to use while driving or else you'll never get into Dakar.

Once I arrived I talked briefly with Arnett and Crystal E, missionary friends who work in Mali. They're in town to have a baby! Hopefully for Crystal, butterbean will arrive tomorrow, Monday. I know she's ready to be able to sleep in more than 1 position, and ready to be a new mom!

Then I took my vehicle (which is running pretty well now!) and drove to Yvette's where we spent some time yaking, went out for lunch, went shopping briefly, and back to her house to watch a movie. Yvette's got a video projector she uses in her college ministry, so we got to see the movie Miracle on the wall-much like a movie theater. We even had brownies!! I enjoyed the movie, even though I had seen it several times. I really enjoyed seeing her happiness as it brought back many high school video memories she had of shooting the mid-level professionals that played in her town. She couldn't sit still!

After the movie was over, I said goodbye (sniff sniff). She's leaving to go back to the states in 2 weeks. One of the drawbacks in the life of a missionary is that so many people that are special to you in your life come and go. Missionaries are always on the go and have families in multiple cities, states, and even countries. I've learned that it's always hard for me to leave and have to say goodbye to my friends. But thanks to technology today goodbyes don't have to last so long. Anyone is a phone call away.

So, after leaving Yvette's place (that could be a song), I went to pick up mega voices from my team member, Stan. A mega voice is a solar powered recorder that has Wolof stories on it. So rather than spend time sharing stories with people who sometimes are afraid of what a crowd may say if the individual is interested in hearing more stories about Jesus, the missionary can lend this mega voice to an individual so he/she can hear stories on their own time. It's a good ministry tool. I'm going to ask to use a few as well as I begin to concentrate my work in 2 areas.

I enjoyed my brief chat with Stan. He's a lot like me in that he loves sports. I also like hearing how his ministry is going in Dakar. After leaving his house I started back home. But while going home, I dropped by another missionary friend's house, Jason. Jason has a volunteer team this week and next. I got there just after they finished showing a movie and eating supper, and got to chat briefly with them. It was nice to see them and catch up with Jason, see his family, and have a few more laughs with everyone.

This shows that yes I can have busy days. I enjoy being around people and catching up with their stories. It's interesting to know I can hear people's stories in 2 languages now-however I'll always prefer using English. Yet this is why I've learned Wolof, to be able to share stories about my true love, Jesus, in the heart language of the Wolof people. Continue to pray for me that I can take life stories that are fun and interesting and also share the life stories of Jesus to my Wolof friends. Only 5 months left of ministry here, and I want these months to be as effective as possible so that God's Word may be known to the Wolof people.