Since I worked the weekend, I had monday and tuesday I off!
I decided not to spend the days sleeping in, and wasting it, even if i'm tired.. because I'm only in Africa once!
Monday I woke up early and went into the market with a friend, Brittni, who wasn't working until 12. We just walked up into the town surrounding our dock and there's sort of a corner where some of the major roads form a crossroad and the egdes of the streets are little huts/shops, and the then if you walk into the middle of the corner, through and behind the surrounding edge/row of shops and stands, it is a hectic and jam packed food market. With baskets and baskets of fruits and produce piled high, and raw meet sitting out everywhere. Men are walking around with larrge raw cow legs, ribs, and any animal parts really (toungue) .. just thrown over their shoulders. It's wild. I wish it was more acceptable to pull out your camera to take a photo so I could capture an environment such as this. But it's often considered offensive. Because this is their way of life, and they don't want to be "on show". Which is understandable. And I've found you often feel just as uncomfortable being the one taking a photo.
I decided not to spend the days sleeping in, and wasting it, even if i'm tired.. because I'm only in Africa once!
Monday I woke up early and went into the market with a friend, Brittni, who wasn't working until 12. We just walked up into the town surrounding our dock and there's sort of a corner where some of the major roads form a crossroad and the egdes of the streets are little huts/shops, and the then if you walk into the middle of the corner, through and behind the surrounding edge/row of shops and stands, it is a hectic and jam packed food market. With baskets and baskets of fruits and produce piled high, and raw meet sitting out everywhere. Men are walking around with larrge raw cow legs, ribs, and any animal parts really (toungue) .. just thrown over their shoulders. It's wild. I wish it was more acceptable to pull out your camera to take a photo so I could capture an environment such as this. But it's often considered offensive. Because this is their way of life, and they don't want to be "on show". Which is understandable. And I've found you often feel just as uncomfortable being the one taking a photo.
Later on in the afternoon, a different group of girls had the afternoon off! So I walked in to town again with them. This time we went to the fabric market. Which is a lot further. Probably about a 25 minute walk. All along fairly major roads. Cotonou, the city I'm in, is very industrialized for what you might think of when you imagine Africa. And with all the traffic and Zemijdans its pretty wild! =) Keeps you on your toes. I bought some more fabric, and I will have to put up some pictures of me with my dress I've had made! I've also bought smaller pieces of fabric and just wrap them around myself like a towel.. just like all the African ladies do! its so fun =)
Then on tuesday morning I woke up early as well and walked into town with two girls. But this time we went to the hospitality center. -- This is the pre and post operation site for Mercy ships. Its a warehouse type building about a 10 min walk from the ship. And when you walk inside, there are benches, and tables but also large long rooms lined with hospital beds along either wall. And this is where patients stay before their surgery on the ship, and then also recover after they are in non-critical condition. This allows for more bed space on the ship, as well. And there are mercy ship crew that work here as their job 'for' the ship, and they care for the patients and spend time, and share the gospel with them. -- However, anyone can walk over there anytime and visit and love on these people and children and its really fun. We hold little babies, and play board games with the older ladies.
SO on Friday a group of us had gone and brought our camera and taken pictures with, and of some of the ladies and their children. They had asked if we would bring them each their picture. So we simply said "sure sure" as we put our cameras away, like everyone probably does with their cameras. But as we left, Brittni and I were talking and decided that we could easily go back to the ship, print of these pictures, get them laminated, take them back to theses ladies, and make it very special. So, that's what we did on Tuesday morning. Printed, laminated, walked, and shared. And they were all very excited to see us! and then when they saw we had the pictures they were ecstatic and they all grabbed their own and then eagerly looked at each others.. as they spoke frantically in their native language. So it was really cool!
Then on tuesday morning I woke up early as well and walked into town with two girls. But this time we went to the hospitality center. -- This is the pre and post operation site for Mercy ships. Its a warehouse type building about a 10 min walk from the ship. And when you walk inside, there are benches, and tables but also large long rooms lined with hospital beds along either wall. And this is where patients stay before their surgery on the ship, and then also recover after they are in non-critical condition. This allows for more bed space on the ship, as well. And there are mercy ship crew that work here as their job 'for' the ship, and they care for the patients and spend time, and share the gospel with them. -- However, anyone can walk over there anytime and visit and love on these people and children and its really fun. We hold little babies, and play board games with the older ladies.
SO on Friday a group of us had gone and brought our camera and taken pictures with, and of some of the ladies and their children. They had asked if we would bring them each their picture. So we simply said "sure sure" as we put our cameras away, like everyone probably does with their cameras. But as we left, Brittni and I were talking and decided that we could easily go back to the ship, print of these pictures, get them laminated, take them back to theses ladies, and make it very special. So, that's what we did on Tuesday morning. Printed, laminated, walked, and shared. And they were all very excited to see us! and then when they saw we had the pictures they were ecstatic and they all grabbed their own and then eagerly looked at each others.. as they spoke frantically in their native language. So it was really cool!And those were my days off!
But I also had a lot of nice quiet time to myself. Reading and and sitting up in the sun on the top deck. As everyone else hustled and bustled all around me doing their days work, I felt like the very little work I had to do over the weekend didn't equate to the amount of work I was skipping out on as I kicked back on this monday and tuesday. But I suppose that is the reward your receive after having to stay on the ship all weekend. And I feel like I took full advantage of my days off, using them wisely and restfully! =)
much love! lindy
*picture* Me with Annisette, and her mom. She has a cleft lip and is getting surgery mid-July on the ship! She's only 3 months old, and is so precious. Her mom sort of slowly pours formula milk into her mouth because its very difficult for her to suck with her cleft lip. Its so sad, but she's going for surgery and how exciting is that?! =)
It is very exciting. To be part of a ministry that restores function to damaged bodies and provides hope to restless souls. Oh Lindy keep smiling and loving on the Beninians, in the name of Jesus and to His Glory. By the way what is the proper term for people from Benin? So what are you reading in the scripture these days and what is the Lord showing you? Love you, Dad
ReplyDeleteLindy I've been reading your blog and loving it! When I read this post and saw the picture of that beautiful baby I thought of the verse "from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise" (Ps. 8:2). How exciting to think that truly this little girl will be able to praise God clearly to be heard "by his enemies" (Ps 8:2) because of the ministry of Mercy Ships. And you get to be involved in that - how cool!! Thanks for sharing your adventure and letting us be a part of it! With love - Katie (for Tim and the kids too!)
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