Sunday I went to the Ganvie Village. Also known as the Stilt Village, it is a village on a very large lake, Lake Nokoue. With it's population at around 30,000 people, it is probably the largest lake-village in Africa, and since we're so close, we had to visit!
The village history is this: More than three hundred years ago, the Fon people had encroached on the area of these peoples, finally pushing them all the way to the Gulf. To escape their enemies, this group of people built their villages over the lagoons of southern Benin, allowing them to escape the aggression of the Fon (Fon religious belief prevented their warriors from venturing onto water).
We arrived at the village, which is more like a small town, with thousands of bamboo huts, with thatch roofs jutting from the murky water, and a light "traffic" of townsfolk in canoes manuevering through the myriad of canals and waterways in the 'city'. We were told many of the people here do not want to be photographed.. but found they were fairly open to it if you show them your camera before hand with a big smile, almost as if asking permission. Drifting through the calm waters, in our very touristy boa
t, Everyone waves at the white people from the the passing women on their way to the floating market or children shyly peering from behind the bamboo walls of their homes. It was an incredible experience, but one that cannot be done justice through words. Boats are filled with baskets of fruit, clothes, and fish. The villages main industry is fishing and fish farming, as well as tourism. And they are complete with a school, hospital, churches, little "restaurants" and even a small hotel type of tourist stilted house. It was a very different world than that of the city of Cotonou. With cars honking and Zemis buzzing past, people rushing all about. It was very calm and pleasant, and quite an incredible village.
Amazing how we can adapt a habit and continue in the same pattern even though the reason for the habit has gone away. It is also amazing how adaptable we are. Just as an entire community is able to adapt to a totally different life style we too can develop totally different habits, holy habits, in response to the salvation and love of Jesus. Praise to God for the ability He has given us to turn from destructive and selfish habits and pursue care and love for others. May the Lord bless the stilt community and my daughter.
ReplyDeleteFINALLY!!!!! I'm finally able to post! This thing has been blocking me, Lindy! Guess I wasn't supposed to talk to you, BUT I persevered and here I am!!!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to say I especially love the post on the precious baby with the cleft palate and wanted to let you know I would love an update after the surgery.
You're doing beautiful work by God's grace, Lindy. God bless you.
Love, Mrs. Myers
I remember when we used to waite anxiously for the next blog update. I've got grey hair and have started to wheeze from old age since the last entree. I guess the novelty of being in A F R I C A has worn off. Just another African carrying their entire house on their head, oh another bug the size of a small dog, another 3 0, 0 0 0 person community built on stilts over the water, more lakes and beautiful sunrises and sunsets and markets with merchandise most people have never seen before. Well maybe I'll do one more blog before I leave Africa 3 weeks from now. Love you Lindy.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm a little greyer too....not much wheezing, but a little creaking when I get up from the computer chair!!!!
ReplyDeletePraying for you and thinking about you a lot, Lindy, and the work you are doing and the people you are ministering to.
Love, Mrs. Myers