After we ate the meal following the ch_rch service, and met with all the important people from the village, including the "chief", we were given gifts. I was given a bowl used to serve boulle. (boulle is the starchy portion of all of our meals, usually made with millet or corn) And we were given a live chicken! Sean was kind enough to hold it all the way back to Moundou while riding in the back of the Land Rover!

He looks like a natural! FYI as of the time we left Moundou to come home, the chicken was still running around Kirk and Kay's concession.

The rest of the day on Sunday was spent resting, planning, and packing our trunks, making sure we had all the supplies we were going to want/need during the coming week while we were in the "bush."

So far my experiences had not been that far out of my comfort zone. I was realizing all that was about to change. As I pr=yed that night I knew that G+d was going to have to give me strength and peace. The whole concept of being in the bush was very much outside of my comfort zone. The scr*ptures I read did little to calm my nerves. I decided to pr+y for a good night's sleep - I slept soundly and woke up refreshed. Although I was still a bit apprehensive, I found myself very excited and anticipating all the new experiences ahead of me.

Early Monday morning we began packing 7 trunks, backpacks, and supplies into the land rover.

Then off to the vocational school to help Mattias, Jeremy, Shane and Darrin load up Mattias truck with all the construction supplies they were going to need for the week.

As we loaded up the vehicles, something P*stor Jeff said years ago and something I had read that morning came into my head. I found them comforting, because I knew what we were about to do in the coming days was going to fulfill this.

"G=d's expectation for Christians has always been to effect culture by the individual believer living out the love of J=sus in a tangible manner." (Bogue 2003)

My theme song for the week was going to be "Be My Everything." I love the words - "G*d in my living, there in my breathing , in my waking, in my sleeping, in my resting, in my working in my thinking, in my speaking - Be my everything."

Whatever apprehension I was having was quickly being replaced by anticipation of all the work G+d was going to be able to accomplish through us in the coming week. Way Cool!