Dear Ayizo and Beyond Prayer Partners,

 

~Pray that Ahmed, his wife Miriam, Mohammed and his wife, Rashida, their family and friends would see that Jesus is the Truth and only Way.

~Pray for the thousands of children across Benin, who’ve been orphaned through their parents dying of AIDS, that they might know Christ.

 

The New Year has stormed wildly into our lives!!  And with it the thickest harmattan we’ve seen since arriving in Benin.  The world is a mess with thick dust blocking out the sun (you can look straight at its misty, dry glow during the day), the humidity has suddenly dropped from 90% to 30%, which is quite shocking to our humidity adjusted bodies, and our eyes constantly itch and blur with irritation due to the massive amounts of dust in the air.  One evening I wrote a message on Jeff’s dresser in the dust, and by the morning it was already dusted over.  I cleansed essential parts of the household from what appeared to be 10 years of neglect, and when the following day dawned it was evident I’d done all for naught.  Wondrously the temperature has dropped! We were drenched with heat and humidity through Christmas, which makes it a bit difficult to truly live the song, “How I hate going out in the snow, but if you really hold me close, all the way home I’ll be warm…” for holding one another “close” was like hugging a blown radiator.  But now, since the New Year, Kari and I are delightfully chilly.  Its hot chocolate with imported marshmallows in the morning, warm macaroni and cheese for lunch and oven baked spiral ham (thanks Kettering FBC!) for supper.  We’re even wearing our light sweaters!  My, with the wind chill factor our present 74 degrees must be feeling like 69!  

 

Our holidays were very merry as we spun around from place to place delivering gifts to those we knew would have a penniless holiday.  It was a delight to see children’s faces alight with the joy of a simple toy, or the excitement of having their own Bible (when all the children had previously been fighting over who was going to use their mom’s).  Alima, my dear African friend, held a Christmas party for 150 orphans, mainly those orphaned due to the AIDS virus.  Kevin, Kari, Jeff and I, plus some of Kevin and Kari’s friends that we recruited, spent a morning classifying and wrapping gifts for all.  Then, during the actual festivities, Jeff shared the message of Jesus Christ with the children and the rest of us helped Alima’s crew hand out gifts.  Great times!  Nothing compares with being on the giving end of Christmas!

 

We spent our New Year’s Eve Day, after morning worship services, on the beach in a quiet spot and spent New Year’s Day celebrating with a Tuareg family from Mali.  The Tuareg’s are traditionally Moslem, camel riders, silver jewelry makers and work beautifully with leather.  They are also aggressively determined to sell to you when you walk their way.  Two men, though, over the years of taking volunteers to buy Tuareg goods, have become our friends.  Unlike the others they’re gentle in their selling techniques.  Therefore, they’ve received the greatest part of our business.  This year, after many years of hoping, our entire family was invited to Moslem Tabaski feast, which fell on January 1. 

 

When we walked into their rooms off a typical African compound, we felt as if we’d ventured yet into another country.  The walls were completely draped with sheets and flattened curtains.  The floor had multiple rugs with cushions strewn about.  That was it.  The men greeted us in full turbans, with just their eyes peeking out.  It we hadn’t known this to be friends’ household, we would have trembled for the air of menace portrayed by the turbans.

 

The time was sweet.  We brought gifts to the children and the little ones appreciation was boundless.  We were all soon wrapped in Tuareg wear, Kari and I given the cloth we wore and Jeff’s his turban.  Jeff and Kevin turbaned is a sight to see!  We ate, we danced and drank shot glasses of extremely strong and sweet Tuareg tea.  We pray that this growing relationship will result in Ahmed, his wife Miriam, Mohammed and his wife, Rashida, surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ. 

 

One man that was hopping around the room on one leg explained to us that he’d severely broken it in a camel race.  His camel fell on him!  Does he still ride and race?  Of course! 

 

Later that day we feasted with Alima, her husband, Gustave and their three children.  What an awesome day!

 

Kevin decided to stir things up a bit by trying to break his ankle playing basketball with African friends Tuesday night.  X-rays yesterday revealed that it just a bad sprain, so he’s off today to Togo with Jeff.

 

With all the joyful activities it is difficult to readjust to living real life—but our house still glows with Christmas candles and the glittering tree—the harmattan is ever present in force, so even if we must change the daily schedule, we can still enjoy the moment and the moments recently passed.

 

May your every day be sweet as you rest in the presence of Christ’s love.

 

Yours in Christ,

 

Barbara and Jeff