HELLO NIGERIA!

Hello again! It seems I am getting worse at keeping my blog updated! Sorry about that! For those of you who have read Abby’s and Jamie’s Blogs this will be old news for you – but for those of you who haven’t….well read on! I want to tell you about the crazy week we had the first week of June. Remember how I asked you to pray for us because we had a team from Nigeria coming for training for a couple days and then our own team had Bootcamp that weekend? Well it was a crazy week, but SO awesome! Let me tell you about it.

The Nigeria Team consisted of 11 high school students and 2 chaperones. They spent 3 days with us, learning 5 different dramas and how to use them for evangelism. The days were long and full but very enjoyable. Let me tell you a few of my highlights:

HIGHLIGHT #1: I was able to train the dramas in English again! What a nice break that was! It was refreshing to be able to use my English again!

In case you can't tell what I'm doing....I'm training the drama It's My Life! Check out the cool nametag....Abby made them - she's so artistic!!

HIGHLIGHT #2: Our leaders came each day to help with the training. This was their first experience with training a drama and it was so fun to watch them pass on what we have taught them!

HIGHLIGHT #3: The team was so kind and wonderful! It was fun working with high school students and seeing them catch the vision of DRIME and really become passionate about this tool! Also, their gratitude was so overwhelming. They gave us gifts on the last day and did not want to leave – they said they wanted to stay with us! They said that this was the best thing that has ever happened to them in their lives! It’s just so amazing how the simplest thing made such a big impact on their lives. Their response was so humbling because it really felt like we did nothing to deserve such thanks.

The Nigeria Team!!!

BOOTCAMP A HUGE SUCCESS!!!

We spent June 12th and 13th with the DRIME Benin team at their first ever Bootcamp! The weekend was full of drama training, evangelism training, prayer, games, food and ministry! There is SO much I could say, but I’ll try and keep it to a few highlights. I apologize in advance if I get long-winded!!

Highlight #1: Becoming a DRIME Family

It was such a blessing to watch the team and the leaders get to know each other and interact! There were 24 members who showed up for Bootcamp [6 of them couldn’t make it] and when they got going, boy was it LOUD!!! [Plus we were in a building made of cement so the sound echoes like crazy!] We’d spend time playing some fun team-building activities – and the members would get SO into it! They are such a fun group! They left Bootcamp more excited and passionate about this ministry than I had prayed for! Just before leaving Sunday evening Aldo, one of the members shared this with the group: “I have never experienced such joy or felt such a sense of family than I have in these last two days!” It was so encouraging to hear this! I had been praying for this to happen within the team and I never imagined it happening so soon! Praise the Lord!

Highlight #2: Watching our leaders LEAD!!

I loved watching our leaders lead their team for the first time! It was fun watching them train the dramas to their team, joke around with each other, lead their team in prayer and worship and lead the time of ministry! This was the first time our leaders were on their own and we were only there to be their assistants! We followed their lead instead of them following ours! They did an awesome job and I am so proud of them! I definitely had some “proud parent” moments!


Highlight #3: Ministry with the team!

Sunday afternoon we did a few hours of ministry beside this church in an open lot. The new members did a great job performing the dramas they just learned and our leaders did an awesome job of leading! Also, it had been pouring rain for the majority of the day but God stopped the rain for us so we could do ministry!! I was blown away by the courage and boldness of the team members. As soon as we started the first drama set members walked out to people who had gathered to watch and began talking with them! They would even cross the street to talk with people who had stopped on the other side to watch! The entire two hours the Gospel was being shared through conversation and through drama. God’s presence felt SO thick and tangible. I just felt like God had His arms wrapped around the area, where we were doing ministry, in a gigantic hug! His face was turned toward us, looking down at us with an enormous grin on His face! I was overwhelmed with a feeling of fullness - it felt like my heart was going to burst! It’s the kind of feeling you get at the climax of a movie, when the music builds into this magnificent sound that resonates with ever pore in your body. When the main character, after much trouble and trails, finally reaches their goal and your heart swells with joy for them! Well, if felt something like that!



Our team members led 24 people to the Lord that afternoon! As I write, these people are being followed up with by a local church we have partnered with. Calixte, one of our leaders, was using his limited English while speaking to a Nigerian man [who only speaks English] – and he led the man to the Lord! He was elated when he told us this afterwards and gave all the credit to God for giving him the right words! Amazing, huh?!?! God is SO GOOD!

Highlight #4: Driving a Motorbike!

Okay, I just had to put this one in here because it was very exciting for me! My friend Alexandre taught me how to drive his Motorbike! Beside the church there is a big open lot so he let me drive his bike there! Mind you, he was on the back of the bike with me the whole time. After about 10 minutes of driving around the lot he took me on the road! Don’t worry, it was a side street and there were only like 2 other motorbikes on it. But still – it was fun and felt like such an accomplishment! I understand now why people like motorbikes so much! Might have to get myself one when I get back to Canada! Haha! Just kidding!

UPCOMING EVENTS

We are currently in the midst of doing a lot of preparation work because we have 2 big events coming up.

From June 7-9th we are hosting a team of high school students from Nigeria who want to be equipped in the DRIME tool. They are getting three intensive days of drama and evangelism training so they can use this tool for ministry at their school. We are excited for this opportunity because it will allow our leaders to have some experience in training the dramas; this will be good preparation for Bootcamp!

Bootcamp? What’s Bootcamp? Well, it is the kick-off weekend of the DRIME Benin Team! June 12th-13th will be the first time all the members of DRIME Benin come together to begin their training in the dramas as well as to experience their first time of ministry! Jamie, Abby and I are very excited for this time because we will get to watch our leaders be the leaders of their team! All the teaching and training we have been doing with the leaders, all the recruiting, promoting and planning – all of it has helped to create the start of the DRIME Benin Team! And now that start is just days away!

We have acquired 4 pairs of interesting glasses at our home....and our leaders had fun with them!

PRAYER AND PRAISE ITEMS:

Training the Nigeria Team – pray that all the details will come together and that the team will feel filled-up and equipped. Pray that God would reveal Himself to the individuals in new ways, during this time.

Bootcamp – pray that all the details will come together! We are still waiting for some of the big details to fall in place [like the location!] so pray that God would provide for all our needs for Bootcamp. Pray also that the members would leave the weekend feeling passionate and enthusiastic for the ministry and for what God is going to do through them.

DRIME Leaders – please keep our leaders in your prayers as they prepare for Bootcamp. Pray that God would give them strength and energy for all they have to do. Pray also for their health; now that the rainy season is in full swing it has become Malaria season [just like we get the flu season]. Olivier had Malaria a few weeks ago and now just finally recovered. Rachelle currently is in the second week of having Malaria. Martin thought he was getting Malaria, but so far he has remained healthy. You can also pray for Martin as he is in the process of taking his year-end exams. Each exam is worth 100% of his mark!!! Crazy, hey?? Pray for him!

Our health – We are all healthy here…no Malaria or food poisoning or stomach problems! Praise God for that! We would appreciate your continued prayers though, especially since there are many more mosquitoes now and it is Malaria season.

A baby girl!!!! Alphonse [GAiN staff and translator for DRIME] and his wife just had a baby girl! Her name is Netania which means ‘God’s provision’! Praise the Lord!!! The baby and the mother are healthy and strong and I think Alphonse is the happiest man on this earth because I could feel the joy coming from his smile through the phone! Please pray for continued health and safety for Netania and her parents.

Here we all are with our leaders....shortest to tallest :)

J’APPRENDS LE FRANCAIS…..

With Carleigh back in Canada Jamie is the only fluent French speaker. Abby and I are at about the same level, except for me being here for a few months already and having a chance to remember some of the things I learned in French class! Since the three of us are not always together, I am being forced to use my French more [which is a good thing] and I am realizing that I know more than I thought I did! I am by no means fluent – far from it in fact – but I am able to express myself [most of the time], although my sentences are probably grammatically incorrect most times. But, it is a very liberating experience after so many months of not being able to do things on my own. When Abby and I go out to get groceries, I am the one who communicates with the vendors. During leader meetings, when our leaders are discussing things and Jamie is following the conversation, I am the one to translate to Abby what I understand of the conversation. I remember during the first month and a half when we would be buying our groceries and the vendor would rattle of the price, I could never understand what they would say. I know my numbers in French, but I could never recognize the number they said – and this was SO frustrating! I don’t know when the change happened but now I have no problem understanding what the person is saying when they rattle off the price! It is encouraging to know I am slowly learning and picking up on the French language!!

Like our new look??? Haha!!!

A MYSTERY SUBSTANCE….

The other day I noticed a tiny pile of light-brown, perfectly round balls, about the size of a grain of sand beside my bed. Not sure what it was, I swept it up not thinking much of it. The next day the pile returned in the exact same spot, which freaked me out a little. I pulled Jamie and Abby into my room to get their verdict on the substance. We contemplated the possibility of it being dirt, maybe some special African dirt – but it was too perfectly formed for that. Maybe wood-shavings from the bed? Again, they were too perfectly formed and piled. Maybe some sort of insect feces? Possible. Or insect egg?? Possible.

We decided to scoop up the unknown substance and keep it in a jar to see what would happen. Two hours later I went back to my room and found that a pile of the unknown substance had re-appeared in the exact same spot! What was it? Where was it coming from?? I was really hoping it was not some kind of insect egg….but if it was, it might explain all the bug bites I get at night!

Nothing was happening with the unknown substance in the jar, so at the next leaders meeting we enlisted the help of our trusty leaders to solve this mystery. We showed them the pile of the mystery substance which had re-appeared in the same spot by my bed again…and they started laughing. They informed us that the mystery substance was wood….and those responsible for putting it there were termites! Ugh! So apparently I am sleeping in a termite infested bed! Perfect! If that doesn’t give me sweet dreams, I don’t know what will! Haha! The leaders had a good laugh over our egg theory….especially that we had wood droppings in a jar! Oh, the things you experience when you’re in Africa!

FYI….

I believe I mentioned this a while back but I will say it again – If you want to hear more about what’s happening here in Benin, you can check out Jamie and Abby’s Blogs! They are, www.jamieisinbenin.blogspot.com and www.abbyinbenin.blogspot.com