Saturday, we ate breakfast with our missionary family and headed over to a different part of Marcory to do some story telling and gathering of people for a small group Bible study that is led in that area by Bamba Bakary, our new friend and brother. We made a lot of great contacts and shared the story with some amazing people who really want to attend the Bible study. Praise God! I pray that this will really grow Bamba's group.
Around noon, we went back to the mission house to eat lunch and rest before heading out to the market for some more shopping and then back to the Marcory area where Bamba's group met. We got to attend the small group Bible study and it was amazing! Bamba leads a group that meets in a shoe store that is no bigger than a 10 x 10 on the crowded market street. There is lots of noise and Muslims surround them. It was packed with people who are hungry to grow in Christ. Most of them have been led to the Lord by Bamba or Missionary Mike. They are currently looking for another location as they have outgrown the shoe store. This just goes to show that you can have a small group "Life Group" anywhere. I am amazed at the number of excuses we make for not doing LIFE with other believers in Bible study groups. In America, we think that it has to be in a home or we can't do it. I think Bamba has proven to us differently. Thanks Bamba for being a great inspiration and super charger of our faith and persistence in America to keep pressing on!
Sunday, we ate breakfast and headed off to an African Baptist Congregation for worship. The service was already in full swing with the choir leading, singing, and dancing with their hankies, when we arrived. The service is over 4 hours long each time they meet. Therefore, I don't ever want to be accused of being a long winded preacher. LOL The announcement portion of the service was over 30-45 minutes long. The praise band and team was awesome! The Spirit of the Lord fell in that open sided covered pavilion that was filled with some 350 African Believers all singing, dancing, and praising the Lord! I understood very little of what was actually being said, but I felt the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in a thick and powerful way. As I looked around, everyone had their hands lifted high and magnifying the name of the Lord. AWESOME! I noticed lots of things in the service like, the seriousness and fervency in which the ushers served. They highly respect and reverence God, the Word, the Pastor, and other ministers. WOW! We don't see that kind of honor for any of these in God's house in America. People get up and move around freely without thinking about disturbing or distracting others. That would never happen in Abidjan! Just sayin. When it came time for the offering, they ALL got up and marched around, some dancing, and brought their tithes and offerings to the Lord. EVERYbody gave something and did so with cheerfulness and thanksgiving. WOW!
After the service, Mike took our team to Grand Bassam to do some shopping for wood products, etc. We got some really great deals there and met some great people. It is a village outside of Abidjan. We bought from mainly just one family and that will feed them for a while.
We headed back to the mission house to eat lunch and rest up for the trip on Monday.
Monday came and was spent running errands like getting money out of the ATM to pay our bills, packaging up our merchandise to ship back to the states, doing some last minute shopping, changing airline tickets, etc. and getting ready to leave Africa.
Monday night after dinner, we all said our goodbyes and gave our hugs as our team prepared to leave. I must say, I fought back the tears. I truly have grown to love the McAfee Family. Mike and Heather are precious people to me and our church. Their kids are awesome! I will never forget their hospitality, love, and care for us while in Abidjan. We look forward to having this long term church planting partnership with them through the IMB. Monday around 7:30 p.m., Mike dropped our team off at the airport. We made our way through and got loaded on our plane headed for Paris. It was a good flight, but long one.
Tuesday, we arrived in Paris around 6 a.m. and begin trying to make arrangements for hotel, food, travel, etc. It wasn't easy! It's the most difficulty we've ever had in an airport. We were all tried in our patience as we were tired and frustrated with the whole situation of not being able to leave Paris until Thursday and the airline not giving us hotel and food vouchers. So...here we are!
We went to eat lunch at a restaurant next door to the hotel and it was aweful! We paid $15 a person for trash, basically. We also learned that you never ask for water. They will bring it to you in a big wine-type bottle and charge you $3.50 for it. LOL We held our breath and tried to eat it and then came back to the hotel room to rest.
This evening, we took the shuttle bus back over to the airport and ate a good American $6 meal at McDonald's. LOL It was good! Now, we're back at the hotel and resting. Looking forward to some sight seeing tomorrow in the city!
I just want to say "Thank You" to everyone for their prayers and support of us during this trip. Please don't let up. We are NOT home yet! Can't wait to see everyone when we get back to the states. God is up to something really BIG!
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