La saison des pluies!

Its rainy season!

It has rained twice today. It woke me up by it this morning, the thunder is intense. And As I am writing this I look up and out my window to watch the rain fall.



We had planned on spending the afternoon at the beach, but God had other things planned for today…

Let me start by saying one thing: if you aren’t ready for an answer don’t ask people to pray!

Remember in the last two updates I asked for prayer about my language skills, that I would learn and God would give me opportunities to use French.

Well, that is what God did.

I started French classes (for the second time) two weeks ago and am starting to work on phrases. So, this morning after class I decided to practice what I had been learning by telling one of our guards about church yesterday.

Here I am standing on the street corner with Sisa (a Muslim man) and I tell him about or study of John 9 and Jesus healing the blind man before the man believed in him. Our pastor related it to how we as Christians should help everyone, not just other Christians. He was talking about AIDS victims. (Our church is discussing doing AIDS outreach for the local community.)

Sisa asked, “What is the church doing? Just praying? I told him no, the church is going to hold clinics, give medicine, food, and pray for those with AIDS. Then Sisa asked, “What is better, praying or giving medicine?”

Let me tell you, this conversation out passed my French knowledge. So, he told me to look up the French words and get back to him. Well, I did and still had a hard time…so after talking with Emily and looking up some more words I will meet with him again this evening.

Motivation to continue learning French.

Thank the Lord for the rain and chances to share about Him. All the in same day!

Eagerly Awaiting

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”
Romans 8: 18-21


Recently, Emily and I were watching a TV show (on DVD) and a character said, “I believe in Heaven. If I had to choose between this earth and Heaven, I would choose Heaven.”

Amen.

Yet, I am still here. So, what do I do? Romans 8 says we, creation waits eagerly. Do we really wait eagerly?

With the College and Career class at CBC in March I watched a sermon on missions. (If any of you are reading this can you e-mail me how to get that sermon. jesselyautey@yahoo.com) The speaker challenged those in the audience that we, as Christians, really don’t want to see God’s kingdom come.

If we did there still wouldn’t be over 3,000 people groups and almost 2 billion people in the Last Frontier (the 10/40 window) alone that still need to hear the name of Christ.

The big project I am working on right now is helping to develop training material for volunteers, partnering and engaging churches. Volunteers work with IMB personnel doing whatever is need to further God's kingdom. Partnering churches work with IMB personnel in a people group with more than 100,000 people and engaging churches take on the groups less than 100,000 in population. (They have help in the beginning from missionaries on the Engagement Team.)

In West Africa, about 40 people groups have IMB personnel working among them. The Hausa, Sokoto Fulani, Songhai, Tureg, Zerma, Jahanka, Wala, Wolof, Sereer are just a few that I worked with over the last year.

About 300 don’t have IMB personnel. I have visited the Senufo, Senara, Mossi, Konyanke, and many others. I've seen engaging churches and associations start by sharing the story of Jesus.

This project could bring hundreds of churches from America to West Africa with the sole goal: to start a Church Planting Movement.

That’s if we really are eagerly awaiting the kingdom of God.

For more information about partnering or engaging churches go to www.gowestafrica.org and click on Your Church on Missions.

Easter

Today, Monday, is a national holiday in Cote D'Ivoire--Easter Day

All business and government offices are closed to celebrate the risen Lord. How cool is that? It is because this country celebrates both Christian and Muslim holidays.

Saturday night we dyed Easter eggs! Fun times




















Sunday, I went to church with Emily and another couple and we looked forward to our 3 ½ hour service.

(This is the church where we have an English Bible study every Sunday night.) Well, each Bible study had to perform a short piece in celebration of Easter.

We sang.

That’s right…Emily and I stood up with our group and sang a song in English…in front of the whole church.

Our good friend Olivia stood next to me, literally shoving the mike in my face (a little uncomfortable, I think I did blush). But, we made it and the church loved that Emily and I involved ourselves in the churches activities.



I really enjoyed the Sermon on John 20: 1-10. The pastor focused on Christ resurrection and how we should celebrate. Easter was such a beautiful day with lots of dancing, singing and enjoying each others company.

Later, the whole mission gathered for a late lunch. I cooked zucchini! It was a great time of talking, relaxing and eating...

Back in Africa

How you know you are back in Africa:
10. Starting to sweat as soon as the cabin door of the airplane is open.
9. At the airport, you are accosted by people wanting to push your luggage to your car for you.
8. Stopped at a military check-point as you enter your neighborhood on the way home from the airport.
7. Not being able to sleep because you lay awake listening to the sounds of the neighborhood (which you had missed the whole time in the states and had a hard time sleeping without)
6. How can you forget in two weeks how slow the internet is here? (and its faster in Abidjan than most places)
5. You take a bath after Bible study even though you took one earlier in the day, just too much sticky sweat.
4. You leave for church fifteen minutes after it was supposed to start and you are right on-time. (and its a fifteen minute drive)
3. Because you are the only native English speaker in your English Bible study they elect you to sing the group song for the Easter service. (AHHHH!)
2. At the end of the Bible study the teacher asks you to tell about your trip to the states and to give what you had brought back for the group. (you didn't realize gifts were expected so you give them blessings)
1. You go to buy butter at a little kiosk (small corner store) and ask for butter and are handed small individually rapped packets to equal a whole stick.
0. You go to make icing for a cake and find ants had gotten in the powdered sugar bag while you were gone. Not to mention cake mix that had been eaten by mice.

Dad and I went through all my stored boxes looking for music CD's to load on our new toys, MP3 players.

Things to cherish about the states:
· Entering an American grocery store and walking the isles looking at all the pre-cooked, just add water/milk packaged food. (ahhh sweat memories)
· Walking softly, not because of the mud, but because of the snow and ice.
· Putting something over my nose and mouth to protect them from the cold, not dust storms!
· Spending a whole day at church and being able to understand the sermon and praise songs.
· Eating fast food
· Having white lines on the road
· Drivers sticking between the white lines on the road and following traffic laws.
· Red lights that work and no policeman in the middle of the intersection directing traffic.
· WEARING JEANS!
· Eating fast food

Missions Conference

My reason for returning to the states before the end of my term was to attended a Missions Conference at my parents church.



Sunday:
I visited Sunday School classes talking about how they could become involved in overseas missions and worked a West Africa booth at an International Food fellowships.




Monday:
The Awana's program invited me to speak to the kids about missions in Africa. They were great and it was a crazy hair day. Later, I met with the Missions Team to talk about how the church could pray for me.







Tuesday:
Joy in the Morning is the women's Bible study and I got to talk to the women about what I do and what they could do for missions. Then I met with the church staff for lunch so they could learn about missions in West Africa.


Wednesday:
I talked to the whole church during their service for about five minutes then raced upstairs to talk with the youth group. They were a great group and had lots of questions.

The Missions Conference was a great experience. The church is really excited about what God is doing all over the world and how they can be a part of it.

No Snow in Africa

I knew it was going to be cold leaving Africa and returning for two weeks to the States, but Snow?


Thanks to Centreville Baptist Church I a was able to experience SNOW in March! It is really cold here.

Aaron, my younger brother, and I got caught in a snow storm in Maryland. I do not miss snow storms...but the snow was pretty.

We got stuck in D.C. rush hour traffic, rain, ice and snow.

We had plans to go to New York City, but a friend called and said there was already 6 inches in New Jersey, so we turned around and went back home.

Luckily, we were in my dad's big truck and we had no problems.

New Things

I know it’s been a while…lets catch-up

Last trip as a journalist
Senegal was a blast at the end of January. It was warmer there than Nigeria, but I still walked around all day with a light jacket. The volunteers think I am crazy, they felt great! I was cold, of course. We had a great time and I got to hang out with some great people. I really do think I had the best job in the world.

Travel to places unknown
Experience new cultures
Meet interesting people
And hang with different IMB workers every month
Then tell everyone who will listen about it

In Senegal a group of second-generation Hispanic-Americans came out to see how their churches could be involved in missions. I really feel I laughed for a whole week. They were a great group and the people here loved them.

They were from all over the U.S.--Texas, D.C., New York City, Richmond, Va.

I hope they come again. West Africa needs more churches involved in the work.

(This is me eating Chee-bo gen, a great rice and fish meal)

I started my New Job as part of the West Africa Regional Media Team. I will now work on websites, training material, video, short stories, and helping missioanries in all their media needs. Right now, I am doing research to help prepare some training materials for volunteers, churches and missionaries. Interesting reading. Soon, I will know everything one would want to know about how to be a good volunteer and missionary. (Maybe I should already know this…oh, well!)

I will also get the chance to know the great city of Abidjan better.

It rained last night for the first time in over a month. That means rainy season is on its way. I will have to show you our street. It literally becomes a flowing river.

Two of our friends in the neighborhood have had babies this month. Neither told us they were pregnant. So, it came as quite a shock! That’s the way it goes here, because the baby might not survive. Madame Bambara looked like a healthy lady, quite large – a good thing here, and then when we got back from Nigeria, theirs a new baby in her house! JB, one of the mission guards, told us last week that his wife was pregnant and she had a little girl this weekend. These guys just love to keep us on our toes! Go to www.xanga.com/emilyinwestafrica to read about it.

I still don’t have a working computer. But, I am surviving and hope to get one in March. Why March, you might ask? Because…I am coming HOME! That’s right I have two weeks of vacation and I will be in the states March 8 – March 21. I look forward to seeing as many of you as I can!

And just for your enjoyment: Emily and I modeling our Christmas gifts from our friend Louis! Don't you wish you had one just like it?!?

Computer problems

Please lift me up. My computer quit. It is a vital part of my work here and I do not need the destraction. The last month of work was on the computer and I have lost all of this information. Plus all of my supporters e-mail addresses. If you want to continue getting updates, please e-mail me so I will have your address.

Africa-Cold?

FREEZING!

So, here I am in northern Nigeria and literally freezing to death. I do not think I have been warm…well in a long time. Listen to me complain. Some of you guys are in blizzards as I write this. I am sitting in my bedroom at a guesthouse in Jos, Nigeria and the temp. inside is 65 degrees. I am under three huge blankets, in pants and wearing multiple layers! There are no heaters here and when it has gotten down to 39 degrees for a couple of nights in the last two weeks…you think you will never be warm again. Was it not to long ago I was complaining about being in 150 degree weather?!? It is great riding down the street seeing Nigerians wearing Parkas! Even in the greetings people with ask “How is the cold?” the answer is “It is time.” Meaning that it is not good, but there is nothing one can do about it!

CAMPING

I also went camping. That was crazy cold. We set up on a hill (Mistake number 1, the wind was like ice cutting through our bodies.) to show the Jes*s film. Emily and I shared a twin size air mattress (Most comfortable bed while in a village yet, but also mistake number 2, Emily and I did not both fit on it. She ended up on the ground with all the covers!) I forgot socks! (Mistake number 3, a wonderful volunteer shared an extra pair, HUGE blessing!) It was a great time getting to know some new workers and volunteers…but oh soooo cold. Like camping next to a lake in the dead of winter! What were we thinking?

Happy Birthday MOMMY!

I wish I could be there to celebrate this special day with you. I want you to know I am thinking of you today and pray that everyone around you loves on you for me.

You are a great mom, the best. I would not be half-way across the world without the love and encouragement you have always given me! You have made me a courageous and faithful follower of Christ.

Thank you for always being there for me…through tough times with friends, guys, school and work. You will always be my favorite mom and my closest friend.

I LOVE YOU!

The Beauty of a Sunset

For security reasons I am going to be vague...

Five women--young and single--work in the number one least livable (hardest to live) country in the world and they are leading Muslim men and women to Christ. In the last three months more than 50 villagers have become believers. God is good.

One team (of two young women) live in a two bedroom house with their bathroom outside as a hole in the ground. Another team has to four-wheel drive the entire way to their villages because of the deep desert sand. These are young women my age and they are beautiful, faithful and excited about what God is doing among their people group.

Many people have said it will take 8 years once a Muslim has heard about Christ to believe much less hearing about Him from a woman. These girls are seeing God move, He is saying it is His time among this people group. The first story of Jesus was told three months ago, three weeks later 25 believed. One week after 7 came to Christ.

I was able to spend a week with these girls visiting four villages, encouraging them and the new believers. What a blessing for me.

I also spent time with a Texas church who has adopted 48 villages to tell about Jesus. Amazing! One chief walked them outside his hut and showed them land he set aside for them to come back to stay while they taught the village about Jesus. He said, "We are tired of the Muslim faith, come teach us. Look at all the land that can be the church. That is all yours if you want it."

God has renewed me in my work this last month. He has shown me He will be worshiped and glorified by all peoples.

I saw Him in the beautiful smile of the Chief who couldn't wait to hear another story of Jesus from two young women, in the hope of a church to reach 48 villages and in the beauty of a sunset.

Pictures from some of my adventures





This is the desert meeting a large river. The river does not give life very far from it's shore. It was beautiful seeing the quick transition from delta to desert!









This is called Harmatten (the dry, dusty season caused by winds from the Sahara picking up sand and blowing it south). If you look hard enough you can see a camel! During Harmatten nights can get to around 40 degress and days can still be over 100 degress. I froze at night!







I got to take a one cow draw cart for Christmas caroling in the desert! It snowed dust! Two other journeyman and myself went to encourage believers outside of the village and sang Christmas songs for our hour long ride back to the village. The locals looked at us kinda funny! We had a blast getting our selves into the Christmas spirit.