Benin...Take 2

I’m looking out my hotel window to a world that is so different from my home...yet it is so familiar. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the heat – it is all exactly how I remember it from a year ago! And then I got to see some very familiar faces today, so it almost feels like home again!

Overall, traveling went really well. Our only sketchy flight was from Vancouver to Seattle, which was only half an hour, and then it was smooth flying after that! All of our luggage arrived with us so that was a HUGE answer to prayer! However, in Benin they didn’t believe that my luggage was my luggage at first, but after some talking and convincing I was allowed to leave with my own bags.

Patrice (our in-country contact) and Olivier (one of the DRIME Benin leaders) were at the airport to pick us up and take us to our hotel. It is definitely different to be in a hotel instead of an apartment like last year! I think I feel a little homesick for my Benin apartment!

Today, the 4 DRIME Benin leaders met Tanya and I at our hotel for our first leader meeting. IT WAS SOOO GOOD TO SEE THEM AGAIN!!! I spent a lot of time with these people last year while we chose the leaders, had meetings with them, trained them, did ministry with him, and just hung out with them. In fact, I’ve been reading my journal from last year and at this time last year, we were right in the middle of choosing the leaders of DRIME Benin! So it is so crazy to meet with them a year later and dream and plan together! I had to be the main translator today (Jamie – definitely missed my fellow French speaker today!) so I’m kinda tired from thinking so much and so hard! Haha!! But it was sooo good to hear how each of them are doing and how DRIME Benin is doing!

Prayer Requests:
- Pray for Benin's presidential elections tomorrow - that they would happen peacefully and God's will would happen
- That we would be an encouragement to the DRIME Benin team at their practice tomorrow. Also pray that they would really catch the vision we share and be inspired!
- We are going into a village on Monday to do ministry so pray for our safety and that the people there would have open hearts
- Pray that I would have peace about being here on my own for the second week of the trip and not be too nervous!