How his silence brought me to my edge

After being in Ebel-Abonga I’ve realized how much I truly care about other people and how my actions and words affect them. I became very close with a little boy about 1-1 1/2 years old and he never spoke a word or made a sound or even a facial expression. During our Kids Club in the village, I saw this baby all alone and I walked over to him and tried talking to him but he wouldn’t respond so I held my arms out and he lifted his arms, accepting my embrace. I walked around the village with him in my arms for about 20 minutes, when his head slowly lowered onto my shoulder and I heard slight noises come from this babies mouth. He had fallen asleep. I loved to hear him snore, it was the only sound I heard from him the whole time. Sadly, this baby is the child I had mentioned who had the terrible infection eating away at his foot. Just to know that I could love this baby with no exceptions crushed me. I wanted so badly to take him home with me to get him to a doctor who could help him. I know he’s not getting the attention or care he needs there and it hurts to know that Im going back to a place where it’s so easy to get help and a doctor is just a phone call away.

When the baby finally woke up I didn’t notice because he made no movements and no noises. But I remember looking down at him lying on my chest and he looked up at me. Just the look in his eyes I could tell he’d never been held like this. When I tried to get up, his grip on my shirt grew and he didn’t want me to let go of him. On Sunday during our church service I saw this baby again and again I drew out my arms to him, and again he accepted. As the service went on I gave him a hair tie to play with and after a few minutes I saw the hair tie drop to the ground. He had fallen asleep again and I began to hear his peaceful, happy snores exit his mouth.

This baby changed me more than anything else has on this whole trip. To know that people around him have 2 cell phones each and can barely afford to feed themselves makes me so mad because this poor silent baby limps around the village in pain without the care of a doctor while his family texts and calls their friends. It’s heart breaking. I don’t know how expensive a doctor is here in Gabon but if I knew that he could get care I would gladly give everything I have to be able to save this child’s foot.

I have so much love for these people and their culture. Everything here is difficult but somehow I find it 1 million times more loving and caring than the states will ever be. I dread going back to the states. I want to stay here and care for these people and feel their love.

I love Africa and everything it has to offer.

-Samm Hatch

Tags: Africa, Gabon

Experiencing God in another culture

We were shown incredible hospitality in Ebel-Abanga.  Not only did the pastor and his wife allow us (strangers) to stay in their home, but the children and fellow church members welcomed us with open arms.  This community sacrificed a lot in order to feed us each night with a delicious home cooked Gabonese meal, and blessed us with whatever they could.

It has been amazing to see how God is manifested in the Gabonese Church.  I have learned a lot from the short time being here.  Their worship and sense of fearless abandon to sing on the top of their lungs and dance like David did before the Lord has been very encouraging.  I’ve been reminded that worship is about God, not about what makes everyone else comfortable or happy.  I was able to let go and dance with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  In addition, I have enjoyed seeing complete joy come from these people who have far less than I do.  They seem so content with what they have, and so eager to thank God for every blessing that comes their way (big or small).  These are just a few examples of lessons that I hope to take that with me as I return back home.

I am always amazed to see how God is present and working in different countries and cultures.  It is so important for us believers to be open to others views and experience of God.  I have been reading over a book from college written by Paul G. Hiebert called “Anthropological Insights for Missionaries.”  In this, I was reminded that God created this world, and with it culture.  Because of that “all cultures can adequately serve as vehicles for the communication of the gospel.  If this were not so, people would have to change cultures to become Christians.  This does not mean that the gospel is fully understood in any one culture, but that all people can learn enough to be saved and to grow in faith within the context of their own culture.  Not only are all cultures capable of expressing the heart of the gospel, but each also brings to light certain salient features of the gospel that have remained less visible or even hidden in other cultures.  Churches in different cultures help us to understand the many-sided wisdom of God, thereby serving as channels for understanding different facets of divine revelation, truths that a theology tied to one particular culture can easily overlook” (55, Paul G. Hiebert).

As shown, all cultures are have a crucial role in understanding who God is and His vision for the Church.  Therefore, I have been encouraging these students, and I now encourage those who are reading this, to step out of their comfort zone and experience God in many different nations.  Seek God around the world and allow different cultures to bring light to those things our country and our church may overlook. You will be blessed and your understanding of God will be greatly enriched by those around you.

-Becky Semple

Tags: Africa, Anthropology, Missions, Paul G. Hiebert

At the Edge of the River; the End of Myself

This is about the power of prayer.

Over the past few days, I’ve struggled with the hardest task I’ve ever had to accomplish on a missions trip.

On Thursday morning we set out to build a church in the small, jungle village of Ebel-Abonga. I had no idea what I was in for.

The same day we arrived, I found myself lugging ten gallon jugs of water up a steep path in the forest. This very water is used by half of the villagers for washing themselves, dishes, and laundry. There was trash and empty bottles scattered throughout the forest, just like every other part of the village. Recycling does not exist in Gabon.

After our assemble line dwindled to just a few of my team members, moving the water began to feel impossible. After each jug, I felt like I couldn’t go on, and  as much as I wanted to help in the building of the church my body was exhausted.

Jug after jug and hour after hour, we hauled the water that’s essential for mixing the cement. The foundation of the building began to go up. Even after filling all four of the fifty gallon barrels to the brim, it wasn’t long until more water was needed. I found myself standing before the steep path once again. With two, ten gallon jugs in either hand that needed to be filled, carried back up the path, and then lugged down the road to the construction sight, I felt weak and empty. My strength was gone, taken away by the shovels of sand I carried, wheelbarrows of gravel I dumped, and jugs of water I lugged. Still, my first instinct was to pray. And I prayed for strength.

I handed all of my worries over to God. It was all that I could do. No earthly strength or motivation could compare to what God did for me. He kept me going when all I wanted to do was to sit and rest. He reminded me that the church, that I was building, was for him. He was with me when I carried each container of water up the slope. And when I tripped and sloshed water around on the path, he was there, picking me up and keeping me going.

The power of prayer is extraordinary. And trusting in God is essential.

It is too easy to get caught up in everything that I’m doing. I learned how important it is to let God take over every part of my life, especially the parts that I feel I have under control. I thought that I could stand at the edge of the pond, tired and sore, and keep going on my own. That proved to be impossible. Selfishness and fatigue, the urge to give up, would have eventually halted my efforts.

But a weight was lifted from my shoulders when I gave all of my burdens to God. I trusted him and he came through in ways that I never could have imagined. I will never forget the building of the church in Ebel-Abonga. My heart was touched by God, his beautiful people and the determination of the Gabonese workers who worked alongside us. Their faith is inspirational.

I was pushed to the edge, far out of my comfort zone, but God provided. There was just no way that I could have made it through a single day in the jungle without him.

-Julia Dwight

Tags: Africa, Gabon, Missions

grace is everywhere

Bonjour!

Wow…….. where to start? This has been the most incredible journey. I have so many thoughts of what to share with you. The grace that has been placed on us through this whole experience. The determination of every heart that is serving ~ and the hearts that are being served. The hand of God in places that would just bring you to your knees in worship of His Holiness. I am in complete awe of a God that would use me, use us, as He used Paul 2,000 years ago. What an honor to serve in this capacity and yet how humbling to think that I would be seen as worthy.

As our return from the jungle is the freshest in my mind and my heart, I am going to try to share the best I can and hope that I can give you some perspective of what primitive lives these beautiful people are living. First of all I am not going to sugar coat anything, but then again for those who know me…….I never do! These were the absolute worst living conditions I have ever been in, or truly ever hope to be in again. I was going to title this Blog as Rats, Bats and Spiders Oh My!!!! but I am choosing to focus on the Grace of God instead………….with that said, The shack that we slept in was literally carved into the jungle. I am not sure how recently the people moved here but the vegetation had to have been a victim of some machete that cleared areas for each home and outhouse ( if you were lucky enough) to bring about the “neighborhood” we lived in. The men were in one home and the girls were in another……..personally I wish the guys had been with us for protection and muscle!!! But we made it The home we stayed in was an offering from the Pastor of the church we were building, as he and his wife were away for a conference. Each of us slept on air mattresses with our Mosquito Nets to cover us. These quickly became our own little Princess Castles~ trust me, thinking this way was very helpful in shaking the reality we were in~ I, of course was Princess Pine-Sol as I tried to disinfect everything around us…………it was useless.  Each night we came back from our debriefing and worship time, we came home to either a rat, a bat, or one huge spider that I insist was the size of a small lobster…………ok, every one said that may be an exaggeration, but it was the biggest spider I had ever seen. The more time we spent there the more I could see how people can pull together or fall apart. We, having the Holy Spirit upon us, pulled together.  It is only then that God spoke the importance of family, His family, to me.

As I wanted to soak in every part of the experience here, the part I see so vividly in everyday life is the Honor and Respect that is instilled for Family. The love the children show not just for Mama and Papa, but for their brothers and sisters as well. This brought a sense of…….I guess almost…….. envy, to my heart. It was not unlike a little boy to be protective of his younger siblings, and perhaps include them in what ever they themselves were part of. So very normal for a little girl to be holding a sibling on her hip. When an adult (any adult) spoke they were given nothing less than complete respect.  It was beautiful. They were family in the sense that I know God wants us ALL to be. God has showed me that as brothers and sisters in Christ we are united in one Spirit. Whether it be the person in the pew next to you on Sunday morning, or the Church here in Gabon, we truly are family. This trip has united hearts forever, and as the tears flowed when we left the village, I knew I would see my brothers and sisters again one day. If not here on earth, then as that one big beautiful family standing before the throne of an awesome an Holy God.

Forever in Christ,

Denise

They are all the community, they are Brothers and Sisters, they are all Children of God.

Tags: Africa, C&MA, Gabon, Missions

Same God, Different Culture

Traveling to the Ebel-Abanga was truly an experience that I will never forget. The work, the children, the living conditions, and the relationships I built there were unforgettable. Between bathing in a river, to mixing cement, it truly was a great journey. Throughout the course of the four-day trip, we overcame many things that were put in the way of us doing the work that needed to be done in that village. The people were so welcoming and loving to us, whether we spoke the same language as us or not. During our last day in Ebel-Abanga we went to a Gabonese church service. It really was an amazing experience that is so different from anything ever to have been done in my life.

Many people think of a church service as sitting in an air-conditioned building, with a big group of people, singing to God and worshiping him through song. This was much different than the typical church service you think of. We sat in chairs and benches on he dirt ground of the open village. Cars speeding by, villagers fetching water, and people gathered in the middle of a busy community. The Gabonese people who had been helping us with the service projects those days led the church service and opened up our hearts to experiences that we have never been involved in. We had been warned that this church was a developing church, and was not very big. We had hoped that because of the Kids Club and our activity in the village the last couple of days, that villagers eyes would be opened up to this church service. The service started very small, with not many more people than our work group, but as time went on the congregation grew. By the end of the service we had upwards of 50 people worshiping God with us. Mothers and their children poured in the back benches, children came and sat on our laps, and everyone got along so well.

The pastor of this church was not here because he was at a conference in Libreville, so Dan preached for this congregation. Eric was our translator for the service, so it took twice as long. During the service Dan was able to tie in the construction work, of building the foundation of this new church, into his sermon. He included all of the materials needed for the cement and turned it into our life and our faith in God. For example, the water used in the cement was very hard to fetch and took much work and effort. In our lives, water is like love. Love is a thing that is necessary in life, but hard to accomplish unless you work hard to achieve it. From the reaction of the Gabonese people, his sermon touched them and really stuck with them.

The differences in these church services were very visible. To begin with, when the Gabonese pray, they pray out loud and to themselves all at once. It is a great way for God to listen to us all, because we all know he is able to hear us all at once. It is also easier to do that here with the translations and such. The part I enjoyed the most is much different from back home in Westchester County. Worship. At our church, when we worship and praise, we sing (and occasionally put our hands up to praise him). But here, they do everything and anything to praise God. Like Claud said, “We will dance and sing for our father,” and that is exactly what they did. As the offering went around, some of the ladies from the back of the congregation began to sing. All the others, including children, raised their voices and clapped during this song. Then Mama Denise led the congregation and taught us a song and dance. It was simply the word “Hallelujah” repeated in a tone of such love and praise. But they sang this song for about 15 minutes straight. Everyone in the congregation rose to their feet, and started to clap. At first our group was hesitant to do anything but clap and sing, but that changed quickly. Everyone got in a circle while singing and dancing, even the little kids danced around. Mama Denise took each of us into the circle and made us dance by ourselves(yes, it was awkward) but it was much different than expected. Everyone embraced the others. It was awesome to dance around and sing for so long and everyone showed so much love to our father, and each other.

With much love,

Kayley Harkins

Tags: Africa, BCC Youth, church, Gabon, youth missions

Kids Club :)

Salut!

After a long two and a half days of work in Ebel-Abanga , we were extremely tired and drained.  The girls and guys separated (minus t-pang) to do different work in the village. The boys continued to do construction and the girls decided to make a makeshift day care center/vbs.   We prayed for energy and strength to make it through the rest of the day.  We didn’t realize until after the fact, how important those prayers were.

First, we searched for little Gabonese children by walking through each community.  Hannah and I were able to translate and speak to the mothers, inviting their children to play games.  At first the head count was about 32 kids, and by the end of the day we had over 65 kids taking part in our kids club.  The games consisted of soccer, dancing, “Hokey pokey,” “Duck Duck Goose,” “Simon Says” and other little games that they could understand.  The smiles on these kids faces was a sign from our prayers.  Those smiles encouraged us to run, jump and  dance. At one point, while I was playing “Duck Duck Goose” I had to run 6 times in a row. And let me tell you, those kids can RUNNNN! My energy was a gift from God, and even though we were so drained, we perservered.

In addition to playing games, we also did a bible story/skit. The kids were tired from the games and running around so we calmed them down and they sat and listened as we acted out the story of David and Goliath. Hannah was our translator as we used her to convey the trust that David put in God when he had to fight Goliath. Throughout the skit you could see the kids faces and their reactions to the story and the acting. Their focus was amazing. We used David and Goliath to tell each of the kids that when you put your trust in God and leave everything for him, that anything is possible. After the bible story, we opened the floor up for the kids to speak. There were 6 or 7 kids that came up and shared praise songs with the rest of the group. They began clapping and singing and praising God without any guidance from us. It was amazing to see God working in these kids and helping us to guide them.

The moment where God presented himself the most to me, was after a tiresome game of Simon Says.  Two mothers approached me and asked if we were doing the same thing tomorrow.  It was the worst part of the entire day.  Knowing that I couldn’t stay longer, made me feel helpless. I felt as if I betrayed them, somehow.  However, God is good.  He lead us to that tiny village and he showed us love.  We felt so loved by those children and that was another gift that I will remember forever.

Moreover, one child in particular named Deborah, especially touched my heart.  We hit it off immediately and I loved spending time with her throughout the trip. Specifically, the last day we were there, she puts me aside and shows me a book.  The book was called Princesse Chloe.  The fact that she thought of me when she saw the book really moved me.  The final push was when she told me she would miss me the most.

The relationships built on these trips, and in the jungle particularly can last a lifetime.  I will always remember Deborah and all the other kids we met at Kids Club.  I feel God pulling me to come back to Africa, and I am excited to see the plans he has in the future. God surprised me with the amount of love that can be conveyed through these children even with the big barrier of language.  I was able to use the French that I learned to translate to these kids, how much God really loves them. But their love towards me, showed me how important relationships between fellow believers are.

Ton amie ~Chloe

Tags: Africa, BCC Youth, Gabon, youth missions

really really really really really really really really really tired

Hello its Ben and Greg and we are really tired.  We just got back from Abel Abenga.  It was a pretty sweet experience.  So much happened that was awesome.  the main reasons me and Greg are really tired are as follows: Cement powder is really heavy, sand bags are really heavy, full water jugs are really heavy, wheel barrels full of cement mix are really heavy, cinder blocks are really heavy, re-bar is really heavy, mixing cement is really hard, barrels of gravel are really heavy, shoveling gravel is really tiring, flattening cement is really hard.  That’s why we are really tired.

While in Ebel Abanga we started laying the foundation for a new church.  It was a very long process that took 3 days of long and hard work.  We had to mix sand, water, gravel, cement mix for hours and hours.  This process would have been impossible without the incredible help we had from the Gabonese workers.  Between Claud, Arlo and David the job was fun and easier.  Days started at about eight and ended whenever our Gabonese friends decided to stop.  The day was usually close to 1o hours long of continuous labor.  We got short lunch breaks of the usual bread and peanut butter with water and mangoes, which tasted great but never really filled our appetites. What we really looked forward to was the Gabonese dinners prepared by Mama Denise, (not the Denise from BCC). And we had a huge appetites after the long days of gathering the materials for the cement, mixing it, and bringing it over to spread. We rented a truck from some of the locals to get the sand and cement mix from the sight it was at then transfer them to the mixing area because the car wouldn’t fit.

Our process began with bring gravel from  the large pile and move them to the small pile.  This was a long and tedious job that was quite difficult.  After we moved about half the rock pile to the foundation site we began to mix it with bags of sand we had to bring over also (weighed close to 100 pounds).  After mixing rock with the sand we added the cement mix into the batch.  Water was consistently added until we had a gooey gray mix of cement.  This cement was brought over a ditch , over hills and around turns before it was poured into the ditch for the foundation.  This process continued for about 4 hours, then lunch, then another 6-7 hours.  By the end of the day we were all exhausted but still working hard.  We were well motivated by our fellow workers.  The Gabonese men that helped us were amazing.  Throughout the whole day they worked with a smile on their face and determination in their hearts.  By the end of the trip we had almost the entire foundation done and walls being built.  It was a life changing experience that we will not forget ever.

Ben big muscles torres, Greg good looking Smith

Tags: Africa, BCC Youth, Gabon, youth missions