Participant Blogs

Our journey from Zinder to Abuja was mostly uneventful. We said our goodbyes to Niger, crossed to border to Northern Nigeria and watched as the desert was soon replaced by lush green surroundings. The extreme poverty also gave way to a sense of prosperity and big bustling cities. The first of which was major centre of Kano. The famous West African Peugeot taxi we were driving in did break down about half way to Abuja. But by now we were used to that happening and patiently waited in a random mechanic’s yard as they welded and grinded away at pieces...

Saterday was a rough day at the Red Hill site.
 We were tired, having worked eight days in a row with no rest in between. And the people decided it was their turn to take control.

There are no proper roads between Nigeria and Cameroon. At least none that we could find. The ‘main’ road between the two, at the Ekok/Ikom border post in the south has nothing ‘main’ about it. According to videos we saw and blogs we had read this piece of road was very, very bad. So we decided to take a less travelled route in the hopes of coming across a slightly easier route. No such luck. As we came closer and closer to the border with our two Peugeot’s, the canopy around us growing denser and denser, the road became increasingly...

  (continued from A dream guides us ) In Kaffrine the World Vision guys dropped us of at the Catholic Mission saying we could try there for a place to sleep. I'm not a big fan of the Catholic Church, but one thing is sure, they have lots of infrastructure across the continent and they are usually very helpful.   During my road accident a year earlier we ended up at a Roman Catholic hospital, in Marrakesh they spoiled us with a meal, in St. Louis we got free accommodation and now once again in Kaffrine they gave us a...

Photos: 1. Hitch-hiking in Africa 2. Reciting the Koran with ink and wood. 2. Point des Almadies 4. 5. In the middle of nowhere      

 Dear Friends and Family, In 2 Corinthians 4: 8-11 Paul writes: "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also might be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.   In many ways the last two months had some of the biggest highlights of my life as...

The long stretch of road across the desert to Nouakchott was very adventurous. It was exciting to think we were busy cruising across the Sahara.     Even though the landscape stayed pretty much constant, the people were changing. Their skin colour became darker as we moved south and soon it was obvious that we had left the European-like Morocco behind and we were entering into the more familiar images of Africa.   Nouakchott was so much African that the sudden change from Morocco was a shock on our systems. It didn't help that we arrived very late at night...

Our bus ride to Niamey didn’t start well. It was overbooked and since we weren’t that adapt at squeezing into small spaces and rushing to open seats most of the team found themselves squeezed onto the back seat. I found myself sitting in the front of the aisle next to the driver. In West Africa they sell water in sealed-of plastic bags as opposed to bottles. It was extremely hot and we were sucking those bags dry in the dozens, our bodies seeming to slurp up every drop of moisture available.   Finally, late in the afternoon we arrived in...

  I would easily describe Egypt as my most "successful" and enjoyable visit to a Muslim, Arab speaking nation, yet. Our month here was stacked with divine appointments and wonderful experiences. The climax of all these experiences happened last night when we found ourselves sitting in front of a Liquor store (photo left), 1h30 in the morning, giving a Bible study to Christians in desperate need of some fellowship. I'll summarize some of the experiences: In Cairo I met a guy on the street who wanted to know more about Christianity. That's usually enough to draw your attention, but the conversation...