‘The Ground of Unrelenting Magnetic Force that detained us for a Greater Purpose and Undeserved Reward....’
We left Benin with a taxi that seated up to nine people excluding the driver. We have become very accustomed to this cosy public transport arrangement. There are usually animals among the passengers, this time we just had a live guinea fowl behind the back seat. The border crossing from Benin to Togo was a very smooth procedure which led us to the land of unpredictability. The beautiful landscape and climate of Benin rolled out into Togo like a carpet and did not yield to abstract border lines although filled with increasing richness.
We headed for a town called Atakpame. Public transport presented us with yet another experience of African adventure. We were tightly squeezed with many people in a mini bus type of taxi. Joy and I each sat by the window which we opened for fresh air. The air was fresh until the three pigs on the roof of the taxi (along with our backpacks) decided to ‘go to the toilet’ and we were almost the pigs’ toilets. Yeah, we laughed! West Africa has many priceless moments to offer...a whole topic for another blog.
When we arrived in a town called Atakpame we were warmly welcomed by a Presbyterian family that opened up to strangers such as ourselves without wavering. We appreciated their warm hospitality and in turn they felt the same appreciation for our strange and unannounced visit. As a result they extended an invitation for us to stay another night, which we did. On our first night, we were invited to their prayer meeting which started at 8pm, African timeJ and ended just on the brink of the early hours of the morning. It was fun and very inspiring. As a team we were particularly amazed at the style of worship that is completely unique to the culture of the country. It was encouraging to see people seeking God in their own style without the pressures of conforming to the Western styles of worship. The riveting music was made with traditional drums and an occasional blowing of the teasing trumpet. We joyfully joined in and danced with the congregation as they moved in a ‘locomotion’ fashion along the perimeters of the building. This happened frequently and served as intervals between the 15 minute exhortations given by the leader. We all had an amazing time but Hendrik and Emme in particular had the time of their lives. Hendrik was totally ushered into an unforgettable party mood. Emme took the saying, ‘dance like nobody is watching’ to another level. It was awesome. After two nights in Atakpame we geared ourselves for Ghana.
Our original intention was to make Togo another point of transition into Ghana. Just when we thought we had reached the full quota of our enjoyment in Togo, the country persistently beckoned for an extended duration of our stay. I do believe that God’s sovereignty was fully and exclusively involved in the ‘closed door’ of Ghana which was presented by visa complications. In our attempt to get into Ghana we went as far as a town called Ho where we met amazing people who did not hold back as they sought to be of great help in our time of need. It’s funny how our team finds itself in situations where we are in a country without visas...with the consent and company of the officials of course. The ‘invisible GPS’ graciously and gently redirected us to return to Togo.
We were miraculously hosted by a family in Lome, the capital city, where we applied for our Egypt visas. Our hosts extended highly sacrificial hospitality to us. As God used us to meet an urgent and very important need at that particular point in their family life, we were able to clearly see the reason for our extended stay in Togo.
This kind of journey challenges your character through meeting some of the most amazing people ever. I promise you, it is not far-fetched to question if certain people who come into your path are angels. On such a journey of faith, a question such as this is peacefully left to remain rhetorical because of the depth of conviction about the love of God for His children.