Ali Ben Dang?

So I got up rather early this morning, probably around 6:45. I have no idea why, I just couldn't sleep anymore... It's giving me a chance, however, to post something which I haven't in a little while.

The Faith team just arrived back from Bongolo Hospital last night. What a blessing to get them back safe and sound. God did great things in and through them down there. The South Shore team has been working at the Ali Ben Dang church in Libreville. Already an established church in its area, just making some repairs and doing other projects at the site. Basically, installing a wood ceiling in the pastor's house and finding solutions for water-runoff at the Sunday school wing. Today we'll work in the morning and then go to Hope House in the afternoon. I love going to HH because it really is relaxing and lighthearted when we see the kids. Please continue to pray for the housing situation. I'll post pictures soon of the land that they obtained.

Also just want to quickly throw something on that is on my mind. Family. Yes, my own which is awesome, but also how relationships here are so familial. It blows my mind whenever different Gabonese walk through our front door and see me. They bellow out my name like they've known me for ages. I may have met them once, but they know my name all the more. Family is so important, literally and figuretively as friends. We are to care for one another as our family cares for us. You know the one verse that sticks out in my head? Luke 10:27 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." Think about it.

Okolassi

So today was digging day. We went to the village of Okolassi to start the foundation of the church. The foundation itself is 8 meters by 12 meters which meant a lot of dirt was flying. Let me give you the rundown: 40 meters distance, 40-65 cm deep, 40 cm wide, 20 people, 10 shovels, 3 pick-axes, 2 machetees, and sweat galore. :-) We got it all done though. I'll try to post some pictures at a later time.

I think the coolest part today was some of the village kids coming down to help us dig. It was right around lunchtime when we were all dead-tired, and they were an encouragement to keep on going. More so because this church is for them as well. Let me explain: the team starting this church (about 5 months ago) ministers to about 100 kids a week which is roughly 5 times the size of the adults attending service. The church is going to for many children and this allowed them to take ownership of something that will be integral in their futures. Someone brought this up in debrief: won't it be cool to one day meet a kid that helped us and he says "i helped to build the church and my kids now attend it where there are 500+ attenders." What an awesome opportunity God had us be a part of today. Two words for today: God works.

Prayer: A couple of the team members have gotten sick the last two days. Pray for good health and safety for the duration of their trip.

Ready, Set, Go

So we've been preparing for the next team to arrive, which is tonight. The whole team has been working on building bunk beds for the guys' bunkhouse. I cut the lumber yesterday, Dick and Dan assembled the pieces with washers and bolts, and then we fully assembled them today (actually in the process of assembling right now). I can't believe how fast the days have gone, our next team is about to arrive... I'm excited though. I'll be staying here in Libreville with each team. We'll have two teams here at the same time: one will go down to Bongolo Hospital on Monday and the other on Saturday. The rest of the interns will accompany each team, but I'll be sticking around up here to be at worksites with the teams.

We went out to eat with the intern team again last night. It included all of the interns, Yoann, Christian (one of the African teens we met in Ebel-Abanga), and Joseph. What an awesome group of people. I didn't realize how far my french has come until I found myself having a full-blown conversation with Joseph during dinner. That's one thing that has amazed me. I am to the point where I can communicate what I need to in french without someone giving me a "what the heck did you say" stare. I appreciate, so much more, the patience of the Gabonese when I was learning.... be back to finish this because I need to do some work...

Ok, I'm back. I'm all over the place on thinking about things tonight. More on the Ebel-Abanga church. 2 years ago, a group from a church in Libreville decided to go out to EA and start a church. A doctor that used to live in EA funded the entire church plant. The "church" started meeting in the house of a woman in EA, sometime later they had to move to the current building which is rented from a well-known man in Libreville. The congregation had enough finances to suppport a pastor last year so the national church (C&MA) sent a pastor to EA (Pastor Moises). Now, 1 year later, they are in the process of building a church. What an awesome experience to be a part of. The passion that I can see in the team that started this church process is incredible. God has a plan and what a neat opportunity to be a part of it.

This week we will be digging and pouring a foundation for another church plant. The site is about 30 minutes outside of the city. I can't wait to see what God is doing there as well.

Time for a Break...Maybe.

So one more shout out to the team that just left. Thank you for letting God use you to not only speak to the Gabonese, but also to me. You all have reinforced what I already knew and see daily: God works. You glorified God in all of your actions and I know that you went 100% all of the time. Safe travels as you continue back to PA. Maybe we'll run into each other sometime :-).

Many thoughts going through my head from last night at the airport to now. Saying good-bye with a heavy heart for the work God did and trying to stay focused because a new team arrives on Saturday night. Hectic... Finished clean-up on the bunkhouse and what not, also went to Hope House this afternoon. Tomorrow we will start to build more bunks because of the 41 people that will be in the house next week. Just need to get in gear now to switch from one thing to the next.

God continues to speak to me. This is especially true when I actually stop to listen to His voice. Hmmm... Could there be a connection there? I led worship last week and played the song "Give Me Jesus." The song really spoke to me, isn't it weird how that works sometimes? Here are some words that really stuck out: In the morning, when I rise. Give me Jesus. (If you want to hear the song, it's right here on the blog) What an awesome line! To often in my life, I have thrown away the morning not really seeking Him from morning to night, 24/7. What a waste of my time. But at the same time, we need Jesus daily. He is our strength, our rock, and our provider. How can we ever get through a day without Him. Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day (in my eyes), but isn't Jesus much more important to have in the morning? Start your day off right, give me Jesus.

Prayer:

• Re-orientation to the states for the Lancaster team.
• Safe travel for the Faith (OH) and South Shore (MA) teams as they arrive on Saturday and Sunday night, respectively.
• Strength for us as we prepare for them and go through the days when they are here.

Happy Fourth of July

So we spent the 4th of July in Ebel-Abanga with the Lancaster team this week. What an awesome experience to be able to work alongside Gabonese as well as high schoolers. They are both pretty sweet people. I'll just give a quick synopsis of the week:

Got to Ebel-Abanga (EA for short) on Thursday afternoon, set up camp (26 people) and met the EA church team. We then went out to evangelize on the street with students from the church that planted the EA church. Friday we worked through the afternoon to clear land of brush, logs, stumps and other "crap." Saturday we dug foundation for the new church building (86 meters in distance, 40-65 cm deep, and 40 cm wide). Sunday went to church, Lancaster leader preached and then had a cornerstone ceremony for the new church building. Arrived back at the house on Monday afternoon.

I'll go into more detail about the day either later tonight or tomorrow when I have more time. The Lancaster team is leaving this evening :-( so it's "see you later." Thanks for an awesome week and a few days guys and girls. I had a blast hanging with you and getting to connect with you.