Providence

Sunday Nov 20, 11

10 days until I return home, and I have been here for 9.   My African experiences are quite authentic, or so I have been told. 

Today Colin had an engagement to speak at the church in Nioflila.   This is a place with a long history of animism but it now has a Christian church with a congregation who is interested in learning and wants to discern the word of truth.   Colin was asked to come and address pastoral relations; he altered the topic slightly to address conflict and forgiveness in the church.   Forgiveness or lack thereof is a pretty big spiritual growth point for the Turka.  

We left at 7:30 on a bright clear day.   It is a market day and there were all sorts of people walking and riding into town to sell their wares.   We saw all kinds of stuff being carried in from hands of bananas to pottery, baskets, slat wood etc.  You name it we wove through it.   The road was a little rough, but not too bad, no huge holes in it like we saw going to Karfiguela Falls on Thursday when there was a hole in a bridge that could have swallowed the car whole (very close call on crossing that bridge).

We got to within 5 or so kilometers of Niofila and we crossed a canal that I thought was pretty brave to cross in a car.  We had a choice of turning left or right to get to the village and chose left.  Within 800 meters we were faced with a flooded road, which was something seeing as it is dry season here.   Apparently the canal (which is really a cemented water diversion system) is leaking and flooding the road way in places.   Colin backed up to give a good fast run at the water way in front of us and almost made it through when the jeep died, dead, un-startable.  We all took our shoes off, the guys rolled up their pants  (Foramine and Jeremy were immaculately dressed in beautiful Sunday clothing) to wade into the mud to see if we could push start the jeep.   No go.   We did get to dry land though, and removed the air filter cover to find it swimming, really swimming.  After a few trouble shooting phone calls, we decided the best thing to do would be to walk to the church.   Colin was in distress thinking he had killed the engine in his jeep and he was in his heart seriously thinking of dealing with the trouble before us and skipping the church service which at this point was scheduled to start in 10 minutes and we were a good hour walk away.    Better and godly judgment prevailed and we left the jeep and started walking .    Well it turned out that going the other way would have been even worse.   That road was really flooded to the point that a cart had left its load on the side of the road to try to pull the animals (I assume animals, it was a big load) out.  Colin adopted African style to carry the air filter which we deemed needed some sunshine.   Jeremy followed suit with a basket of books and water.   Foramine carried more water and Dot and I tried to keep pace.   Where it wasn’t dusty it was muddy, but what a beautiful view as we travelled through the irrigated farm land.  

 It was only 20 minutes into our walk when Tomas came along on his motor cycle looking for us, I guess he figured Canadians do not keep African time and he thought there could be a problem.   We insisted Colin go ahead to speak.   He was quite reluctant and very concerned for Dot who was forging ahead wonderfully.   Shortly after we urged Foramine to take the next ride offered since he was Colin’s translator. 

Jeremy, Dot and I continued for a while and Tomas returned so Dot got her ride into the village.   She got to the service in time to hear some singing which was very enjoyable by all accounts.   Jeremy and I continued, each singing to ourselves.  I am not sure what he was singing but he was clapping his hands and seemed to enjoy the opportunity to praise God.   I was singing Blessed Be your name, (when I’m found in a desert place, when I’m lost in the wilderness blessed be your name- Must have been written by someone who had been to Africa.)   Along came two fellows who were headed away from the village, but they had compassion and gave us a ride back to the village anyway.   In all it was a 45 minute journey for me with about half of the distance on motor bike.   Can’t imagine how long it would have taken to walk the whole way.   Well Colin and the guys did a great job on the service, I believe God was glorified and the people were totally engaged.   Wonderful.   I got to watch Tomas do the Sunday School under a huge mango tree – very fun – the kids were totally into it. 

After the service we debated on the best course of action and it was decided that Dot and I would stay in the village, and Colin and the guys would see what they could do about the car.  Tomas again provided cab (moto) service and got all the guys there.  A few men from the church stayed to lend a hand and some encouragement.  

After a few tries of push starting and few phone calls were made Colin feared that the best thing to do would be to cancel the mechanic that was on the way and just arrange for a tow.   He was advised that the engine had water in it and there was no way it was getting fixed road side.  Jeremy  encouraged towards a faith-filled hope that the mechanic could help and the men prevailed.

In the mean time Dot and I were surrounded by women and children watching us cool down in the shade.    I encouraged Dot that she might as well read the scriptures to them since we had the book of John in Turka and we were not going to escape having an audience.   Dot found a passage she could manage reading (knowing a language, reading it and understanding it are not at all the same as speaking it.)  The group was enthralled and were leaning over to watch Dot read.   Dot did a pretty good job, I just cheered on since even basic greetings in Turka are a problem for me.  It was a total joy while we were there to see a saber playing being used (and even hand cranked) by a senior gentleman and a teenage girl.  Previously Dot and Colin understood that people were unhappy about having to hand crank the player and refused to use it, but here they were listening to the gospel of Luke and hand cranking it to keep it going.  God is good.

Well Tomas came back to take us to Douna – one at a time.   Dot figured it would be good for me to go to Douna since there were French speakers there and I could at least cope.   I had no way of communicating in Niofila.  I wasn’t so sure about the French but away I went – It  has been a while since I had a ride on a motorcycle.  It was a bit of a challenge keeping good personal space and hanging on for dear life while we wove through bike trails in the farm land.    I am sure I stressed the bike to its capacity, but we got to Duona in one piece.  I was taken to someone’s courtyard, seated under a mango tree in the shade and endeavoured to communicate with the 8 children of the couple living there (7 boys and a girl aged 20 to 1).  One of them had enough English to tell me his name and another asked if I wanted some rice which they were already eating with their hands.  I politely declined, it didn’t seem right to take food off of children’s plates ( common pots) whatever.   We shared in some small talk, very small since I have really limited French skills.   It did manage to get the names of some of the boys – Isaiah, Isaac, I think a Joseph (prophets and patriarchs one and all).  I had some water so that kept me refreshed and I waited for Dot to arrive.  I am sure I was quite boring, but the boys were a delight.   We listened to some of the gospel of Luke on a Saber Player and enjoyed the shade.

Dot did get there, maybe 45 minutes after my arrival.   She was much better at engaging the couple than I was and discovered that this was the home of the pastor who had missed the meeting in Mousoudougou the day before.   What a shame for him, since it was a totally encouraging time for the pastors and the people in attendance.    Dot was able to share with him the positive outcome of the meeting and to encourage him about some of the finer points of working with the Turka.  He has been viewing the work as difficult which is impacting his effectiveness.    As soon as she told me that this was the renown pastor, I had a complete confidence that the automobile breakdown was a piece of God’s providence. Don’t ask me why I was so sure, but I was confident that the dead car would ride again, I just prayed that it wouldn’t cost Dot and Colin too much to be a part of God’s plan in this way.  

In the mean time the mechanic arrived to the hopeless situation.  He professed that he knew how to fix the problem and took out his monkey wrench.   Apparently everything that can go wrong with a car simply needs a monkey wrench. He proceeded to take the cover off of the fuel injectors to allow the water to escape.   He poured diesel fuel into the engine and started the jeep. (OK mechanics, I may have some points wrong here, but essentially as far as I can understand it that was what was done).   Fuel sprayed everywhere but the engine was flushed and running like a dream.   Black gook came out of the exhaust, which was of course preceded by black smoke but she was running like a dream to the total amazement of all.  

Now the dilemma of passing the flooded road way had to be solved.   Again the mechanic came to the rescue. He did a bypass on the air intake for the air filter and got them through without further problems.   The alternate route to Duona was 7 miles of dirt road (cart path what-ever you want to call it) and 45 minutes later Colin and the men came to the rescue for Dot and I.   Yes you read that right 7 miles and 45 minutes.   Nothing wrong with the car, just challenging roads.

After expressing great gratitude to Tomas and thanking the pastor and his wife for their kindness to us we were on our way.  We hit the road at 5 pm and made it back to Banfora by 7.  The ride home was a great time of sharing about the goodness of God.   We are all marveling that the car works beautifully.   After a quick wash, a protein and salt filled dinner, and a few liters of water later we are refreshed.   Showers followed after eating and off to bed early was the order of the evening.   

We start work at 10ish instead of 7:30 in the morning just to recoup after our interesting Sunday of worship.