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Derek Powell

Mi s s i o n a ry t o B e n i n

UEEB SIM

BP 5P a r a k o u , B e n i n WEST FRICA

Phone:011-229-610749

E -m ai l ; s impar@intne t .b j

CMF NTERNATIONAL raver e w s l e t t e r

February 1999

Small s the Gate and Narrowi s the Road . .

I was awak ened t h i s m o r n i n g i n t h e d i m b l u e l i g h to f 5 . m . , A r a b i c p r a y e r s resounding through t h edry a i r f r o m t h r e e o f four m o s q u e s c l o s e t o myhouse i n Parakou . T h e p r a y e r s were loud a n dd i s a g r e e a b l e a t such an hour; th ey bounced ande c h o e d o f f my e d r o o m w a l l s . I t o s s e d and t u r n e di n my ed a i t t l e a n d w e n t back t o s l e e p . . . .

R a m a d a n , h e M u s l i m h o ly m o n t h o f a s t i n g , i sa p p r o a c h i n g t s c o m p l e t i o n as I w r i t e . E a c h day,M u s l i m s f a s t f r o m t h e f i r s t l i g h t o f d a w n u n t i l j u s ta f t e r dusk, w h e n t h e sky i s most ly d a r k . A t n i g h t ,

th ey g a t h e r t o g e t h e r a n d f e a s t . There a r eapprox ima te ly 200 m o s q u e s i n Parakou, w h i c h hasa p o p u l a t i o n o f abou t 100,000. T h e I s l am i n We s tA f r i c a i s q u i t e d i f f e r e n t f ro m t h a t i n t h e MiddleEast , though . t i s m o r e o f a f o l k r e l i g i o n ( o f t e n t h eMuslims mix n some of h e i r t r a d i t i o n a l a n i m i s t i c

b e l i e f s ) a n d i s n o t a : r i g i d a s t h e I s l am t h a t i st y p i c a l o f the land do e r t o i t s b e g i n n i n g s .

I am mpressed b y t h e i r sheer d i s c i p l i n e o f p r a y e r sa t dawn o o n , af te rnoon, a n d d u sk . But h e r e dot h e s e p r a y e r s g o ? s t h e r e a n o t h e r god w h o h a r e dt h e H e a v e n s w i t h t h e Lo r d ? Do h e s e M u s l i m s p rayt o t h e s a m e God h a t I pray to? After a l l t h e

Muslims e l ieve t h a t t h e books f Moses h eP s a l m s o f David, a n d t h e gospels a r e a l l d i v i n e l yrevealed.) f we elieve t h a t the Bible i s the Wordo f God n d not u s t a w o r d o f Go d , h e s e q u e s t i o n sa r e not i f f i cu l t t o answer.

Jesus answered, " I am h e w a y a n d t h e t r u t h a n dt h e l i f e .No n e c o m e s t o t h e Fa t h e r except throughm e . " o h n 1 4 : 6 This i s an emphat ic , bold s tatementb y our Lord . He eaves n o r o o m f o r doubting . Hed o e s n ' t s a y , "I am way, a t r u t h a n d a l i f e . He si n c r e d i b l y bold w i t h His c l a im i n a w a y t h a t onlyt h e Son of God an e .

So, f t h e M u sl i ms a r e p r a y i n g t o G o d i n a mannert h a ti s n o t t h r o u g h C h r i s tt h e n t h e i r p r o a c h i su l t i m a t e l y h o p e l e s s . A n d t h i s i s w h y f rom t i m e t ot ime w h e n I hear t h e Arab ic p r a y e r s c a r r i e d

and a k e our meals as w e l l . We ave come o f e ea t home e r e a n d r e a l i z e t h a t t h e p l a c e i s ab l e s s i n g . We r e j u s t a h o r t walk a w a y f r o m th em i s s i o n s c h o o l , w h i c h we e a c h a t t h r e e t i m e s aweek.

Nouveux Amis

Since m o v i n g t o our n e w p l a c e , we ave m a d esome new r iends . One f them s Parfait , a nA f r i c a n who o r k s o n t h e grounds a t t h ec o m p o u n d . He o m e s over o n Saturday m o r n i n g sand speaks French w i t h us over c o f f e e . A n o t h e rf r i e n d i s A b r a h a m , a Tuareg craf tsman who i v e s i nParakou. We et

h o u s e k e e p e r , O ur f r i e n d A b r a h a mw o r k i n go n aOde i l l e , who chess e t .saves us a ot of

t i m e b yp r e p a r i n g u s f i v em e a l s a w e e k a n d d o i n g b a s i ch o u s e h o l dc h o r e s . T h i s m i g h ts o u n d o d d f o r u s t ohave s o m e o n e p r e p a r i n g me a l s f o r us and doing

housework, but i n Parakou seeming ly no rm ale v e r y d a y t h i n g s f e e las i f t h e y t a k e f o r e v e r :b a r g a i n i n g f o r v e g e t a b l e s a n a f r u i t , h a n d w a s h i n gc l o t h e s r i n s i n g d i s h e s w i t h f i l t e r e d w a t e r

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d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f p o s t e r s f o r AIDS, h a r t s f o rr e p r o d u c t i o n e d u c a t i o n , a n d m a t e r i a l s f o re v a n g e l i s t s w h o s h a r e w i t h t h e p a t i e n t s w h i l e t h e ya r e w a i t i n g t o g o i n t o t h e h o s p i t a l . I l l u s t r a t i o n s a r ei m p o r t a n tf o r m a n y o f h e m a t e r i a l s a t t h e h o s p i t a lb e c a u s e many a t i e n t s come r o m t h e bush a n d a r en o n l i t e r a t e . We l s o r e c e i v e d a g o o d d e a l o f w o r kf o r t h e S a n t e V i l l a g o i s e , t h e v i l l a g e h e a l t h t eam.M i k e a n d I h a v e r e c e i v e denou gh w ork t o k e e p u sb u s y f o r a t l e a s t t h e n e x t t w o mo n t h s .

C l o s i n g R e m a r k s a n d P r a y e r R e q u e s t s

When I i r s t a r r iv ed , I w o n d e r e d t h e n i f I e v e rw o u l d b e g i n t o f e e l a t home e r e . T h a n k s t o t h eo t h e r m i s s i o n a r i e s h e r e ,my f r i c a n f r i e n d s , a n dt h e p a s s a g eo f i m e , I am e g i n n i n gt o f e e l a th o m e . M i k e a n d I a r e s t a r t i n g t o p r o d u c ew ork a t ad e c e n t p a c e a s a r e s u l t o f h i s c o m f o r t w i t h o u rs u r r o u n d i n g s .

H e r e a r e s o m e p r a y e r r e q u e s t s t h a t I h a v e : o n t i n u e d e f f i c i e n c y i n o u r w o r k . Now h a t

w e ' v e r e a c h e d a s u i t a b l e p a c e o f p r o d u c t i o n ,we

w a n t t o k e e p t u p e p t h o f e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h A f r i c a n s . B e c a u s e o fo u r l a c k o f l u e n c y , m o s t o f h e r e l a t i o n s h i p s weh a v e g o u s t a i t t l b e y o n d s u r f a c e l e v e l s .

o n t i n u e d r o g r e s s i n Fren ch . We r e p i c k i n gu p m o s t o f w h a t i s s a i d t o u s n o w, b u t c o u l d s t i l lb e m o r e f l u i d i n o u r own p e e c h .

T h a n k y o u s o m u c h f o r y o u r c o n t i n u e dp r a y e r a n df i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t , which i s s o v i t a l t o my w o r kh e r e .

In C h r i s t ,

Derek Powell

O o r d Almighty, b l e s s e d i s t h e man who r u s t s iy o u . s a l m 8 4 : 1 2

N o v e r d o l a , o u r F r e n c h t u t o r , t e a c h i n g u s o u t s i d e u n d e r amango r e e .

I l l u s t r a t i o n f o r The r o d i g a l Son o b eu s e d o r M u s l i m t r a c t s .

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Derek PowellMiss ionary t o B e n i n

UEEB SIM

BP 5

Parakou , Ben in WEST FRICAPhone: 011-229-610749

E - m a i l : simpar@inlnet .bj

CMP NTERNATIONAL rayer e w s l e t t e r

May 999

The fol lowing i s a o l l e c t i o n of thoughts ando b s e r v a t i o n s , some f which borders o n p o e t r y .

They a r e p o r t i o n s t a k e n f r o m my otebook i n whichI am ecording my e a c t i o n s t o l i f e i n Benin. t i sprobab ly not your average way o s t a r t a e w s l e t t e r ,but as the French s a y , La v a r i e t e e s t I ' e p i c e d ev i e . Va r i e t y i s t h e s p i c e of i f e ]

wh ip a n d crack g o e s the g ras sof early December

i t was r i t t l e and blonde

a n d I s now ed a n d reachingtransforming to so o t a n d a s hbeing c a r r i e d b y the harmat tan ' shot a i r somewhere b o v e the p l a i n .

L i t t l e black b o y s are leadingb l i n d M u s l i m be gga rs w i t h b o w l s l lthe d a y long . When b u y vegetables,they come p to me i l e n t l y a n dgive me a o o d stare. And g ivet h e m a ranc or t w o a n d go n myw a y. Where do hese c h i l d r e n sleepat night? do hey p lay a n d go osch o o l ? What do hey do when h e i ro l d man ies? Do hey e e l free or

do hey h av e not a lue a s to w h a tto do r w h ere to go?

P a p a y a s a n d mangoes r o w o ntrees outside my i n d o w. Eachd a y they are a i n y b i t f a t t e r thanthe d a y before. When hey arer i p e , P a r f a i t , the A f r i c a n that w o r k si n our yard, picks t h e m a n d knocks o n ourdoor, C'est p ret m a n g e r. Bon p p e t i t .[Ti me to e a t . Enjoy. ]

The fricans often s p e a k fouro r i v e l an g u ag es , a n d h a v e

e n o u g h t rouble g e t t i n g my o n g u eto s tep out of t s English homei n t o La maison de rancais

[ t h e French house.]

We et a man r o m Libya the otherd a y at the t r a i n s t a t i o n . Or tl e a s t he had been h e re . He a i d

he had j u s t gotten out of p r i s o n ,and he i d n ' t l ike i t t h a t much.

He hen b o u g h t an x head to pu tI n a oup h a t he was oing toserve o his f r i e n d s .

There i s a u s t o m s a ge n t at t hes ou the rnmos t To g o / G h a n a bordert h a t has a t ick about a meter

long . Anything suspicious looking

i n peoples ' b a g g a g e , ncluding t heloads that the Africans carry o nt h e i r heads , he g ives a ood ,s o l i d whack.

I

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have seen a dead u l l i n the tmnk

o f a Peugeot a x i a nd two men a nd o negoat i d i n g the same mo p ed .

Bargaining i s a n a r t I n whichthe m e d i u m i s t i m e . f y o u d o n thave i m e you c annot p e r f o r m t h e a r ta s a master. met a Peace Co rp s workert h a t s a i d he o u l d w i n any argument overm o n e y using a t o r y about a hicken and a mo p ed .

Our r iends Abdrahman and Abraham s home

town s less t han 200 miles from Timbuktu

A r i e n d o f t h e i r s t h a t was t a y i n g w i t h

them was a a r t o f the Islamic Jihad, whichmeant that he was a s i c a l l y a Musl im missionary. asked him who Jesus Chr is t was and he sa i d

he was a propheTrrtold h i r n t h a t believeHe s the Son f God. He a i d that that's

impossible, b e c a u s e God doesn't have have a i f e .

Le r a v a i l The Wo r k ]

The a s t months have brought a r e a t d e a l o fs a t i s f y i n g wor k . M o s t o t a b l e wo u l d be aseminar h a t M i k e and I r g a n i z e d t h e l a s t h a l f o fJanuary. We ad nine men come r o m v a r i o u s a r e a si n Benin. The week-lo ng seminar i n c l u d e d v a r i o u se x e r c i s e s o n drawing k i l l s , i d e a s f o r churchp r o j e c t s , and i d e a s f o r supplementing t h e i r incomesw i th artwork. There was a v i s ib l e d i f f e r e n c e i n th e

drawing b i l i t i e s f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g o f h e week othe end of he week.

Of o u r s e , w e had t o t e a c h i n French. t was v e r yt i r i n g m e n t a l l y , and we o u l d n t say e v e r y t h i n g t h a twe wanted t o s a y . But we ound t h a t G o d r e a l l yb l e s s e d us anyhow. We l s o s h a r e d A f r i c a n mealsw i t h t h e m e n each evening, which r e a l l y h e l p e d t ob o n d t h e group o g e t h e r . I found t h a t I was sad t osee my students going a t t h e end o f h e week.This week was a e f i n i t e s o u r c e o f r a i s e an daccomplishment. was w o rn out t t h e end o f h e

w e e k , but I had t h i s assurance h a t t h i s was o n e o fthe reasons that I was v e r here. I e l t the L o r d ' s

hand s t r o n g l y upon h a t week.

The p a s t month, have been wor ki ng n t e n s i v e l y o ns p e c i f i c w o r k o r t h e M i s s i o n H o s p i t a l i nBembereke. have i n i s h e d two e r i e s o f o s t e r s f o rt h e e v a n g e l i s t s t h e r e . I l s o f i n i s h e d some

promotional m a t e r i a l f o r t h e h o s p i t a l , which w i l l b eu s e d t o r a i s e f u n d s . am r e s e n t l y i n t h e m i d d l e o fc o m p l e t i n g some A I D S p o s t e r s f o r t h e h o s p i t a l . Ihave been d o i n g more o f my w o r k o n computer so f a t e . F i r s t , I do h e s k e t c h e s by hand, h e n I s c a nthem o n t o a disk . then take the d isk and transfer

t h e image n t o M i k e s c o m p u t e r , h e n m a n i p u l a t e i twith a graphics program. When have added t e x tand am happy w i t h t h e image, t h e n p r i n t i t o u t an dt a k e t h e o r i g i n a l t o t T i ep r i n t e r i n town f ' i f i u l t i p l ec o p i e s a r e n e c e s s a r y .

At he P a r e k o u t ram t a t i o n , on he way o C o t o n o u .

S o j o u r n s

The a s t month o r so has found us o n h e r o a d q u i t ea b i t .A ro u n d h e middle o f e b r u a r y , we went osouthem Benin to got a e e l f o r t h e l i f e s t y l e an dc u l t u r e . We i l l be doing s o m e l l u s t r a t i o n s f o r t h eF o n l i t e r a c y p r o j e c t , which was r i g i n a l l y p a r t o f MF issionary Steve l l e n s wor k . t i s o n e o fthe r easons that we were sent o v e r here.

T h e F o n a r e a numerous people group around t h ec o a s t o f Benin. n t h i s c u l t u r e , t h e v o o d o o e l i g i o ni s i n c r e d ib l y s t r o n g . t i s m i s t a k e n l y b e l i e v e d b ymany h a t v o o d o o s a product o f a i t i , b u t t h et r u t h i s t h a t i t w as a r r i e d ove r b y l a v e s t o t h eCaribbean. u s t d r i v i n g around t h e south o f Benin ,e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e towns o f Ou i d ah and Porto N o v o ,i t i s n o t u n u su a l to see fetishes and a c r i f i c i a l

m o u n d s next o houses and under r e e s . F o r y e a r s ,this has been a i fficult a re a t o establish m i s s i o n s

work n.

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Th re e r t i s t S ' l r i ' t r a l n l n g a t t he mi s s ion s c hoo l .

e l so went o a conference of h r i s t i a n Church

missionar ies i n A c c r a , Ghana. e a d received a n

e-mail i n which we e re asked t o p r e s e n t our a r tmaterials during t h i s short conference, so we

decided t o take t h e o p p o r t u n i t y . O u r r a v e l includeda t en -h o u r t r a i n r i d e , f o u r a x i s , a n d a bus . Did

f o r g e t t o mention two b o r d e r c r o s s i n g s andcustoms? All of h i s w a s spread out over t w o days,so t w a s n ' t so a d . _

We r a v e l e d t h r o u g h To g o o g e t t o Ghana. G h a n a san E n g l i s h - s p e a k i n gc o u n t r y , so t was i c e t o bea b l e t o s pe a k English to t h e A f r i c a n s . Ti m andTw y l a Bright were our gracious h o s t s . Tim s ap r o f e s s o r a t G h a n a h r i s t i a n C o l l e g e . We ere a b l et o s t a y w i t h t h e B r i g h t s a f e w e x t r a days and e x p l o r eAccra, a i t y of h r e e m i l l i o n . Accra s developedand c l e a n b y A f r i c a n s t a n d a r d s , so t was i c e t ocheck out h e museum and market n town.

Needless o s a y , a f t e r our r a v e l s were i n i s h e d , wewere a b i t road weary. Traveling i n A f r i c a i s not h esame s back n t h e US. t is much w e a t i e r and

d u s t i e r . I t t a k e s l o n g e r . Some t ime s h e t a x i d r i v e rs t o p s an d g e t s out o b u y v e g e t a b l e s f o r himself(and, o f o u r s e , he has o g o h r o u g h t h e b a r g a i n i n gr i t u a l ) . Fo r h e time b e i n g , we r e v e r y c o n t e n t t o

s t a y i n our beloved Pa ra kou and c o n t i n u e t o chipa w a y a t t h e i l l u s t r a t i o n w o r k t h a t i s s e t before u s .

Closing Comments

As am o w w e l l i n t o t h e second h a l f of my im ei n Benin, cannot h e l p b u t t h i n k h o w t h o s e f i r s t s i xmonths have changed me. I have had d i f f i c u l t daysh e r e . I have had days u l l of new e x p e r i e n c e s . Ihave missed my r i e n d s and family back a t home.have ma d e r i e n d s , and am e v e l o p i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p sw i t h A f r i c a n s . I have had l o n g , t i r i n g days a f t e rwhich I have l a i n i n my ed i n t h e s t i l l of h e n i g h t ,b e f o r e f a l l i n g a s l e e p , u s t f e e l i n g completely a l o n ew i t h G o d . Some i g h t s i t s j u s t me nd H i m . A n d i nt h e s i l e n c e something deep and g r e a t co mes . t i sHis love. T h e Lord y o u r God s w i t h you , He smigh ty t o save. He i l l take great e l i g h t i n you.He i l l q u i e t y o u w i t h His o v e , He i l l r e j o i c e overy o u w i t h s i n g i n g . Zephaniah 3:17

Pray o r :

aturing r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h A f r i c a n s . As urFrench i s be c oming more advanced, we an t a l kabout mo re t h i n g s than t h e hot i r an d p r i c e ofv e g e t a b l e s . Pr a y t h a t God wo u l d use us o s h o wHis o v e .

ontinuing w o r k o r t h e h o s p i t a l . We ou ld l i k et o be done w i t h our llustra tion work o r th e

h o s p i t a l i n another m o n t h or o . We e e m t o bemaking good p r o g r e s s now.

od 's d i r e c t i o n about another p o s s i b l e seminar. Ir e a l l y w a n t to do nother seminar, but am nsure

a t t h i s point about where t o g o with t h e t e a c h i n g .

od 's d i r e c t i o n f o r my u t u r e i n g e n e r a l . As im econtinues h e r e , I am r a y e r f u l l y considering w h a tt h e Lord would have me o e x t . I would

a p p r e c i a t e i t i f y o u w o u l d o i n me n praying f o rd i s c e mme nt o r my ext d i r e c t i o n .

T h a n k y o u so m u c h f o r your continuing prayer andf i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t . Yo u r e-mail ha sbeen very encouraging as w e l l .

Wi t h Christ 's Love

Derek

P. S . As have a l l e n behind w i t h g e t t i n g myn e w s l e t t e r o u t , my ncoming s u p p o r t h a s a l s o f a l l e nb e h i n d . Your p r a y e r and i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t a r e v i t a l t omy i n i s t r y i n Benin, v e r y d a y . Thanks o r yourf a i t h f u l n e s s i n your u p p o r t commitment o t h i s work.

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t y p e o f w o r k w e a r e p r e s e n t l y d o i n g . O u r hope i st h a t t h e h o s p i t a l an d h e a l t h c e n t e r s w i l l c o m e othem w i t h w o r k a f t e r Mike a nd I a r e gone.

Our work s i n i t s f i n i s h i n g s t a g e s . We r e p u t t i n g i nsome l a s t - m i n u t e d e t a i l s . I t i s o n e t h i n g t o f u i d as u i t a b l e c l o s i n g p o i n t f o r work , u t t s a b i t more

d i f f i c u l t t o f m d a s u i t a b l e c l o s i n g p o i n t f o r r e l a t i o ns h i p s t h a t have s t e a d i l y b u i l t over a y e a r ' s w o r t h o ft i m e . People a r e l i k e t h a t ~ o u c a n ' t send them t o t h ep r i n t e r and be d o n e w i t h them. S o , w e r e i n t h e m i d s to f p e n d i n g some a s t days w i t h our f r i c a n f r i e n d s .

P r a y e r Requests

P r a y with me o r : mooth t rans i t i on back^o ife in t h e Sta t e .

ead ing a n d guidance f o r e m p l o y m e n t t h o i . i r e c t i o n i n f u r t h e r m i n i s t r y p u r s u i t s .

u r r i e n d s Zacharie an d J e a n , t h a t t h e y w o u l dcontinue t o f i n d i l lus t r a t ion work.

Wel l . . . t h i s w i l l b e my a s t n e w s l e t t e r as am i s s i o n a r y t o Benin. W h a t I w o u l d l i k e t o d o i sv i s i t w i t h y o u w h e n I r e t u r n h o m e t o s h a r e p h o t o s ,s t o r i e s , an d some x amp l es o f h e w o r k I ' v ecompleted. w i l l b e h o m e on September 8 nI n d i a n a p o l i s . I w i l l use t h e remainder o f Septemberan d t h e f i r s t w e e k o f October o r t r a v e l i n g t o speakw i t h churches a nd s u p p o r t e r s . P l e a s e r e a c h met h r o u g h e - m a i l : < t p m o n e y @ a o l . c o m > o r b y phone:317-873-5002 l e ave a message).

I w a n t t o thank y o u a g a i n f o r your i n a n c i a l a ndp r a y e r s u p p o r t , and y o u r l e t t e r sand e - m z i i l s o fe n c o u r a g e m e n t .I k n o w t h a t m a n y o f you have

B a r l b a men o i n g to a e a s t .

made enuine s a c r i f i c e s t o c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e w o r k i n

Benin . You have been v i t a l t o ma king my ime a n dw o r k i n Benin s u c c e s s f u l . y o p e i s t h a t I h a v ebeen a b l e s s i n g and encourag ement to y o u as w e l l .Se e y o u soon .

Your ro th e r in Christ,

Derek Powell

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