Hey hey hey ya’ll I hope your day is amazing this wonderful Sunday afternoon. So on Tuesday, 6 of us left for Korhogo. At the moment we are staying at a guest house at the bible institute. Monday we will be starting our seminars with our pastors and families and Wednesday we move into our new homes. Majority of us will be on our own in these homes (me including) but we all have “partners” at our churches. Ms. Heidi Kogler (the one and only from Beachpoint) and I will be attending the Teguere church on the bible institute campus. Needless to say, with the language barrier, cultural differences and working at different ministries in the day we are going to be exhausted…not so excited for that haha. However, after exploring the market here and getting to know some of the pastors and families I am so excited to start building new relationships here in Korhogo. Please pray for a good transition (yet another) and for the families who will be accepting us.
So far while in Korhogo we have had the opportunity to do a few different activities. On Friday Jason, Holly and I went on an evangelical outreach to a local village, La Meka. We went along with some of the students and pastors from the bible institute and their families, about 40ish people total. We jumped in the back of a huge truck and squeezed as many people as we possibly could in the bed of it and were off. We met at the church in the village to pray and get organized, greeted a few families and then broke off into ten groups of 4. In these groups we wal
ked around the village greeting people and talking to them about Jesus. Around 8pm we headed back to the church for some dinner and debrief of the day. After dinner and debriefing we started a HUGE fete (party) in the middle of the street. {picture on right...us dancing} We had a huge screen and music and dancing and oh my…it was great!!! Villagers came out to party with us (believers and unbelievers) after some dancing there was a message and an Ivorian Jesus film showing. After the video there was, of course, more dancing and music (that’s VERY important here in West Africa). The party lasted all night long, literally…I went to bed at 1am in someone’s house and woke up at 6 and it was still going on haha. All and all it was a great day! I’m not exactly sure how many people came to Christ, but I do know that this for sure planted seeds in people’s lives. It was a great experience not only building relationships with the village, but also building relationships with people from my church. I actually just had lunch with one of the families today after church. Having these relationships is a must for me, and I am extremely thankful for them.
When I got back from the evangelizing outing on Saturday I found a surprise waiting for me at my house…actually 4 of them. My Bouaké friends :) they came up with our directors Bakary and Rod as a surprise for us and to help with our orientations. It was a wonderful surprise. Yesterday we all went on a hike up some steep random mountain/hill thing. A few people went repelling off the side of it and a few people ate dinner up there. It was just a nice time away from the city together. Coming down the mountain in the dark was a bit challenging, and I won’t lie I did fall quite a few times haha. It was an awesome day and was sooo gorgeous!
This morning at church, Heidi and I were officially introduced by one of our pastors Keo. One of the Senefo translators went to the evangelizing outreach and translated my introduction with my new Senefo name that he gave me there. It’s Chifiga (not sure on the spelling, but that is phoenetic and it means “clay skin” or “white girl”) and also N’Gandja (which means “twin girl” since I have a twin brother…oh by the way George you have a name also…N’Gana for “twin boy” haha). So, when all three hundred members came out to shake hands with us that is what they called me. It was awesome. I am so thankful to be a part of this young church. Everyone is so lively and truly joyful. You know those people that you don’t even need to talk to; you can just look at and see the joy radiating from them and you can’t pinpoint the reason other than Jesus? Well that’s the majority of this church. It’s awesome. I even met the man who works with the kids here (I was in his group at the outreach) and he invited me next Sunday to hang out with him and the kids…I laughed when he asked, I just can’t seem to escape from them haha.
Well so far life seems good here in Korohogo…IT’S SO HOT…but it’s good. God is pursuing me like no other and continues to mold and stretch me in un-expecting ways. Right now I’m being challenged on the idea of surrender. What am I not willing to give up to God and why? It’s so humbling asking that. For me right now, I feel like I’ve always been that person that would totally give up anything in a heartbeat for the Lord’s calling (or at least known or seen in that light) but would I actually do it? I honestly don’t know. If God asked me to stay here in Cote d’Ivoire, could I actually do that. Could I actually leave all of you guys for a longer time, or for forever? The one that really scares me is the thought, could I actually be a single woman missionary in a foreign country? My world is being rocked like no other! I love and hate it all at the same time…love it, because I know this is making me grow, and hate it, because it’s pruning a lot out of me which is painful and frustrating at times. But it’s necessary, so it’s all good!!
I believe that is all for our Korhogo extravaganza. : ) How are things back in the states?? I’ve been getting some emails back with comments on my blogs and I love them!!! Please keep them coming. I want to know how God is moving and working in your life also. And as always I want to know how I can be encouraging and praying for you.
Scripture of the week:
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” ~James 1:2-4
I never realized how good James is!! It’s awesome, totally encourage reading it haha
Prayer Requests:
*Our families who will be accepting us
*Our transition
*That God would keep pruning us and our worries and struggles would turn into something to be used for His glory
Well I hope and pray nothing but the best for you and as my wise friend Dustin Sanders encouraged me on my sheet “I pray that the Lord would truly be your only vision.” [thanks Dust for that]
So until next time…
Love always and forever,
Alyssa G. /SHORTY!!!
So far while in Korhogo we have had the opportunity to do a few different activities. On Friday Jason, Holly and I went on an evangelical outreach to a local village, La Meka. We went along with some of the students and pastors from the bible institute and their families, about 40ish people total. We jumped in the back of a huge truck and squeezed as many people as we possibly could in the bed of it and were off. We met at the church in the village to pray and get organized, greeted a few families and then broke off into ten groups of 4. In these groups we wal
ked around the village greeting people and talking to them about Jesus. Around 8pm we headed back to the church for some dinner and debrief of the day. After dinner and debriefing we started a HUGE fete (party) in the middle of the street. {picture on right...us dancing} We had a huge screen and music and dancing and oh my…it was great!!! Villagers came out to party with us (believers and unbelievers) after some dancing there was a message and an Ivorian Jesus film showing. After the video there was, of course, more dancing and music (that’s VERY important here in West Africa). The party lasted all night long, literally…I went to bed at 1am in someone’s house and woke up at 6 and it was still going on haha. All and all it was a great day! I’m not exactly sure how many people came to Christ, but I do know that this for sure planted seeds in people’s lives. It was a great experience not only building relationships with the village, but also building relationships with people from my church. I actually just had lunch with one of the families today after church. Having these relationships is a must for me, and I am extremely thankful for them.When I got back from the evangelizing outing on Saturday I found a surprise waiting for me at my house…actually 4 of them. My Bouaké friends :) they came up with our directors Bakary and Rod as a surprise for us and to help with our orientations. It was a wonderful surprise. Yesterday we all went on a hike up some steep random mountain/hill thing. A few people went repelling off the side of it and a few people ate dinner up there. It was just a nice time away from the city together. Coming down the mountain in the dark was a bit challenging, and I won’t lie I did fall quite a few times haha. It was an awesome day and was sooo gorgeous!
This morning at church, Heidi and I were officially introduced by one of our pastors Keo. One of the Senefo translators went to the evangelizing outreach and translated my introduction with my new Senefo name that he gave me there. It’s Chifiga (not sure on the spelling, but that is phoenetic and it means “clay skin” or “white girl”) and also N’Gandja (which means “twin girl” since I have a twin brother…oh by the way George you have a name also…N’Gana for “twin boy” haha). So, when all three hundred members came out to shake hands with us that is what they called me. It was awesome. I am so thankful to be a part of this young church. Everyone is so lively and truly joyful. You know those people that you don’t even need to talk to; you can just look at and see the joy radiating from them and you can’t pinpoint the reason other than Jesus? Well that’s the majority of this church. It’s awesome. I even met the man who works with the kids here (I was in his group at the outreach) and he invited me next Sunday to hang out with him and the kids…I laughed when he asked, I just can’t seem to escape from them haha.
Well so far life seems good here in Korohogo…IT’S SO HOT…but it’s good. God is pursuing me like no other and continues to mold and stretch me in un-expecting ways. Right now I’m being challenged on the idea of surrender. What am I not willing to give up to God and why? It’s so humbling asking that. For me right now, I feel like I’ve always been that person that would totally give up anything in a heartbeat for the Lord’s calling (or at least known or seen in that light) but would I actually do it? I honestly don’t know. If God asked me to stay here in Cote d’Ivoire, could I actually do that. Could I actually leave all of you guys for a longer time, or for forever? The one that really scares me is the thought, could I actually be a single woman missionary in a foreign country? My world is being rocked like no other! I love and hate it all at the same time…love it, because I know this is making me grow, and hate it, because it’s pruning a lot out of me which is painful and frustrating at times. But it’s necessary, so it’s all good!!
I believe that is all for our Korhogo extravaganza. : ) How are things back in the states?? I’ve been getting some emails back with comments on my blogs and I love them!!! Please keep them coming. I want to know how God is moving and working in your life also. And as always I want to know how I can be encouraging and praying for you.
Scripture of the week:
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” ~James 1:2-4
I never realized how good James is!! It’s awesome, totally encourage reading it haha
Prayer Requests:
*Our families who will be accepting us
*Our transition
*That God would keep pruning us and our worries and struggles would turn into something to be used for His glory
Well I hope and pray nothing but the best for you and as my wise friend Dustin Sanders encouraged me on my sheet “I pray that the Lord would truly be your only vision.” [thanks Dust for that]
So until next time…
Love always and forever,
Alyssa G. /SHORTY!!!
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