Banta

This past week we went to the providences to do a day camp with the children. This is the village where I will be spending half of my time this year. It is amazing, and I am so excited to live there.

When we first got there, I was feeling very fearful and unceratin because life in the village is much different than life in Freetown. But once we started interacting with the people, I quickly began to love them and their way of life.

The village is in the middle of the jungle with palm trees, mud huts, and all kinds of bugs. At the day camp, we had 600 children that we were able to tell about Jesus. These children were not used to white people, so some would run away screaming, and others would circle around and feel our hair, examine our freckles, and run their hands up and down our arms. There were times that I wished that I had more than two hands because there were 10 children all trying to hold my hand . . . maybe that is why we were given 10 fingers! It made me realize that we are the hands and feet of Jesus and that His laborers are few, especially in the villages.

Kristen and I had our first teacher traning seminar with the teachers in Banta. The teachers are so open to learning, and they really want to become effective teachers. I am going to enjoy working with them. The school is in an open-air building with only a floor and a roof—and an amazing view. It is one big open room with four chalkboards and wooden boards for seats. What an amazing first classroom!!!

Our last night was spent in the middle of the village with the villagers praising the Lord. This was the first time that the praises of Jesus were proclaimed in that village by the people who lived there. It is evident that the Lord is at work in Banta. We ended the evening with roasting bananas over a bonfire, while a small boy slept in my lap. My heart felt so content.