Hey everyone! I'm back home, I arrived last Monday safe and sound. I want to thank all of you for all your support and prayers, God was working wonderfully in my heart and life while I was down there, and still is.
As most of you know, I had Malaria last Friday, but quickly recovered before I boarded the plain (praise the Lord!) and I want to thank you for your prayers concerning that as well.
Saying goodbye to all my dear Chadian friends was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. As I leaned out the car window crying and saying my last goodbyes to everyone, my mind was already made. I will see them all again. To my surprise and joy, the day after I got home, they all called me to say hi! I told them I was fine, and my family was doing very well. They are doing fine, but very sad not to have me around. It was heartbreaking. I do miss them.
Spending a year in Chad Africa, living amongst the most beautiful, amazing people I've ever met, learning the language and growing closer to my Lord has undoubtedly ushered in the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me in the years to come. God bless you all.
This is my friend Howow
These were my Fulani (tribe) neighbors.
His name is Ali.
Haji Falmata has the most captivating smile!
My dear friend Fatime.
This is Mamadu.
Right before I left.
This is Iya, working her Morter and pestle. They call it a funduk.
A typical Chadian Kitchen.
A man transporting poop for fuel.
Her name is Howa.
Fatime's relatives and some neighbors.
This is Fatime's son Mamat.
The most beautiful thing to behold is an African sunset.
My Fulani neighbors. All of them as a group.
This is Toma, she's a 16 year old mother and a sweetheart.
Another beautiful sunset.
-If you'd like to hear stories and see more pictures, I'd be more than happy to share. And anyone is welcome to stop by and visit. I also apologize for not being consistent with blogging this past year.
I thought some of you might like to hear what Libby is doing in Chad, Africa. This is from an email that she recently sent me about a trip she took about 4 hours away from home.
I went on an African bush taxi all the way there with Dijah, thats the girls name. As soon as I arrived, it seemed the whole town froze in shock to see a white girl. They all just stared at me in awe. It was awkward. At first it seemed so cute cause everyone in the town knew Dijah by name and were all calling out to her but then later I found out there was something more. Later on that day while I was sitting with Dijah's sister and her family at a house, one of Dijah's friends came over and as soon as she came over Dijah started joking around with her and laughing calling her an Azaba meaning prostitute in Arabic. Her brothers then started talking about me, also laughing saying "oh, Libby doesnt know that word, she doesnt understand" well, they had no idea I understood every word they were saying. I chose not to say anything for fear I might put myself on the spot. I eventually just brushed the horrible thought that she may be one out of my head.
Later as I met her mom and other siblings, I noticed they all too lived in mud dirt poor homes, but for some reason Dijah was very wealthy. She constantly dressed nice, and had money with her. A lot of money. After we left her moms house we went back to her sisters house and it was there that she got real excited and asked if I wanted to go with her and her friend to the club down the street. I immediatly declined and said it was bad and God did not want me to go. She then dropped the subject and we ended up walking to the river. It was nice.
Later that night, while I was sitting with her, her family and the same friend, who by the way seemed real out there, Dijah decided to leave me on the mat and told me she'd go and come right back. She walked off holding the hand of a guy who looked WAY older than her and came back about 45 minutes later. We then slept outside on the chadian mat looking right up into the gorgeous night stary sky. When I arrived back home, I found out all my assumptions were about 98 percent correct about her being a prostitute. She kept leaving and coming back to our neighbors house with money. She would tell Grace and I that she was leaving to see a "baby" then would talk about some guy she was meeting in Arabic. I swear these people all think we white folks are absolutely retarted or something. They can't register that we can understand them. UUHHHH!!!
Anyways, I did have a great opportunity to be a whitness the night before I left the village. I was sitting at a resturuant with her and her brother who was so serious about marrying me he was already planning everything. He had been following us everywhere the whole time I was there. SO annoying. Anyways, while he was babbling on and on lost in his delusional fantasies I was thinking to myself "is this guy completely clueless? Does he have any idea who the heck he's trying to marry? Not only am I an American, with my whole family back in the States, I'm a Christian!" He was of course Muslum. So then I kept trying over and over repeating myself telling him we can't get married cause he's a Muslum and I'm a Christian and my Bible says not to do that. The only thing he kept saying back to me was "Oh its fine no problem no problem, we can get married" finally I had enough and asked him how that would work and he says to me "I have a friend working over there who knows alot about the Koran and English too!" So he brings his Muslum friend over to me to educate me. After the guy gets done explaining to his friend the sanario, his friend then turns to me and says "Oh its fine. No problem you can marry." OMGGSSHHHHH!!!! So I once again repeated myslef saying I'm a Christian and what the Bible says and as SOON as I mentioned the Bible he turn his head away from me and started shaking his finger at me while saying "no no no the that is bad the Bible is wrong, all wrong. Not good" that didnt supprise me cause after all I was having a Muslum VS Christian convo. So I decided to start acting all curious and supprised saying "Oh really? Its wrong???" And he says "Yes yes yes, you see, the four books....The books...Are uh," I knew he was talking about the Gosples and so I finished his sentence saying "contradictory?" And he says "Yes yes! Thats it, contradictory." I was thinking YESSS! So I say to him "Oh really? How?" As soon as I said that he look extreamely nervous and visibly started racking his brain for an answer and finally says "I don't know" Ha! So instead of patronizing him cause I cornered him, I simply said "Oh." Then when he walked off I told the other guy I'd make a deal with him. If he gave me a Koran in English (which is really bad to have in English) ánd I would read it if he'd except the Bible to look for mistakes and contradictions, I emphisized the whole purpsoe was for him to find the errors. This whole time I'm being careful not be rude and just be suttle. And he says "Okay." Along with his other friend. Ha. Mind you these are grown strict muslum men. I give God full credit for my boldness, and thank him for it. I then sent a Bible home with Dijah for him. PLEASE pray that he and his friend read it and discover the Truth and meet Jesus. I'm really hoping. God not only protected me from any possible danger I might have gotten in hanging out with prostitutes, he also turned my mistake into something wonderful. Isnt he just awesome?
Here are some pictures Libby took of the family and the last one of a class of some sort. Tawnee looks like she can barely hold Hudson! Libby and Esther Tawnee and Libby Beautiful Libs - we sure do miss you!!
Looks like Ethan, Gracey, Tawnee and Esther are trying to console Hudson!
Beautiful neighbor children, neighbor homes. Libby has a knack for taking close-up pictures of insects. Strangely beautiful (I wont post the spider one, I don't find that beautiful in the least!) I love the neighbor women in their colorful dresses.
Beautiful butterfly, beautiful Keturah, lovely neighbors, Esther and Tawnee keeping cool in buckets of water, gorgeous Gracey with more of the beautiful neighbors. Life in Chad Africa!
