Sunday, February 19 Worshiping and resting

Today I spent a number of hours with my friends, the Frésards. Anita and I met Pascal when we were in Switzerland learning French. He is Swiss, and his home town is near where we were living. We met through our involvement with the youth at the church we attended while there. He later met Janet, the British woman who became his wife, when she came there to study French a little while after we had gone on to Africa. In the course of time, they ended up in Senegal as a couple and have raised their four children here. We’ve stayed in contact over the years via newsletters, but it has been very special for me to be able to reconnect with them in person on this trip. Pascal is currently the Director for SIL’s work here in Senegal, and it was my privilege to worship God by sharing with him and Janet in detail about my experience in Thionck-Essyl.

I refer to that time of sharing as a worship experience because, as I reflect back on all that happened while I was there, it is clear that God brought me here for more reasons than to lead a word-collection workshop. For reasons that only He understands, He chose to use me to impact for Him a number of people involved in the workshop, both Esiil (speakers of Gusiilaay) and Toubabs (those of us with white skin). Reflecting on the fact that He chose a task-oriented introvert for a relationship-oriented mission thousands of miles from home quite simply led me to worship Him for the mystery of His omniscient design.This is another day of rest and an opportunity to worship the Lord at a local church.