More experiances

Well I've 2 more experiences I wish to share...as I left off last post, I was going to church. Let me tell you, people in Benin worship! There was dancing and singing and amening...well whatever amen is in French and Fon and I want you to know that a joyful noise was raised to the Lord. I'm also here to tell you that real men where pink...I know this because the dynamic "minister of music" was dressed fully in pink! I wish I could have gotten a picture of him..he was really good but pink obviously is not a cultural taboo for men here as it is in the states. After about 40 minutes of singing, they brought a young woman up and told the story of "how a motorcycle can defeat a car", the gist of which was that this person had been struck by a car, had actually gone completely underneath the car and neither she nor her motorcycle was hurt or damaged in anyway. After the request number of announcements, the pastor got up to speak. He would speak in French, a translator would repeat his words in Fon, and then another translator would repeat in English. He started out welcoming us from the Mercy Ships (there was about 20 of us) and then he told us that the Lord we worship is also in Benin. Well that was obvious to me from the way He was being worshiped here! He then started his sermon. He told us all that he did not doubt that we had faith, but what was our faith in? Was it in the things that we can see? Or, was it in the unseen things of God. It was a good sermon, although I must admit that some of it was lost on me as we where sitting near the children's section and suffice it to say that children are the same all over the world....I'll let you figure out what they where doing.

The second experience I want to share happened on the ward today. I saw 2 women get their lives back and yes, I wept, but I wasn't the only one. The women had both had VVF (vesico vaginal fistula repair) surgery. Just to back up a little, because of the lack of physicians and funds, when women have difficult labors here, they may be in labor for literally days. Often when this happens, the children are stillborn. During this time, because of the pressure put on the vagina, the tissue dies and a hole or holes (fistula) develop between the bladder and sometimes the rectal wall. This causes these women to be incontinent of urine and/or feces. They are often thrown out by their husbands and become outcasts in their villages. They may live like this for years. (We watched a documentary called A Walk to Beautiful which I highly recommend. The film followed a few women with this problem.) Today was the dressing ceremony for the first 2 women this outreach who had repairs. During the ceremony, as a symbol of their new lives, they are given a dress and there is much rejoicing. I remember last week as I first went into the ward they were in, the smell was strong. I could not imagine living like that for the years that some of these women have. But today was a happy one! The praise team led by Clementine, sang and talked with them about the love of Jesus. As many of the crew as could came to participate. The most poignant moment for me came late in the ceremony. The women each came up to sing 'her' song. The first lady was a petite individual dressed in a brand new beautiful yellow dress. She was shy at first, but as she began to sing, she became more confident. She began to go around to each person and would sing the same phrase (which I couldn't understand) and then point towards heaven. One of the translators told us that she was saying that she could not thank each person enough, that God would have to thank them for her. When she got to Clementine, she grasped her hand and tried to fall to the floor on her knees, but Clementine rushed in and pulled her up before she got there and gave her a long, wonderful hug. Well, I thought I was the only one crying until I looked around and saw nurses, translators, and yes, even one of the surgeons weeping. It was one of the most special moments of my nursing career and I will remember it always.

I'll post pictures of the ceremony when they are put out. My love to all...