local church

This last Sunday we took the opportunity to attend church out in the community. We piled in a landrover with seven other people and drove a half hour outside the city. The church was started five years ago by one of our own, Jean Claude, when the ship came to Benin for the first time. 

The church's simplicity was refreshing with its open sanctuary made up of concrete walls and floors, and its wooden benches. Four of their six windows are complete at this time. Rather than the Western mind-set of taking out loans left and right and hoping the money will come in, they collect the week's offerings and then only buy as much as that money will get until next week's offerings. I think we westerners could learn a little from the Africans :) 

In typical African fashion, the service lasted three hours!! Full of worship, a small ladies choir, and an hour and a half sermon.  We both were amazed at how well the children sat through it, and this was all after their Sunday school class!! Course, you don't want to get caught nodding off because a man holding a small stick walks along the aisles every so often.  He'll tap you with it if your falling asleep :)  Not to mention, we waited for over a half hour for the pastor to show up because he was coming from preaching at another church. Oh, how I love this country!! It just simply makes me smile!!

Such a hospitable people too! We were warmly greeted and introduced. After the service, we were invited to the only other room off the sanctuary to share fresh coconut milk. Yummy!!