Back to Beer-Sheba

I wish I had taken pictures of the flowering okra fields or my field of Moringa trees that are growing splendidly after having planted them the last time I was at Beer-Sheba in March. Having concentrated on my weed-picking work, I did not even take one moment to capture the vegetative growth occurring at one of my favorite places on earth. Maybe picking weeds sounds tedious—and it certainly is not the most glorifying work—but it is necessary, and I was certainly happy to have a job assigned to me that would take a lot of physical work and endurance. I spent about 20 hours on my knees this week pulling up blasted grass and vines that have invaded our okra field. My goal is to be a part of whatever the project desires of my hands and skill set. I am blessed to be a part of a group that welcomes any help and has no problem delegating tasks to those who are willing to work.

I think back to how I met the team of Beer-Sheba. The Director of Ministry and Service at North Central and I became quite good friends during my four years of college, and when I told him that I was going to Senegal, he put me in contact with one of his buddies from Wheaton College who happened to have worked with Beer-Sheba while gathering research for his master’s thesis. I wrote to his friend, who gave me the e-mail address of one of the Beer-Sheba team members. Fortunately, I was dealing with people who liked to communicate and did not take long in replying. When I arrived in Senegal, Beer-Sheba was on my list of places to visit, but I never intended it to become like a second home. I am finding that the Lord Almighty uses people and places to guide my steps, combining who I am with the talents and visions of other people that I encounter along the way. Something about the presence of the Holy Spirit, the tranquility of the natural surroundings and the physical farm labor attracted me to the point that I will have spent a third of my time here in Senegal at Beer-Sheba’s site. I am excited to see what develops during the next five weeks. Stay tuned!

Tip #20 for Surviving in Senegal: When sunburned from the hot, relentless pre-rainy season sun, buy Shea butter to moisturize your wilted skin. Shea butter is really inexpensive in Senegal. You can buy a small quantity, which will last about five or six applications, for 13 cents. The best part is the natural odor it emits once applied: I cannot really explain the scent, but it smells bushy and lovely!