Change of plans ... like everyone else!

We should have arrived back to France yesterday, but as I mentioned in my last post, it was decided rather last minute that we wouldn't travel as planned. Our flight through Morocco was cancelled anyway, and while we might have been able to find a direct flight instead, we felt it was best to stay here. France was just going into lockdown, so we weren't even sure how we'd get ourselves and our ten suitcases to Marc's parents' house, and we were very concerned that we might pick up the virus during our journey and then pass it to them. So far Benin has two official cases, and has already banned large gatherings and shut down places of worship. The government is encouraging people to practise social distancing and to wash their hands regularly. This may slow the spread down, but having seen what has happened around the world it's hard to believe it won't end up spreading here too, though that is of course our prayer.

So we are staying for now in a house on the SIM base in Parakou. SIM France has asked us to limit our contacts to protect ourselves and others, but we do have a lot of space, and the kids even have a "private" playground.





Oh, and it is mango season!



It was a bit hard for all of us to come to terms with the idea of not seeing family again as soon as planned, but we are in a familiar setting and have friends around (to be seen in ones and twos from a distance of a metre or so!). Many other people around the world are in much more difficult circumstances because of COVID-19, so we really can't complain. And we are just trusting that our times are in God's hands.

Now that the kids have got back into school - that at least never changes wherever we are - they have settled down into the routine again. And we're really just taking a day at a time. Not our preferred way to function, but these are strange days.

Goodbyes

We had a weird last weekend in Pèdè, as we'd just heard that we probably wouldn't be going back to France quite as soon as planned, but we still needed to try to keep our minds on packing our suitcases and emptying the house. (We couldn't really stay any longer in the village, having sold our car and got rid of our oven.)

Our last full day was a Sunday, and we had a goodbye service at the Pèdè church. A lot of people had also come from the Kandi-Fô church, and some students had come back from Parakou to be there too. SIM colleagues of ours from Parakou and Bembéréké were also there.

The service, as expected, didn't keep to time. But we were expecting that, and when extra things were added like spontaneous songs of praise or a goodbye dance from the women of the church, we could only be touched by people's warmth.

We sat right up at the front, as can be seen in this photo taken with special guests afterwards. Quite a challenge to sit there for four hours, especially for Eve!



The church was packed.



Various people said their bits, including Marc and I.



There was even a sketch, with an actor representing each of us, and talking about what our feelings might be about leaving.



The preacher, a local pastor, spoke on Acts 20, where Paul says goodbye to the Ephesian elders. He particularly emphasized the need for the Monkolé believers to step up and serve God after our departure. And others spoke about the importance of knowing God's Word, and how much it will help them to have the whole Bible in Monkolé. These are certainly our prayers too!

We were given a gift of clothes made out of traditional material, woven in the village. We all put them on later:



And at lunchtime, about 45 of the "special guests", ie. missionaries, church leaders and so on ate on our property. Pounded yams, and then a rice dish, and plenty to go round! Everyone else was served at the church.





So all in all it was a wonderful celebration of all that God has done in the ten years since we arrived in the village.