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.