Life in Parakou

When we first arrived in Benin, in 2009, it was planned that we would live in Parakou. We weren't sure how long - I think we said "between 1 and 8 months" - and it ended up being 8. Well, this time we didn't plan to live here at all before leaving, but it's already coming up to a month! It wasn't too hard to get into a routine. The kids have school, and since it is hot season if we want to get any exercise it has to be early in the morning. It would seem a shame not to make the most of living on a lovely big compound, so we all walk or run before school.

I have been able to look at illustrations for the Monkolé Bible, but not get very far with it as my new colleague in Switzerland has been unwell. He is better now though, so hopefully I may be able to get on with inserting them into the text soon. I am also trying to go through old emails so that I can transfer everything onto my "new" (2 year old) computer from my old (9 year old) computer so that maybe I won't need to carry the old one back to Europe with me.

I have been helping out our interim director where I can.

We have been keeping ourselves to ourselves much of the time. When COVID-19 hits here, as it is likely to, we don't want to be part of spreading it around. We are fortunate to have plenty of space and pretty flowers here to console a little us over missing family and friends who we thought we'd be seeing.







This was a walk we went on at a monastery near Parakou.





We were remembering the buffet breakfast we had in the hotel in Casablanca two years ago, and decided to make our own (on Palm Sunday).