DEVELOPING TIMES: Senegal Trip March 22 to April 2

Welcome

Mission Statement
Rural Empowerment Initiatives (REI) mission is to collaborate in the reduction of poverty through investment in rural areas and training of local people.

Vision Statement
REI's vision is to treat every created being with dignity, respect and love. We strive to work with those most in need by empowering people to recognize their God given talents, enabling them to make the world a better place and providing them hope for the future.

Our Principles
REI believes that all people are created equal.
REI will develop small to medium businesses (SMEs) as one approach to reach those most in need by creating jobs that build the economy in rural areas.
REI's partner businesses will be led, managed and majority owned by local people.
REI will always seek a triple bottom line of economic, spiritual and social transformation.
REI seeks to build sustainable community-oriented business models.
REI's focus of support is to the economically disadvantaged.
REI will seek attractive market and growth opportunities.
REI will incubate pilot projects with capable management.
REI believes in collaboration. We seek partners whose strengths complement our own in an effort to build well-rounded projects of lasting economic value for the communities in which we work.
REI is inspired by the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and is therefore rooted in the Christian faith.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Senegal Trip March 22 to April 2

Asala Malekum!
This is a Arabic greeting that we will be using quite a bit for our 10 day in country trip.
We will be leaving Community Church at roughly 5:50 am on Thursday morning and flying out of O'hare at 11:55 AM. We then travel to Atlanta and then fly to Dakar, Senegal and arrive at 4:30 AM Senegal time. (they are 5 hours ahead) From the time we will be leaving Chicago and arrive in Senegal it will be only 11 hours! My usual trip through Madrid is a 23 hour trip.
We arrive back in Chicago on April 2 at around 11:30 Am...
Mission Inter Senegal has a great schedule for us. Here are some of the highlights of our trip;

Visiting Gore Island- a slave island that has the 'infamous door of no return'
Visiting Barthimee Hospital and seeing the work there
Visiting the church in Godel on Sunday for our worship service
Spending 3 days and 2 nights in the village of Godel. This time will include doing woman's ministry, children's' ministry, and youth ministry. We will also be painting the well covers and pumps that were installed last year as the paint as worn off already. We will also be laying groundwork for the next four years as we look to build a 2 room school house with library and help with a community garden that will include irrigation... and of course building relationships....Asala Malekum!

I will ask the team to blog one day while we are there and here is the team;

Yours Truly-March 23
Kirsten Decker- Second time to Africa and recent grad from UW-O who is getting married this summer!-

March 24
Kathy Bonde- First time to Senegal and long time attendee of Community Church-March 25
Lorna Slager- My aunt through marriage. First time to Senegal and Lorna attends Harvest E-Free in Beaver Dam -March 26
No post on Tuesday and Wednesday as will be in the bush!
Darcy Zeleske- A Seasoned vet of many CC trips and her first time in Senegal-March 29
Dan Zeleske- An agricultural guy who will help us with input for the Community garden and a first timer to Senegal-March 30
Dave Berka-A Fondy high senior who is a darn good drummer...first time to Senegal-March 31
Allecks Mitchell- A Fondy High senior as well that has a heart of gold...first time to Senegal-April1
Dave Colwin- Fourth time to Senegal for Dave and is co-leading the trip- Dave will wrap up the trip on April 2 or 3

Prayer Requests

Pray that we will represent Christ well
Pray for the village of Godel and the church there
Pray for Mission Inter Senegal and all that it takes to pull this off for us
Pray for team unity
Pray for patience as we dwell in a slower culture
Pray for safety
Pray for the food we eat
Pray that we will know our creator richer than we have ever before
Pray for our families that are at home

Keep coming back for posts and keep us in your prayers...they are heard and appreciated