Home again

Our team returned home safely on Monday evening after a twenty-four hour journey from Dakar. It was a wonderful twelve days with a great group of people that had developed into a family of sorts. Rick and I have been blessed with some great people on these trips the past four years and this group was no exception. Everyone on the team played an important role and the people of Godel fell in love with each of them.

Over the years each trip to Godel has had its own special purpose. Our first trip was considered a "vision" trip; one in which we scouted out the possibility of "partnering" with Mission Inter-Senegal (MIS) for the purpose of deepening the church in Godel. Following the trip, the leadership at Community Church decided to enter into a seven year relationship with the village of Godel and our first "investment" in the village was the construction of a church building. The following year CC and MIS established a medical program and a grain bank in the village. Last year the focus was clean water for the village. This year there was no specific "project." Rather, the focus was on deepening our relationships with the people of the village and doing some dreaming about the future development of the village. While relationships were deepened and we discussed future projects such as the construction of a new school building and library and the development of a community garden, this trip helped clarify what has been accomplished in the village over the past four years. The pieces of the puzzle seemed to come together.......

Over the past four years/trips, CC and MIS have invested an enormous amount of time, money and love into this village and it is clearly "paying off." The people of Godel (believers and non-believers alike) love the team members from CC and have been encouraged by them. The people of the village also know they are loved by CC because of the financial investment CC has made in the village. CC is the only organization (including the Senegalese government) that is actively investing the village and the people of the village are very grateful for our efforts.

As a result of our continued visits and the investments CC has made, the doors have been opened in the village in a spiritual sense. Not only is the church growing numerically, but it is growing in depth. The women from our team heard some wonderful stories from the women of Godel about how the Christians in Godel have become bolder in sharing their faith since we began coming. Bible studies and women's ministry are happening each week now in addition to weekend services. It is very cool to see all of this taking place in a matter of just a few years. God is a long way from being done in Godel.

One of the highlights of this trip for me was a visit to the school on Friday. Our team had some school supplies to give to the school so Dave Berka and I walked over to the school to talk with the headmaster. He invited us into his classroom and we proceeded to shake hands with each of the students. As I was about to finish one of the boys opened his desk and pulled out a tattered photo of me that had been taken in the village several years ago. He held it up to show me as if to say, "I haven't forgotten you; thanks for coming back." As I walked around the village, people I didn't even recognize would call out "David"! The people of Godel are clearly moved by the fact that we (CC) continue to come back and invest in the village.

Although each of our team members were ready to return home, there is a part of me (and I suspect this is true of all of us) that has been left in the village. I have been so blessed to have been able to return to the village each year and renew my relationships with the people there. I have also been blessed to have been able to do this with such wonderful people from CC over the years. God has showered me with his grace.

Before signing off for this trip I want to say thanks to each member of this year's team for the investment you have made in the people of Godel. Alleks, Dan and Darcy, Dave, Kathy, Kirsten and Lorna, your gift of time, energy, resources and love will have an impact on the village for eternity - literally. You may never return to the village but you will have a great time some day renewing some old friendships in heaven, and part of the reason for that is because you cared enough to go to Godel. So thank you for all you gave to make this trip happen and thanks for doing exactly what Jesus called all of us to do - love our neighbors as ourselves.

Dave