Dagbe update!

An Update!
Let me start by saying Thank you SOOO much for all your prayers! They were felt and definitely strengthened and encouraged me.
So I cant leave you all hanging so I wanted to write you an update about my return to Dagbe. After the ‘incident’, once I was better, I decided to go back to the village. Some of you may be saying, “wow Becca you are so brave” or “Wow Becca you are an idiot.” As for the brave thing let me just knock over that pedestal. The moment that I got back in cell phone reception range I called my Mom so I could cry to her about everything. And then the morning I was leaving I went on a walk and started to cry because I was scared and didn’t want to go back. I was listening to my ipod at the time and the song “You are my strong tower…” came on and I just started praying asking Jesus to be my strong tower for me to keep my focus on him and for him to guard me. I pushed all my fears over to Jesus and focused on the fact that He was the one in control. Plus I knew that if I didn’t go back that was exactly what the devil wanted. Now as for the Becca you are an idiot comment… I don’t really have any reasoning behind that one so I guess it is up for debate. Shoot!
Over these last two weeks of being back in the village, there has been some remarkable things that have happened.
Here are some examples:
*Young man (34) took poison and died. His son is one of the boys that daily stops by my house to play. This was also the man that was watching us make bracelets the week before and had asked for one. I was delivering it to him when I found out that HE was the one that died. When I got to the house his ENTIRE family was there and I was able to talk with them and then prayed with them.
*CHE (Community Health Evangelism) graduation. Andrews, Felix and I (the CHE trainers) graduated 8 people from our 3-week training course. In January they will start going out doing home visits in the community.
* Initiated a new community for CHE that is currently picking a committee that we will then do training with.
*Visited the closest local health clinic (1 hr walk) and met with the nurse Mary. Hoping to go and work with her next week and also may see if we can start a CHE program through her clinic.
*Did wound care on 5 people plus other random nursing things in Dagbe
*Did home visits with 2 families with newborn babies
*Each day went to a different villagers house to either help, just ‘talk’, or just sit
*Continued working on learning the local language. (I’m at like a 3-year-old level…) i.e. ball, shoes, food, morning, market, etc. I’ll work on speaking in sentences later.
*Three nights last week we had REVIVAL evening church services at the 3 neighboring villages which is definitely needed in these places.
* There was a second death of an older woman in the village. Dagbe has a population of about 200 so a death is a rarity so two in one week has everyone on edge.
*Met with a 23-year-old girl who had tried to commit suicide the week before and talked with her and prayed with her.
*Everyday I would go walking to either one of the villages that I know or sometimes I would go on an adventure to meet a new village praying the whole time.
*Sang whenever and wherever with my off pitch tone deaf voice. The best was when I would go to bed and since the village is so quiet, I would be bellowing out in my room as I listened to my ipod and was clearly heard by ALL my neighbors..
*Went to help with farming. Weeding, digging up cassava, plucking corn, etc. and have blisters to prove it (I love my machete!!)
*Every other day I would have all the kids over and we would do Bible coloring sheets and when they were finished I would explain about each story. Surprisingly they were actually really excited to find out about the story behind the picture they colored.
*Ate fufu with my friends and enjoyed every mouthful!
*Now as for the ‘mushroom man’ he did stop by my house a few times. I wont lie, when I saw him it took my breath away for a second but then I remembered WHO was inside me and I stepped out with confidence and would greet him.

So my time back in Dagbe was purposeful and good. I know that the only reason was because of all the prayers from you all. I will be taking a vacation from the village for the holidays but then will return in the new year. Please continue your prayers!
As most of you may know. I am getting a special Christmas present this year in the form of Annie and Greg (her husband). God’s timing is perfect and I am so grateful for their willingness to come all the way over to Africa to visit me. Be praying for our time together!! Thanks to both of the families for lending them out to me for the holidays.
Merry Christmas to you all!! Thank you all for your prayers and support to me! I miss you guys!