Well it’s been almost a week since we were whisked away from our homes with but a suitcase of belongings. It’s been a time of decompressing and “crashing” as we try and settle in for who knows how long. The first couple of days here were spent unpacking, settling, and getting Tim ready for his trip to Togo. As I mentioned before, Tim had already been slated to do a 2 week course at our seminary in Dapaong, Togo. His ticket out of Guinea was for the same day we actually left and it took him to Dakar. He was to spend two days here visiting Katie and then continue on. So he was still able to catch the second leg of his trip. For those of you wondering how he could “dump” his family and head out, believe me, it was all for the best. He is teaching and keeping busy. Andrea and I had already spent a week here so we were not coming to unfamiliar territory. Donna is here with us so Andrea started school again yesterday. We brought the books she would need, so she hasn’t missed much through all this. I brought enough files to keep me busy, plus with all the email we’ve been getting I’m not idle!
Many have been writing and asking how we are and where we are, etc. We are staying about 2 blocks from Katie’s school at a guesthouse run by the CMA mission. So Katie is able to visit often and we can go visit her at school as well. She’s doing much better, by the way. We still have to figure out what to do about that foot. Her x-rays are being sent to the US and we’ll wait to see what is recommended. It bothers her a lot. But her esophagus seems to be healing up and she can eat again.
Our colleagues, Tim and Heidi Norton and Andrea Herman are also doing well. They are in a guesthouse in Bamako run by Norwegian Lutherans there who had also been “refugees” at one point so have been very sympathetic to their situation. Andrea is starting her language work as there are Maninka in that area. They were able to “debrief” with a counselor from the Southern Baptist mission and that has helped a lot. We will do our debriefing this Thursday when counselors are available for those of us here who had to run.
But always not far from our minds is our home and Guinea. What does the future hold? What will the country look like if we are able to someday go back? Will we have a home to come back to? There was a good article in the Times recently you may want to check out if you have a chance: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/20/world/africa/20guinea.html?ref=world
Please continue to pray for the country. I do believe this will go to the end one way or another. Also pray for the missionaries that are still there, that God keeps them safe. And pray for our church there and our leaders. We did hear from them just before we left and the situation there was much like it was in Conakry. Pray for their safety and for a good change in Guinea for the people.
We can’t thank you all enough for all the prayers, notes, and words of encouragement we have received. I thought of that last Thursday as I stared at the great big grey Air Force plane I was standing beside, imagining the wings being lifted with the prayers of thousands. May those prayers now blanket the entire country of Guinea until we can return again to its shores!!