Transmitters, Tractors, and Monkeys (oh, my!)

As many of you know, we've been in Parakou, Benin for the last nine days to check out the ministry of TransWorld Radio.
  After Devin (another Jouneryer) came back with good reports of ministry for Engineers, we decided to check it out! 
 


Devin, what a stud!

We left Niakara on Sunday morning with Devin and rode for 11 hours to Bobo (in Burkina Faso), then another 5 hour ride to Ouagadougou (also in Burkina).  Spent the night there and got up early to take our final 15 hour journey to Djougou (in Benin).  Met with Garth, one of the missionaries for TWR, who drove us the 120km to Parakou, where we stayed.
 


The Lake House

The first day, we stoped by the TransWorldRadio station.  Garth showed us around their property.  Since they need a lot of property, but only use a little bit for the station and the transmitter, he has been working on land projects such as planting teak trees, planting crops (corn, rice, maringa, and beans), and building a "lake house" for missionaries or pastors to go when they need a little break.  It is quite picturesque.
 
After the tour, we had lunch and went right to work.  Since there was a conference for the missionaries happening the next week and he wouldn't be around, Garth had made a list of things that we (even Jessica!) could do, and put us right to work.   

 

Moving the dock

Fixing the Dozer!

During the rest of that week (and the next) we did a little bit of everything.  Devin repaired and rewired the bulldozer, we put a GPS tracker in one of the company vehicles, replaced the voltage regulator on one of the generators, fixed the power to the water pump,  fished out the dock that got carried away when the lake flooded over the dam wall, and Jessica scanned in documents in the office.
 


David the generator

Outside of that, we explored Parakou (or more accurately, we got lost and got a flat tire), visited the church in the area, got to know a lot of the other missionaries in the area, visited the University English Club (and got to meet the US Ambassador), and met some of the Peace Corps voluneers.

The Benin Crew

 


We sure did shove a lot into 9 days, but it's been great to see what God is doing here in Benin.  We're looking forward to returning in January, after we've completed our host family stay.



Oh Yeah, and we ate Snake!!



Found a snake trying to eat a chicken

Cooked it up!

DELICIOUS!