GOODBYE CHAD

 In a couple of days I will leave Chad and return to Canada after 4 months here. My time in Chad has been very positive and I feel especially to have developed spiritually by coming to know more of the Father's Love and recognizing more areas where the life of Christ rather than my sinful nature must rule.

I will miss my teammates and especially those I have lived with for four months - Adrian, Judith, Aphia, Katharina and Jill.

Adrian, Katharina, Judith and my shoulder as we pack 5 in a Ruckshaw. Aphia is in the front

Jill (team leader), Adrian, Katharina, Judith, and Aphia

I will miss my pupils whom I have come to love.

This is AD and AB

This is AT

This is M

I will miss the children I meet on the way to the store who want me to chase them and pretend I am catching them.

Children I chase on the way to Ibrahim's shop

I will miss the shop keepers along the way to the market

Aphia and I are visiting AB's shop. He is also one of my students

This shopkeeper always greets us and then sends us away with the blessing "que le Seigneur te benit"

Here is my back to Canada bucket list: 1) A long hot shower. 2) A large glass of cold, real (not powdered) milk. 3) A thick slice of juicy ham. 4) A cold can of Club Soda. 5) A bag of microwave buttered popcorn. 6) A thick slice of old Cheddar cheese. 7) A slice of soft bread with a thick layer of smooth creamy peanut butter. 8) A large plate of Swiss Chalet french fries with thick gravy. I will savor and appreciate all of these items as they remind me of the full satisfaction that only heaven and the presence of our Father in complete righteousness can bring.

Chad I love you but it is time for me to say goodbye. I leave you physically but you will always be on my mind and in my heart and especially in my daily prayers. I love you because of the people I have met - my teammates, my students, the people, the children on the street, and the shop keepers. I love you because of your weather and beautiful rough landscape. Although I have seen little of you I have heard of the beauty of your mountains in the North and the abundant harvests of the South. Your people are mostly happy and friendly and easy to love. Goodbye Chad. My hope for you is not for material riches but for the spiritual riches that can only be found in relationship to Jesus Christ. May God open your eyes and your hearts to the Great Lover of your soul, and may the Lord of the Harvest bless you with more loving, competent, praying Christian workers to show you the way to Jesus. Chad in loving you I have come to love all of Africa. I see your great physical needs, your government corruption, your abundant aid with little apparent effect. But I thank God that some of His people are willing to love and serve you on their knees, with their finances, and with willingness to live with you to serve you and to share with you life changing Good News. My hope is to rejoice with many of you in eternity. Until then Goodbye.