This has been our first full week of school and trying to find a routine. We all made it through the week despite our Harmatan colds, and the boys managed to get through their first round of tests. The boys each memorized Zephaniah 3:17 as our memory verse this week. Daniel is back again this year as our French teacher and each of classes (the boys attend French class in pairs) has already learned several new words as they continue to review. I am enjoying practicing my little bit of French with our house worker Da Emilie.

Friday night we got a great treat because Lauren found fresh broccoli and fresh strawberries in Lome shared them with us at dinner!

The highlight of my week was cluster worship in Agodeke this Sunday. I just love those people and the heartfelt way they worship! I remembered almost everyone from Sendomeand Batoe from last year, and was able to hold two new babies that had been born in my absence (Venunyepictured left). It was also fun to pick up a friendship that I started with many of the little girls there last year.

It was especially exciting today to celebrate the new well and the clear water it is bringing to the whole village. They fed us akoume with fish sauce for lunch- I liked the akoume, but I still haven’t acquired a taste for fish here. After we got back to Tabligbo Rachel and I were invited to go greet some of the Christian women in town with Christine and Adjo. It was great to see more of the town and see where the women live. I had a relaxing day off Monday with a trip to Lome which included trying out a new restaurant!

From Marty - I was back in the saddle again this week going out for multiple village visits and meetings and I must say that the I am worn out. I had forgotten how much energy it took to have the two hour plus teachings while perched atop a wooden bench. It was great, though, to see all the genuinely faithful and hear their stories of victory.

This past Sunday we were in awe as we sat with forty others for worship at Afakomi Kope. Yes, that was right. It was just what we had been praying for, Afakomi is finally coming to life after all these years. (Pictured left - Afakomi building with windows and doors Marty made before furlough)

As Murphy said last year, a picture is worth a thousand words. It was the same picture, just with his truck in it instead of mine. Do you think there might just be a design flaw? Please pray for reliable transportation for our family and work and for us to have the funds to fix this truck in the meantime. (The tire fell off Tuesday. Hopefully it will be fixed by the weekend)

As for prayers, we ask you to include the upcoming men’s conference (Feb 13th through the 16th); ongoing evangelism and church plantings; a burden upon the Watchi people to repent and seek Christ; and protection for our family. Thank you so much for the love you show us by your partnership in this work.

From Louise - We had a rather uneventful week. We have gotten most of the broken things in the house repaired, so I spent working hours catching up on laundry, at least when the water was flowing. We are experiencing rationing that we assume will last until the rains come. And speaking of the dry season, this is the longest lasting and heaviest Harmatan we have seen in our years here. I wonder if there is any sand left in the Sahara. It seems to be all on my dining room table before every meal.

As I write this week’s Times entry, I’m tired. At the end of each week I can never believe how much I’ve done in seven days. This week has been another great one while I look back on it. School is rolling right along. I’m starting to really learn each boy’s personality and all the quirks that they have. Trevor continues to call me “Gentle Voice Girl” which always makes me laugh.

I’ve been trying to think of a highlight of the week, but there’s not just one. I think I’ve had one every day. Monday, Emily and I went with Lauren (our PeaceCorps friend) to drop off pagne, or fabric, to get skirts made. That was an experience in itself! We went directly to the seamstress’s house and dropped it off. She measured us each and took our fabric. That was my first time to be inside one of the homes in a village and just the feel of it is something I will always remember.

Wednesday was market day and we also stopped by the post office. I love market still. Maybe it’s just the newness of it all for me, but I just have fun walking amongst all the people there. When we got to the post office to drop off mail and hopefully pick some up, the post man wasn’t wanting to be nice, so I couldn’t have my package that I saw laying on the floor behind the counter from my Mom. Apparently, we were “too late” and we’d have to come back later. Later came on Friday. Emily and I went to the post office right after school and were able to pick up mail! Now, this wasn’t easy. I pointed out the one from Mom that I had seen previously and they told us that was all there was. While waiting to pay we saw another package for the Crowsons and another for me (from my Aunt Linda). We had to convince them to give them to us! Both of my packages were great surprises and a perfect pick-me-up since my “Harmaton Cold” was truly setting in.

By Saturday afternoon the cold had really gotten to me so our school day seemed real long. After a great nap, I was able to drink an American Dr.Pepper (actually canned in Dallas!) and eat my fabulous chocolate chip cookie my aunt sent. Little did I know how much I’d love the simple things like that.

Sunday came and was the best day of the week. We had cluster worship in Agodeke and there were two other churches there as well (pictured right). I love it! There’s no way to describe how it feels to be part of a church service here. It makes your heart jump… or wait, maybe that was the Akoume’ with fish sauce that we ate today finally settling…(pictured right)

From Murphy - By now I've been able to greet most of the churches that I've been working with for the past six years. I've had two full day meetings and listened to countless stories of how God displayed His love and faithfulness over the past eight months. Over furlough my prayer had been that the Lord would pour out His grace and fill the Watchi with strength so that their faith in Him would increase. One leader said, "The Holy Spirit doesn't go on long trips like you. He was here when you left, while you were gone and is still here!"

I had two visitors today from a church that God used me to plant in Benin back in 2000. They were doing well and had two great reports for me. Janvier's son died yesterday evening (Janvier is one of the leaders in the Ainahoue church). Some Christians gathered to pray for the boy and then rushed him to a clinic (to call it a clinic is a long stretch) a couple kilometers away. After they arrived at the clinic his son came back to life! "Are you sure he really died and just wasn't unconscious," I said. "His spirit had left him," they said. Jesus is the resurrection and the life! Another good report had to do with a church that was planted in 1998 in the village of Djoumahou that stopped meeting in 2001. With a lot of encouragemen and prayer, this church is now meeting again with several of the old members as well as a few new ones. I asked them if God had displayed his power since the last missionary left last year and they said, "Even more so since the missionaries left!" My heart was so thankful to hear that. Their faith is in the right place and God is leading them down the right path.

Worship this past Sunday was a treat for me. Three churches in the Sedome area met in the Agodeke village for their monthly combined worship service. The Agodeke church was started by the other two churches in the area without ANY help from me. In fact, thischurch is 18 months old and this was only my third time to visit! I praise God for taking these humble farmers and making them into mighty evangelists who are advancing His Kingdom.

Thank you for your prayers for the Sedome church (their building burned down last week). Denni (pictured left) gave a testimony during worship about the first time that his hut burned down and the way that God encouraged him through a dream. The cluster has decided to reroof the building this Thursday. They wanted to rebuild it quickly so that people would know that the church is still alive and with God's strength will continue to go forward even if hard times come.

Another treat was to see the well that was dug in the Agodeke village while we were on furlough. A generous teacher, his brother and his class in the States paid for this well which is providing 125 people with 25 liters of clean water EVERY DAY! At the end of our worship time on Sunday the chief of the village came and said a special thank you to us for the well (pictured left). Praise God for generous hearts! God is blessing the Watchi in Spirit and in Body.

From Christine - We had a great week. We were blessed to worship on Sunday in Agodeke with the Sedome cluster. Their joy was evident and very encouraging. Thank you to those that helped to have a well built in Agodeke. The water from the well was so clear. This village was in great need of a clean water source. The boys are doing great and still loving school. We are so thankful for Emily and Rachel and the wonderful job they are doing teaching our children.