Hello everyone,
Krista here. Or should I say, “Prisca,” as I’m known here by the community (and now my team).
I am in the Côte d’Ivoire and we finished our first week of ministry! 10 hour work days in 90 degree weather are no joke. But the locals make it a little easier by bringing us fans everywhere, sweet guys.
To update you on all the travel, we went from Atlanta to DC to Ethiopia to Abidjan, then the next day we took an 8 hour bus to the community of Man, ministered to a church there, then in that same day we went to Fagnampleu (fahn-yahm-ploo) and ministered to their church as well. Quite a long day, let me tell ya.
Our hosts are amazing; their names are Monica and Jonas. My team secretly calls the Nick Jonas. We’ve been with Monica most of the time now, and she has an amazing story. My team and I get along very well, and they keep me #youngandhumble.
Okay so, some cultural info about / updates from Côte d’Ivoire and Fagnampleu:
• It’s apparently normal for girls to dance for money. They essentially pop, lock & drop it and people will throw money at them or put it on them. My team and I were thrown into the dance circle at one point and maybe got some cash.
• The prophetess of the community, Mama Grace, is like the mayor. She’s kinda terrifying. She’s casted out a few demons since we’ve been here… (not from my team, don’t worry; from the locals)
• They don’t let us carry ANYTHING. They carry everything for us, serve us, and clean up after us. It’s kind of ridiculous. But if you try to help they say you’re taking away their blessing.
• We are known across the community and in the surrounding ones mainly because we’re white. We have on average 3-4 camera phones in our faces at all times, but sometimes it’s a swarm of people. We also have our own designated security guards and one is v cute (@Eric!!!!).
• Lizards are about 1.5 feet long and one fell from the ceiling beside me during church.
• Everything here is pretty much what you think of when you think West Africa – precious singing children, colorful clothes, occasional body paint, African drums, kindness and joy.
• Their food is a lil weird at times, but we’ve had lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I’m about to go to a market and get some junk food though cause occasionally we can’t get ourselves to eat what they put in front of us (a fried fish head with bones and eyeballs in tact was yesterday’s dinner. We went to bed hungry). However, one night they made us spaghetti and we all basically cried.
• You greet everyone when you enter a room, and they greet you when they enter a room. And you always start with the prophetess. (Am I pledging still orrrrr…)
• Worship is a constant twerk party. And it’s not abnormal to have twerking / dancing girls, then a nice song, then the casting out of demons (people screaming and falling over), then another nice song.
• Dust is EVERYWHERE because it never rains. We’ll be coughing it up for weeks.
• So the toilet basin and shower drain are in the same little cubicle. You fill up a bucket with a faucet to both shower and flush. Yesterday I peed in the toilet basin and washed my hair in a bucket at the same time, then used my hair water to flush. Very resourceful.
• They love my Church of Christ songs because of the harmonies. I’m glad my upbringing has been useful for something.
• The stars are absolutely magic.
• Our hosts brought in a TV for us, so thus far we’ve watched Good Morning Cameroon and French MTV.
• A funny story: I was giving a talk to children on Isaiah 43, so I asked if anyone had ever had something difficult happen (knowing they all are currently a war torn country). No one raised their hands. So I asked if they’d had troubles with siblings or school. Still nothing. So my flustered self yells, “So no one has ever had ANY problems?? Well, GOOD FOR YOU!” and my team still makes fun of me for shaming children.
• The community made us traditional robes that the chiefs and his council typically wear, and they’re absolutely beautiful. I also was specially gifted some mystery red sauce in an orange Fanta bottle. Prisca is #blessed.
Serious thoughts:
• I’m honing my gift of listening.
• This is pretty much the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve cried a few African tears, but my team is great and (I think-lol jk) we’ll make it.
