African "Statue of Liberty"

Creative sand art!

Strolling down "Baobab Lane"!

Goree Island


Today was a day of history lessons. Joseph and I went to Goree Island, also known as “Island of the Sharks”. Over 20 million Africans were sold into slavery and imprisoned on this island. Over 6 million Africans died while on the island. Many who were sick or “rebellious” were thrown out to the ocean for the sharks to feed, making the waters red in color. Thus lending to the name “Island of the Sharks”.

We were very blessed with a tour guide who had his Master’s degree in English and was a walking textbook of world-wide history. Unlike Joseph, he was into details…grinning. I must say it was very humbling to realize how little world-wide history I actually know. He gave me lessons back into the 1500’s. Believe you me, it was more knowledge than this blonde brain could hold!!! But oh how it makes you reflect on the endless blessings we have!! To live free in the land of plenty, that upholds the Bill of Rights, and that provides free education to all...my mind just could not wrap around it all! All I can do is say “Thank-you Lord”.

When we arrived back to the guest house Mae had dinner prepared for us. As we began to eat an unexpected guest arrive. It was Augustine, Joseph’s cousin who is a nurse and who helped us on our Jan. trip. We had a wonderful visit, during which she shared that she had been given a Bible on that trip. She testified that since then she has been reading her Bible and praying every day which she had not done prior to the trip. Her family has even taken notice and commented on her devotion to daily scripture reading since the trip. Yeah God! Please continue to pray for Augustine. She is presently working as an intern at a hospital in a town outside of Dakar. She does not get paid and has to pay for her own transportation each day. Pray that God will bless her by providing her a job that will pay wages.

Anastasia’s appt is at 8:00 tomorrow morning with the surgeon, Dr. Ndiaye. Please continue to pray for her healing process and that she will be released as soon as possible to return to Sedhiou.

Blessings and love to all,
Cindy

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Romans 6:22-23