Back in the Saddle

 'Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 'Pslam 103 v 1-5

This verse comes to mind when I look for some way to express how I'm feeling since my last sulky newsletter - much, much better!Thank you to anyone who prayed; I feel so different it is quite remarkable.

For two weeks in England, I nattered my heart out with friends and family, ate copious amounts of toast, bawled my eyes out in church and stocked up on books, DVDs and marmalade. My trip home came just at the right time. I feel refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to get back in the proverbial saddle. Hallelujah.

To our great relief, too, the rains started this week, and it is as though the baker has finally opened the oven door. The hens weren't quite so delighted to see their eggs floating around the chicken house, and the ground has turned into a mass of squelchy, slippery yet flip-flop-adhering mud, but it's great. Walking through the market after a downpour is a bit like competing in 'It's a Knockout' but without the goofy costumes.

Another door has opened, too, it seems, as the Ladies of Djibo have acquired a place to sell in the market. My sales efforts in England and on-line shop have been virtually fruitless, so the timing of this is spot-on. For now, I have decided to channel my efforts with the group into making business for them locally. I pray that it will be a success - they are mainly making disaaje at the moment - sarongs with colourful embroidered designs that the women use to carry their babies. Later on, I hope to teach sewing-machine skills so we can launch into children's and babies' clothes.

The Tuareg refugees that have set up camp on the edge of town serve as a reminder of how much we have to be thankful for. So what if my laptop has just packed up, and we have barely any vegetables to eat right now (being the end of dry season)? We have a house to live in and plenty besides. Most precious of all, we have the hope that is in our loving and compassionate God - and that's a hope that never disappoints us.