It is a relief to get back into language again after Pastor Samuel's month of annual leave. Encouraging too. Yesterday afternoon I called in to see a friend in the village, my seamstress, Emma. She's single, a bit younger than me (I suppose) and sings in the church choir. She greeted me warmly and brought two chairs out so that we could sit in front of her workshop. I know she speaks French because Grace told me so, but she has never spoken French with me. I'm very grateful, as it makes it that much more easy to stick to Monkolé. We caught up on each other's news, and I found I understood most of what she said, and was able to say more or less everything I wanted to say. It went more slowly than a normal conversation, of course, but it was reassuring to realise that I am making progress and can build on a fledgling friendship!
She told me she'd been away working in her family's fields. The fields are 18km away, so they go and stay there while they're working. Her brother, who is a lorry-driver, drove them out there, and they called him (on their mobile phone) when they wanted him to come back and get them back! She told me they'd planted cotton, corn, millet and soy, and that elephants had been getting into their fields! (My comprehension was helped by having learnt “elephant” in one language session, and by the fact that a friend who works for the Forestry Commission had told us that elephants have been getting into fields north of here and destroying people's crops.)
We also talked about my journeying, the French team who are going to be calling in to see us on Sunday, the state of the road between here and Parakou, and a friend who passed his Baccalauréat (equivalent of A Levels) in Niger and then got it validated in Benin. So all very satisfying for someone like me who likes to natter! I came home praising God for encouraging me and re-motivating me for language sessions!
She told me she'd been away working in her family's fields. The fields are 18km away, so they go and stay there while they're working. Her brother, who is a lorry-driver, drove them out there, and they called him (on their mobile phone) when they wanted him to come back and get them back! She told me they'd planted cotton, corn, millet and soy, and that elephants had been getting into their fields! (My comprehension was helped by having learnt “elephant” in one language session, and by the fact that a friend who works for the Forestry Commission had told us that elephants have been getting into fields north of here and destroying people's crops.)
We also talked about my journeying, the French team who are going to be calling in to see us on Sunday, the state of the road between here and Parakou, and a friend who passed his Baccalauréat (equivalent of A Levels) in Niger and then got it validated in Benin. So all very satisfying for someone like me who likes to natter! I came home praising God for encouraging me and re-motivating me for language sessions!
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