Written November 5th ...

... only posted now due to terrible internet connection!

Sorry for my silence over the last month! The month went extremely quickly – our annual SIM Benin-Togo conference took place from October 14^th to 18^th, and since I was involved with the organisation that took up quite a lot of my thinking time! I am grateful to God for a smooth and non-stressful conference, with thought-provoking Bible messages and some lovely times of fellowship with other missionaries.

Then I just had one week at home to get myself sorted to come to the mission hospital, since it had wisely been suggested that I move on-site at 38 weeks. I didn't at all expect to give birth so early (having given birth at 39+6 and 41+3 in the past) but I would have found it a bit stressful to be at home at that stage. Travelling is not recommended at night (due to bandits and badly-lit fast-moving other trafic) and trying to get the whole family in the car in a rush in the middle of the night did not appeal!

Last week I was here on my own, as Marc and the boys brought me down, stayed a night and then went back home for the rest of the week. That way our short-termer Matthieu could teach Simon for another week and Marc could get work done which he can do more easily at home … plus oversee the installation of a new water tank. But since Saturday they have been here with me – Marc is teaching Simon again and getting with other work in the afternoons. I'm glad, as I didn't really want to give birth without Marc being here!

We have a very comfortable house to stay in, and it is quite a luxury to have reliable power and water, not to mention people who come on-site to sell vegetables and chickens. It is quite a novelty to have a man turn up with chickens tied to his bicycle, to choose the one I want and have it killed, plucked and cleaned outside the house. It ends up in the fridge looking as if I bought it at the supermarket … but of course fresher!!

There are several other missionaries working in the hospital or on-site at the moment, and they looked after me very well last week, inviting me over for meals so that I wouldn't miss my family too much!

So now we are playing the waiting game, though since I'm not 40 weeks until Friday, I don't want to think of it as waiting until then!! If this one is as late as Benjy was, I still have another two weeks to go … and as I said, it's very nice being here, and I'm able to get on well with translation work, so what's the rush? I suppose I could be impatient to see my baby, but I remember last time thinking that babies are far less work on the inside than the outside, so perhaps I should just enjoy the (relative) peace and quiet while I can!