Crazy Trip to Senegal

We just got back from a week-long visit to Senegal. It was probably one of the most frustrating trips we've had! Well, the time in Senegal itself was good, but getting there and getting out was a disaster!

The Travel Ordeal

We were supposed to leave on Friday, but the flight got canceled. After two attempts at stand-by on two separate days, we finally left on Sunday. Then, we were supposed to return to Abidjan the following Friday, but that flight got canceled, too! So we were told to wait for the next flight, which was on Sunday. We showed up at the airport to discover that we didn't actually have tickets on that flight! Fortunately they got us on, but, unfortunately, we had to sit at the airport for over 10 hours because the flight kept getting delayed.

We finally arrived home around 3 a.m. on Monday. We were pretty worn out, needless to say! At least we had travel buddies -- the McAfee family was with us because they were attending the same conference.

The Conference

We went to Senegal to help debrief a group of families who are completing their first year as missionaries in West Africa. We meet with each couple to discuss their challenges, victories, and concerns, and also spent time with their kids for an hour each day. I also lead the kids' daily Bible discussion. It was lots of fun to hang out with the MKs! It was also very refreshing to participate in the daily worship services in English. On the last day we held a brief worship service on the beach.

The Sightseeing

Since we ended up in Senegal for two extra days, we decided to do some sightseeing. Even thought we've been through Senegal several times, we're always busy with other responsibilities and have never just been "tourists." We thought it would be fun to go with the McAfees to some new places, so we visited a lighthouse with great views of Dakar, the capital city.
(That point of land behind us is the westernmost tip of Africa.)

We also took the ferry to Goree Island, a historical site that was part of the slave trade. It was very picturesque and interesting. We're glad we had something to do during our extra time in Dakar! For more pictures from Goree Island, click here: