IT'S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIP

Lynn Lockwood

Finally over jet lag and feeling in the flow of life in Senegal, Travel Team Member Lynn Lockwood shares some of her impressions so far. This is her fourth trip to the area in the past seven years as a representative of Mountain View. One thing seems clear. Building relationships is at the core of these missions and at the center of Lynn's heart.

Here are some thoughts from Lynn:

Today I had a couple of great conversations with one of our interpreters, Charles Ndiaye. It made me realize how well I've come to know him and several of our friends here.

Four short trips in seven years don't seem like they would give much time to spend with others. But each trip has involved many hours of van travel, problem solving, sharing (faith) testimonies, sharing meals and worshiping together. God has granted us amazing continuity in our relationships--the relationships that have formed throughout the full eleven years Mountain View has been coming here. These local ministry partners have become good friends of mine. I love catching up on people's lives and learning from them about Senegalese life and culture.

Being in our sister village of Diagle (Jog-a-lay) has also given me a chance to see children I first met seven years ago. Today, they are teenagers! Some are even married. Every trip I recognize more faces and learn a few more names. I thank God for each piece of relationship that other Mountain View Teams have developed here, that we can build upon. This all flows over me now.

This week I tried to pick up on the seeds of friendship planted three years ago when I was last here in the village. It was exciting to see one girl I had photographed back then. We hung out every day and pledged our friendship to each other. How fun it would be, I thought, to give my young friend the photo I took of her on my last trip to the village. But when I pulled out the 3-year-old photo, we were both disappointed to see that she was barely visible, crowded out by other kids in the picture.

Happily, the story doesn't end there. Corey Garrett, friend and SIM mission worker in Kaffrine, took photos of many village residents on New Year's Day, my young friend included. Today (01/03), we got to hand a brand new portrait to this wonderful girl--no other kids in the shot, just she in full view!

I thank God for the tiny hands that shook mine today. For the voices that said my name and their own, then asked, "Friend?"

I thank God for the opportunity today to challenge a teen I've watched grow up--challenging her to continue her education and maybe teach someday. For a village elder who tutored me on the technique of peanut (a prominent village crop) shelling. She was patient and encouraging.

Most of all, I thank God for one photo and my precious young friend. May she glimpse my love. I am certainly reminded of His.

Yalla baxna! (God is good!)