Author name: Lois Gillespie

We arrived in Dakar last night around 9:30 after a relatively uneventful trip. Our only complications involved the Cleveland airport: we had to repack some of our luggage at the airport; they were insisting that Senegal required us to buy a return trip ticket to prove we could financially leave the country; we had to make a mad dash across the Chicago airport to make our Paris connection since we were 1 1/2 late out of Cleveland – they were closing the doors as we arrived.  From that point on, we had a smooth trip. Arriving in Dakar was a pleasant experience (compared to Abidjan) as all 5 bags arrived and no one searched our bags!

Our new house is also rather a pleasant surprise.  It’s supposedly the one no one wants to live in since it’s so close to the ‘highway’ – nothing separates us but a wall, so it tends to be rather noisy.  But it’s twice the size of our little house at ICA and was more furnished than we expected.  We will have another ICAer (a sweet single lady) living with us who arrives tonight.  We don’t see any problems with this, other than the lack of privacy; but as she is 25+, it’ll be like having Gina back home.  We spent some time unpacking last night and, in spite of the noise, we slept great!

Today, we’re just ‘hanging out’, getting familiar with the school and reuniting with the ICA staff and students who are here.  Bob actually had one student tell him she really missed him in science class since her new teacher is weird (meaning Bob wasn’t?) – he’ll mark this day down.

Getting connected to the internet was easier than I expected it to be; in fact, I think that my responsibilities will be a lot lighter than at ICA. They will definitely be different, and I’m OK with that.  Bob will probably be teaching 2 Bible classes and 2 science classes, a class load he is happy with. Tomorrow we will be running around some with my co-worker so we can ‘learn the ropes’ a bit.  Our fellow-ICAers are saying they will never drive in Dakar (these are people who drive all over Abidjan), so I guess we’re in for an experience – again.  We officially start with our responsibilities on Monday.

You can reach us at the same e-mail address as before; we’ll let you know if and when that changes. Thanks for all your love and care of us while we were home.  We’re really proud of our family and feel like we’re not in this alone, but that all of you are a part of what we’re doing.  That’s a pretty special feeling.

I finally remembered what day it is – in time to send along this Wednesday Update!  I must be getting back to ‘normal’ – what’s normal?

Anyhow, most of you know by now that Bob and I will be heading back to Africa on Nov. 5th.  We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here in the states, not only with family, but also with some of you as we have visited in your churches. Your love and care for us has far exceeded anything we ever imagined, and we thank God continually for your response to our sudden needs.

We will be going to Dakar Academy in Dakar, Senegal, where around 90 of our ICA students are enrolled for the rest of this school year.  We will be joining other ICA staff who have been asked to come and help with the increased student body.

As we left everything behind in Bouake, we are busy restocking – but only are allowed 4 rubbermaid action packers to put everything in.  Actually, we will be able to purchase most things in Dakar – as finances allow.  We’ll be doing a lot of sharing with other staff members who are in the same position as we are.  None of us plan to make this a permanent location; we all want to go back to ICA when it reopens in August 2003, if God wills.

In spite of a recent cease-fire agreement in the Ivory Coast, the US has issued a mandatory evacuation of all it’s non-essential personnel and all family members.  They are arranging with neighboring Ghana to issue temporary visas to allow for the quick removal of American citizens through Ghana.  The economy of West Africa has been greatly affected by this struggle within the strongest country of the region.  Even Senegal, where we are headed, is already facing loss of income from fewer exported goods.

Please pray for peace in the Ivory Coast.  Pray for African friends and neighbors who are still in the Ivory Coast, and dealing with all that we were able to escape.  Pray for us as we prepare to return to Africa, and for the ICA students and staff who are making a new home, even though only temporarily, for this school year.

After spending some time at our mission headquarters (Evangelical Baptist Missions – EBM), Bob and I have been given a new location for this year. We have been asked by ICA and EBM to join the staff at Dakar Academy in Senegal, West Africa.  Already over 75 of our former ICA students have enrolled at Dakar and they are asking for our help.  I will help administer the computer network while Bob will teach in the middle school.  We will be leaving for Dakar some time around the 5th of November.

Our ICA director and other leaders are fully committed to reopening ICA in August 2003, God willing, and we plan to be there.  For now, we are happy to be able to minister to some of the same kids, as well as other missionary children from West Africa.

As we left ‘everything’ behind in Bouake, and don’t know when we’ll get back to see if anything is still there, we will need to re-outfit in Dakar. We’ll be busy in the next few weeks, trying to decide what has to go into only 4 action packers, and what we can wait to buy in Dakar.  We also have some assignments to complete for ICA before we move to Dakar, as well as speaking engagements at various churches, and we want to spend time with friends and family. 

We know without a doubt that God answered your prayers for our protection over the last few weeks. We have seen some supernatural things; we have again experienced God’s direct involvement in our lives, and have felt the absolute peace that can only come from above.  Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers.