Opening ceremony marks completion of construction work

Mercy Ships recently partnered with Bethesda, a Benin-based NGO (non-governmental organization), in the construction of the Bethesda Community Development Agriculture Training Center in Hévié, Benin. Now completed, the facility is serving as the venue for a three-month agriculture training program, “Food for Life”, which teaches farmers biblical organic agriculture skills in nutrition and crop production. The training center contains a lecture room for classes, as well as living quarters where participants will reside while attending the “Food for Life” program.

(taken from a longer article written by Megan Petock)

Mum- This is the site you visited while you were here, isn't it great that it is finished!

See pictures:

http://peetfamilyinliberia.blogspot.com/2009/09/construction-project-finished.html

http://cairncrossclan.blogspot.com/2009/09/training-it-grows-on-you.html

It's hot again

It is hot here again. Our thermometer is reading 28 degrees despite our curtains being closed all morning to keep the sun out and the fans being on all morning with the door open when we have been here. The boys don't ever sleep with any covers but now even pyjamas are just too much. Thank goodness there is some air conditioning at least, although it works better in some parts of the ship than others - it is certainly a lot hotter outside and it still feels a relief to return to the ship.

swallowing the swimming pool

So we had some fun borrowing an underwater camera! Tom with goggles on and mouth closed...
...whereas Joshua is happy to have his eyes and mouth open - providing a big clue as to why we have to take so many bathroom trips...
...and then the bigger people had fun with the camera and the boys fishes that sink to the bottom that you dive down for...here is Sam finding one...

a week flies by

Slennett's in Benin, two of our fav people in the world :-)

It seems like Amy only just got here, but we have had a busy week showing her the local sights and our favourite places in Benin, and sadly she is on her way back home. It has been so much fun having her and we are just glad that Christmas is not seeming too far away before we see her, and everyone else again.

pirate fun

When packing for a visit to West Africa you have to think really carefully about what you might need to take, but as long as you plan for a pirate picnic and water fight you probably can't go too wrong, although you may get very wet :-)

Getting very wet!

Thanks Auntie Amy for the pirate t shirts!

Next time bring yourself a water gun so you don't have to use Mummy's washing up bottle?