Motos puttered in loaded with families. It was Sunday, and gathering for worship was a joy. Tattered and worn bibles, pages thick and wavy from the humidity, were in hand, and ready. The music was vibrant, our voices filled the cement and block building and spilled into the village as the church filled to capacity. Ceiling fans and oscillating fans tried to keep us cool, but between the singing and the dancing, two white people were swaying both to the music and the dizzying heat. As visitors, we were offered some cool water as we sat down — a lovely Ghanian tradition, and an especially kind gift for Beth and I. At the fabric store the other day, the shop owner had offered us water, and with a smile full of kindness explained, “water is life”. Indeed.

On the wall, in the background of the photo above, the vision statement for the church reads:

“to be a lively and purposeful church of Jesus Christ which demonstrates to the world the All-Sufficient God who makes rivers in the desert”

A reference to Isaiah 43, from the first blog post. A wonderful reminder that we are here today with family.

Water

Exhausted from the singing and a bit of awkward white-guy clapping, Beth and I finally sat into the hot plastic chairs. The pastor’s message was simple: Satisfaction (printed on the banner behind him). Where do we get it? What truly satisfies?

Water is necessary to sustain my frail body. Every day we stop at small shops along the road and buy clean water — but it cannot quench my thirst. There is only one water for real life. It was the reminder I needed.

After the service, I made friends :-)

Responding with smiles, the aunties, uncles, parents and children all politely introduced themselves and asked Beth and I about our travels. We learned their names, favorite classes in school, and family relationships.

We couldn’t linger long, we had work to do, and people were waiting to record the missing community health messages, songs, and testimonies. Bags were stacked high in the back of the truck and Beth was sandwiched in for the drive. Beth is amazing. How is it that woman of so many talents, equipped with all the skills and capabilities I lack, is packed into the back of the portable oven with a gigantic smile?

A short drive later and we are at another empty high school, preparing for our work. Beth and I appreciated the large mango tree helping us avoid the punishing sun.

During breaks, I wandered around to meet people, take photos, and learn more about Sisaala land. The school complex is massive, and some of the staff live in homes or dorms on campus.

Preparing food is often a team activity. Mom spreads the ground corn to dry in the sun. The small girl chases away the timidly approach sheep and goats, looking for a snack. The son roasts the corn.

David Dinah is visually impaired, and teaches choir at the school. He is soft spoken, and generous with is time. The youngest of his sons guides him across the campus to a metal bench under the sprawling mango tree. We build a studio around him. A bit of nylon cord and a suspended suitcase transforms the tripod into a studio mic stand for drums and soloist. Our outdoor studio includes ripe, falling mangos. After each impact, a goat or sheep dash over for a snack.

David explains to Beth the he grew up a Muslim, but was drawn to the music and lyrics he heard coming from a church, much like the praise music that spilled out of the church Beth and I attended in the morning. Music is powerful. David writes his own music, please enjoy the video below of David, and his joyful music.

Next up, Nurse Zenab!

Zenab recently completed her basic nursing school. She also finished a specialization as a midwife — practicing by delivering 10 babies in the surrounding villages. She is excited to share community health information in Sisaala for the BiblePlus Audio Units.

In the video clip above, Zenab describes in English some of the health lessons recorded we recorded.

As the afternoon worn on, Ajara arrived with a large smile and helped edit and tweak the audio tracks Clement and Cyrus recorded yesterday. Yesterday, it was all business — she was steady, confident, motivated, and precise. Today, we are only editing the tracks. Ajara is full of joy and beaming with smiles. During breaks, she finds a stick and gently pokes the ripe mangoes, which immediately fall to the ground. Ajara puts them on the table, away from hungry mouths. When she can’t reach them with the stick, she puts me to work, reaching higher to retrieve the delicious fruit. I’m rewarded with one. Moments later, warm mango juice was dripping down my chin. A great day.

Postscript: The blisters on my legs are distracting. Some areas are a little better, and others have increased and spread. I’m carefully monitoring for infection, and wonder if there are two issues at work… The (suspected) blister beetle rash is the most severe — it is the deepest. The other rashes I believe are either from the heat or some sort of spreading of the toxin. In any case, I’m fine, but appreciate the prayers. I apologize for being behind in the blog. We are working long days, and the heat and other complications slow us down. But we are blessed, and the work is wonderful.

The roosters helped, but not enough. Struggling up at 5:00am to pack and load the truck was accompanied by weak enthusiasm for the drive across the entire width of Ghana, from Tumu to Saboba. The instant coffee provided some assistance, but in the end, it was the voice of Tanya Egler, leading the Wheaton College Gospel choir, that bounced us eastward across the red dirt.

A Garage Sale

Several years ago, while canoeing with friends in the Canadian wilderness, Beth and I learned the expression “a garage sale”. It describes the unkempt appearance of camp when all of your possessions have exploded out of your packs and onto the ground as everyone sets up camp. A fellow traveller might look upon your disordered disassembly, splayed out onto the forest floor and remark, “Wow, you have quite a garage sale there…. how much for that unmatched sock?”

Experienced adventure travelers will immediately recognize the image above — the disordered disassembly of everything in the truck… No, we were not camping there, or waiting for an Uber.

The truck had a puncture (flat). After swapping in the spare, Ray drove toward town searching for a new tire and leaving us by the side of the road. Ray returned empty handed, so we loaded up our garage sale and drove further, to search in town.

Several stops later (used tire shop, new tire shop, tire mounting shop, food/water resupply), and we were back on the road…

The next stop on our cross country trip? The Baptist Hospital in Nalerigu, a convenient place to meet Afrifa and drop off supplies brought with us from the USA.

Last year in October, we were privileged to attend Afrifa and Vida’s amazing exciting thrilling wedding. Afrifa is such a wonderful, kind, and dedicated man. He has served northern Ghana longer than any of the other Moto missionaries on the team. With a beaming smile and gentle sprit, he leads the team with six years of experience.

The map of Northern Ghana shows colored dots where Moto Missionaries have gone to meet with villages or churches. The locations are color coded by rider. Afrifa loves the gift Beth and I made for him.

We also meet Priscilla, a young woman who attended the OneWay Africa training and then decided to open a school to serve children in a remote village. She already has more than 100 students. A schoolhouse? No — just the shade of a tree. But Priscilla has enthusiasm, prayer, and trust in the Lord.

When I look at her smile and hear her story of faith and love, I just melt.

We shared hugs, prayers, and more hugs before loading back into the bedraggled and well-worn truck. While dodging donkeys, yellow yellows and dangerous holes in road, I stole a few moments to reflect. Introspection is good, but difficult. The young men and women here challenge my assumptions, my values, my biases. They are refreshing water on a sweltering day.

Our trips to Ghana are to encourage, train, and assist — yet I always realize the roles are reversed. Beth and I teach technology, leadership skills, and complex logistics, while the Ghanaians teach us faith, heart, and perseverance.

Chereponi

The last stop on our drive is the town of Chereponi, where we recorded the Anufo language material in January of 2023. We roll in right before sunset. Pastor Azuma, since retired, is there smiling.

The meeting marks the completion of the Anufo BiblePlus, and was the first time Beth and I were able to see the initial distribution, the “premier”. From the recording trip 15 months ago to finished ministry tools in hand, each of the solar-powered audio players have Anufo choirs, preaching, community health information, testimonies, and the Anufo New Testament. The uSD version, designed for mobile phones also includes videos and the Android app for the Bible in Anufo.

Saboba

13.5 hours after we left Tumu, we arrive in Saboba and crash for the night, exhausted. My neck and shoulders ache from the long drive, but Cyrus, Beth, and Clement took the biggest beating in the back, wedged between suitcases and occasionally thumping their heads against the roof when I misjudged a road crater. The punishing dirt roads have taken their toll on the truck and our bodies. Joyful, hard, and rewarding. Just the way we like it.

Coffee Break

The next morning, it is CHOIRS, CHOIRS, CHOIRS!!! (actually six of them to be precise)

Now is the time to get up, stretch, grab a cup of tea or coffee, and just enjoy the videos below. We didn’t have time to merge the video with the recorded microphone audio, so what you are hearing is the cell phone mic on my iPhone. Please don’t skip over the videos. Click on them (movies have a white triangle in the middle). The smiles, dancing, and strong voices praising God are just so beautiful. I’ve saved my favorite for the end :-)

By evening, the men and women had joined together into an exciting dance party. The scorching heat had lifted, and the frenzied rhythms and dancing stated. In the background, people stood with their cell phones to light up the dusty dance floor. Wow.

Bonus Track!

Tomorrow is our last day in Saboba. The weather has been punishing, but the joy of the Konkomba does help restore. Below this weather forecast is the bonus track. Janet, the choir director for the Youth Choir sings a passionate, amazing, awe-inspiring solo. Even without knowing a word of Konkomba, you can hear Janet’s heart, full, and singing.

Once again, my heart gets a lesson. A great day.

As the Ghanians would say… “Aaaaaaaaamen!”

The people of Ghana love to laugh, smile, and as you know, dance. Even in the most remote locations, where we are so clearly out of place, a smile is almost always quickly returned, and we are made to feel welcome. Ghanaians enjoy talking and learning about visitors — after a proper introduction. Sharing your name, where you are from, and that you are delighted to be visiting, followed by polite questions, such as “what is your name?”, or “please tell me about your family?” can be a fun way to make some friends.

Ghanaians also value politeness, and liberally apply “thank you” and “please” and “you are welcome” in conversation. While I admit to a little anxiety at some police checkpoints along the road, the officials are always polite.

As I have been doing the driving, I stop, roll down my window with a large smile, and answer the standard queries — who are you?, where are you coming from? and where are you going? Those questions are actually quite helpful for all of us. Often, an official can begin somewhat sternly before agreeing that my passport and visa are correct. The interaction ends when they convert the furrowed brow and stiff lips into a welcoming smile.

However, sometimes more than a smile is needed to break the ice.

Making Friends

I just love the photo above. While Clement was expertly recording one of the pastors, I put on my sun hat, slung my camera over my shoulder, and went outside. Carefully avoiding the equatorial sun, I stayed in the shade and rounded the corner of our building to find a young family getting water from the tap.

Immediately, two of the three adorable kids, who had been standing on the hot cement floor as their mother filled a large bucket with water, burst into tears and a frightening wail.

Mom looks up at me, returned my enormous smile. I apologized for frightening the kids while she scooped them up into her arm.

Two or three minutes elapsed before the older daughter had stopped sobbing sufficiently to uncover her eyes and peek at me again.

What I love about the photo is how the mother gently, with confidence and love, smiles and holds the children. She was not shusshing them, or telling them to stop their crying. She understood. Her children had good reason to be frightened — I look very very different, and do not speak Konkomba. She just held them tightly. What a beautiful picture of love.

The older brother, however, was not so much frightened —- as curious. What kind of man was looking at him? So while his younger sisters were getting some extra attention, he was turning on the curiosity.

After several minutes, he started sneaking peaks at me from around the corner. I looked up, feigning surprise each time, and returned his gaze with a large smile. Finally, he was fist-bumping me and waiting patiently for me to peek over the four-foot wall and stare down at him. Fear conquered.

Finishing the Audio Recordings

Cyrus and Clement were working efficiently in parallel. Clement finished up all the Bible stories and pastor’s materials from the dining room, while Cyrus worked from a room in the guest house. Cyrus recorded a local doctor and nurse as they made it through 12 community health lectures. WOW!!!

Yes, a guest house room can also be a studio.

No, you can’t record there

While searching for a particularly pleasant place to record video of the choirs, I spied a Baobab tree ringed with smaller trees enjoying the shade.

“No no no, you can not go there!”

I wondered if the massive tree was on someone else’s property, or there was a custom that I didn’t know.

“Many, many bees live there, they could attack,” explained the pastor.

The thought of on African bee swarm attacking the choir in 106 degree weather had me sharing exaggerated nods and agreeing.

So, naturally, I snuck back later to take some photos. I could see at least 5 massive hives, each 3 to 4 feet in diameter, in the small area I went to explore. There were probably 5 to 10 more. I decided to retreat.

A little internet sleuthing later and I understood the immense caution — “sudden movement and loud noises” can cause the bees to swarm. I’m pretty certain most American choirs would be completely safe under a Baobab full of African bee hives — -but a dancing, drumming, singing Ghanian choir? “No no no, you can not go there”! Good advice.

Wrapping Up the Audio

On this trip we completed recording the Sissala language of the Tumu region and the Konkomba language of the Saboba region. While Beth helped organize, I did none of the microphone or video setup — it was 100% Cyrus and Clement. Fifteen months after receiving the “recording backpacks” that we constructed, they have mastered the basic skills needed to record good audio in a variety of difficult situations.

In the evening, we discussed lessons learned and encouraged C&C to take on even larger projects with their new training. Once Beth and I get home, we will do final processing of all of the digital files and produce master copies of the audio and video and start ordering more solar players and microSD cards for mobile phones. So Cool!

One more break, three more friends

A smile can help, but sometimes it is not enough. Three young ladies were walking down the road to get water. I got big smiles from 66% :-)

Motorcycle Canoe Ferry

Saboba, the small town where we stayed to record Konkomba is just a few miles from the Togo border. As we finished the final day of recording and the sun began to set, the pastors led us down to the river.

We expected to see young ladies, children, and mothers fetching water and washing clothes. Maybe we would once again catch a group of boisterous kids cooling off in the muddy river. Instead, we found a ferry crossing between Ghana and Togo.

Saying Goodbye to the North

Some photos from the drive back to Accra… followed by Giggles…

Giggles

While driving back from the river, Beth spotted this wonderful scene. Five giggling children who had climbed up onto a small wooden structure used to keep goats and sheep from nibbling food. Below, one of the children is in shock at seeing the bald, sweaty white guy driving a truck — but the rest find it just wonderfully entertaining. Each with a heartwarming smile. I should have stopped the car and spent 10 minute photographing them all — but we were racing against the sunset, and so only a quick iPhone photo was possible. Below the photo is a 6 second video. I recommend playing it several times to simply enjoy the giggles.

We are back in Accra. Tomorrow I’ll be teaching at the OneWay offices and Beth and I will try and wrap up all the technical work before heading home. Wow, a full, full trip.

Postscript: My skin issues have resolved greatly, thanks for the prayers. Between the blister beetle blisters, the heat rash, and what seems like a significant bite/sting that turned into a somewhat unfriendly reaction, and 106 degree heat, this trip was physically demanding. But we have smiles and joy — the work is good, the Lord is good, and we are being stretched.

Beth is a meticulous planner. Some people might say that I am too — but perhaps by only one or two. We are vastly different in our approaches. My amazing wife keeps lists of lists, meticulously indexed.

While I was adding boxes of lithium batteries to the “packing table”—where every item bound for Ghana gets staged, evaluated, ranked, and either packed or left behind— I caught a glimpse of one of Beth’s lists. It was like peering into the gears of the Antikythera mechanism. I was simultaneously full of admiration and slightly dazed. I gripped the table to steady myself as I scanned the single page masterpiece.

The document wasn’t just a list; it was a roadmap for ordering equipment for the eight young men riding motorcycles between the remote communities of Northern Ghana and sharing the Gospel. Beth’s document featured no fewer than five links to additional reference documents and was divided into three precise sections.

The first section detailed what should be done two months prior to departure: whom to contact in Ghana to gather repair needs and to identify fixes I could handle in the field. The second laid out tasks for 4–6 weeks before departure, including instructions for notifying the finance team about equipment orders using specific forms. Finally, the third section explained the critical steps for the final week—including printing and affixing labels to equipment so we can track what breaks and when.

Hmmm. My meticulous planning consists primarily of sticky notes, bits of graph paper with small sketches, and spreadsheets of all the technical bits I assemble. Most of my ToDo items include activities like:

• Test fire stove
• Flush and check water filter
• Configure the new mobile phones
• Rebuild all videos for higher resolution with ffmpeg
• Activate Garmin InReach
• Check first aid kit for Z-packs & Amoxycillin

Beth rolls her eyes when I declare that I’m the Side Kick, and she is the Superhero. However, what is certainly true, is that we are blessed to be a team.

What we do: BiblePlus

Before we get too far along in this year’s blog, it might be helpful to provide a super short recap about what we do there. Beth and I help support a team of Ghanaians doing ministry. Sometimes we are helping with water filters that can prevent disease. Sometimes we are playing games with children. Most of the time, when we are not bouncing across dusty red tracks to tiny villages in the north, we are recording audio and video. Why? Do we have a YouTube channel? Are we social media influencers? Can you follow us on TikTok? The answer to all three is no — although I’m sure my fashion and luxury travel tips would attract many Gen-Z followers.

Ghana, like many countries around the world, is home to dozens of distinct languages and cultures. The largest of those people groups have millions of speakers, and have both political and economic resources. However, many of the medium-sided people groups have only a couple hundred thousand speakers. Some of the smaller tribes have only 10 or 20 thousand speakers — or fewer. How can those groups, who are often primarily oral cultures, hear what Jesus taught about love, grace, forgiveness, and compassion?

Beth and I record jubilant church choirs singing in their indigenous musical styles, nurses sharing community health information on topics such as malaria, diabetes, AIDS, and tuberculosis, Bible stories shared by men and women using the language and style of their unique culture, and prayers, testimonies, and teachings by local pastors. Recorded outside under mango trees, in traditional mud and thatch homes, or in small churches, their voices represent the hearts and authentic faith of people where they live, in the language they speak at home and on their farms. 

We then process and assemble the audio and video tracks. They are then combined with other digital resources from partners, such as an audio version of the New Testament and videos dubbed into the local language. The combined library of media resources can then be distributed on microSD cards for mobile phones or loaded onto solar-powered audio players.  To date, Beth and I have helped produce “BiblePlus” in thirteen different Ghanian languages.  We hope to add two more languages on this trip. 

The Next Leaders 

It has been almost 9 months since our last trip to Ghana. Cyrus and Clement (C&C) have been busy continuing the work in Northern Ghana, and we meet with them periodically over Zoom. We began training C&C two years ago. They each have a portable recording studio — a backpack with microphones, a mobile phone for recording video, and a laptop for editing. During our last trip, in April of 2024, we recorded the Sisaala and Konkomba languages.

On this trip, Marianne, a staff member from the OneWay offices in Aurora, will be joining us for part of the trip to Ghana. Together with Cyrus, Clement, and of course Ray, we will be working to record audio and video of the Akyode and Adele people in the Nkwanta district. There have been long-standing conflicts between their communities, and we are praying for reconciliation.

Ghanaians are welcoming. And over the last 12 years working hand in hand with team members serving in the North, we have been promoted from strangely dressed Oburoni to “Auntie Beth” and “Uncle Pete”. Our blended family has enjoyed weddings, dance parties, and hard, exhausting work that often continues late into the night. It is a joy to return to broad smiles, open hearts, and dancing feet.

Field Supplies and Equipment

While our trips to Ghana are roughly two weeks long, Beth and I work on remote support and preparation year-round. We are the quartermasters. Every few years equipment in the field must be updated, and this year is one of those super cycles. Beth and I have been prepping new gear and updating the digital libraries of microSD cards, USB sticks, and mobile phones.

From small rural churches in Virginia and retired grandmas in Batavia to school kids collecting nickels and dimes, partners in the work have provided the resources to buy the equipment used each day in Ghana. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul describes those who “equip the saints for the work of ministry”. We are thankful for the broad and diverse team that makes it possible for everything from armored motorcycle jackets and helmets to water filters and microSD cards to equip the workers, “the saints”. Over the last 12 years, more than 31,000 solar or microSD versions of BiblePlus in 13 languages have been donated. Thank you!

Other Preparation

The plans for this trip are still evolving. A few days ago Ray decided we would take two trucks up the eastern corridor toward Nkwanta. He will drive one, and I will drive the other. Ray will come back a few days early, with Marianne, and C&C will work with Beth and I to wrap up the work. But experienced readers will remember that plans are more like crayon doodles here in Ghana — situations change.

We are “planning” for a potential hike to a very remote community. We would follow a jungle path up a small mountain for three hours to a community without electricity. We don’t mind a little camping.

Fun

Ticking items off from a ToDo or packing list with an exaggerated flourish of the pen is rewarding. Yet, it is lacking creative, messy, fun. I’m just not so good at methodical, planned, predictable progress without a break for imagining, creating, and inventing. Maybe that’s why when plans go awry, I can enjoy both the anxiety and the problem solving.

So… last night, before we finished all the packing, I roped Beth into helping me with an art project. Several years ago, our son Paul taught us how to do wax paper screen prints. For the last couple of weeks, we have been imagining a small project. I finished up at 1am last night, and this morning Beth and I ran the project through the washer and dryer, finishing about 45 minutes before LVH (thank you!) took us to the airport. No matter how long your packing list, make room for creativity and fun. When we get to Ghana, we will show you how they turned out.

Always Learning

In the James Bond movies, Q is short for Quartermaster. Q provides pens that explode and watches that shoot lasers. As a kid, I may have imagined myself racing speed boats up the Amazon or parachuting from a bridge to intercept a speeding train. But the truth is I’m more like a shorts-wearing, wilderness-loving, version of Q — but without lasers. Beth and are preparing the tech to advance the work in Ghana. Now, it is time to transition from planning to doing.

Quick Status Update: Our flight is delayed, and we are waiting for a plane repair. We hope the next blog post is from Ghana.

We arrived in Ghana 17 hours late, at 1:00am.  In Washington DC, our plane was “overnighted” with a mechanical issue.  Our plans were already changing, and the colors and sounds of Ghana were still on a distant continent. Nevertheless, one thing has not changed — the biggest smiles and hugs were waiting for Beth and I as we pushed carts piled high with gear out of the airport and into the warm night air.  Cyrus and Jacob were not discouraged by our arrival time. 

The pickup truck, filled with 50-pound suitcases, was also full of excited chatter as we sped down the traffic-free highway and caught up on events since we were here 9 months ago.  By 2:30am Beth and I were trying to wind down and get to sleep.

Early the next the morning, we dragged our bags to the Philip Center offices where the staff was beginning to gather.  A joyful reunion, this time in the daylight, echoed between the concrete walls and tile floors.  The laughter was followed by singing; earnest voices were joined by drums and possibly some tears as we thanked God for bringing us all together and prayed for the work to come.

But our time was short.  We needed to quickly begin driving north.  While many times are flexible in Ghana, we needed to be in Nkwanta by 8pm.

The original plan was to drive north together, in two trucks.  But one of the trucks was having some difficulty, and Ray was going to take it to the shop.  Cyrus, Clement, Marianne, and Beth and I hopped in the new truck and started north.  The drive was very smooth and fast in many places, but then non-existent in others.  Ray stayed behind and planned to follow later.

I quickly remembered how to drive in Ghana.  Motos sped by on the left and right, and small three-wheeled yellow-yellows zigged across traffic.  Tro-tros stopped unpredictably, picking up passengers who waved for a ride.  Over the course of the 7-hour drive, we passed through 6 or 7 police checkpoints.  Sometime police looked at us and just waved us through.  Other times, we were stopped. “Please, where are you coming from?” the officer would ask, followed quickly by “Where are you going?”.  As we neared Nkwanta, the checkpoints became more thorough.  A large man with an automatic rifle asked us what was in the back of the truck.  “Our luggage” I replied.  He walked to the back of the truck and opened the back.  On the other side of the road I noticed dusty red bags strapped to racks on motorbikes, being poked and prodded by policeman’s batons.  

The police are working hard to restore peace to the Nkwanta area.  The clashes between the Adele and Akyode had paused, but in town, the situation was still tense.  On the main road, many of the shop owners had temporarily shut down.  The city and surrounding farms are split between the two tribes, and lasting reconciliation remains elusive.  

The military has wisely imposed an 8pm to 6am curfew.  We pulled into Nkwanta through a final military checkpoint with soldiers in black balaclavas, and we drove into a quiet town.

We checked into the hotel, parking next to a Police Toyota LandCruiser. Jollof helped restore our fatigue, and we relaxed to discuss our plans for tomorrow and discuss the situation between the Adele and Akyode tribes.  They need peace.  The military could enforce separation, but hearts only change with forgiveness.  I was reminded of the Matt Maher song with the lyrics “Love moves at the speed of forgiveness, one heart at a time”.  Reconciliation and forgiveness are not the same as a pause in the conflict.  Curfews and fear can enforce a cessation of conflict, but forgiveness is the only path to peace. 

By 7:15, we were beginning to become concerned about Ray.  He would not be allowed into the city after the curfew.  But before long, he was smiling and sitting down at our dinner table to receive his jollof and help us make our way through our plans.  By 8:00pm, the streets had become deserted; we welcomed the quiet — no lorries, no tooting yellow-yellows.  

We wrapped up the evening by praying for the Adele and Akyode tribes.  Maybe you would like to join us. 

At 5:30am, I woke up quietly and made some instant coffee before configuring the gear we would use to record.  At 6:00am, I heard my first car horn in the distance.  I also realized that the roosters seemed to be obeying the curfew too.  Nice!  I peered out the window to see the sun rising over the mountains. Psalm 121 is a perfect verse for today.

While heading to breakfast, I saw a large, muscular man, maybe slightly taller than me.  He wore a smartly decorated uniform, with white braids hanging from his broad and  perfectly aligned shoulders.  I approached and thanked him for his work.  We chatted briefly.  Remembering the LandCruiser I had seen in the hotel parking lot yesterday, I shared that I used to have the same vehicle that he was driving, and they are rugged and nice.  He returned a puzzled gaze, saying, “I’m driving the armored vehicle”.  I laughed and explained the mix-up.  He smiled, and I went to breakfast.  It will be a great day.