Category Archives: Desert Journal: Life in Chad, Lessons Learned

My Desert Journal: Life in the Sahara, Lessons LearnedCome sit with me as we read through my Desert Journal.

For half of my life, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in Chad, Africa.

It was the most wonderful time of my life.  I have lots of memories… mostly good, some bad.

I learned a lot there!  Although Chadians may not tell you about the latest app or trending YouTube video, they are masters of face-to-face networking and friendship-building. Their mind is clear enough to see a solution when most would give up and move on.

And Chadians fear no one, except God.

So, make a cup of tea, heavy on the sugar. Join me, as we learn some of those lessons together.

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Unexpected Opportunities: How to make room for them

Have you ever had your plans for the day interrupted by someone else’s unexpected plans for you?

That day, I had my Friday all figured out in my head and was reading my Bible.  Before I could finish, a friend came over to the house.  He had a military general waiting for me outside the gate, waiting to take me somewhere. I had no idea where he wanted to take me, so I was a little bit nervous about it.

download-2In the end, he brought me to his house here in town and had something to discuss with me that was important to him. He had seen our dictionary, and through it our heart for his people, so he felt he could trust me.

He wanted to help bring a school, wells, and hospitals to his region of the country by digging for gold.  A relative in the US had sent him a metal detector.  And because I was an American, “Of course I’d know how to use it!”

I had never used a metal detector before in my life, but together, we were able to figure it out somehow.

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Amandine Bakery: What would N’Djaména be without it?

Restaurants which open today may be forced to close within a few years.  All it takes is a bad decision by the owner one day. Then, tomorrow, you find that the owner has locked the doors.  This is especially true in countries with a less than welcoming business environment.

Like restaurant owners, God’s servants have to find a way to make a living while serving overseas.  To do so, they must find businesses that last – and run them in a way that makes them an indispensable part of their community.

L’Amandine: a durable N’Djaména classic

Gourmet cakes at l'amandineAmandine Bakery is a durable N’Djaména classic; what would life in N’Djaména be without it? The bakers and staff have served baked goods, pizza and ice cream for over twenty years and through at least three revolutions. During one of the skirmishes when they were on Charles de Gaulle Street when the trees were intact, a stray bullet put the ice cream dispenser out of commission!

For many years, L’Amandine has been a favorite gathering place for Chadian musicians and artists. Now it reaches out to all sorts of people as a meeting place. Going there during the week is a special treat.  It’s a great place to celebrate and meet with friends and family.

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