On my way to Senegal. Overlooking Liberia, not far from our home.

My hotel room. The ocean beyond. Climate cool and dry. I could think of worse places to be.

Another view from outside my hotel room, Early morning. Fishermen in the bay.

On the road from the hotel to the retreat center. Horse and carts were everywhere,

On top of a taxi. Notice anything unusual in the baggage net? (Hint: Baaaa! Baaaaa!)

Almost at the retreat center. Typical of the beautiful architecture in Dakar.

There were some great birds on the retreat compound. This, I believe is a Rueppell's glossy starling, but not sure.

This is a red billed hornbill.

During the workshop: Mary Crickmore, Team Leader(Mali), facilitates.

During our supper break: Fishermen on their way home.

Early moring at the retreat center-- enjoying a quiet moment in the dry and cool air.

Most of the Team: representing Mali, Sierra Leone, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Liberia.

The West Africa Ministry team Meeting, Part 1

Hello folks, the Blogger Bot that post pictures acting up, so I will write more and post some more images from Senegal, including the WAMT members, when it calms down. Here are a few I could post.

By the way, for those of you who have asked, there will soon be a link to a place where you can make contributions to our work. Coming soon-- as soon as we get the blogger kinks worked out.

After the workshop, some of us left for Goree' Island. This is the infamous slave house, where so many Africans said goodbye forever to their homeland.

The sign reads, "Here, they embarked on a trip of no return, to a place of eternal suffering." Hundreds of thousands of slaves passed through this door to the US or to death on the trip.

John from Nigeria, and me from the United Staes, at the Door. We have made progress toward reconciliation and justice. But we have a long way to go.

A little shot o' Yers Trooly, on a high point at Goree' Island, overlooking the ocean. I loved the climate. Cool and dry.

Here is an example of the dust storms that come to Senegal. This is our first morning, looking west toward Dakar. It was our only clear day...

...and here is the same view a couple days later after the Sahara dust came.

Visitors from Grand Rapids, a Walk in the Bomi Bush, a Flight to Dakar

We are in the midst of busy-ness, dear friends. Renita has her arms full with LEAD activities and the visit from Partners Worldwide and five brothers and sisters from Madison Square Church in Grand Rapids. As for me, my peacebuilding class has started, and Sunday I fly to Senegal for a week of meetings with other West Africa CRWRC folks.

I’ll have some shots of my trip to Senegal if I find internet access when I get there, and I might get a shot or two of my class.

In the meantime, enjoy a few shots of the Madison group visit.