The Sauna

Bonjour!!
Been a full week over here in Benin! Only like 70 more, Mom! Lol!
This week consisted of a lot of sweat, power outages, bug bites, heat rash, and getting called yovo a lot (White person). BUT on the bright side, this week also consisted of cold Cokes, SO MUCH yummy fresh fruit, cold showers, and new amis at church!!!

Seriously so cool—it's only my second Sunday, and we have been blessed to see some of our new friends at church! We met one of them last week and then his friends on Tuesday, and seven of them made it to church!!!! Literally a miracle in front of my face! Honestly, never would've thought I'd see things happen so fast! Hopefully, next week we get this place turned into a splash zone.

This week I've been soooo flustered with the language! Sometimes I can speak super well, and other times it feels like I've never done a Duolingo lesson in French.

Private cheffing out here for exchanges.
Invested in my first meters of pagne this week and am so stoked to make my first dress of many.
Trying to learn the currency so I do not get ripped off again.
Okay, calling this email The Sauna cuz our house is SO HOT. Like, Africa is hot as crap, but it's cooler outside than in our house! Woke up to the power turning off one night and couldn't tell if it was sweat or tears running down my face. Can't wait to be adjusted to this weather.

Small thought that I loved this week was Mark 8:35: "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it."
Because I'm on a mission, yes, this is much easier to relate to, but even in general, there are so many things we can sacrifice in our lives to "lose our lives" for the gospel.
Every week I focus on a Christlike attribute and do my best to apply it in my life. This week was humility, and I think this really hit me because of that! Christ not only died for us, but He suffered ALL the sins of the world at one time, was beaten, carried His own cross, and was crucified for each one of us. The least I could do for Him is lose my life for what I know is true!

I love all of you so, so much!!
I love getting emails throughout the week, so send me an email and say hi!!

Sœur Jenson




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