Imagine Joe Dekat in a thong! (See attached photo) Our intended itinerary for today was a trip to the beach. You can imagine the excitement for a bunch of Kansans getting to see the ocean. Unfortunately, the gas crisis here continues with neither side willing to give in. So our wonderful hosts scoured the city of Lagos looking for gasoline to buy on the blackmarket. They invested hours and hours to no avail.
Dr. John and his team came into our hotel very apologetic. We assured them it was no problem. Seeing the beach was not a priority only a wish. We asked if we could just got for a ride and see more of the city. We got more than we bargained for...
We saw sights American eyes have never seen before. Teeming thousands filled the streets and marketplace. Our hosts assured us this was an amazingly light traffic day because most people could not get out due to the gas shortage (petrol). As with all our excursions a group of heavily armed policemen accompanied us. In some of the pictures taken surrepticiously, you can see their AK 49's and their tear gas grenades.
The purpose of the policemen was mostly to help us made it through the normal logjam that always clogs the narrow, undermaintained streets. The gas shortage allowed us to move more freely, but heightened the possible need for security since the gas shortage is fraying the nerves of the masses. A precarious balance has been disrupted, and life has gotten harder for millions of ordinary people. So the police were on hand in case things got out of control. Since we on an annointed journey nothing bad has marred our experiences.
What our hosts thought would be a routine stop turned out to be the highlight of the fun part of our trip. We all trooped upstairs to the hat shop of a dear sister in Christ named Gracie. This gifted lady who sells extraordinary hats all over the world, opened her shop to us for two hours. Every woman tried on dozens of stunning millinery creations. Every camera was kept busy as we tried to capture individuals and groups in wild and beautiful headwear.
After dragging ourselves away from the hat finery we were taken to a nearby shop owned by Bee, another beloved sister in the Lord. Her speciality is African dresses. The women especially enjoyed the beautiful dresses. Our hosts surprised us still again by taking all our measurements so they could make us another African outfit. When we wear our African outfits they call us "African-Americans."
At both the hat shop and the dress shop we prayed a blessing on the owners, their businesses and their families. An additional highlight when we returned to the hotel is the policemen who had escorted us allowed all of us to lay hands on them while Pastor Joe prayed a prayer of blessing on them.
We ended the night all gathered in a room to eat bananas, ground nuts (peanuts), oranges African style, and pineapple. A delicious time was had by all
One last observation from a man who has had his horizons widened by our new dear African friends: I thought I knew how to pray till I experienced the power of the prayers of my African brothers and sisters. Wow! These people love the Lord and know how to express their feelings toward God with a pulse-pounding clarity.
We wish you could experience the amazing things we see every day!
Agape, Pastor Curtis
