Sunday April 12

I thought you might like to share in my easter Sunday thus far. Having set my alarm for 5.40am and I know that for some of you that does simply does not exist...I went to help finish setting up the dining room for the easter brunch which was served at 9.30am. The ward staff who would not be able to get to the brunch had the usual breakfast made available to them since the brunch was served much later than the normal weekend time of 7.30am.

We had a sunrise service which commenced at 6.30am and this is the view I had of the sunrise this morning from deck 8 of Africa Mercy overlooking the sea at Cotonou on a ship which has noticeable movement.

I left for church with Christian at 9.00am and there was a visiting speaker from Nigeria. He was the pastor who started the Four Square church in Benin. But the best part for Christian was that the Nigerian pastor preached in English! So he only had to translate a small part of the service for me. In addition the worship group started by singing a hymn in french but to a tune I knew. The words were not a translated version but I was able to sing and probably knew the tune as we ll as anyone else at the service! The Nigerian pastor also broke into a couple of english choruses which I also knew. He is Lord and one other. On the way home from the service we stopped to have a coconut each. For the princely sum of 30pence we each had a coconut. the girl cut off the top, we drank the Juice inside and then she split the coconut open, fashioned a spoon out of the "lid" and we ate the soft part inside - very refreshing!!