After a draining multi-stage trip to get here, I found lots of things still the same at Cotonou, and other things had changed.
Things the same…• The Fon language: surprising how I seem to be able to understand and speak so much of it despite almost 4 years’ absence. It’s been helpful in the markets, negotiating prices of travel, listening in church, and in meeting old friends who don’t speak French.
• The welcoming smile, loving concern and good cooking of my former neighbour in Agla, Brigitte, who is now sewing me a traditional outfit in the new UEEB cloth.
• The sandy back roads with deep puddles
• Zemidjans (taximotos) who will go anywhere - at great speed and within inches of traffic either side, behind or in front
• I was able to reactivate my old sim card so I have mobile phone access - but it’s still very limited, and doesn’t include text messages.
• Talking about needs for leadership training for Fon church elders with Pastor Bruno, possibly speaking at Fon womens’ conferences with Mama Folley, Fon Christian literature technical problems with translator Emmanuel … aware that I can’t promise take on much more than my existing schedule in Ouaga.
• Eating under the mango trees at the church in the village Hevié, built on Pastor Folley’s farm, with a bed provided for siesta in the breezy shade - a well-remembered calm break in the country from the bustle of town
Things that differ…
• The large number of large buses going between towns - it seems the bush taxi industry is suffering but it’s nice being less crowded and apparently more reliable.
• Main roads are wider, a new bridge cuts down the across-town time enormously
• Multiple storey houses in Agla and building up around Cotonou
• Internet and phone access seemed to have deteriorated since I left, despite a large number of people with mobile phones. The government shut down two large cellular networks just before I arrived for nonpayment of taxes, leaving thousands without phone access and the other networks’ sim cards sold out. The email and the internet system doesn’t seem to have evolved, and after the convenience and speed of SIM Ouaga’s broadband going to a cybercafé (especially when you forget passwords) is a big step downwards.
• Agla’s single young people who helped with initial evangelism as part of youth group activities are now established in Hévie and are the families leading the church, involved in that church’s planting of another church on the village outskirts, under their old pastor, Pastor Folley. Agla itself is going further afield and planting a church 30 minutes’ drive north of Cotonou at Glogibgbe under Pastor Bruno, a big change from the elimination of evangelism from the church budget by the intervening pastor who was in charge my last term.
