As a child I remember hearing sermons on how we as Christians are and should expect to be persecuted.  I never understood that -- no one made it hard for me to worship, my family was never threatened because we were Christians, I didn't fear any other religious group or ever expect to be harmed or killed because of what I believed in.  Today at Central Church my understanding changed with a resounding force. A man and his family from Niger were visiting and he told of the persecution there.  At the conference last week there were reports of pastors being denied land to farm and access to the village well in the villages they serve.  There is an upcoming election here that could change if and how Christians can worship.  They pray constantly about this (sometimes all night long) and ask God to guide their leaders   I know some of the native people that live here -- they are my friends -- and the understanding and realization of what might lie ahead for them is very real.  It is no longer just a far away place that I don't understand or know about that.

On a lighter note, if you are a cheddar cheese lover this is not the place for you!  We haven't seen any in the local market the month that I've been here and this happens frequently.  If some does happen to make it in, the price is unbelievably high.