Michael and Stacy Creech

Paul’s Secret

September 10, 2017

Last Friday our host family was invited to go to another church’s Friday night meeting, so they asked if I wanted to tag along with them. Thinking it would be a good chance to see another church and spend some time with our host family, I said yes. Now, I had already had class earlier that day, […]

“We’ll figure it out when we get there.”

August 1, 2017

A few weeks before leaving for Guinea Bissau back in June, I made travel plans. First I secured our boat tickets, got a place to stay a few nights, and then working through several contacts I was able to secure a car and driver from the South of Senegal to the South of Guinea Bissau. […]

Mind-blowingly normal.

May 17, 2017

Last Sunday when I woke up and looked out the window. Where I might normally see an empty sandy lot with a makeshift soccer goal, there was a large pavilion being set up. Now this isn’t all to unfamiliar, for all kinds of events people will rent large tents and pop them up in an […]

Knowing

January 22, 2017

You watch your child as they try to play a game with everyone else. They are the only one that doesn’t know how to play, and it’s easy to see they are frustrated. They’re annoyed that everyone else understands the rules and no matter how hard they try to mimic what they see, they keep […]

Who I am is not what I can say.

December 12, 2016

He finished his first train of thought, and then looked over at me and asked “Do you have anything to add?” Absolutely I had something to add, but could I? A few Sundays ago, instead of the gospel being declared to us from the pulpit at church, we were told to form small groups and […]

The Newspaper

October 26, 2016

His smile lit up his face when he realized what I was asking. He hadn’t seen me approaching since his bad eye was turned to me. “How much?” I asked again, when I couldn’t understand what he said. “Cent franc,” he responded, his thin hand pulling out the newspaper that had caught my eye. I […]

Always

October 2, 2016

“How is my friend who likes red pommes?” He asks, every time we go to buy fruit from him. He’s talking about Riley, and if she is with us, he will always try to get a smile out of her. We rarely buy our fruit from the supermarket, preferring to visit our favorite fruit vendor. […]

Neighbors

September 29, 2016

There is a lady, I’ve seen her twice recently, sitting in front of her apartment building – the one right across from us. I’ve seen her when I’ve been on my way to class. She sits with a dress in her lap, using brightly colored thread to embroider a beautiful design on it. The other […]

How It Started

September 26, 2016

She comes to our house during the week to cook and clean. At least that’s how it started. Now, she comes the other two days to help watch the kids while I am at my session in the afternoons. It gives Michael some extra time to study. She comes to our house during the week […]

Boutique

September 22, 2016

On the corner, not too far from our house, is a little room that is opened on both sides, set into the building. There are bars from floor to ceiling, and behind the bars, goods are also packed from floor to ceiling. Oil, flour, sugar, soap, laundry detergent, and other necessities are easy to get […]