Madame Alexandrine Zokoe Takes USA Tour

About two days ago I dropped my dear friend Alexandrine Zokoe off at Chicago O'Hare Airport after a whirlwind four-week tour in the USA. What fun we had!

How did she take in everything? Well, she looked on it as a continual adventure and was always ready to go, always in a good mood even when our schedule became intense. Toward the end of her stay she would say: "every day, every hour, every minute, every second I am discovering new things!" Within the first week or so I remember her saying, "My eyes are getting tired of seeing!" referring to the fact that everywhere she looked was something new and different.

Perhaps you are wondering what her strongest impressions were? She was really impressed with:

• the vastness of the ocean (Clearwater Beach in Florida)
• miles and miles and miles of corn, beans and wheat
• the variety of American food
• Americans' love for exercise (a greenway runs through my backyard)
• how everything is automatic ~ drive throughs, pay at the pump, automatic bathrooms...

GREATEST IMPRESSIONS

But I think what impacted her the most, and what will hopefully stick with her forever is two things:

1. The way that American worship. Though she speaks a different language and the style of music she heard in our worship services was very different from in her land, still she found herself being caught up in the worship at National Conference and in churches we visited.


2. The way Americans loved, accepted and welcomed her. Perhaps the greatest blessing of the huge offering given to PHC at National Conference to help finance the education of our older children was that it made us -- her and me -- realize that we have a supportive family behind us in this ministry.

And so before posting fun photos of our time together in the USA, I must first thank those of you who met her for how you loved my friend and coworker. Many thanks!

Thank you, Sylvia (Totzke, above) for your excellent
work in lining up and coordinating Madame Alexandrine's tour to the USA.

Captain for a day, well, a minute... just enough time for a photo opt!

Madame Alexandrine and I took a bike ride with
my dad in New Holland, Pennsylvania.

Chris Balmer & Madame Alexandrine horsing around.

Dot & Carl Myer gave us a tour of their dairy farm.
They are pictured here with Mike & Joan McCracken.
Both couples are part of the Lititz GBC in Pennsylvania.

Lesson on pollination by Dan Balmer. Madame Alexandrine
is returning to the Central African Republic with sweet corn seed
she plans to plant next to her house in Bangui.

A group of four of us took in the sites of Chicago via segway. FUN!

Her first view of the ocean (Gulf Coast at Clearwater Beach)
brought on a song of praise and worship to God:

"When I see the mountains,
the valleys, the works of Your hand,
I have to worship you, O my God."

Connecting with sponsors in seven churches and at Conference
was a pure delight for Madame Alexandrine.

The man waiting for Madame Alexandrine back at home.
Husband, David, is a wonderful man who was delighted to
release his wife for ministry in the USA. Thank you, Mr. David!