Getting to know Eden

        Roy Danforth has planted and is helping to maintain a large plot of land in Gamboula that is called Yeke Te Eden, or The Garden of Eden. This plot of land has hundreds of fruit trees that he has collected from all over the world growing in it. These are a few of the fruits I ate one day while I walked through it. Many of them I had only ever heard about, but never seen. In this photo Roy is holding a jack fruit we just picked of one of the trees. There will definitely be more about this amazing place in the future. 

                                          Guava

                                                                                   Barbados chary 

ice cream/Inga

                                                    Rolinia

                                                                                                        Malay apple 

I am in Gamboula!

Let the Journey Begin

       When my great-grandparents, grandparents, and even my dad first went to live in Central Africa, they had to take a boat from the United States. This journey took weeks, and was quite treacherous. Having grown up going back and forth from the US to Africa, I have made this journey many times, but in my case it was quick and for the most part fairly easy compared to what previous generations had to endure. Modern air travel has made travel to and from other places easier. Despite the ease of travel now, going to Central Africa is still a little more difficult than going to most places. There are very few direct flights to the continent from the United States. To get there, one must often go through Europe or the Middle East somewhere. 

       Saturday morning I start my trip to the CAR. I will fly from LA to Dulles (Washington), to Brussels (Belgium), and then Cameroon. All in all, with flights and airport layovers, this trip should take about 30 hours. Some time in the next week I will drive the rest of the way to CAR.
       For those who know me, you know that I am just a little obsessed with airplanes and anything associated with them. This much flying and being around airports is exciting and for the most part really enjoyable. Nevertheless, international travel often has its complications and unplanned adventures, so I would appreciate prayer as I go. In a little over two days I will be in Africa!