Benin Discovery Pictures

Read below to see how this vehicle became part of my story

The last day of our Discovery trip we returned to Cotonou from our debrief "retreat".  Our first stop in the morning was the airport so that our overseas travelers could check-in their luggage. We still had a good amount of supplies and luggage to carry and my co-leader didn't want us to use motorcycle taxis on our last day (even though we used them throughout the whole trip) so we hired a taxi car to get us to a restaurant.  We celebrated our "last lunch" with some international cuisine: Shawarma, which was quite tasty but in a noisy location.

Then the Discoverers had a couple hours to visit their host families and say a proper goodbye.  I had the same host family as Alicia so we along with one Beninois Discoverer spent some quality time with our gracious hosts.  I wasn't traveling back to California for a few days yet so I also wanted to drop my suitcase back at my host home.  Even though the distance from the restaurant to our home wasn't far, we arranged 3 motorcycle taxis to get us there.     

We were to meet back at the Wycliffe Benin office in the afternoon for some final team bonding time before the final airport goodbye. So back on the street we looked for 3 more moto-taxis.  The first one I talked to wasn't able to take us since he had just injured his foot and leg… Alicia led us in a prayer for his healing before we got on 3 other motos.  Once our taxis arrived at the office, we dismounted and proceeded to pay.  After I paid for mine, from the sidewalk I noticed that one of the students was standing nearer to the street but before I could help them move to a safer place to stand, I saw a "motorcycle truck"   speeding off the street and heading straight toward me on the sidewalk!  (look at the top picture and see the BACK wheels on the sidewalk)  Next thing I knew, I was knocked on the ground glad that my helmet was still on since I couldn't yet tell how far or hard I would fall… 

I ended up sitting on the ground with my left elbow burned by a hot motorcycle engine and my right leg very painful just below my knee.  The Wycliffe Benin staff who were working that Saturday on the 2nd floor just above where we alighted, heard the huge crash noise and before I even knew what was happening, they were asking if I was OK and within 2 minutes had helped me to my feet.  

As I surveyed the crash scene,   I saw one of our moto-taxi drivers laid out flat on the sidewalk on my left as the truck that hit me had seemingly gone right over his moto knocking him to the ground… the 2 Discovery students with me had fallen down in the mayhem but were totally un-injured.  

Once we were ushered out of the growing crowd up to the office, someone offered to get some ice for my leg and we all marveled that I was the only Discovery injury.  Over the next 2 days, I was the object of praise reports both in the staff devotions and the Monday Wycliffe Benin prayer meeting.  I am SO THANKFUL to have absolutely no lingering effects from this accident!