God's Amazing Provisions

Have you ever been bowled over by God's amazing provisions?



Let me share my week with you.... It has been a truely amazing week as I sit back and reflect on what God has accomplished.



Teresa went to Banjul over the weekend to get supplies and meet her friend Robin. The van that she was driving developed clutch problems. (Praise the Lord it was on the right side of the river for that kind of problem.) Our truck was in Banjul waiting to be brought out here, so Teresa had access to a car immediately.



Jean was able to get packed up and headed home (she should be in Dunkirk by now... say hi to everyone there for me). She was feeling strong when she left and not worn to a frazzle.



I awoke from my mid day siesta (not what it is called here.... but you all know what I mean) because I had neighbors sitting outside my window waiting to visit with me. The story I heard was not a good one. My namesake's grandson fell out of a tree and landed on his head. Okay, scarey enough if you live in America the land of advance life support. But this is The Gambia. God provided in that Teresa was able to hop in the ambulance, find the boy, find one of our treaters and then find the driver to have MM driven to the referal hospital. Upon arrival there, our driver, who is not allowed to drive the vehicle across to the city hospital, was told the ambulance for the referal hospital was in the bush. Thankfully the boys father had a mobile phone, he called NK, his son ran here to find Teresa and ask if our driver could take the car across. By the time they reached the city hospital (the referal hospital is 30 minutes from here and the city hospital is a ferry ride away, you can count on it taking an hour) MM was talking and able to walk out of the ambulace. He was checked over briefly and returned home the next day. We are praising God for sparing this young man's life.

Then last night... I received a phone call. I know you think so what. I think my phone has only rang twice in the two months I have been back. It should have rung more, but I had it unplugged (sorry mom and dad). Well the phone call was from the States and from a yong lady who spent three months here a few years ago. She is currently at ABWE's candidate class. She called to let me know that God has given her perfect peace... she is joining our team! What an answer to prayer! Sarah is a delight... she actually said, "mom, I am coming home!" Please continue to pray for the Lord to provide more missionaries for the work here.

Today, there was another request by a man to hear more about the true reason we are here. We praise the Lord for these opportunities. We truely feel the need to have committed men to come and invest in the lives of these men.

I trust you can see amazing provisions of God in your lives.

A Different Kind of Day

I awoke this morning not to the sound of my alarm clock. But to the gently sound of wind and water drops on coragate. I was so excited! Rain! I jumped out of bed to close my windows so I could go back to sleep without worry. Unfortunately the rain didn't amount to much. It kind of sprinkled on and off until 9 am. Now, what is interesting is that the people of the Gambia do not go out when it is raining (a general statement). So, your employees may not show up until after the rain stops. I was going to walk to Njufen, but I had to wait for the rain to stop, very culturally appropriate. When Jean brought me the keys to the ambulance. She wasn't going into Banjul after all this morning. I could drive to Njufen.

I arrived and stunned my language helper. I was on time in the rain! I came. She wasn't expecting me to come. So, we had a good morning and I was assisting with the lunch prep when a village elder came to the door. He was shocked to see me at the pounding pot. It was worth it just to see his face. He came to ask a favor of me. A woman had died a fair distance away. Would I consider driving the ambulance full of people to her funeral? Typical American response... I wasn't dressed for a funeral. But the co wife of my language helper loaned me what I needed and we were off. I told them I had to be back to my village by 5pm. (Church is at 5:30 pm) As I was sitting in the house with the women, I was struck by the emptiness of their rout prayers. It was a reaffirming time for me. There is nothing like a Gambian funeral to make you appreciate God's great gift.

I returned to Njufen with more people than I went with. I found lunch was ready and those left behind had already eaten. It was my favorite dish, cew diltiir. Fish with a sauce of pepper, onions, tomatoes, boullion, hot pepper served over rice. YUMM!!

I made it home at 5 pm, grabbed a quick shower and it was off to church. I enjoyed the service. I was more than a bit nervous with leading it in Wolof. But we serve a loving God who is willing to forgive my language blunders. He knows the intents of my heart.

What a great day. 10.5 hours of language time. Tomorrow I will head to the clinic in the morning to do the Bible story presentation and prayer.

Thanks for your prayers!

Friends in KOM

Many of you have asked how J, my friend whose child died before I returned to the US, is doing. I was finally able to spend the day with her the other day. They have a five month old infant daughter. She is growing like a weed. J is doing well. Her husband was on a trip when I first returned, but he has returned and is back to work.

This coming weekend I plan on spending the day with the women from KOM. We will go to the market and then cook lunch, one Wolof and one American and share lunch, tea and then milk. I am looking forward to this time together.

A Most Unwelcome Visitor

Well, tonight was pizza and a movie night. A few years ago we started out with Friday night game night. It has evolved over the years and the Lippy family turned it into Pizza and a movie night. Teresa kept up the tradition for the four ladies last year. Tonight I hosted as Teresa is heading to Banjul and was out of some of the needed ingredients. We watched a favorite film of Jean's as she is preparing to return to America for her furlough.

It was what came after the movie. I decided to return my house to order before going to bed. I saw something in a dark area of the room coiled up near the table leg. On closer inspection it was a 12 inch baby snake! GROSS!! ICK!!! YUCK!!! You name it, it was in my house and didn't belong there. I called my two comrades in arms... as those of you that know me well can imagine I didn't want to go any where near it... baby or not. Teresa and Jean traped it into a container. PTL! I have it outside the house... to show other little and big snakes what will happen if they come near my house. Pray we (our watchmen, that is) catch/kill the big black snake that is rooming the compound.

Pray I can sleep tonight and the nights to come. I may need to find a pair of snake shoes in Banjul. (Something safer than a flip-flop.)

New Jobs

One thing I learned pretty early on in my missionary career is that I would find myself facing the challenge of having a job I never dreamed I would have the responsibility of. Being stretched beyond one's biggest dreams in all areas of life. Being a boss took a bit of getting used too. I was never a boss in my own culture and suddenly I was on ein a culture I was just learning. Thankfully it was in the clinic. I then found myself doing plumbing and auto maintenance and generator maintenance. Now, once again I face a daunting new task. I am the new boss of the compound employees. We have three men that work for the compound doing all sorts of odd jobs. A major part of my job will be giving them their job assignment. This year looks pretty painful as there are soakaways to dig, a garbage pit to dig and buildings to white wash. However, first we have to make it through the rains. That is if it rains again. We have only had two rain falls in the month of June. The peanuts are planted and growing, but desperately need water to flourish. Pray for me and this new adventure... pray for the men. Change is a very hard thing to accept even when you are exposed often.

Babies

The saying that all babies are cute is not something an experienced pediatric nurse would agree to. But all babies do have something about them that pulls at ones' heart strings. When a baby is born here in The Gambia a week passes before the infant is given their name. There is a ceremony and party given in the childs honor. Last Wednesday when I showed up at my tutor's home she told me her child had arrived 6 hours previously. We had a fun week together, not a lot of teaching time with her, but her mom and friend assisted me and we would talk. The day of the naming ceremony was this past Wednesday. I had planned to show up early so I could help. god had other plans. As I was getting dressed (in a nicer outfit than everyday wear) a neighbor gal came to my door to ask me to drive a man that couldn't walk out to the tar road so he could wait for a car to carry him home. I agreed as I was heading out that way in a vehicle anyway. I later discovered that the man lived about 8 miles away and it was the day taxis weren't going his way. So, I decided to drive all the way to his place. They (he and his siser) were very appreciative and I was able to share God's love with them.

Then it was onto the party. I delivered my gifts... cake, tea, milk, sugar, mints (the baby gift was given a few days previously) and greeted the people and the infant.

Our Literacy Department had an End of the School Year Program that morning also. So, I made my excuses stating I would return and I was off to the program. I was in time to hear the village leaders and the village basic school principal give their speaches.

I return to the ngenti at 12pm. Just as they were dishing up breakfast. A peanut and millet dish that resembles oatmeal and is served with sugar and sour milk. It is really very tasty. : )

I spent the day at the ngenti, talking and sharing in the festivities, drove the father to NK to shop for things for their lunch and even helped pick the rice.

I returned home for a shower, nap and change of clothes before returning to the ngenti once more. It was a long, but good day.

I made it home in time to grab another shower before prayer meeting, which was at my house. prayer meeting is a combination business meeting, haven't seen you in a while so lets get caught up and prayer. It lasts several hours, this is a good thing. Prayer, fellowship and encouragement all rolled into one.

Shoes

When I first started this blog, I thought it would be a great way for you to walk in my shoes. Well, this week, you wouldn’t have wanted to walk in my literal shoe.

The shoe of choice here in The Gambia is the Flip-Flop. We try to encourage our compound workers and guards that they need a shoe with more protection. This encouragement comes in the way of a monetary amount so they can go out and buy a decent pair of shoes. What do I mean by decent? Something to protect you from things that crawl in sand, or may I say slither… I think you get the idea.

After a pretty busy week, I decided it was time to leave the van at home and start walking to Njufen. It is a little over a mile away. I had all my stuff for studying in a bag, along with my water bottle. I grabbed an umbrella for sun screen, donned my flip-flops and I was off. There is a saying I hear quite frequently but had never experienced. That is, “my shoe is cut”. Meaning, their only pair of flip-flops has broken. Friday, I experienced it. Half way to Njufen I felt my flip-flop flop and it brought with it a lot of hot sand. I thought to myself, what should I do? I decided if I returned to the house and donned another pair of shoes, I would be really late. I tried dragging the shoe, but that didn’t work. So, I carried the broken one and continued on my way. When I arrived, the people were shocked to see I had walked there with a bare foot. I later learned what they would have done; that is to carry both shoes. I explained that the sand was too hot and full of too many stones for my tender American feet. There was the discussion that I should call someone to come get me. I said no thank you. Then since it was even hotter when I went to leave the suggestion was made that I stay until morning when it would be cooler. The answer to my prayer came in the assistance of my language helper’s husband. He sewed my shoe together so I could walk home.