5-day Countdown

I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

I really don't know how so many of my friends do it. Homeschooling. Don't get me wrong, I've loved the time with my kids and, all-in-all, it's really very doable in this day-and-age. I have loved to be the one to teach my kids to read. When we arrived in February, I wasn't planning on homeschooling, but, because of the availability of materials on the internet, I have been able to pull it together.

But, man. It's work.

Especially with a toddler.

Thank you, Jesus (and WEC) for a MK school 30 minutes from where we live.

Malachi did a 3-day trial run at BCS this past week and it went well. Well, we haven't talked to the teachers yet to get their perspectives, but, according to our boisterous 7- year old, he did great.



While I'm talking about friends who seem to do it all with ease...what about all my friends who have time to blog about everything. Sheesh. I'm good to get in go-out-of-the-house clothes and feed everyone breakfast before 9. Maybe I'll catch up when September rolls around and H & M are back-to-school. Maybe. I still have a toddler.

Spit and Rinse

I learned some new words today.

Crache et rince.

Maybe you can tell that the second one is “rinse.” But, the first one most certainly does not mean crash, if you were guessing.

I went to the dentist today.

Such an odd experience, seeking medical treatment in a culture not your own.

I waited in a rather nice waiting room (granted, I would not have said that three years ago) and read on my Kindle while the TV blasted a mix of Arabic music, local TV shows in Wolof, and Indian soap operas. And then there was the lady next to me with a giant white boubou (local clothes), flicking through her prayer beads and then rubbing them in her face (that was a first).

And then they called my name. Well, they tried. Then they just grunted and pointed until I understood it was my turn. Can’t blame them. After all, how many Flintoffs live in this country? I’d venture to say we’re pretty special.

Then, I met the dentist and tried to explain my problem and how I ended up sitting in his office (I won’t bore you. It involves a crown and some dull, achy pain).

Language side-note. If I don’t know a word in French, I just say the English word “in a French way.” So, if it’s a verb, I add er, pronounced ay to the English word. Like, maybe I’d guess to run is runer (say, run-ay). I would be wrong, of course, but not a bad system when you’re stuck.

I learned spit and rinse from my context today. Mouth full of blood, crache. Clean it with some water, rince.

I’m still not 100% as to what’s going on, but I’m fairly certain I’m being treated for some sort of gingivitis. Much better prognosis than I expected. I thought I was going in for a root canal.


Let’s hope this dentist is right.

Busy, Busy, Busy

I finally feel like I’ve stopped treading water, though I still feel like I’m swimming pretty hard.

In the past few weeks, there have maybe been two or three days where we’ve not had someone in our house, been running around town doing this-or-that, preparing for teaching (Eric), or working on some home project (those are never simple wherever you are, but certainly not here in Senegal!).

Looking over my to-do lists for the past few weeks, here are a few of the things I’ve been working on:

Unpacking all the stuff we had stored in the chicken coop, cleaning moldy or stinky-smelling stuff. Unpacking all the stuff we unpacked at the temporary house and then repacked to move here. (I’m tired just writing that.)

Making tomato sauce with about 30 pounds of tomatoes and then doing 1/3 as Chili, 1/3 as Spaghetti Sauce, and 1/3 plain (planning to do another 10 this week with Salsa and Pizza Sauce). I’m freezing because tomato season will be over before long, folks. Haven’t jumped on the canning wagon just yet.

Reconnecting with church friends and other missionaries. Meeting new friends from both communities.

Homeschooling every morning during the week. With a toddler hanging on my leg. 'Nuf said.

Four days on my own with the kids while Eric was in the village (And we did school EVERY day. I'm so proud.).

Meeting new friends and neighbors and getting familiar with our neighborhood.

Organizing the freezer. I have to stock up our favorite fish (monkfish) because we can’t get it year-round and chicken when they’re available (they’re usually “ready” around holidays). And we have to “process” both (thankfully, by now my housekeeper’s a pro). Filet the fish and cut the whole chickens up into like pieces- breasts, legs, wings, etc. (It takes about 10 chickens to have a meal of wings!)

Finding spaces for all our junk (that we’re very thankful for!). No closets creates opportunities for creative organization. And reorganizing. And so on, until everything finds a home.

Finding and taking advantage of opportunities for the kids to play with other MKs (I’m so thankful for this one and that it includes MKs from so many countries and backgrounds).

Tripling and Quadrupling recipes like Minestrone Soup, Mexican Supper, Waffles (borrowed a friend’s waffle iron and did that one 7 times!) and Chicken Taco Soup to freeze for easy meals later Ssince food prep is so time-consuming here. And making dinner with a toddler is some days EX-cruciating).

Shopping for our home- not an easy task. Going to a nearby beach town to buy a few luxuries (nice curtains from France, fabric to cover the couches, metal curtain rods, and a few food items like hamburger buns).

Organizing group food orders for missionary families here- ordering from the company, collecting cash, distributing the goodies. It’s cheaper (and more convenient) to buy cheese in bulk (we can get gouda, mozzarella, and edam here) and pork products this way.

Finding and working with a carpenter to get our furniture repaired and the cushions recovered and to make curtain rods for my windows.

Life with a toddler.

Life with a toddler.

Life with a toddler. I feel like I’m repeating myself.

Getting curtains made by my tailor.

Finding and keeping up with opportunities for Hannah & Malachi to hear and work on their French (Bible Club & an awesome tutor) and encouraging them that it’s worth the investment.

Okay, I think I’ve caught you up. This is only my list. Eric has been even busier than I have and in some more stressful ways (plumbers, electricians, welders, the landlord). And that doesn't include his honey-do list. I’m very thankful for him.

Bisous

Bisous! Bisous! Bisous Tata! Phoebe now shouts as part of her getting ready for naptime routine.

Going to everyone in the house to give bisous (bee-zoo), or kisses, is part of the ritual. So far, it's my most favorite word she has learned yet. A close second is massa, meaning sorry in Wolof. I think she was originally trying to say monster, but our housekeeper was certain it was something she picked up locally, and now she encourages it whenever she sees Phoebe sad or hurt.

Other things we said this past week while settling in:

Eric! I'm so glad the toilets fill and flush! I was sure they wouldn't when you said there was not much water coming into the house. (Said by me before the glorious appearance of our reservoirs and pumps.)

Thank you for friends who live close to our house who we can play with today. (Said by Hannah today as she was praying. Brazilian/Peruvian MKs coming over to play with legos this afternoon.)

Did I agree to do too much too soon? (Eric, as he contemplated all the studying and translating ahead of him in the next week or so.)

Can I ride my scooter on the roof? (Said by Malachi EVERY night when things cool down.)

Hm. There's a gecko in my cupboard. Guess I'll finish putting away spices later. (Said by me- imagine me saying it in a bored, matter-of-fact sort-of way.)

On the Grid

You may have seen via facebook, but we now have electricity at our house!

The short story is that Eric talked with a friend on Sunday and he told him how he had visited the Chef de Technique (Boss over Technicians) and pleaded his case with him. He suggested that we do the same (it was successful for him).

So, we went to visit him at the electric company yesterday and took all the kids (dressed up and looking cute and warned to be well behaved and charming!). We simply told him we had been waiting for 2 weeks and that we were paying rent in 2 places and that Eric's office was in another part of town (close to our house that didn't have a meter). He took our order out of a notebook (which had about 200-300 other orders in front of it- Eric says more than that!) and handed it to the next technician who walked into the office. He said he would see what he could do.

Eric got a call at about 4pm yesterday afternoon and met the technician at our house to install an electric meter. Six hours after meeting the Chef de Technique, we're now hooked up to the grid!

The short answer as to why this is a big deal is that there's a shortage of electric meters here right now. There aren't enough to go around, so there are so many people waiting. Frankly, if everyone who asked for one got one, there would be too many people on the grid to support it. And, we're so thankful. We have a friend who had been waiting 6 months for a meter and just got it last week.

It's a crazy thing, this experience. It solidifies how important relationships are in this culture. Things just get done in a different way. We didn't offer this man anything for his services. Just pleaded our case and asked him to help us. And, he did. We'll probably visit him later today or tomorrow, at the latest. I'm planning on baking something to say thanks. :) And, we will have to visit him later to keep the relationship going.

I was struck by Malachi's prayer last night.

Dear God, thank you for our electricity. Please help all those people waiting who didn't get one today like we did to be patient. And help them get a meter soon.

It was a good reminder, from the mouth of a child, to not only be thankful, but to remember that, in God's graciousness to us, there are others who are wanting.

Preconversations

Do you ever walk through conversations in your head? You know, conversations you’re anticipating (or would like to have, but aren’t guaranteed). I find myself doing that a lot, especially in reference to doing them in another language.

Okay, so I’m going to the dentist today. How do you say crown/cavity/numb my mouth in French? How do I explain that my top right molar is hurting?

Or, sadly, I have preconversation-confrontation-conversations in my head. Like recently, with our new landlord (who I feel wasn’t fair or honest with us in several ways).

You didn’t tell us that we share a wall with a daara (which is short enough for the boys to peek over or jump)! You were so pushy and forceful. You can’t treat us that way. We’ll take our money and leave if this is the way you treat us. You should be thankful to have us as renters because we’ll take care of your house! And you treat us this way?!

Or, the man who helped us find our house (and charged a crazy fee to do so).

Shame on you for telling us we could get an electric meter in 48 hours. You knew it wasn’t that easy and you only wanted our money. I’ll never suggest your services to any of my friends!

Oh, my. Jesus brought some sense to my head from the Sermon on the Mount yesterday. (That passage, by the way, has lately been one slap on the hand after another)

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
These words echo in my head now when I start that preconversation-confrontation-conversation with my landlord (or, sometimes his wife who asks for taxi money anytime she comes to get money from us!).

The words I say to my kids echo in my head.


Trust me. I’m not trying to take away your fun. I’m not trying to ruin your life. I know what I’m doing and it’s best to do things God’s way, even if you've been wronged. Even if it's difficult.

Even if it’s difficult.

Reading Tea Leaves

We were really pleased when it became apparent that we’d be returning to Senegal fully supported. Our excitement came less from a financial standpoint and more from a ‘wow-God’s-really-confirming-our-calling’ sort of standpoint. It seemed, to us, apparent that He had big plans for our return. Deepened relationships, more developed ministry (read: we will be busier), language skill, and so on.

It has been almost 2 weeks and we still don’t have an electric meter for our house. We’re still stuck in limbo, in our temporary house on the other side of town. Away from our church. Away from our friends. Away from anything we imagined for ministry. We don’t really know how to move forward and there’s no guarantee in sight of receiving that meter any time soon.

But, Lord, I thought You were saying you’d smooth the road before us. I thought You were showing us that there would be work for us to do.


Reading tea leaves is an ancient practice of divining the future from the dregs at the bottom of a tea cup. Sometimes, I do my own Christian version of reading tea leaves. Like, assuming answering our prayer for support was confirmation of ministry for us in Senegal. Read: right-away-when-I-think-it-should-be type ministry. It very well may be that confirmation that we thought. But it may include other aspects, too.

Apparently, if I may reinterpret the situation, I need a little more personal refinement. Like patience, or faith, or a whole host of other fruits that need watering on the tree of my life.

I don’t know why things are as they are. We may receive that meter tomorrow and be able to go forward with (our) plans to use our home for ministry. It may be 4 months- like friends of ours experienced.


Either way, I cannot read the mind of the Lord. But, I do know that He has brought me here and His grace will keep me.

Neighbors

Did you see that list of questions I typed up to ask when house hunting in Senegal? Well, we forgot to ask the one about daaras.

There’s a daara behind our house.

Now, this isn’t the end of the world. But it could make things interesting.

What is a daara, you say? It’s a home for talibe boys. These are not, per say, street kids. But, you wouldn’t know that if you saw one.

Sometimes, Senegalese parents choose to give their children over to a Marabout (Muslim religious leader) to give them a Koranic education. The Marabout is supposed to educate them in the Koran and also teach them humility. They do this by requiring that the boys beg and bring him about a dollar each day.

There are some Marabouts who do this, some who don’t. Regardless, the boys don’t get a proper school education. So, the boys who stay into their teens don’t learn to read or write and aren’t equipped with a skill to find them a job in adulthood. Sometimes the boys aren’t fed if they don’t bring in the money the marabout requires. Sometimes they’re abused. Even in the best of daaras, it’s a terrible life for a child.

There is an undeniable link here between poverty, Islam, & exploitation.

We don’t know anything about this particular darra yet. We hope to have a good relationship with the Marabout and not too much trouble with the boys.


Some days, I’ll be annoyed with the chanting and noise. Or, the ringing of my doorbell.

Some days, my heart will break to see motherless children walking down my street in rags.

Some days, I’ll be angry over the injustice and wickedness of this practice that is allowed to persist in Senegal.

Pray for us. We probably wouldn’t have taken the house if we had known this. We actually turned down another house for this reason. The Lord knew; that’s for sure.

Jesus is Better Than a Hot Shower

We don’t have a water heater in our temporary home. Not a huge problem most days. I heat water for the kids to bathe in a big bowl and Eric & I take cold showers.

We’ve come up with a method: First, wash extremities- arms, then legs. Second, the core. By that time, your body is “used to” (using that term lightly) the temperature of the water and I can do my hair. Not my preference, but not that bad either.

Last night, however, after I had soaped up, the water pressure dropped (no pump here either) and wouldn’t come out of the shower head any longer. So, I had to finish my shower using the faucet. With little water pressure. In cold water.

I was not happy.

It came at the end of a day full of small frustrations- trying to homeschool 2 kids with a toddler on my leg, said toddler wouldn’t eat & was thus grumpy all day, planning meals in advance so we can actually eat something other than bread or eggs (which I didn’t have either), finding out that our new home- which still doesn’t have an electric meter, thus we can’t move in- is located next to a daara (home for talibe boys). Forgot to ask that particular question about this particular house.

Do you ever have a bad day, deal with it, and the next morning there’s some latent bad attitude still hanging around? Happens to me quite frequently.

Woke up, schooled 2 kids with a toddler on my leg (or, crawling on the table, dumping out the pencil sharpener shavings and all the math manipulatives). Didn’t know what to have for lunch, etc., etc.

Ate leftovers and sat down to read my Bible.

Philippians 3:8 & following:

“I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ...”

It’s not a usual application, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that I have counted hot showers as loss because I know Jesus and have followed His call to the nations. If I were in America, water pressure or temperature wouldn’t be an issue.

God’s Word is beautiful. I love that He spoke to me today. I hope I remember what He said when I take a shower tonight...

Waiting

Eric typed this on his phone earlier today...


Waiting.

Just the word alone can make me uncomfortable. I don't really like to wait, but waiting is what I have been doing all day. What makes it even better is that most of the time I have no idea why I am waiting or how long I will be waiting for.

Siting on a concrete bench at the police station is not what I thought I would be doing today. I am only here because I need a signed photo copy of my I.D. Card so I can get electricity hooked up at the new house we are renting (So, yes, house found. More later on that). There is only one guy who can sign the paper and so I wait for the moment when he decides to sign it. Is he siting in his office doing something? I don't know. Is he sitting in his office eating lunch? No clue. Is he even here at all? That is a good question.

When I am done waiting here I will go to the power company to wait there. Hopefully, I will not be waiting there as long as I have here because I have a friend with me who "knows" someone who works there. My friend is a mechanic, so while he sits and waits with me, the cars he is suppose to be working on are waiting on him.

Round and round the waiting goes. Where it stops... No one knows.

Oh, the irony.

House Hunt

You could say that looking for a house here is...well...interesting. These are a few things we have found ourselves asking:

Will people be able to look into my house because the living room or a bedroom is built into the outside wall (because, believe me, they will!)?

Is it even possible to install a hot water heater?

Is it next door to a boutique (mini convenience store), workshop (no zoning laws here), or daara (home for talibe boys)?

How's the cross-ventilation in the bedrooms?

Do you think the house will take in water during the rainy season?

Is the roof usable?

Will our car fit into the garage?

Just how close is the closest mosque (and how big are their loudspeakers)?

Does it have a water reservoir and a pump, or will we need to install one?


Eric is out looking at houses as I type. He's actually found one that we may move forward on. Simple, but a great location. We'll keep you posted.