The Best Things in Life are Simple

Earlier in this trip I posted a lot about how often we were without water or electricity and how hard it was. I was really good at counting how many days we had been without power or water and I'm ashamed to say I'm not good at counting how many days we have been blessed with such things. It's been at least a month now since we had no water and we have light about 5 out of 7 days of the week, which is really good. So praise the Lord for the little things which make life so much better sometimes!

Dublin

Well, it's really more Doobleen here, just so you don't think I somehow went to Ireland. Dublin is the northern most of the Banana Islands that our team stayed on this week. It was as beautiful and relaxing as you can imagine a retreat on a tropical island off the coast of West Africa could be. The road there was marvelously paved and the boat ride (in pretty much a large canoe with a motor) took only 45 minutes. The island of course has no cars or roads, but all the narrow footpaths have street names (ie Wharf Street where we landed, etc.) We were led through the tiny village to a little area by the beach that our host family owns. Dalton is the proprietor and it's run by him, his wife Deborah, daughter Daltina, son Dalton Jr., and youngest son Darlington. Awesome names.

Our beach was a bit rocky so we had about a ten minute walk through the woods to the next beach over, inhabited by some Latvian fishermen. We'd play there all day and come back to fresh caught fish and noodles. Our menu was determined by whatever Dalton could catch that day and unfortunately he never could get a hold of any lobster.

Our living accomodation were these huge huts that were super humid inside and my light switch didn't work so I'd just have to wait until Dalton turned off the generator each night. We also had lots of bats and bugs in there (but thankfully good mosquito nets) and I most unfortunately saw the largest spider I've ever seen, zoos, TV, and movies included. It was awful. Including the legs it was four or five inches in diameter and super hairy. I have a picture of it, but I can't look at it. Erik got it out with a stick and he told me later that the thing reared up on it's back legs like a horse and you could see it's fangs.

But I dwell on the spider too much. It was a short (though horrible) episode but it didn't ruin the wonderfulness of the retreat. Part of what we were doing was to focus on our ministry here now that we're done with Krio lessons and have more time. I felt that I got a good understanding of my direction and we'll see where it takes me in the next few weeks. Also gained an appreciation for the comforts of the Freeman's compound and my own bed there, so it's good to be "home" sometimes too.

Advent Conspiracy

I know it's only mid October but I feel like the word got out too late last year. In the interest of living simply and being attuned to the plight of the poor as I'm trying to be here and I hope you are in following my journey, this movement is hihgly relevant to you all back in America as the holiday season looms on the horizon.

Watch this video



It's hard to tell on these internet cafe computers if that video actually will appear in my blog, so if all else else, please visit the Advent Conspiracy website and check out some more.

It's really a sobering look at how (during this season of remembering how Christ was born into poverty) we go into high-powered consumerism mode while the people who live down the street from me are picking food out of the garbage heaps. Of course if you're reading this, you're probably a generous and conscientious person anyway (you gave to support me here, anyway) and I'm probably preaching to the choir, but you can spread the word. Getting a church to focus on this through December can have a powerful effect.

Now, you can't give to my efforts here anymore (you have already given admirably in that area, thank you!) but you can continue to help out this ministry if you so choose. Right now Word Made Flesh Sierra Leone (WMFSL) is looking into renting an office for the first time ever. Until now the office has been Cami and Faye's living room which as you can imagine offers them very little privacy and living space. The office we want in very near the Kroo Bay slum but we don;t have the funds to cover it.
If your church does follow in the Advent Conspiracy campaign (or if you want to give anyway) you can send to the WMF office or online just like you did when you were supporting me, only this time instead of my name you'll write WMF Sierra Leone on the slip that indicates who it's for.

Halfway Point Celebrations!

Yesterday was a red letter day. Not only did it mark both the halfway point for our trip here (and my eight month anniversary with my girlfriend, Kelsie) but it was also the first day here that I was never called "Wayt boy" or some other deritive of it. Why's that? Oh, that's just because I didn't leave my compund all day... And why's that? Oh, I was sick... And why's that you ask? Because Marc, our friend from Cote D'Ivoire who had just opened a restaurant and really wanted us to eat there had served us under-cooked chicken. I stopped eating as soon as I realized some of the parts were pink but apparently it was too late. Krysta got really sick too and we spent the day evacuating our innards from top to bottom. How nice.
The funny thing is, that (just like the day I had that fever a month ago) I felt that I was able to have some of my most meaningful and initmate conversations with God. Maybe it was a combination of the suffering and the lack of busyness, but I really appreciated it. I wonder if I should want to suffer more often if it will precipitate that kind of closeness with God, but I'd rather pray that I can learn to speak with Him that well even when things are going well.

Also, since I know you're curious... I'm all better now and alive thanks to some horrible tasting rehydration salts. Thanks God and the World Health Organization!

In and Out of Freetown

Last Friday we took a short trip to the other side of the mountain (near Charlotte Falls) to the chimpanzee reserve. Hidden up their in the Peninsula Mountains are acres of protected area where the workers of the reserve attend to over 90 chimps who were either orphaned of rescued pets with the intention to rehabilitate them for survival in the wild.
We went with quite the crowd, but the most fun of course were Remie, Saidu (who came with Cami) and Aliya and Talita (the little German kids with Jan and Karolina). They all had such a fun time imitating the monkeys and Remie and Saidu were practially daring the chimps to throw rocks at us (which they did with amazing accuracy... no one was hit though).

This Friday we're going camping with Cami and some people from the International Bible Study. We're going to some beach on the south of the peninsula that's like 5 hours and probably 10 miles away... two nights on the beach and chilling on Saturday.

Then! (I know, this is the week of travel) As a team we're taking our halfway point retreat. Halfway already! Wow! Steph is taking us to the Banana Islands Monday- Thursday and we're going to relax, learn to spearfish and eat loads of food. It's gonna be wonderful.

So that's the outlook ahead. In other news, my Bible study for Lighthouse is looking good- I presented it to the staff yesterday and they seemed to like it. Also the girls moved back to Aunty Sally's house on Sunday and it's been a hard transition for them, so keep them in your prayers.

Racial Discrimination

That phrase usually conjures up images of Rosa Parks and MLK, but here it's of course flip flopped on who's the race doing the discrimination. It comes in a lot of random forms. Sometimes taxi drivers kick locals out of there car so they can take us (which seems like a good thing) but it's only because they think they can more easily cheat us.

We were told that prices here are not based on supply and demand so much as they are on the buyer. Vendors decide the price based on three things- how much it cost them to buy the item (which makes sense) what color your skin is and how expensive your clothes are. Here it's seen as perfectly legitimate to charge a higher price for someone who seems richer- it's sort of a ground level redistribution system. And of course white skin means loads of money- but for a lowly intern with an organization who focuses on intentional poverty, it's simply not true!

Walking down the street here is also a different story. It's a game for me every morning to see how far I can get from my house before someone shouts "Wayt boy!" at me. I've never reached 100 yards. A lot of them just want the satisfaction of waving at the white boy, others want you to come talk with them (and every conversation inevitably turns to how we can help them get to America where all their problems will be solved). Others just like to call us out. Steph says (and I've noticed it's true) that they heckle you more if you look like you're having a bad day, so even when I'm having an awful day I try to walk around with a pleasant look on my face which is difficult in the hot tropical sun.

We also get harassed by public officials and the police. The others on my team have been nearly assaulted by tax collectors demanding they pay their local tax. One time I was walking down my street and three policemen saw me from a far. I saw them gesturing at me and I could tell they were planning on messing with me. They approached and very seriously and loudly demanded I pay my tax. I protested saying that I was a tourist and didn't have to and they got even more intimidating, fingering their handcuffs, not caring that I had a tourist visa. I played my trump card and told them that I pay my taxes to Barack Obama (whom they worship here) and it worked. They immediately got distracted at really excited and they asked if I had voted for him. I knew the outcome of the rest of my day probably depended on my answer, so I said yes and I was immediately their hero. After some laughs and hearty back slapping, they were on their way. Thanks, Barack Obama :-)

It's really not so bad, but it's very interesting being a minority in a place where political correctness, politeness, and the like don't really matter.

Parties

On Wednesday we had our monthly "reward day" for the kids who do well in attendance and behavior in tutoring. We all gathered at the youth center downtown and we got snacks and soda, while Erik brought out his colorful parachute and we played different games with that. I think the kids mostly enjoyed hanging out, eating and talking though. They are after all teenagers.
One of my favorite parts however, was seeing the new neck tie that Sheku had made for me. I had him make a messenger bag a month or so ago with some blue, orange, and yellow material and when he had leftovers I asked him to be creative and make something else. It's a cotton tie and it doesn't have a lot of body, but it's definitely the loudest, flashiest, and probably most foolish tie I've ever owned. I probably looked like a fool wearing it in my white polo yesterday, but that's what I do at parties for kids and teens- act like a fool. It reminded me of Crazy Dinner night at camp.

That was the big highlight of this week. Tomorrow, maybe Saturday we plan on going up to the US Embassy that's built like a castle on top of the mountain to see if they'll let us in- just for fun ,to see the library and maybe the swimming pool. Should be fun! :-)