Snippets (written 4/11/09)

Yesterday, we both had to stay home sick with fevers (here, it is very important to stay away from others when sick given the high incidence of HIV/AIDs). It was Good Friday, so we didn’t miss work or anything, but it was still disappointing. And boring. We tend to be very active people, and there is not a lot to do here when you’re sick. You can only rest so much (especially when it’s hot and stuffy), no internet, DVDs, having mom make you chicken soup, etc. We read and prayed and listened to music until we could read and pray and listen no more. Well, at least not for a while.

Then we whipped out the playing cards. And for the first time ever in our relationship, Josh beat me at King’s Corner. Twice (keep in mind I was sick…). Usually, I beat him so badly that we have to play chess afterward to rebuild his self-esteem ( he always wins). My self-esteem building game is Scrabble, which he said we couldn’t pack because it “took up too much room.” Uh-huh.

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Easter is celebrated a little differently here. Many churches have services every night leading to Easter, with there main service taking place on Good Friday. Easter Sunday is a smaller affair, and some people don’t celebrate until Monday. Still trying to figure out why…

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It is really, really dry here. And it is the end of the rainy season, so it’s bound to get worse. I already get a bloody nose on a nightly basis. If you have any surefire preventative advice (humidifiers are not an option), please have mercy and share it!

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Apparently Rehoboth has a street-racing problem. On the street next to us. For hours in the middle of the night.

Couple that with the fact that the church across the street from us has had all-night services, all week long. And they truly believe in raising their voices to the Lord! So do the chickens and the dogs…

Say it with me, roosters- “sunrise”

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“Cleanliness is Next to Godliness”

Oh, I hope not. Praise the Lord for His grace.

Huge blessing this week: one of the girls leaving soon has been sorting through here stuff and gave me an unused loofah. I have a washcloth, but loofahs just make me feel cleaner (and exfoliated!)

I am pretty sure you can’t adequately appreciate the meanning of the word “clean” until you’ve lived in the Kalahari.

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It is not advisable to be out after dark here (no street or yard lights, lots of crime), so we are pretty much housebound every night by 6:30. Combine that with the fact we have traveled a lot in the last month, and it adds up to lots of Great Reading time. Books we’ve read or are reading:

Irresistible Revolution Shane Claiborne
Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God Noel Piper
Deception Randy Alcorn
Real Sex: The Naked Truth About Chastity Lauren Winner
Crazy Love Frances Chan
Love Dare Kendrick
Ministering Cross-Culturally
A Light in the Window Jan Karon
Before I Wake Dee Henderson
Jesus Wants to Save Christians Rob Bell
The Covenant Michener
Getaway Guide to Namibia Mike Copeland

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This week I inherited a Girls Bible Study.

It was initially formed by two wonderful teammates who are leaving this month. The attendance varies between 8 and 16 girls ages 15-17, all of whom live in a hostel at a local school (it’s kind of like boarding school). Most of them are from rural farms, but they chose to move here for a better education.