Jim & Leslie's Adventures

Feb 22nd, 2009 Service Day 1

We survived! … of course that thought may be premature. What a day! We haven’t actually been in service before! We just thought we had.

We set out this morning a little after 8:00 am. And when all was said and done (and we were long done) it was after 7:00 pm. Back to back studies all day. We got off easy, just riding on Marvin & Penny’s coat-tails. No actual coat-tails involved. Way too hot!

Actually, the heat wasn’t too bad today. It was mostly cloudy so we were spared the worst. Still, I sweat profusely all day and, at one point, thought it might finish me off. Then the wife of Marvin’s study took pity on me and put a fan on me for the whole study. Yea! Saved.

The morning started with a little door to door. Very little as there were many studies to do. The presentations are very complex here: “We would like to share a message from the Bible”. That’s it. They listen or they don’t. More often than not they do. And to think of all the work we do trying to tailor presentations to convince people to listen to us for at least a minute!

The Bible study work is quite different too. We tread so lightly, terrified of scaring our studies. We treat them with kid gloves and cheer for any minor progress. Here, to our untrained ears, it almost seemed like hitting them between the eyes (in a very nice way). Basically, “This is what is right. Do it.” And the people seem to genuinely accept what the Bible says without too much protest.

I was very glad that Marvin was driving and not me. Having seen him drive here, though, I will not be letting him behind the wheel of our car back home! …. ok, that was mean. You have to be aggressive here to survive! Traffic rules are optional. Really. Honking is a standard scare tactic to gain right of way. New lanes are “invented” as desired and it is not unheard of to turn left from the right lane, whether the car blocking you is or not! As we say back home, “Me nerves!”

I’ll let Leslie add a bit here.

I had quite the day too. It was almost too much for the senses. I have gained a new respect, and admiration for the work these missionaries do. Jim described the feelings very well. I was touched by the honesty of these people, their respect for the Bible and also the sadness you feel from them. Jim did miss the part about coming home at 1:00 for a very delicious lunch and a siesta. That was very helpful to endure the heat and a long day.

I had a few experiences that Jim didn’t. I was introduced to a frozen drink made from ginger. It is very spicy but very refreshing. They pour it into little plastic bags and you tear off a tiny corner and suck the drink out. Of course there is a bit of an art to doing this and I squirted it all over myself. Sticky! This drink is called gnamakaiji.

My second experience, as you see in the picture, is a dish called Placali with “sauce grain” . This was made by one of Penny’s studies. It is made of manioc and then a sort of stew made with a “palm nut” – a small nut that grows very much like a coconut – and ox-tail. It was spicy and a bit gummy but not unpleasant. She has promised to make us another African meal next week to taste.

Jim here again: Lizards are common place now. They are everywhere. Running under your chair during studies. I just learned that the bigger ones with the orange heads and the smaller ones that have no color are not different species. …. well sort of …. male & female. So the big one was not chasing the smaller one to eat it. hmmm.

We came home and found a tiny one (about an inch and a half) by our door. It vacated before we could get a good picture. Penny assures me that there will be more (sometimes they get squished in the door). There is usually some small wild life in the bathroom to kill. … Africa.

Posted in The Really Big Trip by jimt with 5 comments.