Sometimes the most interesting part of my day is the time I spend walking back and forth between my house and the clinic. During the 20ish minutes it takes to get from one place to another, I pass a number of people- security guards, policemen, construction workers, school children, people selling goods on the side of the road, and others who, like me, are on their daily commute. Many will greet me with a friendly "bonjour" as they pass by. Some see me and call out, "la blanche!" which means, "white girl!" (Even though it sometimes bothers me to be called out simply because I look different, I know that they mean well so I try not to be offended.) And then there are the rare times when people ask me for things- some spare change, my phone number, if I will teach them English... Yes, my daily walks are definitely one of the most unpredictable parts of my day, and also probably one of my biggest cultural experiences.
As people greet me, they sometimes start a conversation. If they ask me anything beyond the basics--what is my name, where do I work, where do I live, where I am going--the conversation often ends with me apologizing and explaining, "Je ne comprends pas" (I don't understand). To be honest, I don't always appreciate these moments, especially if it is the end of the day and I am tired and just want to get home and eat dinner and speak English (or not speak at all). But sometimes I do have a good conversation with someone, like with the two teenaged girls I met who live down the road and who simply wanted to get to know me and tell me about themselves, or the small child I sometimes pass in the morning who waves at me and chants excitedly when he sees me coming, or clinic staff members who are also walking home at the end of the workday. These conversations help me to feel a little more connected to this place that still feels very foreign in many ways.
My daily commute can be tiring, unpredictable, and even confusing, but it can also be a much-needed reminder to stop, take a look around, and appreciate the sights and the people that I might otherwise miss.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Two months down
It's been almost two months since my arrival! I'm still feeling so so grateful for this opportunity. Here's a quick update about what I've been doing, and some important prayer requests for the mission (if you read nothing else in this blog, please scroll down to the bottom and pray).
Language learning/general adjustment:
I'm continuing to attend French lessons for two hours every morning, Monday through Friday, and definitely feeling more confident communicating with people. There's a long way to go for sure, but I'm seeing definite progress. I'm also feeling much more comfortable getting around town for whatever I need. I often walk, but taxis are very cheap (less than 50 cents per person to get anywhere in town). One time my taxi driver did get in a fist fight with another driver over who had the right-of-way in the roundabout, but I think that's pretty rare (and now I have a good story to tell).
Child sponsorship:
In addition to learning French, I'm starting to get more involved in the child sponsorship program as well. I work in the child sponsorship office usually one afternoon a week. During this time, I typically do administrative tasks, like entering the date of the children into a spreadsheet, uploading and organizing photos of some of the various activities, and so on. My past two weekends have also involved these kids. Yesterday (Saturday), I went with the kids to the local library, where they were able to learn about the library and how the books are organized, browse the different kinds of books, and each choose one book to borrow and take home. The week before, I went to the clinic and got to sit and listen as some staff members led the high school-aged girls in a discussion about how poverty can affect a person's life, and what we can all do to prevent that for ourselves and our families. These kids have so much potential, and I'm really grateful for the mission staff who show them how much they are loved, not only with kind and encouraging words, but also with tangible actions. As my French skills improve, I'll be doing a lot more home visits and teaching with the kids in the program, which is right up my alley. I'm excited to be part of this life-changing ministry, even if only for a few months.
Prayer requests:
Thank you for your prayers and your encouragement--it really does matter and make a difference. Here are some things you can specifically keep in mind as you pray:
1) Pray for the leaders of Coeur Ouvert (the child sponsorship program), as they seek to make a powerful, long-term impact on the lives of vulnerable children in the community.
2) Pray for wisdom, guidance, and initiative among those in the leadership of our churches, especially in light of some major changes and conflicts which have taken place over the last couple of years.
3) Pray for the clinic, which will soon be holding a grand opening for its new maternity wing.
4) Pray for my teammates--the Gable family, who has been faithfully serving here for 12 years, and several new teammates who will be arriving within the next several months or so (Jordan Woodard, Ian and Kristin Isely, and Courtney Pierce).
5) Pray for me, for continued strength and endurance, for my language learning, for my cultural adjustment, for wisdom about the future, for the boldness to step out and speak up when necessary, and that my gifts will be used to share God's love with everyone I encounter.
Language learning/general adjustment:
I'm continuing to attend French lessons for two hours every morning, Monday through Friday, and definitely feeling more confident communicating with people. There's a long way to go for sure, but I'm seeing definite progress. I'm also feeling much more comfortable getting around town for whatever I need. I often walk, but taxis are very cheap (less than 50 cents per person to get anywhere in town). One time my taxi driver did get in a fist fight with another driver over who had the right-of-way in the roundabout, but I think that's pretty rare (and now I have a good story to tell).
Child sponsorship:
In addition to learning French, I'm starting to get more involved in the child sponsorship program as well. I work in the child sponsorship office usually one afternoon a week. During this time, I typically do administrative tasks, like entering the date of the children into a spreadsheet, uploading and organizing photos of some of the various activities, and so on. My past two weekends have also involved these kids. Yesterday (Saturday), I went with the kids to the local library, where they were able to learn about the library and how the books are organized, browse the different kinds of books, and each choose one book to borrow and take home. The week before, I went to the clinic and got to sit and listen as some staff members led the high school-aged girls in a discussion about how poverty can affect a person's life, and what we can all do to prevent that for ourselves and our families. These kids have so much potential, and I'm really grateful for the mission staff who show them how much they are loved, not only with kind and encouraging words, but also with tangible actions. As my French skills improve, I'll be doing a lot more home visits and teaching with the kids in the program, which is right up my alley. I'm excited to be part of this life-changing ministry, even if only for a few months.
Thank you for your prayers and your encouragement--it really does matter and make a difference. Here are some things you can specifically keep in mind as you pray:
1) Pray for the leaders of Coeur Ouvert (the child sponsorship program), as they seek to make a powerful, long-term impact on the lives of vulnerable children in the community.
2) Pray for wisdom, guidance, and initiative among those in the leadership of our churches, especially in light of some major changes and conflicts which have taken place over the last couple of years.
3) Pray for the clinic, which will soon be holding a grand opening for its new maternity wing.
4) Pray for my teammates--the Gable family, who has been faithfully serving here for 12 years, and several new teammates who will be arriving within the next several months or so (Jordan Woodard, Ian and Kristin Isely, and Courtney Pierce).
5) Pray for me, for continued strength and endurance, for my language learning, for my cultural adjustment, for wisdom about the future, for the boldness to step out and speak up when necessary, and that my gifts will be used to share God's love with everyone I encounter.
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