The Calm

Saturday Evening the wind came and cooled our weather.  It was a great blessing from God.  So far we have stayed cool this week and it has been wonderful.  It is still too early to tell if we have made it through the hot season, or if this is just a little break.  Yet even if it is just a break, I plan to enjoy every minute of it.  This week God has sent several blessings our way:

• I can’t begin to tell you what a relief the weather has been to us.  We can actually get things done without being covered in sweat.  I have actually enjoy life this week.  It is also good to see our bodies acclimating.  It was still in the 90’s here, but it felt like it was in the 70’s.

• For the moment we are all healthy!  I have grown to appreciate good health more than ever.

• Joel was able to install a water filter into our faucet.  We now have enough water to drink.  We just turn on the faucet and we get water.  It is amazing!
• Someone found us a waterbed mattress for Ethan.  So now the boys have their matching waterbeds set up.  Our frame is in the process of being built, so soon we will all have a cooler night sleep.

• 

• We are finally starting to meet some of our neighbors.  I can’t say very much to them, but it was a good reminder of why we are working so hard to learn French.  It is also a fun place to practice the little French I do know.  No one here knows where Oregon is, so I have to tell them it is above California.
• Two people informed us that God had directed them to send us an extra gift.  It is amazing how God provides just when you need it!

We have been here for over a month now and discovered many things about Senegal and its people.  We have been enjoying gathering all of the information we can about the people and the culture here.  Here are some random facts that you might enjoy.

• Don’t miss the Garbage truck.  The garbage truck may come any day at any time.  When it arrives it honks it horn.  Then you have about 15 minutes to get your garbage and bring it out to the truck.  If you miss it…well you better hope nothing starts growing in your garbage before it comes the next time!
• Sheep are EVERYWHERE! We are now close to the Holiday of Tabaski.  Apparently on that day most families here will have to sacrifice a sheep.  In preparation the streets, houses, and roofs have been filled with sheep.  It is a very lucrative business around this time as people are willing to pay a lot for a good sacrifice.
• The Cuisine –  A traditional meal is served on a big platter.  There is fish in the center, surrounded by veggies and then rice in the outer layer.  Each person then eats the triangle located right in front of them.  There are many different versions of this and so far we have enjoyed all the versions we have tried.