Kordiabe....Home Sweet Home
Well it is nice to finally be living in the same location for the next 7 weeks. I have unpacked my bags for the final time in Africa. So here is an idea of what my days look like.....
Tuesday-Friday I get up around 5:15 am (really no point in trying to sleep longer it's better to get things done when it's not so hot) go for a run, eat breakfast, leave for ministry time around 7:00 which for me is construction work at a local school in the neighboring village of Doramue, work at the school until about 4:00 unless a downpour of rain stops our work day early, come home clean up for dinner, eat, try to socialize with my other teammates until about 8:00 and then I go to bed around 9:00. I have come to realize in the last month that I have aged about 50 years just with my sleeping habits, it's sad when you are 26 and you get excited when 8pm comes around because you will be able to sleep soon!!
While we are working at the school, some of the school children will come and help us build during their break times or after school, it's kind of fun and humbling at the same time. It's fun because the children are really taking ownership of the project and want to help us with their school, and plus they are just flat out hilarous to be around. It's humbling when a 10 year-old child can swing a pick ax more efficently than you can. No really they can!!! For some reason in Africa people worry more about a white girl swinging a pick ax than a 10 year old child... mostly because it probably is safer for a 10 year old child in Africa to swing pick ax than it is for me. Practice makes perfect, I have the rhythm down now.
In the past few weeks I have mastered a few new tasks. I can offically add to my resume the following skills....
proficient in using a pick ax (that one is my favorite and while in Africa most useful)
able to mix contrete
proficient in using a machette to cut wood for a fire
build my own coal stove/grill
I feel as if since I have come to Africa I have learned many new things that will make me more marketable when looking for a job. I mean really who wouldn't want to hire a girl that can swing a pick ax and use a machette.
Ok moving on.....
On Saturdays we spend our days in the village of Kordiabe, this week 7 others and myself meet this women named Peace... she is an amazing women who has a huge heart for God's children. This women has started an AIDS orphange. About 6 years ago she began taking in AIDS orphans form neighboring villages, now 6 years later she has approx 98 children that she has recently had to find foster homes for because she currently does not have the facilities for all those children. It's amazing how this women has incorporated these children into society. The children were placed in foster families from a village that has been deemed as cursed, the reason the people think this community is cursed is because many people in this village are dying from AIDS or have been looked down upon in their own villages for various reasons so they have been put into this community by the local chief where they are accepted. On Saturday we went and visited this village, the people aren't cursed, they are just amazing people who have opened their homes to these children. I believe this women has brought a sense of God's love to this village, by asking them to be responsible for these children. They care for these children, clothe them, feed them, and love them because that's what people do. It's so strange she has taken an outcasted community and outcasted children and made them a family in God's eyes. When I looked into Peaces eyes as she spoke about these children and here vision for their future it was like I was looking into her heart. You just wanted to pick up each child and squeeze their cheeks they were so cute!!!
On Sunday....
I attend a local Methodist church which consists of approx. 13 members. The singing is really bad and off key(but hey so am I most of the time so I fit in perfectly), the pastor is great he translates everything into english which is really helpful, and apparently (meaning it's happened the last two weeks in a row) they want to hear a word from their White brothers and sisters. So they just kind of put us on the spot and we go with it!
On Monday....
We have off, it's our day of rest. So I get really excited and go to the internet cafe that is approx. 1-2 hours away (depending on the reliability of the public transportation that day) to connect with all of you that I miss dearly!!! Yes, I am easily entertained!!!
Well if any of you are looking to improve your resume by adding pick axing as a skill don't worry I will be home and available in August to teach you free of charge, all I would ask is that you provide the pick ax and a cold orange fanta to drink.
Seren
Tuesday-Friday I get up around 5:15 am (really no point in trying to sleep longer it's better to get things done when it's not so hot) go for a run, eat breakfast, leave for ministry time around 7:00 which for me is construction work at a local school in the neighboring village of Doramue, work at the school until about 4:00 unless a downpour of rain stops our work day early, come home clean up for dinner, eat, try to socialize with my other teammates until about 8:00 and then I go to bed around 9:00. I have come to realize in the last month that I have aged about 50 years just with my sleeping habits, it's sad when you are 26 and you get excited when 8pm comes around because you will be able to sleep soon!!
While we are working at the school, some of the school children will come and help us build during their break times or after school, it's kind of fun and humbling at the same time. It's fun because the children are really taking ownership of the project and want to help us with their school, and plus they are just flat out hilarous to be around. It's humbling when a 10 year-old child can swing a pick ax more efficently than you can. No really they can!!! For some reason in Africa people worry more about a white girl swinging a pick ax than a 10 year old child... mostly because it probably is safer for a 10 year old child in Africa to swing pick ax than it is for me. Practice makes perfect, I have the rhythm down now.
In the past few weeks I have mastered a few new tasks. I can offically add to my resume the following skills....
proficient in using a pick ax (that one is my favorite and while in Africa most useful)
able to mix contrete
proficient in using a machette to cut wood for a fire
build my own coal stove/grill
I feel as if since I have come to Africa I have learned many new things that will make me more marketable when looking for a job. I mean really who wouldn't want to hire a girl that can swing a pick ax and use a machette.
Ok moving on.....
On Saturdays we spend our days in the village of Kordiabe, this week 7 others and myself meet this women named Peace... she is an amazing women who has a huge heart for God's children. This women has started an AIDS orphange. About 6 years ago she began taking in AIDS orphans form neighboring villages, now 6 years later she has approx 98 children that she has recently had to find foster homes for because she currently does not have the facilities for all those children. It's amazing how this women has incorporated these children into society. The children were placed in foster families from a village that has been deemed as cursed, the reason the people think this community is cursed is because many people in this village are dying from AIDS or have been looked down upon in their own villages for various reasons so they have been put into this community by the local chief where they are accepted. On Saturday we went and visited this village, the people aren't cursed, they are just amazing people who have opened their homes to these children. I believe this women has brought a sense of God's love to this village, by asking them to be responsible for these children. They care for these children, clothe them, feed them, and love them because that's what people do. It's so strange she has taken an outcasted community and outcasted children and made them a family in God's eyes. When I looked into Peaces eyes as she spoke about these children and here vision for their future it was like I was looking into her heart. You just wanted to pick up each child and squeeze their cheeks they were so cute!!!
On Sunday....
I attend a local Methodist church which consists of approx. 13 members. The singing is really bad and off key(but hey so am I most of the time so I fit in perfectly), the pastor is great he translates everything into english which is really helpful, and apparently (meaning it's happened the last two weeks in a row) they want to hear a word from their White brothers and sisters. So they just kind of put us on the spot and we go with it!
On Monday....
We have off, it's our day of rest. So I get really excited and go to the internet cafe that is approx. 1-2 hours away (depending on the reliability of the public transportation that day) to connect with all of you that I miss dearly!!! Yes, I am easily entertained!!!
Well if any of you are looking to improve your resume by adding pick axing as a skill don't worry I will be home and available in August to teach you free of charge, all I would ask is that you provide the pick ax and a cold orange fanta to drink.
Seren
posted by Seren Frost | 4:13 AM
2 Comments:
Seren,
I've enjoyed reading your posts from time to time; just wanted you to know, since I haven't posted any comments yet. Like Andy, I've been timing my showers, even though I can't say I hit under 2 min very often...but it does mean I'm reminded to pray for you at least once a week. (Ok, so I try to keep clean more often than that.) Which reminds me: I haven't seen any requests for a shipment of deoderant. Well, the offer stands. Look forward to hearing more, both in your next post and when you get back States-side. Meanwhile, have fun swinging that pick-axe!
Brandon
Seren,
Glad to hear you are doing well. We have been faithfully traveling along with you (and secretly worrying about you). I was just thinking the other night that I need to develop some machette skills, so you can teach me when you come home.
Keeping you in my prayers,
Barbara
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