Rain?

We're sitting at our desk working away. I hear a strange noise and we look up at each other.

"What's that noise?" I ask
'It's raining" Mike replies nonchalantly
"It's WHAT?!"
"It's raining."

So, I shove the curtain back and sure enough... it's raining. I did what any girl (or maybe just me) would do in Africa in the middle of summer. (After all, it hasn't rained in months, and I endured a six hour power cut earlier in the day...) I quickly ran out to the back courtyard, and stood in the rain. Even turned my face up to feel the lovely wetness on my head.

Then I looked down at my nice pale pink shirt and I realized that it was not actually raining rain. It was raining mud.

After a few moments of trying to get my head wrapped around the fact that my shirt and probably my face and all the rest of me was now covered in drops of mud... I sheepishly went inside, washed my face and changed my shirt.

So much for a nice refreshing shower...

My Kind of Game

Mike likes games. All kinds of games. Lately he's been spending some free time seeing what kind of free 'flash' games he can play on the internet. Last night he decided to find a game that I would like to play. For awhile we sold lemonade at a 'lemonade stand' and then we came across one that is JUST my kind of game.

The goal is to cut a certain amount of cookies out of a sheet of cookie dough! The head-baker-man tells you on each level how many you must cut, and how many times you are allowed to re-roll the dough.

I hate to admit that we took turns cutting virtual cookies out of virtual cookie dough for probably an hour. But I did pretty well and we had a really good time! I have about 20 years of baking experience to thank for my high score... I had a few things to teach Michael about proper cutter rotation and maximum dough usage. And some people say that 'home-economics' is of no value...
he he

That reminds me... I wanted to make some cookies today! I should go thaw out that dough!

If you're not too ashamed, you can go to this site to try the game out for yourself. No one will have to know...
http://www.addictinggames.com/cookiecuttertwisted.html

warning: it's slightly addictive (and makes you crave cookies too!)

He Did What?!

Fresh tomatoes, onions, lime juice, garlic, pepper, salt, oregano, olive oil... FRESH SALSA!!!!

Mike did it all! Delicious!!!

He never ceases to amaze me...

Visitors

Today we hosted nine visitors! Seven of them were unexpected (and came at the most un-expected times, of course!). And at one point there were three separate groups of guests in the house at the same time. You can imagine the glances my husband and I were giving each other from across the room as the doorbell kept ringing and we kept bringing in more chairs!!

You never know when answering the door if it's gonna be a old man wanting money, a young man dropping off the phone bill, a little boy asking for ice, or a friend with her baby who will come in and stay for hours!

Aside from dirtying lots of drinking glasses and challenging our patience and knowledge of Arabic, These unexpected visits remind us that we are being accepted by those around us! And although along with the acceptance comes many awkward silences... it also brings joy.

The day ended huddled around family photos by candlelight (and headlamp light) with sweets and coffee cups around the kitchen table. Our neighbors came for dinner... of course the electricity went out in the middle of the meal and we were all dripping sweat, but we had a fabulous time visiting. Mike in the courtyard talking politics, and us ladies in the kitchen talking family and babies...

I always worry so much about 'events' like the one we had tonight, but God is faithful, and it is becoming easier to connect into the lives with those around us.

Could someone just remind me of that the next time the doorbell rings?...

Ice Suppliers

So, there is a family that lives on the roof of the building we live in. They are a young local couple with 3 small kids.

A couple months ago the Mom came to the door to ask for some ice. It was because her baby had a fever I think. Then a little later she asked for more... for a burn maybe?

Then she started sending down her little sister to gather ice from us a few times... with no explanation. And today, I open the door after a hearty knock, and it's the 3 year old boy holding a thermos up above his head... looking at me with his big brown eyes. He didn't say anything, and I'm used to this routine now. "Dagigga" I say (Just a minute)... and I go fill up the bucket with ice.

The breakthrough though... is that this little boy has for a LONG time burst into tears when he sees me in the stairway. Sometimes, if I try to shake his hand he will burst into tears and run for cover.

But today, I think we finally hit a turning point in our relationship...

Summer

Summer is here. And that is not said with glee like a young child finishing the last day of school dreaming of summer swimming pool trips and evenings at the ball field.

Woke up, stood up, and the sweating began.

A friend said it reached at least 110 degrees in his compound... in the shade, not the sun. In the sun, my estimate is that it must be about 210 degrees. he he Still has at least 10 or 15 more degrees to climb before peak summer temperatures are reached.

Another friend (a medical doctor from the UK who has lived here for 7 years) said that medically, she's not quite sure how it's possible to live each day in such temperatures. But somehow we manage to stay alive.

And there are the other 'joys' of summer... they cut off all the water, then they cut off all the electricity (today at the same time). And currently we are being blessed with a large dust-storm.

Anybody wanna come visit?? Didn't think so.
:)

Easter

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

I grew up sharing this greeting at church on Easter Sunday mornings. This morning we shared this same greeting as we celebrated Christ's resurrection on the beachy bank of the river at sunrise this morning. How comforting it was to me...

Today was a good Easter day. Not like any other Easter, but good. After the early morning worship service concluded and we all stood up off our mats to brush the sand off of ourselves, we shared a community breakfast. Homemade cinnamon buns (no frozen ones here!), fresh fruit, coffee, egg-wraps... yum!! Great fare for a pregnant girl who doesn't cook much lately! For a long time everyone stood out on the beach chatting and laughing together. Kids (and adults too) made sculptures in the sand; "He is Alive!" one read. The sun rose higher in the sky and soon it wasn't comfortable to stand in the heat any longer. We packed into the vehicles and headed home.

We had a quiet break before we went to celebrate again with our house church. Once again, there as an amazing spread of food (people really pull out all the stops for Easter lunch!) and kids running everywhere. We then sat together and to share from our hearts what God has been teaching us through this most Holy Week and worshiped together with songs and prayers. Followed by, of course... much more chatting and laughter.

I feel so joyful today. Joyful to have good friends around when family is so far. Joyful to have food and laughter to share. Joyful to celebrate this day... this most VERY special day. The day that all of history was waiting for. The day that has changed MY life and the lives of all human-kind forever.

Thank you, dear Lord Jesus Christ, for coming to die for me, that I might be washed of my sin; that I might be made pearly white before the Father's throne. And thank you, precious Jesus, that you overcame death. You and are so very alive today in my heart and you are so very alive in every seemingly dark corner of this world that is so dear to your heart. Thank you for your sacrifice...