After a few days of construction and a village ministry complete with “Kids Camp”(exciting since we were the first group to go into this village at all…they were so happy to have us there!), we got to have our first day off. I wanted to just give you a basic idea of how it went for me.
5:10am- Since the power cut out at 5:00am the lack of fans left me toasty. Made the decision to brave the mosquitos and leave the comfort of my net/bed for a little quiet time.
5:15am- After dressing in the dark and dousing myself in bug spray, I could sit in the rope hammock and read some Ezekiel with my flashlight.
6:30am- Laundry time to beat the “day off laundry rush”.
7:00am- Breakfast!!! and read a book at the table.
9:00am- Team time
10:30am- Back to reading the book on my bed
10:50am-A team member came in and told me about a ministry opportunity to bless the laundry lady who works for the orphanage.
11:00am- Nivea (as I later learned through my broken Creole) helps me set up a basic of soapy water and we have very little conversations in Creole about family and likes. But usually she laughs at my attempts and smiles with me in that universal language of joy.
11:45am- After two loads of pillow cases an older man and a younger one on a tractor pull up to our wash party. The old one tells me through the young one, “I know you have a washing Machine….you need to wash like this.” And he shows me the correct technique. [little does he know, I borrowing a machine last year…close sir…close]
12:15pm-We rush to finish the work in time for lunch and I spill the basin. Nivea smiles and laughs and thanks me. I tell her it was a pleasure which she returns to me. We clean up and part ways.
12:30pm- Lunch (2 helpings!)
1:00pm- Head to the roof to read the book in the breeze.
1:05pm- Fall asleep with the book in hand.
???pm- Wake up/get water/work on typing a blog up in word (to post later as internet becomes available)
3:00ish pm- Noticed squad members headed to the roof with instruments in hand. Grabbed plumber’s pipe flute to join in the jam session.
5:20pm- Lay in the double decker squad hammock city and chat.
6:00pm- Dinner!
6:45pm- Team Dish Duty J
7:55pm- Finish dinner and join orphans for outdoor movie night. Caught the last half of “Flubber” projected on a sheet on the b-ball court. [My favorite part was the kids’ reaction. I couldn’t help but laugh when they got into it!]
9:00pm- Brush teeth, set out clothes for better “dressing in the dark” experience in the morning, journal, head to bed to read a book and fall asleep.
And that was my first day off… 🙂
