One of the challenges I’ve had since being on the World Race is keeping myself healthy. Being in a new environment every month means unexpected things happen all the time. This month something happened that I never thought I would say happened to me. I got fleas. Yep, it’s just as gross and terrible as it sounds. Do you remember the Kanine Advantix commercials with the cute dog that sings- “Hello mother, hello father. Fleas, ticks, mosquitos really bother! Thanks for the package, that’s why I’m writing Kanine Advantix stops all the biting.” Well this has been my reality this past month with no Kanine Advantix to get rid of the problem. I’ve had my share of mosquito bites and even had a couple ticks on my body in my lifetime- and now I can say I’ve had fleas too.
At first I thought it was bed bugs because I am sleeping on these cushion mattresses that look like they have been around for a couple decades. I have bites all over my ankles, legs, and all around my waist line. Other people on my team are getting these same bites and we are all suffering together. I could scratch all day and all night long with no relief. We started to notice these tiny brown bugs that hop on our stuff and with all the stray dogs that are everywhere we realized it is more likely fleas than bed bugs.
When I started writing this blog I was in meh mood. I wasn’t upset or mad but I was just thinking about how I was looking forward to leaving my flea infested room in 4 days. I was focusing on being annoyed with the stray dogs that constantly get on our property and tear up our garbage and keep giving us these fleas that are making me suffer and the toilets that keep breaking. My joy was getting sucked out by all the small annoyances that have been building up throughout the month.
Before I could finish writing this blog, three other girls and I went with our contact to a widow’s house to learn how to make the yarn they use to make scarves. I was greeted with hugs and kisses on the cheek by the widows who were excited that we wanted to come learn more about how they make a living. They happily showed us how they dye the yarn organically using flowers, bark, fruits and vegetables. They walked us through the process of how they dye the yarn, put it on the loom, and weave it into beautiful designs. It was an amazing process to see played out in front of me first hand. They served us fresh coffee that I saw them de-shell, roast, and grind right in front of me. I purchased one of their organically dyed, handmade scarves which took them an entire day and a half to make. I was extremely blessed and overflowing with joy from spending the day with those precious women. It was such a special experience and I forgot all about the little things that have been bothering me lately.
Things were put in perspective for me today; these things that are causing me to be annoyed are taking away my joy and are from the enemy. I can choose to focus on the things that bother me and let that consume my thoughts or ask God to help me dwell on things from Him. Today I was filled with the joy of the Lord by the time I left the widow’s house and I no longer was as upset and annoyed with the things that were making me unhappy earlier. I am still looking forward to no longer being the feeding ground for the fleas that are living amongst us but it is no longer taking away my joy!
Dying the yarn in herbs Hand grinding coffee beans
Me practicing my yarn spinning One of the widow who hand made my scarf
