A Week in Africa - Wednesday

Mat gets up early today, we eat eggs and French pressed coffee. It's team day today so instead of our normal morning routine we gather our things and head to Peter's house - a 45min walk.

When we are traveling long distances this has become a convenient way to travel. Thailie holds on and Nia is tied to her back African Mama style. Typically we don't ride the bike, Mat just walks it.

The Mashauri's, Rachel and Gideon, live in-between Peter's house and ours so we stop by their house to see if they have left. They haven't, so we wait to walk with them. We decide it will be fastest to put Abigail on the bike too so she doesn't have to try and keep up.

Rachel carries Sarah on her back and her bag on her head, Mat takes the rest of the girls on the bike.

Sarah wanted to ride too so we put Abigail on the seat and Sarah on the front.

9:10a - Arrive at Peter's for team day - we review books and articles we're reading, pray for the Rangi and a country in the book Operation World, we talk budget and team business, work on language etc.

Worn out, we arrive safely at Peter's.

Peter had this Banda built specifically for team day use.

3p After a long day, we head home. Kim has a few things to get so she walks back with us. After awhile Mat decides to just bike with the girls to get back sooner while Kim and I walk. We both need a few things so we stop at the market by the big tree to buy tomatoes and stop at a shop to buy some chai (tea). While on our way we see some of the women that I visit regularly. They enthusiastically call us over to sit with them while they shell peanuts. This is where great relationship building takes place, just taking the time to stop and be a part of what they are doing. Kim and I join them and begin to shell peanuts with them. They are very impressed with how well Kim knows Kilangi. She has been doing a great job and learning very quickly. They harass her and can't comprehend how she is in her 20s and isn't married. Unfortunately for Kim, this is a conversation that she has everyday with every one who stops to talk with her. At a certain age you get married here- pretty much no exception. So when they come across Kim and Dawn who are both of age to be married, they just don't know what to do with them. We enjoy our time chatting with the ladies and before we go they send us each off with a bag of peanuts.

Think this would pass in the US? Mat and the girls head home.

4p - I'm finally home! Megan, our team treasurer, stops by on her way home, to get some info on our vehicles. While we settle in, three different people stop by to try and sell us eggs.

Tank made it in the house and down the hall into our living room area - twice. Turtles wandering into the house, totally normal!

 

5:30p - The girls play in the dirt out in the courtyard while I start dinner.

6p - We eat not quite beans, not quite chili - but super good! I was planning to make Chili tomorrow so I kind of half made it tonight to make things easier but it turned out so well that we ate almost all of it.

7p - Get the girls ready for bed.

8p - Mat and I use the Internet for a few emails and to check the news in the Congo before heading to bed ourselves.