A Day in the Life…

I’ve been here six weeks now, and have settled into a routine.  Of course, every day is slightly different, but there are some things that don’t change… Since I am nearest the school, I am the one who opens each morning at 7:30.  School doesn’t start until 8:00, but if the girls arrive between 7:30 and 8:00 we provide a little something for breakfast.  So, I am also responsible for getting the breakfast there!  Usually it’s bread and jam, or little coffee cakes made by a lady in the church, so it’s not a big deal to carry.  It’s not far from my house to the school; I come on to the road near the church sign, cross the road (and the ever-present mud puddles!)…

                                                          Looking right at front of church                                          

 Looking left from front of church             

…round the corner and walk up the road (skirting more mud puddles!)to the large white building on the right.  As you can see, it is not far, but it’s an adventure!  One day I stepped on a stepping stone and ended up IN the puddle on my side when the stone turned out from under my foot!  That was quite a morning!  I was dripping and muddy, but I still had to go and open the school, so I just got up and went on!  I opened the doors, but didn’t go inside, since I was a drippy mess!  When my workers arrived at 8:00 to start the day, I was able to go back home and quickly dry off and change clothes!  It’s nice to be only a 5 minute walk from work!  I learned some new French phrases that day!  (…nice ones!) People were so sorry to see what had happened (Oh, madame, je désolé!)(Oh madame, I’m so sorry!) and I even learned how to tell them what happened!  (Je tombe dans l’eau!)(I fell in the water!)

                               

Our day begins with a Bible lesson, and then French and math lessons on alternate days.  Both of our teachers will be leaving us the first week of April to attend Bible School.  I’ll really miss them!  Please pray with me that God will bring someone to help me during the time they are in school!  The girls are learning memory verses each week as well.  I’m working on them with the girls so I can improve my French reading skills, but I’m having a really hard time memorizing them!  I think if I could figure out a way to make the verses into songs I would have an easier time of it! 

                              

The rest of the day is spent working on the various projects we have going, with a short break for lunch, which we also provide.  We are preparing for an exhibition in April, so there are lots of things to get done!  My daughter Lexi sent me a pattern for a simple sundress, and we have started making some of those to sell as well as the household goods the girls have been making. 

After school, Janice and I often stay and prepare projects for the next day.  Then back home to think about dinner…  Since the school is not air conditioned, I am so hot and tired by the end of the day, cooking is not high on my list of things I want to do!  To stay hydrated in this climate, I always take three bottles of water with me in the morning, and they are ALL gone by 3:00…

                                                    

Water is a problem here, there is running water from the tap, but it is not drinkable water.  I use it only for washing and bathing.  We purchase drinking water from the local CocaCola bottling plant (which also happens to be the local brewery!) in these large yellow containers, and I refill my bottles every day! For cooking I boil and filter the tap water.  I often have a “boiling” session on Saturday mornings to refill my containers!   I also try to do some cooking on Saturday mornings while it is cool.  I freeze meal-sized portions so I won’t have to think about cooking after school!  I usually spend a few hours at the school on Saturday as well, preparing projects for the next week.  However, this week there was a wedding, so not this Saturday!  I’ll blog about the wedding next time!  Blessings to all!