Days 4 and 5

Saturday 2.28.09

Saturday, Tim and I went into Nalerigu proper (~1mile from the Medical Center). The crowded living conditions were a stark contrast to the open spaces in the medical compound- wooden shacks crammed between mud huts...donkeys, babies, goats, and people all lined the red dirt road (which is their front door step) to gawk at us. The air smelled of trash burning and food cooking. The largest contrast was the sheer number of people (ironically, many with cell phones) -and trash. The market was overwhelming- slum style crowding and a slum style mix of mud, trash, pregnant goats, and babies. The market sells fabric, clothes, housewares, produce, cooking needs (spices, dry goods) and ready-to-eat snacks like dough balls and dried fish.

We had a dinner of "Fufu" at what looked like "just another small shack." It is made by beating a starchy substance (from yams and plantains) with a giant mortar and pestle. The women wanted me to help them pound and laughed uncontrollably at my weakness compared to their amazing arm strength (picture below)! Reggae music blared in the background and we ordered a red sauce (tasted like potatoes at a crawfish boil) and ground nut sauce (tasted like potatoes with gravy). I say "ordered" but a better description is "received the sauce out of a black plastic-wal-mart-type sack and carried it to the fly infested porch! The atmosphere was amazing, there is nothing like enjoying dusk in a third world country. The only American experience I could compare it to is sitting on a front porch, on a summer day, in a small town, at sunset. We had Fanyogurt (Ghanian frozen yogurt brand) at another shack and met up with the Dickens (precious OB/GYN and family who are here for a self supported, 2 year committment) on the walk back.

Abbigail (2), Colt (7), Hollie and Joel Dickens ate at our house that evening (the cook had prepared a meal of Shepard's Pie). Jenn joined us from her call at the hospital and we laughed and talked into the night. It is amazing how long you can enjoy visiting with one another when you don't have a TV or computer to run home to! Jenn and I had a great conversation and were in bed by 10PM.

2.29.08 (Sunday) I went to the First Baptist Church of Nalerigu this morning with Dr. and Mrs. Faile (full time missionaries at BMC). It was a 3 hour long experience- lots of clapping and singing. The congregation of ~100 was beautiful. They are so dark and dress in such brilliant colors (except for the few American dressed young men). Hairstyles are actually similar to African Americans in the US. The pastor preached on Daniel 5, when the king was suddenly killed...reminding us that we are not promised tomorrow and going through the crowd with a microphone asking what people would do if they knew they were going to die. Good question to ponder! Church was incredibly loud, with speakers that seemed to be broadcasting to an audience 300 yards away.

Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement! Please continue to pray that the Lord would give me direction on career decisions (rank list due this Friday!) and boldness to testify of what he has done in my life.