Last Wednesday's Journal

So here I am..day 6 (Wednesday) and we are quickly approaching the day in which my team will leave me behind. We have been staying at the hotel since I last wrote you about our accommodations. It is much more convenient for Pastor Dongo and us as well. In addition, Karlene, the teacher from Texas that has been here almost 4 weeks now, stays at our hotel. So it gives her Americans to relate to and bond with…just a feel of home and comfort for her.

Each day we walk to the school from our hotel. We have to be very careful as we cross the street because let’s just say that no one is really going to slow down for you if you run in front of their car. They might honk though. Dongo has always warned us not to go out at night so usually he drives us back to the hotel after dinner if it is dark. However, two nights ago, all of us at the hotel ate at a restaurant that we walked to. By the time we had completed our meal, it was dark. There are no streetlamps here so it is very dark when you walk down the road. Gaba Road is not so bad, but to get to our hotel, we had to venture off onto a side street to get to our hotel. I know that Julie and Degna were a little scared since they have trouble seeing in the light (especially Degna) and were walking in pitch black darkness because the batteries to their flashlight were dead. However, they made it safely being accompanied by James. Karlene and I decided to take a venture to the internet café. Remember that Dongo always warns of being out past dark. We joked about him finding out that we went to the internet café, and as we turned the corner to the internet café, one of the teachers from the school was there and "busted" us for being out at night.

Yesterday, I saw Andrew, the student that I sponsor. I was able to give him the gifts that I had for him. He is shy and doesn’t talk much so it’s hard to tell what he is feeling, but later in the day, he was chasing me around the school and even dragged me somewhere to be with him. He’s a gem. I am making attempts to communicate with him so we’ll see how that progresses over the next few weeks.

I have made so many friends here and am attempting to remember all of their names. It is definitely a challenge. My favorites are all the students that I really remember from last time I was here. Rogers is an amazing student who loves the Lord and has an incredible story to share. Ismail was formerly a Muslim and converted to Christianity yet suffers persecution at the hands of his family because of his conversion.