November 2nd

It’s so funny, ok… well not funny, that’s not the right word, but saying it’s
amusing doesn’t really work either, but I have observed several Africans as they
work, and they love to sing, well, more of a hum really as they work. But today,
Kadiatu, the lady Karen has come help cook, was doing so today. It was really
heart-warming in a way. She was singing that Jesus is her friend and things like
that and it actually moved me to tears. I know, lame. As most of you know I’m a
particularly emotional person, the intense mix of emotions from everything I’m
experiencing here moves me often to tears, sometimes it’s not good tears when
I’m missing people, but often the things here that just remind me particularly
of how wonderful God is brings me to tears too. Sometimes I wonder how the
people here are so thankful for what they have when they have so little, but I
also realize that I know I’m most thankful for what God has provided me when I’m
in a particularly hard place, so I think it has to do with that some. They know
that it could be worse, and are therefore happy with what they have. They want
more, yeah, everyone does, but they don’t let the wants drive them as much as we
do in America. Many of I the people want more money, but not mostly for stuff,
they would just like to have better food, better care, clothes that aren’t
filled with small holes because they are used so much.

There’s something I wasn’t sure if I was going to share, because I wondered if
it kind of made me racist, but as I’ve grown more used to it I guess I’m more
comfortable with it. The Africans here are always trying to help me do things,
like carry my stuff for me, when I moved in I carried almost nothing into my
room because they did it all for me. I was really worried that they thought that
I thought I was better than them or something stupid like that, which is not
something I ever wanted people to think. I kept this to myself for a while
before finally telling Tom about my worries. He told me that they do kind of
think that we are fragile, at least not quite as hardy as they are, but mostly
the reason they try to do things for us is that they know what we are doing here
and that we are giving up things to be here and help them and since they can’t
really repay us in any other way, which made me feel loads better.

On a great note, I am super pumped! Hunter ate some potato leaf today! He
demolished it in fact, eating like he hadn’t eaten before. Trying not to get too
excited because the sites I read about wild rabbit say that they can be fragile
and Hunter will need a lot of care to make sure he doesn’t get dehydrated. But
he’s loving the sugar water so hopefully that will help keep him hydrated. I
also need to find a source of high fiber for him, since there isn’t a pet store
where I can run and pick some up I was wondering if any rabbit (or other animal)
lovers out there know anything that grows wild and can be easily identified that
will work? The vegetation here is somewhat different but the “weeds” look pretty
much like the weeds at home, except these amazing little plants, I don’t know
what they are called but they call them shy plants here. If you touch them they
instantly pull away from you and the little fronds fold up. It’s so cool and
they grow all over the place here.

I’ve decided Africa is not a very good place to be when you are a mild to
moderate hypochondriac. I can’t watch a tv commercial for a medication without
going, oh my gosh! I so have *insert random illness*! With all the possible
illnesses here I have to keep telling myself, no Ryan, you do not have malaria,
parasites or onchocirciasis(sp?) which is river blindness, haha. The parasites I
know I don’t have because I haven’t been here long enough, they mostly take
months to manifest, so for at least a few months it will be easy to convince
myself, haha. I thought of this because today I’m feeling a bit under the
weather, and my hands are trembling really annoyingly today, especially annoying
when I’m trying to feed and handle Hunter. I think my body is just not taking
the weather well here. I was told the weather here is pretty constant but with
all the rains it keeps fluctuating between “oh my gosh it’s so hot I’m melting”
and “well at least it’s almost cool” which is a pretty big difference for here.
I know I don’t do real well when the weather changes a lot at home, getting
headaches more frequently and similar other little things.

So last night I was terrorized by a very large beetle thing. We swatted it,
attempted to crush it with a by pinning it with the fly swatter then smashing it
with a flashlight, we sprayed it with bug spray and we still couldn’t kill it. I
finally managed to kill it by whacking it with my sandal, splitting it asunder
and ending its reign of terror. Then this evening we had a giant wasp thing that
was flying around. This giant bug also met its end at the end of my sandal.

For now, I’m doing what I came here to do, teach, but I’m trying to keep my mind
open for any opportunities that God might provide to do other work for Him. So
keep praying that I will be open and willing to take any opportunities that do
cross my path. The night I wanted to do my bible study there is already one.
Which they invited me to, but I forgot last night. I want to go and see how it
is, the people here have a passion for Christ and I want to see how their
theology is, but so far I’ve gotten a message about the importance of tithing
(it’s almost harvest time) choosing church leaders (the Wesleyan mother church
here just elected new leadership) and the first time I went to church I was too
absorbed in self-pity and I have no recollection of anything that was said.
Anyway, the other nights of the week we do the classes here at the house. So I’m
still trying to find a good time. Also, I’m hoping to disciple one of the kids
here, because he needs it. He loves Christ, but he struggles with honesty and
other things. But I don’t really know where to start or what to do, so pray that
God will give me guidance and wisdom in this circumstance.

Blessings from Kamakwie Wesleyan Hospital,
Ryan Brooks