More Randomness...

• Been in the country for two weeks and just got my first mosquito bite tonight! Thank you Jesus!

• I can't deny it. My weakness is totally my hair. If a girl asks to brush my hair I'm pretty much sold! (If I were Esau I'd probably lose my birthright to Jacob (aka Audrey) just for her to brush my hair!) The kids here like yevu hair and I could let someone brush my hair until the last strand falls out...win/win!

• I've been able to listen to the children singing some songs I actually recognize...well, the tune at least. I.e. "Feliz Navidad" and Crazy Frog's "I Like to Move It" haha

• Had someone tell me I was looking "fine." Also since my return I've had some say, "Sandra, you've reduced." Definitely a first! (Took five trips and a bacterial infection to get that one! lol) But yesterday someone said, "Sandra, you've reduced! You are now looking normal!" Well, people. I'm normal. If you don't believe me, ask homechick!! :)

• I'm awakened each morning to (American) Christmas music coming from somewhere outside my window. That's a nice little treat!

• Today, a gracious young woman helped me prepare okra stew and banku. It turned out great! Many compliments from friends...of course they're so gracious they'd probably do that anyway.

• Today the same young woman used my sponge to clean the floor of the terrace outside my house...then deposited back in with the dishes. What did I do? I cringed and washed all of my dishes with it. Still trying to decide if I will pull out the bleach tomorrow and rewash.

• That being said, I've used the same coffee cup all week and haven't washed it. Now I see that might be for the best...haha.

• Went for a jog today and was pretty excited that I was able to do as much as I did seeing as how its been a few weeks since I've run. My excitement dissipated when two ten year old boys came up to my house, sweaty (but not out of breath) and said they ran the same thing I did. They were trying to keep up with me and did a pretty good job seeing as how they were only about ten minutes behind me!

• I caught a frog this evening and was going to show it to a little boy. For the first time EVER I saw fear in people's eyes. Not like an extreme dislike but a true fear...like what I saw in one of my students one time when I told him he was going to have to call his father and tell him about his behavior. No more frogs for me...although I find it odd how scared they are of frogs and how fast they'll run, but they'll kill a snake...hmmm

• I was talking to a girl around ten years old about a picture of a risen Jesus holding up a young man who appears to be too weak to hold himself up but is holding the nails and hammer. I was telling her what it meant and said, "This is Jesus after He died and God raised Him from the dead..." She interrupted with, "HE DIED?!?" I got to share with her who Jesus is and what He did for us. Sweet moment, but slightly disturbing as she attends a local church every Sunday and on special occasions. :/

• Best Christmas Eve present ever? The opportunity to teach church leaders how to intentionally study the Word...hopefully leading to UNDERSTANDING! Gɔmɛsɛsɛ!!!!

• I need to wash my sheets but it seems so pointless.

• I thought if I ignored the pain my shoes were causing and pushed through it wouldn't be a big deal. Got to church with bloody feet. Had to hide in the bushes to wash them so I wouldn't worry anyone here. Still, the women tried to give me their own shoes. I've never seen such generosity anywhere else in the world.

• GOSSIP is a disease that is spread all over the world and we each need to do our part to eradicate it!! :)

• I haven't gotten as sick from my malaria meds as I have in the past and I praise the Lord for that!

• I'm pretty sure out of the twelve hours of daylight, I have kids in or just outside my room/house for ten of those hours!

• For all of the correspondences from those in the States, I am TRULY grateful! I know its the holiday season there and most people are busy getting ready so I acknowledge and appreciate you taking the time to encourage me!

• Went to the latrine this morning and there were roaches, beetles and other bugs I've never seen before all laying on the ground dead. No clue what happened but I'm glad!

• I'm eating the yesterday's rice and summer sausage for lunch as I listen to Fireflight. A relaxing lunch before my house is bombarded with kiddos! :)

• The matches I buy here have a picture of an elephant on them. Not an advertisement or anything, just a picture.

• I managed to rub the skin off of the back of my hands as I washed clothes yesterday. Been doing a lot more physically so my clothes have gotten dirtier than usual. From now on, hard work necessitates dark clothes...lol

• I was asked to preach one Sunday in a church in Sogakoƒe. Ummm, not sure how I feel about that except that I don't care to preach and for people who don't know...I really do not like to be up in front of people in church! :)