I’ll start off with the bad news first cause if I don’t, it kinda ruins my point.
Bad News: There is only one Cyber Café in Kolda that has wireless Internet where I’m able to connect with my computer. I go there every ten days or so to send my blog and/or receive other documents that I need. Well, a few days ago I went there to spend a good 2 hours, but I got there and the place was under construction. It’s all good though, I’ve been getting by. I’ve been using my thumb drive a lot and I’ve been using these “frenchy keyboards.” I just have to remember where to click and/or guess the French word that looks close to the American word that I want.
Good News: Yesterday I got a bill from the phone company!!!!!! I couldn’t read it because it was all in French, but I called one of my colleges in the capital city and he is going to try and get it all figured out. I don’t know what it all means but I know that I’m one step closer to getting Internet in my house. I think the next step will be the actual installation of the phone line. Please pray that this whole process will go smoothly and that I will soon get Internet at my place. I’ve really been itch’n to get on the Internet and not have a time limit. And if Africa isn’t cooperating, which is probably most likely going to happen, pray for my patience and my time at the Cyber Café.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
How Do You Handle a Hungry Journeyman?
I wanted to share these pictures with you. What happens when you get a hungry journeyman, a can of ravioli, and no can opener?
It took me about 5 minutes to get this can open and as I looked at the can I thought to myself, “If I spent this much energy getting the can open, I’m going all out!!!” And then I turned the stove on and placed the can on top.
That was some of the best ravioli I have ever had. Except for yours, Mom ;)
And if you’re wondering, I have a can opener now!
That was some of the best ravioli I have ever had. Except for yours, Mom ;)
And if you’re wondering, I have a can opener now!
I'M ALMOST THREE YEARS OLD NOW!!
I have lived here in Kolda a little over six weeks now and I was thinking of all the things that I have learned. I have found a lot of new friends that are teaching me a things, but as you can tell by the title, I still have a lot that I need to learn. Everything that I’m learning can fit into two categories; language or culture. I was told when I first arrived that my only job here in Kolda for now is to learn the culture and the language.
When thinking about culture, the first thing that comes to mind is this whole thing about which hand to use. I can think of many times where someone hands me something and I reach out with my left hand to grab it and I realize what I’m doing and switch hands. When that happens, I always get that little half smile; don’t know what it means but at least they aren’t yelling at me!! There are also many things about the culture that I don’t understand but that I have to remember out of respect. My favorite was the other day - after sitting a while I was stretching and I left my hands to rest on top of my head. My friend calls out my name, puts his hands on his head and says “Moit yannie” (translation: not good). In this culture there are somethings that I know I won’t be able to understand completely but I just have to remember what I can and can’t do.
As I knew before I got here my biggest struggle is the language. I knew it would be hard, but I had no idea that it would be this hard! A lot of people speak some English. I love it when a random African sees me and they say the one thing they know in English, “Good Morning”, and its 3:00 in the afternoon!!! A small percentage of people speak enough English that I’m able to understand it, so right now when I communicate it consists of a lot of facial expressions and movements of the hands. My biggest prayer request right now is my language. Every night when I go to bed I’m exhausted, not from the sun, not from walking or playing soccer, but from my brain working so hard trying to communicate. I wish y’all could see my language classes. My teacher, Lamin, knows very little English and I know very little Pulaar. It’s a 2 hour class and I have to take a break after class just so I can continue with the day. To tell the truth I don’t know how we still like each other after class. Both of us get pretty frustrated when we still don’t get each other after trying to explain something for 14th time. Most of the time it doesn’t click until I’m able to talk to one my friends that speak English later that day or week. The Sheriff and Patrick have both been super big helps and I would probably still be a 2 year old without them. I keep telling myself that I just need to be patient and over time it will get easier and easier. I can’t wait for the day that I will be able to communicate with these people. Oh, I pray that day will come soon!!!
When thinking about culture, the first thing that comes to mind is this whole thing about which hand to use. I can think of many times where someone hands me something and I reach out with my left hand to grab it and I realize what I’m doing and switch hands. When that happens, I always get that little half smile; don’t know what it means but at least they aren’t yelling at me!! There are also many things about the culture that I don’t understand but that I have to remember out of respect. My favorite was the other day - after sitting a while I was stretching and I left my hands to rest on top of my head. My friend calls out my name, puts his hands on his head and says “Moit yannie” (translation: not good). In this culture there are somethings that I know I won’t be able to understand completely but I just have to remember what I can and can’t do.
As I knew before I got here my biggest struggle is the language. I knew it would be hard, but I had no idea that it would be this hard! A lot of people speak some English. I love it when a random African sees me and they say the one thing they know in English, “Good Morning”, and its 3:00 in the afternoon!!! A small percentage of people speak enough English that I’m able to understand it, so right now when I communicate it consists of a lot of facial expressions and movements of the hands. My biggest prayer request right now is my language. Every night when I go to bed I’m exhausted, not from the sun, not from walking or playing soccer, but from my brain working so hard trying to communicate. I wish y’all could see my language classes. My teacher, Lamin, knows very little English and I know very little Pulaar. It’s a 2 hour class and I have to take a break after class just so I can continue with the day. To tell the truth I don’t know how we still like each other after class. Both of us get pretty frustrated when we still don’t get each other after trying to explain something for 14th time. Most of the time it doesn’t click until I’m able to talk to one my friends that speak English later that day or week. The Sheriff and Patrick have both been super big helps and I would probably still be a 2 year old without them. I keep telling myself that I just need to be patient and over time it will get easier and easier. I can’t wait for the day that I will be able to communicate with these people. Oh, I pray that day will come soon!!!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Erik Pieniazek
BP 352
Kolda, Senegal
Here is my address. I know that a lot of ya’ll have been asking for it, so I thought that I would finally give it to you. I will get the mail if you send it to this address. Let me also give ya’ll some guidelines if you want to send something. It takes over a month for it to arrive. My team members have never had problems, but the African mail carriers are well known for opening mail and taking something if they want it. If I get a box in the mail, I will have to pay customs on it. Don’t let that stop you, but if you’re able to fit things in one of those padded envelopes then I don’t have to pay customs and envelopes don’t get opened and checked and all that good stuff. One thing that you can send me is pictures. Africans love pictures and I really didn’t bring as much as I would have liked. It doesn’t matter what the picture are of; pictures of your dog, pictures of us together, baby pictures, or just a pictures of the great state of Texas, the locals will still love them and it will be a great way to practice my language and build relationships. I, as of now, don’t need anything that won’t fit into an envelope. Please contact me if you want to send anything bigger than an envelope because there might be an easier way of me getting it to me. Teams come from the US throughout the year. Don’t hesitate if you do want to send something, have anyone questions. We all know that everybody loves mail! I would love to hear more about what’s going on in your life and how I can be praying for you.
BP 352
Kolda, Senegal
Here is my address. I know that a lot of ya’ll have been asking for it, so I thought that I would finally give it to you. I will get the mail if you send it to this address. Let me also give ya’ll some guidelines if you want to send something. It takes over a month for it to arrive. My team members have never had problems, but the African mail carriers are well known for opening mail and taking something if they want it. If I get a box in the mail, I will have to pay customs on it. Don’t let that stop you, but if you’re able to fit things in one of those padded envelopes then I don’t have to pay customs and envelopes don’t get opened and checked and all that good stuff. One thing that you can send me is pictures. Africans love pictures and I really didn’t bring as much as I would have liked. It doesn’t matter what the picture are of; pictures of your dog, pictures of us together, baby pictures, or just a pictures of the great state of Texas, the locals will still love them and it will be a great way to practice my language and build relationships. I, as of now, don’t need anything that won’t fit into an envelope. Please contact me if you want to send anything bigger than an envelope because there might be an easier way of me getting it to me. Teams come from the US throughout the year. Don’t hesitate if you do want to send something, have anyone questions. We all know that everybody loves mail! I would love to hear more about what’s going on in your life and how I can be praying for you.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
WOW! You Guys Are GOOD!
I wanted to share this with y’all as soon as I could. I hope that this story will make you as happy as it is making me. Remember the story about my friend who thought it was funny that I believe that God is one and three. (If you didn’t, then read the story below; it’s a good one) Well, early this week I had dinner with the same family again. My one friend, that speaks some English, and I were sitting outside and talking when the call to prayer went off. He asked me if I was going to pray, and I responded that I pray to Jesus Christ and I don’t need to go anywhere to pray. He then brought up the point again and asked “How can God be three, God is One?” There was a pause and then he asked, “How can God be man? God is God!” I then reminded him about Adam and Eve and how Adam was created in His image. There was another pause and then he asked about Mary, “How can God have a mother?” I responded that Mary is not God’s mother, Mary gave birth to Jesus, but Mary was a virgin. There was another pause, this one a little longer, and little more uncomfortable between us. He then asked if I believed if God is just up there (he was pointing up, because every time I said God, I pointed to the sky.) I said “No, God is everywhere. It says in the Bible that God is in all and through all.” There was another pause and he then asked me about my bible, and if he could read it. I responded saying that I have many bibles and that I would love to give him one but right now the only bibles I have are Pulaar and English (he speaks Wolof and doesn’t speak Pulaar). I asked him, “Do you want one in English, French, or Wolof?” He told me French, and I told him that will get one, and I would give it to him next time we see each other. There was another long pause, then he went to answer that call to prayer. Well, the next time I saw him was yesterday as I saw him pass by my house when he was walking home. I gave him the Bible and showed him the four gospels and told him they explain how Jesus is God. I then told him that John was my favorite of the four gospels and I like how it explains Jesus. He then told me that he will read John and then started to walk home. Please pray for Bob (don’t laugh, that’s actually the first three letters of his name). My friend Bob now has the Truth in his hands and it is between him and God to see if he is ready to accept that God is three.
When my friend Bob went off to pray I was just sitting there by myself, in shock over the conversation that just happened and that he had just asked me for God’s word. I was in shock trying to remember what just happened and then I remembered my blog and that shortly after reading about him, many of you stopped to pray. I could picture in my mind so many of you reading and praying. I knew that this conversation happened because of those prayers that came from each one of you reading this blog. I could do nothing but laugh and say, “God is Three!!! And God is Good!!!”
When my friend Bob went off to pray I was just sitting there by myself, in shock over the conversation that just happened and that he had just asked me for God’s word. I was in shock trying to remember what just happened and then I remembered my blog and that shortly after reading about him, many of you stopped to pray. I could picture in my mind so many of you reading and praying. I knew that this conversation happened because of those prayers that came from each one of you reading this blog. I could do nothing but laugh and say, “God is Three!!! And God is Good!!!”
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