We're Here, We're Hot

Sanu! (That's "hello" in hausa.)

We are in Galmi, Niger and I have computer access! Yahoo! No one has the "Galmi Gallops" (diarrhea) and we're eating pretty well. So much for my weight loss program. :-)

The heat is almost unbearable at times and zaps all our energy. The mornings are O.K. but by afternoon you will find me in very little clothing sprawled in the middle of our bed with a fan blowing directly on me. Yesterday Ben found me like this and after laughing said, "I guess it's better than finding you crying in the corner curled up in a fetal position." I can't curl up, it's too hot! I can't even sleep on my side -- that means my legs would be touching each other and it's way too hot for that.

Our housing is wonderful! Very spacious (three bedrooms/one bath) and clean. We live in a small community ('compound") of SIM missionaries from all over the world. There are about 10 adults here and 3 children and all have houses or apartments. The houses are basic, cement walls and floors, but well furnished and comfortable. In the compound they have a SMALL grocery store with very limited food, but one of the "staples" is Kit Kat bars! There is also a small pool which Ben and the boys have enjoyed. I could swim too, if only I had a swimsuit! That's another story ---

We have no luggage. Our flight to Paris was great, but once in Paris we were told we missed our flight to Niamey, Niger -- even though we were there 15 minutes before the plane was supposed to depart. Then, after 25 minutes standing in the Paris airport with a customer service rep trying to find us another flight (none until Tuesday), they told us to follow them quickly, "the plane is still here." Hmmm. I think that was an answer to prayer! (I feel like I'm in an episode of "The Amazing Race.")Crying, I boarded the plane. Once we landed in Niamey we discovered our luggage didn't make it and we would get it on Wednesday (please pray that this does happen!). Thank God I listened to my mom and dad -- we each had one extra outfit packed in our carry-ons, plus toothbrushes, toothpaste, the all important hairspray and a few breakfast bars. Somehow Ben had managed to pack most of his clothes in the carry-on (he said it's because they didn't fit in the big suitcases, hmmm. He even "happened to have" shorts packed in the carry-on which means he has been able to swim!

There are no bugs but we're been supplied with mosquito nets because they say it can get bad, but we haven't seen any. There are little lizards (6-12 inches long) everywhere outside. The boys actually love them; Joel wants to catch one. At first Drew was scared of them so on our first night when he wouldn't stay in bed, we told him the lizards outside would get him if he didn't stay in bed. The next morning he woke up and as he was sitting up he said, "Wizards, ouside." (wizards, outside) Then last night I tried to tell him the same thing, but he got excited and started crying said, "wizard, ouside" because he wanted to go out and see them! He gets so excited everytime he sees them climbing the walls. We have one that sits on our porch all the time.

We haven't had much contact with the nationals yet. Ben was called to the hospital for the first time this morning to do a c-section, but the baby was delivered vaginally by the time he got there. He will begin spending his days there tomorrow (Monday). The nationals love to watch us. One boy tried to get Joel's hand-held video game from him. Joel was scared a little, but managed to duck in the car. The boy wasn't being aggressive, just interested. One group of women were fascinated with Drew. The walked alongside him talking in Hausa (the native language) and smiling. Drew had a stick in his hand and one of the women took it from him and threw it on the ground. He looked very put-out. I asked a translater why she did that and she said it was because the stick was not a suitable toy for a young child. The local children don't have toys. I still don't understand why she took the stick, but she was so friendly, it didn't matter. The women all carry things on their head, just like you see in pictures and they dress very well. I am told you wear your "wealth" on you, you don't put money into housing, etc. Two of the women with Drew had babies tied to their lower backs. It's so sweet to see this, but boy does it look hot!

Did I mention on top of it being HOT here, there is NO cold water. The water on the compound is very safe to drink, but it's tapped from a very deep well and it comes out like warm bath water! One missionary suggested I run bath water early in the day so that by nighttime it would be cool for the boys. (It's not too hot to bathe in, it's just that a warm bath in the evening is NOT a welcome relief.) We have unlimited water so we make lots of ice and drink water constantly. However, even though I've been drinking tons of water, I still have chapped lips in a very humid climate. Ben says that is a sign of dehydration.

The local missionaries have had us to their houses for the last three meals (lunch, dinner, lunch). It's been so nice to not have to worry about cooking right when we got here. Tomorrow my cooking begins. When in the capital city, we went to a grocery store and bought lots of groceries that we couldn't get here -- cheese, canned vegetables, deodorant and a few diapers (once again, please pray that our luggage arrives on Wednesday!). So I do have a good supply of food.

To get from Niamey to Galmi we flew in a teeny tiny plane with only 6 seats and one propellor (spelling, Cheri?). It was a little scary at first, but was quite fun to fly in. When we arrived in Galmi, we landed right next to the SIM compound and all the missionaries came to greet us. That was awesome! Well, except for the fact that I had to hoist my butt out of the tiny plane and step onto the wing and jump down with everyone watching. I did this will all the grace of an elephant on rollerskates -- oh yes, and lucky me, one guy was taking pictures! Several nationals came running to see the plane too. Joel, Evan and Drew loved that part -- mainly just because there were kids, I don't think they realized how cool it was to be in that plane. I felt like Tattoo should be somewhere yelling, "The plane, boss, the plane."

I have to run -- no, maybe I'll walk, it's too hot to run! I'll try to write more tomorrow. Please keep checking back; I don't have access to all my email addresses, but if you'd like to write back to me, I am checking my emails. I haven't figured out how to send pictures yet. One more note: one of the missionaries in Niamey, the wife of the pilot of the tiny plane, scrapbooks on Tuesday nights with other missionaries! I asked the pilot if he'd pick me up and fly me there each week. :-)

Thanks for reading.
Carrie