Allow me to paint a picture for you.
It's about five in the evening. Whitney and I have left work and gone to Nakumat (the grocery) to grab a few things before going home for the evening. The walk home from Nakumat is about forty-five minutes, and at five PM, the streets are full of matatus (public taxis in the shape of 15-passenger vans) and salespeople.
A lot of these salespeople depend on selling things to drivers and passersby in order to make some kind of living. They sell anything from candy and toilet paper to shoes, belts, and wall hangings. A lot of them also sell fresh fruit or packaged nuts.
This particular day, I was deeply engaged in conversation with Whitney when all of a sudden, a salesman with a plastic baggie full of almonds gets my attention. Quite literally, this guy shoves his almonds in my face and says, "Hello, Mzungu!"
Yes, Ssebo ("SAY-bo"- Sir/Mister). Displaying your merchandise so close that I can't even see it absolutely convinces me to buy it.
We kept walking and continued our conversation.
The salespeople that I see most often are women with woven baskets on their heads that are full of bananas.
As Whit and I continued our walk, I noticed one of these women walking toward us, basket on her head and her hands down by her sides. Impressive.
And then the incredible happened.
She had been carrying some paper in her hands, and she dropped one of them. She stooped down carefully, retrieved her paper, stood and continued walking.
HER HANDS NEVER TOUCHED THE BASKET ON HER HEAD.
I actually stopped and just gawked at her for a few minutes. That's a strong woman.
****
On another note, I checked on Baby Girl today. She has been moved from Giraffes into the Clinic (the group with the babies too sick to be in their proper age groups), and yesterday she was taken to the hospital because of her seizures. The nanny on duty told me that she had been given new medication, but because she had just started taking it, there had been no real improvement. Baby Girl actually was having a seizure when I walked in the room today, and I prayed over again. Thank you everyone who has been agreeing with me for the healing of this precious baby.
****
Today we went to Tuesday morning staff devotion, which is a weekly gathering of all the staff and volunteers in Watoto. We have a time of worship and prayer and a brief devotion, and usually we hear an update and recent testimony or prayer request from one of the departments.
Today after devotion, Jill (one of the staff members of Bulrushes) came up to Whitney, Jess and me and asked us to accompany her to Suubi to sort through some donations.
Whitney and I realized this morning that we live in a third world country. Other than the occasional taxi ride, we couldn't remember the last time we had ridden in a car... and we both kinda got excited. Lol.
We stopped for gas and fizzies (soda), and then set out for Suubi.
By the way, Novida is my new favourite soda. Deeeeelicious.
As we sorted through the donations, I fought with myself over whether or not to ask a question.
See, in case you didn't know, I'm a writer. Always have been, always will be. That is what I'm truly gifted in, and lately God has been reminding me of that. He's also been showing me how I could use that gift in the many dreams that He has given me. (No details just yet... it raises the suspense level and allows me more time to ponder these things.)
Regardless, I've been hoping to find a way to use that passion where I am now.
So I asked.
"Hey, Jill, is there a need for creative writing in Babies' Home?"
Sure enough, starting Friday, I'll be working on my first two stories... babies' stories.
Dream. Come. True.
"Knock and the door will be opened..."
I'm so so so excited!!
****
One last story for today.
At Babies' Home we are served lunch around 12:30-12:45. On Africa time, nothing is quite on the dot, but there is one thing that never fails.
Every day, rain or shine, no matter what has taken place that day, at 12:30 on the dot, once all the babies are asleep, two wild cats that live at Bulrushes (to keep away mice) will enter through the back door into the play room. And the moment they enter, they will begin to fight.
It's so reliable that you can almost tell time by whether or not the cats are in the play room, as they are never fighting for longer than fifteen minutes.
All I know is every day at lunch, we are provided with the entertainment of two cats biting each other on the head.
****
Thank you everyone for the love and prayers!
Love to everyone. <3, Robin
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