Ker gi is Wolof for the House. Everything and everyone in it as well as the structure. It's a word that sums up my life at the moment. It's a good thing that our house is roomy because sometimes I feel a need to escape the everyone part and be by myself. Why am I writing this you ask? Well, I decided to give you small snippets of some of our life experiences here in Senegal so you have a little taste of our everyday life. I don't update the entries after I'm done, so you'll find some are old and some are more recent.

For the Love of Animals (and bugs) | Summer 2009 | Frog Story |October 2007 | Home Schooling | Sunday Morning |

Ladies Retreat 2008 | Missing Teeth

For the Love of Animals (and bugs)

Our daughter loves anything that moves. She has captured frogs, roaches, butterflies, and moths. She loves her cat and any other cat that comes within reaching distance. She loves horseback riding lessons, and playing with turtles too. To show her true love of animals and bugs, let me share this story. We were on vacation not long ago (2010) and the kids were playing in the pool. Téa decided to rescue a praying mantis that she found floating in the water. She picked it up and laid it on the edge of the pool. Later, she discovered that it hadn't moved so she decided it missed her. So she carried it around the rest of the day in her hand, or on her shoulder. She even let it perch on her head as she swam around the pool!

Summer 2009

This summer we traveled back to our home town, Omaha, Nebraska. We had a wonderful time with friends and family. The first thing the twins noticed about being in America again was how green it was every where. Living in northern Senegal can be like living in an photograph. Everything is brown with muted splashes of color. A layer of dust usually covers everything from tree tops to our kitchen table. The second thing they noticed were the new cars on the road. They were sure that everyone must drive a brand new car. We thought it was very ironic that the "Cash for Clunkers" promotion was happening during those few weeks. There wouldn't be enough cash in America for all the clunkers we have in Senegal!

It was so easy to slip back into the mind set of being American. We remembered again, how blessed we are as Americans. We were overwhelmed at the kindness of our friends and families. Our home church opened their arms once again and welcomed us home. Always supportive and attentive to the ministry in Senegal. It was like a huge second breath before we dive back into ministry.

Frog Story

Bryan saw Téa in the backyard with her short pockets bulging. He asked what she had hidden in her pockets, and she told him she had a frog on each side. He asked if she was worried about them peeing in her pockets and she responded, "Don't worry, they're already done peeing."

Sunday Morning

Ethan came in one Sunday morning after having rifled through his closet in search of a tie. He came in exclaiming, "I hit the jack pot! This one is a real beauty!" He was referring to a little green and blue tie that he had worn almost 3 Easters ago. The shortness of the tie wouldn't have been so bad, except that he also had on a purple shirt with a purple and dark blue striped vest. The pants were a little short, but the kicker were the black flip flops. He proudly dec laired, "I look like the president of the United States."

Missing Teeth

The twins have several friends with holes in their smiles. Gaps where teeth have long since fallen out and new white stubs have begun to appear. It was a big question in our house, "Why do we still have little teeth?" I asked every gap toothed grinning child I met when they had lost their first tooth, and the reply was usually somewhere around 7 years old. So, when we hit the 7 year mark the twins became certain that they were stuck with little teeth forever. Until, at last, Téa lost her first tooth, and a couple of weeks later Ethan lost his. What's really funny is that they both lost their first tooth from the same spot on the bottom row. Now we can't wait to see who's next and if they'll continue to fall out from the same spots!

Ladies Retreat 2008

Every year the Christian, English speaking workers in Senegal (that's a mouthful) get together for a retreat. This was the 10th year. Although I went to the very first retreat, I've only been 3 times in the past 10 years.

It's always an enjoyable time to get together with other English speaking Christians, and to be able to worship in my "heart language". It's never really the same for me in French or Wolof. This year, the speaker was a retired missionary, Betty Constance. She is a Missionary Kid from Africa who ministered with her husband in Latin America for over 25 years.

I just wanted to share with you a little of what Betty shared with us at the retreat from John 4, the woman at the well.

1. What makes us thirsty? (spiritually speaking)
   We long to be loved and accepted; unconditionally and for who we are. If our need is not met, we are vulnerable to the enemy because we'll do whatever we need to do in order to quench that thirst.
2. Where does the thirst take us?
   For the woman at the well, it took her into failed relationships, and isolation (she got the water in the heat of the day; by herself).
3. Where do we quench our thirst?
   It's quenched by the living God. He came to heal our relationships and draw as near to Him. (Jesus revealed Himself to the woman and showed He approved of her; accepted her.)
4. What keeps us thirsty?
   *Grief - Unresolved grief will continually resurface and can lead to depression.
   *Hyper-activity - Taking on more than you need to. Allowing pressures from peers to drive your actions. A burden for the lost and a driving need to see God's work done.
   *Unbelief - Doubting God's goodness. Financial issues. Family pain. Unresolved conflicts.
5. How do we come to the fountain?
   * We come just as we are.
   * Listen and pay attention (start prayer with listening).
   * Let Him open our secrets (Jesus knew the woman's past).
   * Tell him our deepest confusion.
   * Recognize Him as Lord of our life.
6. What does the living water do in us?
   *It changes our priorities. (She called these water jar priorities; what we feel we must get done in a day). Don't do away with water jar priorities, but don't make them your significance.
   * It changes our relationships. (The woman at the well ran back to town and shared her new joy with people she had once avoided.)
   

Home Schooling

I've been planning to home school my two 6 year old twins for over a year. Last year (2007) they attended a French/Senegalese Catholic school. I'm sure the quality of education is above the normal standards for Senegal, however with over 45 students per class, we questioned whether or not our children were receiving the best education we could provide. So, in August I began a kindergarten curriculum. Our goal is to finish these kindergarten lessons in 12 weeks, so they can advance to first grade.

The home schooling class room is such a wild winding roller coaster. It's a blessing that both kids are learning the same material, however they don't always process material at the same rate. It's challenging and exciting at the same time. The first time my son read an entire story by himself was one of the proudest days I've experienced.

When I set aside my driving daily agenda, I see two wonderful personalities shining through my children. Téa has to wear a dress or a skirt everyday to class because she likes to curtsy when she does well at a chalkboard activity. Ethan has to wear whatever shirt goes with the toy he plans to play with after school. So, when it's a day to play Star Wars, I have to have a Star Wars shirt clean.

Please keep us in your prayers as we push through each day's lessons. The heat is a distraction for the kids, and they miss being with all the other children everyday.
Blessings until next time.