Just a few notes from the last week:
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Today I went to play soccer again. This time since we were in the field and had more time to play, we played an actual game, if I hadn’t already known that I was in over my head I did as soon as I saw them set up the goal posts. The two post were 20in apart, I measured. When I asked isn’t that I bit small they told me we had so few players that they had to make the goals small or it would be too easy. We had 6 players on each team. The final score was 2 to 1 my team won, apparently I didn’t drag them down too badly, although for the most part I felt like I was standing in the middle while the ball went whizzing by first on one side then the other.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Today we went to help a member who had recently lost her husband build a house. I really wanted to help and went out there for that purpose but had trouble trying to convince them to let me. They seemed to think my part in the project was to sit around looking important. Before I knew what they were doing they had sent someone on a motorcycle back to the church to get a plastic chair for me. When I tried to sit on a log instead they were intensely worried that I would ruin my clothes despite the fact that I was wearing a t-shirt and jeans that were already showing a few ragged holes. Eventually I just started doing a few things until they decided it was time for me to go home and take a rest. I am not sure if they think everyone needs to rest after an hour of work or just white men. Despite everything we did get a good start on the hut, or I should say they did. The materials on had to help them build are really amazing. The frame was built for the most part with bamboo which was of course growing all around us. It is strong and durable but at the same time can be quite easily cut with a couple chops of a machete. Then there was another type of tree like plant I forget its name. The best way to describe this plant would be to imagine a fist full of twin all growing straight up and held together by hardened glue like substances, all they had to do was cut it down and pull it apart and there was good strong rope to tie the bamboo frame together. I kept thinking how much fun we would have had as kids if these building materials were available to us.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Service today began at 10:00am and ended at 12:45. Part of that was my own fault, my sermon was an hour, but it is difficult to say everything you want to in a short amount of time when you have to stop constantly and wait for the translator. Maybe after I learn the Indian languages I can think about starting on Efic.
After the service I was sitting at home reading when the entire ladies group showed up on the porch with thirty eggs. I tried to tell them I was only one person and I am only going to be here for another four days, but they seemed to think 6 – 7 eggs a day was a little below average if anything. Pastor Bassey also brought over a bowl full of bananas and oranges, add to that the single can of baked beans I have left and you pretty much have my meal plan for the next few days. People over here keep telling me about Fufu (Fofo? Something like that) and asking me if I have ever had it, but no one has offered me any yet, and I really don’t have any clue what exactly it is. Pastor Udo promised that next time I come to visit he will have some for me to try. Apparently the Fufu is much better in Togo, I will have to ask Pastor Kossi about it when I get there.
The men and women over here all ask me to send along their greetings to their brothers and sisters in the United States as well as asking that you remember them in your prayers. Things are becoming much more difficult for them over here. In the past three years the price of ride has tripled. In 2004 they tell me I bag of rice cost some 2,000 Nira (about $20) now it is over 6000 N. This is obviously putting a large strain on their budgets. In India by the way I believe I recently purchased 6 bags of rice for 3000 INR about $60. We pray the Lord would continue to provide for them.
-Mathew Ude