My How Time Flies ...

even when we're not having fun!!

I'm sorry that I haven't been able to find time to get to this blog. The pace has not slowed down and the intensity has increased, so this is difficult.

Here's a quick update. We're still on lockdown and it won't be changing for a longgggggggggggg time. So tempers are getting higher. One gal just returned and has only experienced the lockdown for 2 days and is already saying she's leaving within the month. I had arranged for a police-escorted shopping trip to two markets. (A team of us visited both places a few weeks ago and the security team checked out the routes and both shops, determining that they had enough guards and the walls were secure so we could shop there, under clear directives.) I didn't have time to go. But picture 3 mini-bus loads of adults not being able to get this woman out of the shop. Tempers flaring. Foreheads dripping as they waited, locked in the buses, for this gal to finish. Evidently, they shouted at her and she shouted at them and they all came back sweaty and steamed! And of course, the complaints come back to me!!!! :-) I'm very tempted to say -- no shopping trips until you can learn to get along!!! But that would be a deathwish!

Progress, in a twisted sort of way:

My kitchen got a bit of a remodel job. New cabinets, at least. Unfortunately, the plumbing is just for decoration, I guess. I had company for dinner after the work was done -- a great Nigerian Christian guy who Jim had worked with who is leaving for a year of training and two of his friends. It was in the middle of dinner that I discovered that the plumbing job had never been finished and I had water pouring out from under both sinks.

The mold in the bathroom has now been bleached and painted over. Let's see, that'll keep us happy for 3 months. I've given up on getting them to find the source of the water leak.

Jim' back is giving him more trouble. He's wearing the corset constantly. The orthopaedic bed that we ordered in July is always arriving "tomorrow, Madame." In the meantime, each day is a bit worse.

But all is not bleak:
When the rains stopped one day, Jim and I enjoyed sitting out on the park bench that we had a local guy make for our little mini rainforest/garden that we have off of our back patio.

Yesterday I sat out there with my Bible and journal and pen for a good ... long ... time. It was refreshing!

We watched "The Pianist" -- a movie about Warsaw Jews in WWII. That put our lives in perspective. I joked with the security guys yesterday that maybe we need to watch Hotel Rwanda, The Pianist, Tears of the Sun, etc. at least once a week to realize how great we have it here.

Really -- we are secure here in the camp. Our generators work. We have water. We have satellite TV. Our phones work -- very often at least! We're surrounded by beautiful plants and amazing blossoms. The rains are lightening up. We can have food delivered. We can bring in extra fun -- like on Saturday we had local artists come into the Clubhouse for an Art Market. (Nothing like shopping to make some women smile!!)

So, Jim and I are glad that we have each other. We are each very busy at work but we try to keep a little window of time open for relaxation.

And, above all, we are clinging -- clinging to God's goodness and His strength!

Well, it's almost 8 a.m. Lucy will be arriving and I'm sitting in my PJs in the patio at the computer. I've been sitting here for two hours because I got up to work on writing. Oh yes, my friend, Laura, and I have a writing contract for an exciting women's Bible Study on the book of Philippians. Laura and I taught together at the church we were a part of in Colorado. Our first deadline is November!! So, the pressure is on but it's actually a welcome change from the dailiness of our lives.

Feel free to add comments or email me. I love hearing from you!!