Impressions

I have completed a week in my new country of Senegal  Let me share with you some impressions:

• No air conditioning, just fans.  That's fine as long as the electricity is on.  
• Trying to figure out what to cook.  So far, I've boiled potatoes, drained them, and added butter; peeled raw carrots; fried me hamburger patties; and eaten sandwiches with turkey meat I bought in Dakar.  I'm looking forward to my next visit to a supermarket when we go to Mbour.  Now I have a better idea of what to buy.

• Friendly people.  Now that I'm learning the language, they are happy to greet me.  I've got a loooong way to go, though.  
• No car.  That means I walk or ride a horse cart.  Life is definitely slower here in Fatick.
• Sadness.  Several times a day I hear the chanting over the loudspeakers from the mosques.  So many people - very few know Jesus.  Even more motivation to learn the language.  Just hope my brain cooperates!  Also, there is much poverty.  Makes me realize just how blessed I am.

As I'm settling into my new life here, the reality of two years is a little hard to grasp.  It still feels like just being on a mission trip.  I hope and pray that these two years will not only make a difference in my life but will also make a difference in the lives of the people here in Fatick (in a positive way).