A Relaxing Day at the Beach

This past Saturday we decided to plan an outing to the pool/beach for the kids as well as a time to get some grocery shopping done.  It was a perfect day to go to the beach.  The temperatures have started rising so it was plenty warm.  The water in the pool and ocean is still pretty cold, though.  I did get my feet wet to cool off but was not brave enough to get completely wet in the water.  It was nice just to sit around and relax and enjoy watching the kids have fun in the water.  One of E's friends went with us.  It was his first time to play in the ocean.

The Visitor!

A few days ago I was sitting in bed reading on the computer when I saw something out of the corner of my eye scoot into my room under my armoir.  I thought it was my friendly little gecko (who is as afraid of me as I am of him).  In a few moments my "friend" decided to leave my room.  That's when I discovered it was not a gecko but a rat (not a very large rat but a rat none the less).  I quickly jumped up and closed my bedroom door.  There is no space between the door and the floor so I figured the little guy wouldn't be able to get back in my room and become my bedfellow.  I had no idea where he went but at least he was not in my room.  The next night, as I was sitting in my chair in the living room, my "friend" came scooting around the corner, ran under my couch, headed to the piles of boxes stored under my steps.  Needless to say, I slept with my door closed again that night.  I didn't have a rat trap in my house but I did have some rat glue.  My housekeeper helped me spread the glue on a piece of cardboard.  I added some peanut butter and flakes of oatmeal in the center.  We had already moved most of the boxes from under the stairwell and put them in the garage.  So now I had a nice open space to place my cardboard to see if I would catch the rat.  I checked periodically all day long but there was nothing.  I didn't even see him run around the room before I went to bed.  Since I felt pretty comfortable about the rat glue, I decided not to close my bedroom door last night (it's too hot with the door closed).  This morning I got up, dressed for my morning walk, and sat down in my chair to check emails.  I heard a squeaking sound so I grabbed the flashlight and headed to my cardboard "trap."  Sure enough, there he was, stuck to the glue on the cardboard!  My plan was to leave him there until the kids got to school so N could dispose of it for me (the rat was still alive).  However, I wasn't sure that the glue would hold him that long.  So, I got a broom handle and started scooting the cardboard (and rat) out the door.  Unfortunately, his tail was stuck to my floor.  I managed to unstick the tail and push the cardboard out my front door into the courtyard.  When my housekeeper arrived I showed her the rat and we both did a lot of cheering.  We left it there so N could dispose of it when he arrived for school.  At least I now know the rat glue works.  If I have another "visitor" I will be prepared.

More Faces/Bodies

Since I was in a reflective mood on Sunday I wrote and posted pictures of the beautiful people that I have encountered here in Senegal.  On a lighter note, I thought I'd post a few more pictures of faces.  This time they aren't people, though.  There are animals everywhere you go, even in the big city of Dakar.

Senegal's version of Texas Longhorns

Buck-toothed fish

Smiling sheep

Sheep (ears are hanging down)

Goats (ears stand up)

Horse eating a snack while he waits

Faces

     Last Thursday as I sat on the bench in Tening's booth I could not help feeling the tears well up in my eyes as I watched the ladies shopping for items to be used to prepare their meal. They are such beautiful people living a life that is more difficult than the life that most people in America experience.  

     All of these people were created by God yet most do not have a relationship with their Creator.   What can I do?  I can barely speak the language.  The only thing that I can do is smile and shake the hands of the children when they greet me, smile and greet the ladies in the market, and continue to study the language so that one day I may be able to share stories about the One who loves them and died for them.

Babies

Children

Ladies

Men

     What about where you live?  Do you see the beautiful faces of those around you?  They were also created by God and need a personal relationship with their Creator.  You don't have to move across the ocean and live in a different country to share God's love with those around you.  Give a smile and greeting to those you pass in the office, store, school hallway, and restaurant.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."  1 Corinthians 10:31

Fish Market

   Every few weeks T makes a trip to Mbour to buy fish at the fish market.  If I need to go to the bank or do any grocery shopping, I get the "privilege" of going along.  I don't mind eating fish in a restaurant, I just don't like the idea of cleaning them and cooking them myself.  So I spend my time at the fish market telling people that I don't like fish when they try to sell me their fish.  It is usually bustling with activity:  unloading the fish, people trying to sell their fish, those offering their services to clean the fish, plus all the people who are there to buy the fish.   There are many varieties of fish from which to choose.

   
     Seeing all the fish and people, you can just imagine what it smells like as you walk around.  Unfortunately, I can't capture that in a blog post.  You will just have to use your imagination.  This is just one of the interesting things about living in Senegal.