On Bugs and Blogging

We are back in Niger, which means I have every intention of getting back to writing!  So many of you encouraged me while we were in the States this summer, and you are the reason I’m getting my act together, getting out my laptop, and starting to write again.  Thank you for encouraging me! 

 

I'm back at my desk and ready to get back to writing.  I'm also wearing my Africa necklace (a gift from Jonathan) to commemorate our first day back in Niger. 

It’s been over 15 months since I wrote last.  This is one of the sweet, adorable reasons why it's been so long…  

 

We now have four!  Welcome, Micaela Joy, born June 8^th, 2014.

Coming home after being gone for 6 months felt wonderful.  We reveled in the fact that we could get back into a good routine, the children could play safely within the confines of our compound  wall, we could get Micaela settled into life in Niger, and that we could see our Nigerien friends whom we have been missing during our time away.  The children were so excited to have their bedrooms and toys back and I was happy to have my kitchen back.  

But, wait…  It seems that while we were gone, someone ELSE had decided to try to take over MY kitchen.  Roaches.  I shudder to even type the word.  It is in moments such as those, that moment when I realized I would have to wage war to take my kitchen back, that we say 'one must either laugh or cry', and since crying really does no good in such situations, and laughing seemed utterly impossible, I just decided not to think about it at all.  Well, that lasted for one day.  Then I couldn’t think about anything BUT reclaiming MY kitchen from MY new rival.  Or shall I say rivals.  Because, you see, there were hundreds of them. 

I know that roaches come with the territory when one lives in Niger, or in any warm climate, for that matter.  I also know I am not alone in my battle, no matter where I live in the world, because when I google, “How to get rid of roaches”, thousands of articles come up giving “expert” advice on getting rid of the little pests.  Not only do the many articles come up, but thousands of comments and forums with distraught homeowners lamenting their "little" problem.  Ahhh... sweet comfort.  Misery loves company.

I have lived in Niger long enough to learn a thing or two about roaches and how to eradicate them.  So I armed myself with boiling water, cleaning supplies, my shop-vac (Thank you, Dad!), boric-acid-roach-zapping-concoctions, and a strong sense of resolve that I would KILL THEM ALL!  Well, I’m not too sure how well I’m doing at killing them ALL, but I will proudly admit that I believe I AM winning!  And if I’m not, well, I refuse to even consider that as a possibility.  Sometimes ignorance truly is bliss.   

But really, I’M WINNING!

For those of you who have told me you so enjoy living vicariously in Africa through my writing, well, there you have it!  This is one of the aspects of life in Niger that is probably best lived vicariously and not in actuality.  (Grin)

More blogging on a regular basis to come.  I promise!

In Every Season, There Is Laundry!

 

There is one thing that mothers the world around cannot escape: laundry.    As a missionary wife and mother, I find myself no exception to this rule.  Wow-zers!  As we live in the 100-120 degree heat of Niger, we have come to the realization that there is no “let’s-re-wear-this-to-save-on-laundry” option.  You wear, you WASH, baby!  No discussion.  The only possible exception is pajamas that are worn to bed in the AC, but that is only IF the electricity stayed on all night in order for us to have had AC all night.  Jonathan coined a silly song we like to sing in those “you-either-laugh-or-you-cry” moments:  “We are a fraaaaagrant offeeeeeeering,” we croon at the top of our lungs.  I doubt that it ever occurred to us as we sang in devout worship those many years ago in Bible School, offering our lives in complete surrender to the Lord as a fragrant offering, that THIS is how it would turn out to be.  The fact is that if I’m not faithful to do laundry on a daily basis, our “sacrifice of praise” might just get the better of us!    

 

Let me introduce you to DW (Dear Washer). 

 

My laundry room.  Simple, but efficient.  The home of DW.

 

DW and I have a deal.  I do, WHATEVER it says to do, just to try to squeak out a clean load of laundry.  The song-and-dance routine I do has increased over the years.  At first, we worked very well together.  I was the boss.  I told IT what to do, and it would do it.  This lasted for 2 happy years.  In December, DW went on strike, and stopped working.  This meant that I had to HAND-wash the clothing for the entire family for about a month.  Keep in mind that there are 5 of us, 3 of which are very small and very busy and LOVE to play in the sand.  Also, keep in mind that we have NO grass here to shield our clothing from said sand, which also happens to be a very lovely shade of brilliant (PERMANENT!) orange. 



Our sand.  Gotta love it...  Because it's EVERYWHERE!

It really IS beautiful...

 

It was a very LOOOOOONG month, but I must say, I learned a few very valuable lessons.  1.) If you stalk your children relentlessly, you may be able to save yourself from washing a few extra items of clothing.  2.) The kids and I could have some really fun times working together to wash all the dirty clothing.  They were my big helpers!  Not to mention, if they’re helping me inside, that means they’re not outside getting dirty (insert crafty-mommy-Mwuhahaha!).

 

Who need a washer that agitates when you have big helpers like these?!

 

Wow!  This was after the first wash cycle.  We would rinse it twice after this.

 

3.) Next, I learned that I had NO RIGHT to complain for any hardship I had to go through concerning any minor glitch any washing machine might ever give me again.  Whatever is was, it would probably easier living with it than doing everything by hand.   4.) It is no favor to anyone, least especially myself, to let the laundry pile up.    5.) I had to start washing 1-2 “loads” (i.e. bath tubs full) A DAY.  No less.  And I had to do this consistently, because at the rate of washing by hand, if I got behind, there was NO catching up.

 

When we finally received the repair parts for DW, there was MUCH to celebrate.  These came all the way from the States as there are no repair stores or repair parts available here.    Jonathan and I wrestled DW around ourselves and got it fixed.  But, alas, the bliss did not last long.  Shortly thereafter is when DW picked up the idea that it was the boss and I was not.  I, thankfully, had learned that doing it ALL by hand was WORSE, so I have learned to live with what I have to do and be grateful for it.  Here’s what DW requires:  I turn it on.  It fills and agitates.  It then drains, but does not spin out.  It won’t fill again on its own at the next cycle, so I have to turn it BACK to the beginning, let it fill, then agitate and drain again, without spinning.  As a result, I still have to wring the clothing out most of the time.  Or I let them drip-dry…  But that depends on the season – more to come on that.

 

As for DW’s rather surly attitude, why not call a repair man who can fix this issue?  Unfortunately, that would make things WORSE because washing machines are a new breed of animal around here.  No one knows how to fix them.  They will TELL you that they DO, so you will then let them work on your valuable piece of machinery, but somewhere along the line, something WILL get broken worse than what it was.  It’s just not worth it.  Well, what about Google – there are lots of great fix-it-yourself videos out there.  Yes, that’s true!  One can Google “How to Fix Your Washing Machine” to one’s heart’s content here, and the solution may be miraculously found in a 10-minute YouTube video, but the internet is too slow to watch any video (unless it spools for 2 hours/per 5 video-minutes, and then ooops!  Connection was lost for 1 second, so now it must RESTART the process…. ) ummmm…. just not going to happen any time soon.  Anyhow, what's the use in having a repair man or a great Google-fix if you can't get the parts, anyway?   We have a sneaking suspicion that DW is on it's last legs no matter what TLC we give it.  Too bad there's not a Sears around the corner.  We did find one washing machine for sale in Maradi several months ago.  It was made in China, so who knows how long it would have lasted if we'd purchased it, but the REAL clincher was that we would have done really well to have been able to fit one pair of jeans inside.  Yes, it really was that small - I kid you not.  Just not going to work for this growing family!  Therefore, as far as DW, and what it does or doesn't do, we've decided to just leave well enough alone!

 

One thing that really affects my laundry life here is the time of year.  Let me introduce you to the seasons!  We experience 4 different seasons here in Niger.  The “Cold” Season, the Hot Season, the Rainy Season, and the Mini-Hot Season.  Doesn’t that sound fantastic?!  I have learned that in order to conquer my laundry, I have to use different attack strategies for each season.  This has come by some serious trial and error. 

 

The Cold Season:  This runs from (Dec-Feb) – i.e. Niger’s "perfect weather" season.  Temps run a very dry 70-100 degrees.  It’s very lovely weather.  When I hang laundry on these days, I feel like it’s those perfect summer days when the sun is shining, a breeze is blowing, and the sky is accented with perfect white “Toy Story” clouds.  I have lots of good running water at my disposal, good electricity, and laundry dries in a few hours.  I can get away with not wringing everything out at this time of year.  It is really incredible to hang your dripping laundry out on the line and have it bone-dry several hours later.  Can you say wow?!  I can, and I do, almost every time!  (FYI - We don’t have a dryer – everything has to go on the line.  Dryers do not exist in Niger, at least not to my knowledge.  Possibly because of the 100-120 degree temps that run almost year round…?) 

 

The Hot Season:  (March-June) - i.e. Niger's WORST, hardest season.  The hot season is difficult not just because the daily temperature runs anywhere from a humid  110-120 degrees Fahrenheit outside (95-99 degrees inside), but because all commodities, such as water and electricity, run low at this time of the year.  Water is non-existent during the daylight hours, making things pretty difficult.  We have a 2,000 liter water tank that supplies our house on most days, praise God!  When we have no running water, and we are using our tank's rationed water supply, I can do 1 load of laundry a day.  If I'm conservative in other areas, I might be able to do 2.  On the days that the water is REALLY bad, and the pressure is too low to fill up the tank at night, we have no running water in the house all day.  If I want to get any laundry done, I have to haul water in from outside to fill up the washer.  There may or may not be running (dripping, rather) water outside, so I leave a plastic tote under the facet in hopes that as soon as the town water is turned on, my tote will fill.  We also have large rubber containers that we fill at night when the water comes on.  I can use some of these for laundry, but I have to be conservative because we need to make sure we have enough for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing.  Electricity comes and goes on a regular basis in the hot season (one day, we lost it about 3 dozen times), and when we DO have it, it is often LOW (example: we have a fan turn on high, which on an average good-electricity day would sound like a helicopter it's going so fast.  On a low-electricity day, it will still be on high, but the blades will be swirling lazily around in gentle yawning circles.  Yep.  That's it.  Low electricity.)  Even if I have water there is always a chance I won't have electricity to run DW.  The hot season is my greatest laundry challenge.  Each load is a victory!  Each load is EARNED!  And each load is precious!

 

 

The Rainy Season, where we are now: (June-August) – i.e. Niger’s “a bit cooler, but really humid” season.  The good news about the Rainy Season is that I HAVE WATER!!!  YEAH!!!!!!!  However, the humidity makes drying a drag.  A really drippy drag!  Remember how DW doesn’t spin?  I have to wring out all the clothing really well at this time of year, because if I don’t, they might not dry all day.  And there is NOTHING worse than clothing that has been wet in 100+ degrees all day.  GAG!  (Although, it is possible that the unwashed laundry smell is worse –ha!)  We have to keep an eye out for sudden storms so the precious cargo on the line doesn’t get even wetter if it rains.  All laundry then comes in the house and is spread about wherever possible underneath a fan.  If we’re lucky, it will dry by morning. 

 

The Mini-Hot Season (Sept-Nov):  Still dealing with some humidity, but it’s HOT again, so laundry dries well.  We still have to keep an eye out for the occasional storm, and we may experience water or electricity shortages.  Ultimately, not too many extra challenges here…  At least not that I remember.  Guess I’ll find out if there’s something that I forgot in another couple months.  ;)

 

Washing and drying is just the beginning!  I need help with sorting, folding, ironing, and putting away, too.

 

I have had to come to terms with the fact that this (eh-hem) “friend”, shall we say, of laundry shall always be with me.  There is no complete conquering of it.  The war will never end.  Even if I did conquer it for a day, it would surely be back tomorrow!  And if I give it an inch, it will definitely take a mile.  Therefore, over the past several months I have decided to embrace laundry.  Well, not really, but something has to change lest I go crazy for constantly looking at the mounds of stinky, dirty laundry piling up faster than I could ever keep up with.  I no longer allow the feelings of DESPAIR to crush my heart, soul, and passion for living every time I pass in close proximity of the laundry room… or, rather, the large piles of laundry spilling out FROM the laundry room into the hallway.  The change I implemented was that I now wash AT LEAST one load of laundry a day.  Just one.  That's the minimum.  I can do one.  I have coined a phrase to remind myself why I do this on those days I tempt myself with the idea of skipping today's load:  "A load a day keeps insanity away!"  And it's true!  The first thing I do when I stumble out of my bedroom in the morning is to turn on DW.   On some days, I do two or three loads, but that’s only if there’s enough water and electricity.  I DO take off one day a week as a Sabbath rest, because, if I had to do laundry EVERY day, I might go crazy!  I am happy to say that my load a day policy is paying off splendidly.  It's been months since my laundry room has been overloaded with laundry!

 

I want to change my perspective from feeling irritated that I have “so much laundry” to do “all the time”, to looking at each load of laundry as a gift of service to my family, a way I can show them that I love them. 

 

Note to self:  Enjoy this sight.  It'll only last a day, and then you'll get to wash it all over again! 

 

I am beginning to see the joys that laundry brings me.  Dirty laundry means happy, healthy children who love to play in the dirt.  Dirty laundry means a healthy happy hubby, who is working hard out in the villages, at the Bible School, or around the house.  Dirty diapers mean a happy, healthy baby whose cuddles are well worth any work the diapers take to wash.  The time I spend outside hanging clothing is my time to talk with the Lord, think things through, or spend time with my big helper, Miss Anna Delight.  There are days when I run out and hang the laundry as fast as humanly possible because it’s soooo hot I might get a sunburn in the ten minutes I’m outside.  There are other days when I linger, hanging slowly, breathing in the fragrance of the African air (worth a blog entry all of its own!) and drinking deeply of the beauty of the Sahara sun and sky.  All in all, I’m learning that to everything there is a season, and in every season there is laundry, and as I do my laundry, the Lord can work in me to become more like Him.   

 

 

P.S.  If you ever come here to visit me here in Niger, and I offer to do your laundry, don't you DARE think about this blog entry and politely refuse, hoping to spare me the trouble.  I say this for two reasons:  1.)  Don't rob me of my opportunity to serve and bless you.  It's my gift of hospitality to you.  2.)  If you don't let me, your fragrant offering of worship might just get the better of you!  ;)

 

 

 

Searching for Clouds

I can't believe how much time I inadvertently spend searching for clouds these days.  I'm not looking for fanciful images like lions, elephants, fish, or flowers in the fluffy shapes that float silently overhead; I'm looking for hope.  Hope that it might rain, hope that the difficulty of Niger's hot season will end soon, hope that beautiful wet, refreshing, life-giving water will fall from the sky, cooling the earth and the air, nourishing crops into plentiful harvests, and replenishing water supplies throughout our area. 

Each day, I find myself looking to the sky, opening the back door that looks out from our kitchen into our back yard.  I search the horizon, lifting my eyes above the wall that encloses our compound.  Occasionally, my search is rewarded with a glimpse of something in the distance.  My heart jumps.  A cloud!  Is it white? dark? dusky red? flat? full?  If it's red, it usually forecasts the arrival of a dust storm, and dust storms often usher in a little rain, but not enough to quench the deep thirst in the earth around me.  Not enough to quench the thirst for rain in my soul. 

A mid-afternoon dust storm...

 

If the cloud is light, it holds no rain, but will blow over our heads, merrily whisking along, as if it's happy to be on its way.  I look for the clouds that are dark and foreboding - these are my friends.  I am looking for those escorted by glorious displays of lightning and the deep-throated boom of thunder.  They are the ones that seem illusive these days. 

I tell myself once again, as I see the bright blue sky and fiery sunlight that blinds my eyes with searing rays, "Be patient, my soul.  Put your hope in the Lord.  The rain will come.  The waters will run once again.  We will see green in the land.  Be still, my soul, and wait for Him to whom the lightning and the thunder surrender their powerful will.  Learn to be content, my soul, whether the sun shines in fierce Sahara-fury or the rains fall bringing comfort to parched and weary lands and people.  In whatever state you are, my soul, be content, and know that He is God.  His name will surly be exalted in this place.  Wait, I say, on the Lord.  Wait patiently.  Wait in hope."

Wisps of Hope

 

 

36 Random Things I've Learned as a Missionary in Niger - by Jonathan

I am thrilled to welcome my first-ever guest writer, my incredible husband, Jonathan.  What a blessed woman am I to have the privilege of sharing this journey with him.  He is a wonderful example and leader to his family and to those around him.  He's also a fabulous missionary, and teaches me each day to take a step back, look at the bigger picture, love life in Niger, and always be ready to laugh and find joy, even when things are difficult. 
Be blessed, and enjoy!  - Dani

 

36 Random Things I have Learned Over the Past Three Years as a Missionary in Niger.

(This knowledge did not come from a textbook, but from actual experience, which is a fancy way of saying that I first did it wrong before I got it right.)

- by Jonathan Bowden -

1.   How to slice a mango properly - note first that there is a gigantic seed in the middle.  Mangoes are not meant to be cut in half like an apple.  Mangoes are not cut, they are sliced.  You cannot cut through the seed of a mango without risking cutting off a finger.  Slice around the seed.

 

2.   It is culturally taboo to ever walk on a mat without first taking your sandals off.  Treat mats like couches.  Never, ever, even THINK about walking onto a mat with sandals on, especially a mat lying on the ground outside.  Even if you have to walk into the middle of the road with traffic, never walk onto a mat without first taking off your sandals – NEVER!

3.   If you live in a 110-120 degree average-outside temperature nation, and you are used to living in a 20-70 degree average-outside temperature nation, you might want to drink a little bit more to replace lost body fluids (due to extensive, massive amounts of sweating even while only sitting).  Don’t try to “man it up” and only drink a couple of times during the day – dehydration is NOT a fun thing to experience from simply not drinking enough water.

4.   IF you don’t drink enough, be married to a nurse who can make hydration drink while you are in a comatose state using a 1 liter glass bottle and mixing some sugar and salt together in the correct formula.  After drinking this “magical” formula, you will experience incredible relief after approximately only 30-55 minutes after drinking 1 liter. (How do I know that? One word: Experience.)

5.   Always greet everyone you see.  I didn’t say everyone that you know but everyone that you see.  And don’t say “how ya doin'?” and keep walking.  Make eye contact.  Smile big and say “Good morning!”, “Did you sleep well last night?”, “How is your family doing?”,  “How are your children doing”, “Are you healthy?”, “How is work going today?”, “Are you tired?”, “How is the heat today?”, “What is your name?”  These are the MINIMUM greetings to use when meeting anyone at anytime anywhere.  For friends, it is recommended that you add a few extra greetings to that list especially if it has over a day since you saw them last.  Remember, to not acknowledge someone by stopping and greeting is considered extremely rude and will be remembered.  Always stop, meet, and greet!

6.   Don’t ever refuse a drink or food from someone if they offer it to you.  Even if the water comes from a village well and is loaded with amoebas.  Always accept the hospitality of the people you are visiting with.  You can always take Flagyl or some other type of “digestive cleaning” medicine later on, but you sometimes only have one chance to receive the love from people who are trying to give you the best that they have.  You show that you accept them when you receive their food and drink – no matter what kind.  Period.

7.   In the rainy season when there is a thunder storm, unplug your router and computer.  Many houses overseas do not have lighting rods installed on top of them, and it is very likely that lighting will strike the house at some point.  We have lost at least one router and some wire due to a lighting strike.  Costly mistake, and the burning smell was not pleasant.

8.   Always have a spare tire.  If able, it is best to have a spare for your spare.  AAA services do not extend to outside the US. 

9.   Pray in the Spirit frequently while driving.  This will help calm you down as the driver.  Someday they will come out with a video game of driving in Africa.  Until then, imagine a one-way road with four-way traffic.  Traffic coming from behind you, toward you, and from both sides of you while trying to maneuver around a hole in front of you, animals next to you and children crossing the road ahead of you.  Crazy = Fun = Incredible adrenaline rush. 

10.   Do not leave the road unless absolutely necessary.  Thorn trees are everywhere, and thorns like to puncture tires.  Punctured tires like to become flat tires.  Flat tires take your spare tires (remember, no AAA).

11.  When trying to find a “bush stop” (no public restrooms next to the roads here!) try to find a place that is:
a.     Remote
b.     Has bushes
c.     But doesn’t have thorns (remember, thorns like tires…)
d.     No animals (animals mean shepherds, shepherds mean people with nothing to do but watch their herd and to watch you...)

            e.     Did I already mention remote?

12.  Always find shade to stand or sit under.   It is also a good idea to remember to park your vehicle under a shady area.  Car batteries do not like extreme heat.

13.  Have patience.  It is a fruit of the Spirit that you might need most.  When you go to the market, have patience.  Stop, meet, and greet.  When you go to the bank, have patience.  The thirty or forty people ahead of you have nothing to do all day but be at the bank.  Be prepared to meet them all, greet them all, and to spend most of the day with them.  If you spend less than an hour at the bank waiting, that is extremely fast.  Use that time wisely by greeting and making relationships that can have eternal consequences.  America is a production-oriented society.  Most other countries are relationally-oriented.  If you want to make a difference in another country, you must be relationally-oriented.

14.  Have fun.  Breathe in the smells (or at least most of them) and take in the sights and sounds of a different country - one that the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, created, and realizing that ALL of creation is His creation that He has made. 

15.  Don’t take yourself too seriously.  Be prepared to laugh with others at yourself as you make many mistakes trying to learn a new language and culture.  Laughing takes the pressure off and helps form relationships.  Some of the deepest relationships are formed from the times that we are at our weakest point and need the help of others.  Be willing to need help.  Be willing to ask for help.  Always show your appreciation for the help people give – never take someone trying to help you for granted. 

16.  Don’t try to meet every need that you see around you.  Ask for Father’s help to know what He is doing and what He wants you to do for that day.  Trying to meet every need will lead to burnout.  Trying to do what you see the Father do will lead to fruitfulness.  Remember, Jesus didn’t live each day to meet needs – He lived to do the will of His Father.

17.  Learn how to take a "bucket bath" with only two or three small scoops of water.  It’s okay, soap dries, too.

18.  Many places only sell one color of paint – white.  Learn how to mix color pigments together to make different colors when painting a room for your children.  Remember, blue and red make purple!

19.  Learn how to make “homemade” oil paint.  Simply go to the gas station, pump some diesel into a jug, and mix a little in with the regular white water - based paint.  Voila!  You have made oil paint.  When your children touch the walls and make smears, wiping the walls off will be a cinch!

20.  Put towels on the floor at night underneath the doors to your bedrooms to hinder traffic.  What kind of traffic?  Cockroaches.  There is nothing quite like the feeling of waking up in the wee hours of the morning with a cockroach crawling over you!

21.  Always do devotions in the morning.  Life has a way of filling up quickly even if the schedule is clear – and many times you can be thrown into needing to make decisions in a life or death situation without warning.  Make sure that your heart and mind are focused on the Lord, and that you have received His grace for the day before starting it.

22.  Learn how to kill termites.  Or how to only have furniture made out of iron in your house.  Those are the only two options.

23.  When driving through a large mud puddle, aim for the middle.  Typically the edges of the road are the places that are dangerous to drive, so aim right at the center of the hole and drive right in!

24.  Learn how to make mango shakes.  Lots of them.

25.  When a sandstorm comes during the harmattan season, learn to always leave windows and doors closed in your house.  A sandstorm can bring in over a half an inch of sand that covers everything in your house in only one hour.  How do you think we found this out?

26.  Find something to do for recreation.  For some, it is a sport.  I enjoy carpentry.  Find a project and do it – it will help decrease stress and also give some time to enjoy life.  You do want to enjoy your life.  Find some things that you enjoy doing, and do them!  That will keep you enjoying the other areas of your life as well.

27.  Padlocks are used to lock doors overseas.  Always remember to bring the key with you after “locking” your house.  If not, try to remember to keep a hack saw outside the house.  You just might need it! J

28.  Sunglasses are awesome.  Never drive anywhere without them.  They will save your eyes.  Always have a spare – sunglasses seem to go missing or break very easily. 

29.  Always barter in the market.  Don’t take the first price for anything.  The first price is typically twice the worth of the item, but that leaves room for bargaining – and people love to bargain!  I think that some people sell things in the market just so that they get a chance to barter.  Try to enjoy bargaining as well – remember, bargaining also builds relationship with the person.  Just don’t be too stingy – a couple of rounds of bartering is sufficient.  The other person probably needs the money more than you do.

30.  After buying fresh fruit or vegetables in the market, soak them in water and a touch of bleach for about 15 minutes.  This will kill all of the “extra” terrestrial things that came with your fresh produce.  Bleach is your best friend.  Mix a little in water when mopping the floors of your home to kill parasites, mix a little in water when washing dishes, and mix a little in your outside water reservoir that holds water for your house to keep algae from growing.  Basically, whenever you are cleaning anything with water, mix in a little bleach!

31.  Unplug electrical appliances when electricity is low (multiple times a day).  Low electricity will cause an appliance to break.  The other option is to put your kitchen appliances on a stabilizer/regulator. 

32.  Always plug your fridge and freezer into regulators.  These large items are too costly to replace, and just losing the power once can ruin their engines.  Don’t risk it.

33.  Learn how to wash clothes by hand.  There are times that you will need to know this.  Or be married to someone who loves to wash clothes by hand – that is also an option.

34.  Learn how to use Skype on the computer.  This is the only free and convenient way of staying in contact with friends and family in the States.  Also, learn how to teach your friends and family how to use Skype.  Skype takes two!  When Skyping, learn to recognize when the screen freezes and stop talking.  That way you don’t have to remember what you just said, and can just keep talking when it unfreezes.

35.  Always have a hankie with you, especially when preaching.  There is a big difference between knowing that you are sweating, and everyone seeing you sweating.

36.  Always keep learning.  Everyday, keep learning.  Learn more from the Lord, learn more from the people around you.  And love the learning.  And love the Lord.  And love the people. 

 

To be continued... (after some more “experience”)

 

Mango Madness

This past week, we have been enjoying one of the beauties of the hot season - Niger's incredible MANGO harvest.  For a few short weeks of every year, we are flooded with sweet, juicy, delicious mangos.  They are incredible.  We make mango muffins, mango coffee cake, mango fruit crisp, and fresh mango smoothies.  We eat them fresh, frozen, baked, blended, then fresh again.  Since we only have a few weeks to store up for all year long, we spend a few days in intensive mango madness - washing, cutting, bagging, and freezing - mangos, mangos, mangos!  We do mangos until we can see them in our sleep!  But at least our dreams are sweet... :)  Here's a look at the process:

 

 Stocking up - 

Anna is Daddy's big helper picking out mangos in the market.

 

Okay, let's get started...

Let the mango madness begin!

 

Calling all Bitty Bowdens!  Here they are, ready to get started.  And we have some extra "helpers" along for the ride - Welcome, Monkey and Bearie.

Ready, set, WASH!

Hard at work...

Resting already?!

Oh, I see, you just couldn't resist a sampling.

Yummy giggles.

Good job getting those mangos out, Bearie and Anna!

 

My friend, Rebecca, is helping me with this batch.

Making progress!

 

Here comes the afternoon shift!

Welcome to the kitchen, Jonathan!

My multi-talented, incredible husband!

Isaiah and Anna like to eat the leftover fruit from the seeds.  We call Anna Our Mango Girl.  She could eat them all day! 

She's in mango-heaven today.

Yum!  Ready to bag and freeze.

 

Safe in the freezer.

Taking a minute to taste just how yummy these are!

Hmmm...  small spoon, big spoon, small spoon, big spoon...

BIG spoon!  Yes, that's better.  Now that's a Papa-Bear-Sized Spoon!

And even the Wee-Baby-Bowden-Bear got some mango in her mesh snacker.  She's a pretty happy little tyke.  It looks to me like she's saying, "Come to Niger and we'll make sure you get some mangos, too!"  Sounds like a good deal to me.  :)

  

  

"Taste and see that the Lord is good:

Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him."

~ Psalm 34:8 ~