As if the birthday celebratory deliciousness wasn't enough, we spent the majority of the day Thursday at the church celebrating the First Communion and Confirmation of a few of the kids there. Mass was two-and-a-half-hours LONG. Perhaps it seems to drag on longer than usual because I have no idea what is being said in the readings or homiley and because its stinkin' hot in the Senegalese outfits Vero lent us. (Mine had a coffee bean print. No stinkin wonder all the Senegalese men want to marry me. It's my impecable style and dancing skills. That and the fact that the majority of the time I've been here I've either been throwing up or covered in hives. Really though.... my proposal count is at like 10...-M) The kids who were celebrating their First Communion or Confirmation were absolutely adorable though; the girls were all dolled up in their white dresses complete with all sorts of sparkley flowers in their hair, white lacey socks with their white patent leather heels and of course, silky white gloves. Hott mamas. It really was adorable--you could tell they were so proud of their outfits and that the whole day was about them! (Ok so Andi and I talked in an earlier blog about Sophee's 'weave', I just wanted to clarify that it is not just her. I don't think I have seen a woman's real hair since I've been here and it is CRAZY what they can do with the fake stuff. The first communion do's were out.of.control. Seriously there were like 20 ft long braids wrapped up in massive twisty buns with small glittery bouquets sticking out of them. Andi and I have no mirror here which is a blessing but also means that I am definitely losing in the hair styling competition here. By a lot. But the post rain humidity might allow me to win the afro competition, so at least I have that going for me.-M)
After the longest Mass in the history of ever (no but really-M), we went home with Vero and Sophee so we could give Leah the keys we accidentally made it to church with and Marissa and I took it as a chance to change out of the heat tents we were wearing. Whoop for t-shirts and capri pants! Vero was going to help the ladies in the kitchen at the church prepare food for the celebration and we tagged along. I was interested to see how the Senegalese kitchen worked. We ended up hanging out in one of the huts around the priests' house all day, watching the ladies prepare the salads--and by salad I mean plates of shredded carrots, cabbage, califlower, and pieces of tomato, bell pepper, cucumber and hardboiled eggs. It did have a tasty little dressing and strongly resembled cole slaw, I just had to avoid the huge blob of mayonaisse they are so very fond of here. (Amy Lorance, you would not like it one bit--they eat mayo on pretty much anything.) Trays of meat and rice filed in the little hut and the women busied themselves spooning it all onto platters to be served at the main table where the "kids of the day" got to dine with the priests and nuns. Shortly, huge buckets of frozen bissap tea and platters of little muffin-sized cakes and of course, more rum cake were hauled into the tiny hut. (Extra heavy on the rum, Andi loves it but I feel like I'm getting tipsy from the fumes of that stuff alone. Good news is that the crazy high alcohol content probably kills any germs-M) After everyone else had been served out in the courtyard, the women in the hut got to indulge in the remaining food. Pretty good way to spend an afternoon if I do say so myself.
I feel like I need to take a moment and explain to you the glory that is bissap tea. Now for some of you, you're reading the going, "Tea? Ugh, I don't even like tea. What's so stinkin' special about TEA?" Well my friends, bissap is in no way, shape or form like the black tea you're thinking of from America. In fact, bissap is purely hibiscus blossoms and mint, steaped in sugar water. (Extra heavy on the sugar. I like this stuff but more as a occasional frozen dessert. Andi on the otherhand...-M) Don't worry, once I'm home, I'm figuring out where to get some hibiscus and am making this all the time. When its frozen, its like a little popscicle. Which in Africa, is awesome to have. Vero calls it "freezy juice." Therefore, "snow cones" will now be refered to as "freezy juice."
Once we had managed to refuse seconds of cake, Vero took us outside into the courtyard where there was, yep, you guessed it--dancing! Everyone was in a huge circle and we found a spot by Sophee and Bernadette. Its become a known fact to us that we'll be forced to dance at these things. Its only a matter of time. Marissa has successfully made "the jerk" the toubaar dance. They LOVE it when she does that. We were enjoying just sitting among friends watching people dance around and pull their friends in with them when the best thing EVER happened. It started with just one precious little girl who came to sit in the chair in front of Marissa. Next thing I know, there's four little ones sitting on the bench next to her and the first little girl is sitting in her lap. PRECIOUS. Not too long after that, Burnadette's brother Surgey is sharing my chair with me, fascinated by my ring and bracelets. It was the greatest thing just to get to love on some kids finally! Even if we can't speak their language, we can communicate Christ's love through giving them attention and a smile. Sorry I just got all mushy with you, but it really was sweet and the highlight of my week. I especially loved that Surgey noticed the cross on my ring and then pointed to the cross on the steeple of the church. AWESOME that he made that connection. Seriously, God is so great. (If I could even begin to tell you how awesome this was, I would, but words cannot describe. The little girl in my lap couldn't have been more than 3 and her sister fell asleep on my shoulder while we were watching everyone else dance. Which was a multi-purpose dose of awesome because it kept people from pulling us up to dance.-M)
(Side note: During the first time we had lunch at the church I made friends with a little boy named Antoine. I may have mentioned him before but I can't check because the internet is still...out.... Anyways I fell in love with him and he's my new African boyfriend. Turns out the little nugget is twofold connected to us already. 1) He's the son of one of Sophee's friends from the choir who does NOT look old enough to be a mom 2) HE'S STANLEY THE SOCK EATER!!! I knew he looked familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. I know now that it was the lack of socks in his mouth. Anyways, the wedding is on Juneteenth and you're all invited.-M)
Friday we finally were feeling up to a run first thing in the morning. Let me tell you something, that was probably the best little jog I've ever taken. After sitting around the house for three weeks, my legs were so grateful to move quicker than a brisk walk. Of course my lungs were freaking out, but the rest of me felt 110% better. We helped Veronique cut strips of fabric for curtains she's making for Viola's new house in Segou. Other than my monster nap after lunch, we spent the day reading and having more time for Bible study. Not having Internet sure does limit your activities since all the work we're supposed to be doing is completely dependent on that. One of the men that works for the Grandarmerie across the way from us brought melon from Dakar for us. It was like a cross between a honeydew and a canteloupe with an incredibly buttery taste but looked like an enlongated acorn squash. New things all the time. (In other news the neighbor boys next door figured out that if they get on the roof of their house they can more effectively watch the toubaar's perform mundane activites including but not limited to such exciting events as: Reading, praying, writing letters, doing laundry, speaking in their strange foreign tongues. They've also discovered that this puts them at the perfect angle for a sort of reverse Romeo and Juliet act where they blow kisses and profess their undying love for us. Our response: Asking Vero how to say 'You're to young for me' She said that would only encourage them so we decided instead on 'I have a big scary husband back in the America'.... That should do the trick...-M)
So far, Saturday has been just a typical as a Saturday can get: early morning run, long breakfast with the roomies, laundry, watching soccer on the tube and enjoying cold juice with a good book. Its been surprisingly cool today--I attribute that to the wind and the rain that's sure to follow. Sophee dyed one of her towels today and tie-dyed some little pieces of fabric for Marsa and I. Tomorrow she said I could dye Dingey (the name I've affectionately given to my once white, now tan, towel) any color I wanted. So I get to make Dingey a beautiful shade of Fightin' Texas Aggie Maroon and Marissa is going to dye her equally dingey v-necks all sorts of colors.
(If you're wondering about the title of today's blog here's the story: So Andi and I are handwashing our laundry outside when the usual audience of next door neighbors comes over to enjoy the toubaar laundry show when the following conversation ensues:
Neighborman:Wolofwolofwolof frenchwolof wolofwolof french wolofwolof
Marsa: I really can't understand you. Sorry.
Neighborman: Cette Americanne. You speak Wolof. Wolof is good.
Andi: We are trying to speak Wolof, we just didn't understand what you said just then
Neighborman: You must try. Wolof is good. You do the wash?
Andi: Yes
Marsa (under her breath): youhavebeenwatchingusdothewashforaboutfifteenminutes
Neighborman: Ahhh yes. Do the wash is good.
Andi: Yes doing the wash IS good.
Marsa (again under her breath): itsevenbetterwithoutguyswatchingyouhangyourbrasuptodry
Neighborman: It is good for woman to do wash
Eternally Patient Andi: Yes well we do our best
Marsa (you guessed it): nothingweamericanwomenlovemorethangenderstereotypes
Have pity on me for the lack of understanding and patience. I was sick and a little annoyed with the constant audience while I wash my skivies. Really. Back up off.-M)
We still have absolutely no idea when Viola will come for us to get to Segou but we love just doing life with these girls here in Koungheul. Serving them in the little ways we can and growing in community with one another, laughing all the time. Not at all the way either of us had planned for this summer to go, but that's what's so beautiful about God breaking your plans to make way for His much better one. Praise be.
(I have a couple of additional side notes. The first is that one of the ladies from the church is the English teacher at the school and a really close friend of Vero's and so we're probably going to go sit in on a few English classes and help out if we can. Praise God for another opportunity to serve. The second is that I seem to be sick again, I have a pretty nasty cough and it's super uncomfortable to breathe. So if you all could be praying for me just for protection from any major illness and that whatever this is wouldn't inhibit my ability to serve while I'm here, I feel like He is doing a great job of answering my prayer to be stripped of my own strength so I could rely entirely on His. -M)
We love you all and miss you more and more everyday!
m&a
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