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“M” did my head wrap for me… trying to be more African

Today we visited another church, this has been my favorite church so far!  I love how it was set up, the room was not huge, but very open, there were benches with plenty of space in-between them (for our kids to move their legs a little), and our family (& Anna, but she’s family) got our own bench (rather than smashed with no room and kids on our laps).  I loved how the pastor preached even though I didn’t really know what he was saying (lol), I loved how welcoming the people were, everyone walked passed us shaking our hands and asking us how we were. The music was amazing!  They had a piano, a drum set and like a 7 djembe set up, and they rocked the house.  Even though I wasn’t able to sing the words my heart was able to worship God.. Halleluiah! I closed my eyes and listened to the music and felt the beat of the music in my bones, and just shared my heart with God, it was refreshing for my soul!  I was grateful today that we could come together with other believers even though it’s difficult to talk to one another, and even though it was hard to understand the sermon, we were “with” them, and more than usual I could sense God’s presence there and his Holy Spirit working. I didn’t need to know the language to sense that God was there ministering to me, and most likely others in the room.  Ava and Penny went to the Sunday school class after about 7-10 songs (yes I love that the music is so long)… they don’t care about the time here, they are not concerned with how long things go, they are there to worship God together.  No one is looking at their watches, I don’t think I’ve seen a clock in a church here yet.  It is difficult for us as Americans to sit all the way through a service, but I love what is behind that, and the value that is put in being together to worship the Lord.  Back to Ava and Penny, they went to a Sunday School, our friend Leah also went in with them.  Ava made a friend, and after the service they were attached at the hip.  Ava ran up to me and said “Mommy!!!  I made my first African friend!”  My eyes got a little wet, because this was big for her, big for me.  When we were standing around outside the church I snatched a little 2 month old Senegalese baby boy… I have been wanting to hold an African baby since I got here, what a sweet moment for me today, I wanted to keep him, I didn’t meet the mother, but I’m pretty sure she would not be happy with me, wish I got a picture of that baby, seriously adorable!

Ava and her new friend

Our first few months here are rather low key as far as churches and African relationships go, and more focused on intense French study, that is where most of our time goes.  In January we will be assigned a church and a host family that goes to that church, and we will move closer to our host family.  These first few months I know are good because it is necessary that we get lots of french time in but it’s hard for me to because there are not many relationships being developed.  As we attend different churches to see what different churches are like I struggle, because I long to begin developing relationships, and if you know me then you know that’s what I love about life, building deep life long relationships!  It breaks me heart a little that Ava made this friend at this church because that will not be our permanent church here in Senegal (however we may attend there a few more times before this year is over :).  We have been praying for our host family, that they will be a good fit for us, and that God will be preparing that relationship.  We have also been praying that God would provide the right apartment for us, and that we would LOVE it… is that a fair prayer?  I think so.

Wax print Family 🙂 TJ is gonna have to get used to this whole “matching business”

There are plenty of physical struggles here, with all that comes with daily life, cooking, cleaning, cooking and cleaning some more, gathering vegetables from Market, grocery shopping and carrying groceries home, taking an hour or 2 to put our girls to bed, and so much more.  Most days these things are just feeling normal, and the fact that we feel tired quite often because of the work that life is along with language learning and it being very warm, it is just normal.  But sometimes All of this new normal feels a little more difficult because of our lack of relationships here… does that makes sense?  TJ mainly just has a sense of adventure and so he goes out and does “stuff” he goes out and talks to all sorts of people, he drinks stranger’s coffee and shares the gospel with random people who speak a decent amount of english… this fulfills him.  What do I normally do to fulfill my inner Lily?  (I’m speaking more of just who I am, not so much spiritual fulfillment) I spend time with friends, like specific friends.  And in Florida there was a few specific people or families I/we would just spend time with, on a regular basis (quality time/words of affirmation = my love language).  It has been over 2 months since we were “home”  and it’s feeling past due to spend time with these people.  So not only do I miss the people that I normally get to spend “quality time” with, but I’m not building any new relationships.  This is trying for me in a new way, and it is also growing anticipation in me as we look forward to the next step here.

This past week we started phase 2 of our french study.  Our class of 5 split up into 2 groups, TJ and I are with the same language helper that we had before and it is going really well.  Some days I feel like I’m actually learning this language, and other days I feel discouraged, like I’m never gonna learn french.  Our language helper is from Ivory Coast and she speaks impeccable french which is fun!  And you ask… what exactly do we do in French class?  Well right now, we look at wordless stories and TJ and I take turns explaining everything in the picture, and our Language Helper helps us with the new words, writes them down in our word log and when we’re done with a session we record her saying the new words and retelling the story, so that later we can listen and point to them (with the picture that we took).  So then later we listen listen listen to the stories, and new words, and then through the story we reuse words and re-listen to the same words, it’s a pretty awesome program.  There is no study and memorize, it’s basically just a listen until your brain gets it and then it’s in your brain, and when it needs to use it, it will… pretty cool!!

Remember how I said words of affirmation is one of my needs?  And the fact that we don’t have many Africa friends here? Which means there isn’t many people to encourage me in my french, I can’t remember the last time someone of importance (an African) said “hey your doing a good job!”  I’m not trying to stand on my soap box, just wanted to give a picture of what is difficult for me and what I am looking forward to as time progresses.  I am aware that this is a stage, and that there will be another stage in life.  And so I also want to state what I appreciate about these few months that are less busy (I don’t feel like they are less busy, but apparently we will be more busy in a couple months).  I also appreciate the fact that we don’t know many people yet, because it gives us time as a family to adjust to just be here and develop who we are as a family in this country.  Struggling a little on our own, finding a bit of our own footing.  It is actually nice to not have a church yet because as we have entered a new country it is nice to not have any church responsibilities, and it’s nice not having a host family checking up with us all the time.  We get to be sort of free for a couple months, and I like that, I like that we have been given a little freedom in that.  It also builds anticipation for what’s ahead as well and gives us time to pray for our church, for our relationships and for our host family.  So there are difficulties and there are also benefits.

Also… if I ever just want to feel encouraged or a boost of moral I can just dress up my family in matching outfits and walk the streets.  Everyone will wave us down and say (Think Accent) “Woaw, Senegal-ay… Tres Jolie!” with a smile and a wave.  This was us last Friday as we all went out in our new matching African outfits. First I thought it was just the people that see us on a daily basis and that they were glad that we were finally wearing African clothes, but then we started walking in a part of town that rarely sees us and they continued to compliment us, celebrating the white people wearing African clothes… plus our girls looked adorable ;).  Like I said, if I ever need a little encouragement, I’ll just dress us up and we’ll go for a walk.

Penny & Ava… too adorable! I can’t take it 🙂

As TJ and I settle down a little more here, we see God, we see him providing, we see him standing with us, behind us, loving us.  We are beginning the process of trusting him again, and as we live daily lives we can see how intimately he cares for us and is so IN THIS!  Do you know what I mean?  He is answering prayers, he is showing himself to us.  He’s revealing himself through Anna our Nanny/teacher, through our maid (who isn’t a believer), through Ava, who has such a big heart… also a strong will, but a BIG heart for the lost!  He’s revealing himself through circumstances, through, other missionaries, through my brother’s family.  Whether we see it or not, God is all around us!

We took Anna to see a school here, it was weird like walking back into American culture for an afternoon, it was a bit of a shock to my system. We wore our African clothes, but then felt our of place at the American school.

We have loved having Anna live with us, she is definitely a part of our family now and there is gonna be a hole when she’s gone. The girls are getting along well with her now (with the normal amount of disobedience) We are so grateful to get to know her, and have her here with us.  We love you Anna!!

We have been praying for a long time, at least a year maybe two that God would provide someone to watch our girls after Anna leaves in January.  TJ and I will still be doing personal language sessions and will need someone to help with our kids.  I didn’t know how it was going to work out and I even tried coordinate my own plans before I could see what God was doing.   We as a family get along with “M” well, and she has really opened up with us.  When we sit down for a meal we struggle through french together, and even though it is super frustrating because our knowledge is limited (but continually growing) we get to talk to each other (this is good for my “needy friend” needs ;).  Usually lunch (the big meal) “M” and I work on the kitchen together and we continue to struggle through conversation together, she is my only African friend at the moment and I’m holding on to that tightly :).

Thanks for following, thanks for praying.  If I know you well you know I love you! 🙂

Silas turned 4 and we got to celebrate with him.

Silas and all his friends

Fun Party, Del and Ari did a perfect job. I bartered for my first tax on Saturday morning to get to Del and Ari’s early to help… unfortunately I left my sunglasses in the taxi. 🙁