Tuesday

I had made a long list of things to do yesterday, really none of them got done. Not a bad thing. Just the facts. It woke up at 7:30 and had to make myself get out of bed. It is not really all that hot here but I still wake with my hair plastered to my neck and my skin moist with sweat. And I still wake not yet knowing quite where I am. We have a mosque in our backyard. It is actually way up on the hill behind the property but when the blaring prayers and chants and whatnot come garbled across the speaker system, they wake me. Heidi spoke in the school so I went to listen. She spoke about not worrying about what the vechicle looked like but rather what will move you. Don’t worry about the boat but what will feed the sails. (Carson and Gracie, there is a lizard on my wall as I write this to you. When I overcome my phobia I will catch one and bring it to you.  He has moved up to the ceiling now and I fear he will drop on my head, or in my coffee). So Heidi’s message rang true in my own life as I try to get my head around a school and all that involves and these kids and Portuguese and curriculum and instructors and courses. I need to just rest in knowing the One who sent me and fill up daily with His goodness, kindness, strength, wisdom, patience and so much more, and the rest will come. 

I then went to lunch (rice and beans) and then bummed a ride with a truck full of visitors into town. Food here is an issue, at least for me. It is hard to describe the grocery store. Well, not really. Imagine a gas station on the way to South Georgia.  Imagine going inside where the lights are off. Imagine buying what little canned goods, packaged meats and other packaged items they have for sale at twice or maybe even three times the value. Then imagine it smells like toilet cleaner, those cheap ones you hang over the side that come in Strawberry scent. Then imagine a dozen black men outside the gas station, putting withered produced in your face and asking you to pay Whole Foods prices in a language you kinda, sorta, don’t really understand. And there you go. Not judging, just giving you my observation. So I lumbered into this quaint little town that I truly dearly love with the intention of buying a phone and groceries. The mcel phone store was packed with people even waiting outside. I have waiting in line in Pemba before and I knew I simply did not have the patience to do it yesterday. I had so many other things I needed, like food to eat and that was a priority over standing in line for the next two hours to get a phone. I have an unlocked one from the States coming to me in January, but will get one for now when I can get back into town. 

I went up to the Supermercado, the one where the owner guy who works there looks like the guy on Aladdin. He was waiting outside and I knew they would be closed until 3. It was 2:58. I went into the bread shop and bought 3 rolls and a small carton of peach juice. I sipped the juice through the tiny straw as I waited on the shop owner to awaken from his siesta and open the market. By 5 minutes after I decided to just go buy vegetables. I had actually missed the venders a little and actually walked away quite proud. My lessons are paying off, or maybe it is just because I have been here 4 times now and know the routine. Either way I walked away with limes, tomatoes, and cucumber. We then jumped in the back of the truck and went to Osman’s. Osman’s is the second grocery store in town. Square footage-wise it is bigger and they do turn on the lights, but it is no different than Aladdin’s. The prices there are crazy insane way too much. I bought napkins, instant oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, a can of chickpeas, two cans of tomatoes, two cans of tonic water, peanut butter, a can of tuna, a small bottle of apple cider vinegar, milk, cheese, butter and I think that was $50. I am going to have to come up with a method. A plan. A menu. At a small shop I got some eggs. I jumped back in the back of the truck and came home with my stash. 

I played Uno with the girls. They don’t play by the rules. I will teach them. :)