June 7 - Trip To The Market

Saturday, June 7th, 2008 – BRIAN--Last night (Friday night) we spent some time under the amazing African sky on the roof. It is a flat roof with a railing, like a patio. Pastor Glenn came over and we talked until the wee hours with the sound of drums in the distance. Pastor claims it is a signal at a ceremony, in this case, a funeral. The funeral happens to be for a friend of the man who owns the house we are in. He came back for a few days to attend his friends ceremony. Mr. Bouk is a very nice man, who’s English is a lot better than our French. Daily we hear the chanting of Muslims at the Mosque a couple miles away. There are few trees to deaden the sound, so it travels over during their 5 prayer times a day. Anyway… Pastor Ron Mudge who was a professor here, and Pastor Fred Reinhardt, who OSLC supports with our prayers and finances, will be here in few days. Pastor Glenn’s family is heading to California, so we will have time to discuss many things. I am looking forward to all I can learn.

Saturday morning, we headed to the market with Pastor’s wife, Susan, and their baby, Eliana. The market is huge, and packed with vendors. We weaved our way through people selling beans and vegetables, farm implements, hardware, radios, fish (they looked days old, with flies all over them. Yuk) The people LOVE the little white baby, as well as the white adults. We got a taste today of what being famous would be like. We were stared at, followed and when we stopped, a crowd gathered. We bought a lot of cloth from one vendor that Susan likes, so we were there for 20 minutes or so with a crowd. I am sure we made the vendors’ day as we bought about 10 pieces. Mine were 5000 Franc, or $10. It will cost about another 5000 Franc to have them tailored this afternoon.

I took a picture of a group of the cutest little kids on a ‘platform’. I waved and smiled, and the next thing I knew, they were tugging at my shirt. I sat down and showed them the picture. I took another picture, and showed them. They thought that was just the greatest thing, to see themselves in my box (camera). I took so many pictures of each child and then showed them, and the excitement and the crowd grew. We got the approval and smiles of the African adults nearby. Taking pictures otherwise is risky. We cannot just snap a picture of any African that we think looks like a good shot. Some want money, and some believe that their spirit is captured when a picture is taken.

We just had lunch at the Fluegge’s, and we are going out tonight. I thought I might lose a few pounds here, but the food is sooooooo good! The Fluegges have a cook and a guard as well. Hopefully the constant sweating will help. The days are hot hot hot, but the nights are so cool, I sleep with the window open only, no A/C or even fan. Today is 95deg (but it’s a dry heat!).