It’s been a little over two weeks now since
J and I joined the rest of the family (minus N--who we miss terribly)
here in Nigeria. It’s feeling a little more ‘normal’ now. The weeks are flying
by and soon we’ll be back on the plane...!
So, the kids are making friends, getting
adjusted to the school, and doing some after-school activities. Q in scouting, M is playing basketball, and J is swimming. Life starts much
earlier here. They get on the bus quite early. It’s a vehicle that is the size of
those old VW vans, I think it’s actually a Toyota, though. They leave the
compound escorted by a mo-pol (mobile police truck with lights on the roof). They
return home in the late afternoon - they take a bus to the edge of the canal, get on a boat
and cross over, get on another VW van and return home. The
purpose of the boat is to avoid really backed up traffic in the afternoon.
Driving here is quite an experience! You have to
be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are traffic lights but they
aren’t guaranteed to keep order or be adhered to. And they may or may not be in
working order at any given time. There are no stop signs at intersections and
so you must look all ways every time. Head on a swivel is the secret to
survival. Horns are an important part of driving. If you’re passing someone,
always honk to let them know you’re there! Most, if not all cars, have many
dents in them. That is telling. Courtesy isn’t associated with driving here. You
must be aggressive or you’re never going to get out on the road you’re
intending to turn onto, or into the roundabout you’re intending to get in or
out of! Everyday when I make it home without new dents in our car I recognize
the miracle that’s just taken place for me. I take another breath of relief and let out the tension that I
feel the minute I pull out of the compound. It’s a new experience!
So we’re finding we brought way too much “Off”. We
only really need it at dawn or dusk, but we take our malaria pills weekly and
don’t seem to have any adverse effects, thankfully.
Shopping here is pricey and limited in what we
can find. Fresh fruits and veggies are best found out on the streets and we
barter for what we pay each time. The pineapple here is really delicious, but
the bananas are not so great. They look like they’ve been wacked out of the
trees because the bottoms are usually bruised. Carrots aren’t very sweet and
peppers are VERY HOT! They LOVE hot and spicy food here! We enjoyed some fresh
fish this last week that our steward, the hired maid, helped me get and then
fixed for us. I watched her rub it over with lemon juice, then shred fresh
garlic and ginger the entire fish inside and out, and bake it. Wow! Very
delicious!!
For church we meet in a building across town
(but still not in the restricted zone). The power goes out a few times during
sacrament meeting so that means the fans turn off the mic doesn’t work or the
piano stops working. So we strain to hear or sing a cappella. But the meeting
goes on, the members are strong in their faith, and the spirit is felt. Last
week was testimony meeting and it was wonderful to get to know those who got up
and briefly spoke. Several quoted passages of scripture and shared powerful
testimonies. O and I have been called to serve as YM Pres and Primary Pres,
so we’re staying busy. I’m lucky I get to spend the 2nd and 3rd hour with J =) (She has just pointed that out to me while reading this).
