I recently had the opportunity to purchase a bush water filter system - consisting of two buckets, and a ceramic filter, I wondered if it was really doing it's job because from time to time the water that I put into the top of the canister seemed clear to me?
This week I took a longer look at the inside of the canister and noticed that there was a dark layer of fine brown dirt at the bottom of the top canister, laying next to the ceramic filter. WOW! All that dirt was in my water and I could not see it. Then I was immediately thinking of the other things that could be living in my water before it was filtered.
Happy beyond measure that I am blessed with the NECESSARY extravagance of buying a water filter so that I can stay healthy here in Madagascar. Much like our relationship with CHRIST, we NEED that water to live.
Have you examined your water today?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Brain activity - sleep
Did you know that when you are in another culture learning another language and surrounded by people always talking in a different language that you get tired quickly? It feels as if you are in a library with walls covered in books each in a different language and subject. As I search for the right word to say from the right language I often feel as if I am looking over all the books and wondering which one to pull off the shelf for just a time as this.
My brain is so very tired after a day out in the community. I am hearing not only Malagasy but French, German and sometimes other languages. The languages intrigue me, draw me in and captivate me. My brain is running a thousand miles a minute, trying not only to understand what is said but figuring out how I can say that very thing again when I need to. I constantly find myself in that virtual library that I described moments ago.
I am learning Malagasy, doing a LOT of listening I am realizing that my brain is working overtime. You should be able to see smoke coming out of my nose and ears!
Once I listen to the Language and catch the tone, stress and actual pronunciation I am also forced in my memory banks to remember how to respond. Meaning what language do I respond in? Sometimes I am even shocked myself at what comes out of my mouth. As words, pronunciations and stresses are starting to stick, my mind is tossed into a whole other world of actually trying to speak this amazing and intricate language.
Last week I responded in Spanish as if it was the spoken language here! Crazy!
Slang is everywhere and most people use it in every day conversation, long words and sentences are shortened and different people have different sayings. People from the North use different words than the people from the high plateau areas and then there are still more people in the south that have other words for things and so on. It seems limitless right now but I know that I will feel comfortable here eventually.
The other day I was in a car with a friend as she started to talk in Malagasy to a Malagasy. I found myself turning to her and asking her if the guard had said what I had thought I had heard. Not because I was being nosy but because I understood most of the words and wanted to check my comprehension. That was fun! I was right and so excited to have understood.
This learning another language is difficult at times but yet very rewarding and I just love seeing the smiles on peoples faces as I try to speak Malagasy in most situations. God is good and I am blessed every day!
My brain is so very tired after a day out in the community. I am hearing not only Malagasy but French, German and sometimes other languages. The languages intrigue me, draw me in and captivate me. My brain is running a thousand miles a minute, trying not only to understand what is said but figuring out how I can say that very thing again when I need to. I constantly find myself in that virtual library that I described moments ago.
I am learning Malagasy, doing a LOT of listening I am realizing that my brain is working overtime. You should be able to see smoke coming out of my nose and ears!
Once I listen to the Language and catch the tone, stress and actual pronunciation I am also forced in my memory banks to remember how to respond. Meaning what language do I respond in? Sometimes I am even shocked myself at what comes out of my mouth. As words, pronunciations and stresses are starting to stick, my mind is tossed into a whole other world of actually trying to speak this amazing and intricate language.
Last week I responded in Spanish as if it was the spoken language here! Crazy!
Slang is everywhere and most people use it in every day conversation, long words and sentences are shortened and different people have different sayings. People from the North use different words than the people from the high plateau areas and then there are still more people in the south that have other words for things and so on. It seems limitless right now but I know that I will feel comfortable here eventually.
The other day I was in a car with a friend as she started to talk in Malagasy to a Malagasy. I found myself turning to her and asking her if the guard had said what I had thought I had heard. Not because I was being nosy but because I understood most of the words and wanted to check my comprehension. That was fun! I was right and so excited to have understood.
This learning another language is difficult at times but yet very rewarding and I just love seeing the smiles on peoples faces as I try to speak Malagasy in most situations. God is good and I am blessed every day!
Rice harvesting begins
Rice harvesting has begun here and you can tell everywhere you go.
As we drive along the tiny paved road that leads to our home we are confronted with ladies, that have spread their piles of rice along the side of the road, right on the pavement and are walking through it with bare feet looking for something (not sure what but am determined to find out eventually).
In the once vibrant and green rice patties there are sections that are sparce of growth and filled with what looks to be amazingly muddy and nasty dirty water, scattered with piles and piles of bushels laying amongst the water waiting to be directed by floating to the side where they then are hoisted upon someones head to be carried to an area so they can be beat against a barrell upon it's side until the tiny grains of rice fall out of the shaft. Upon that time they are collected, along with stray leaves and other floaties to be laid upon the road for drying and a good walking through.
Many tiny merchant shops along the sena or market are closed during the harvest time because entire families are expected to work to bring in the rice. They must do what they can while the weather permits.
There are bushels on their heads, people up to their waists in water, and all sorts of rice laying on the road as it dries and gets ready to be bagged for the markets..
I could not help but think of my Uncle, his twin and their family Tax business - they are so alike the rice farmers. They are dedicated, wake up early and work late, often times working through lunch. Files from clients are sitting in orderly piles all throughout the office waiting to be tended to. There is a process, a hand off and an entire community that works on a common goal. Even the other people in the community that don't live the "rice" or "tax" life give more understanding and a helping hand when they can. Putting in as much work as they can while the weather permits.
Just in awe of it all!
As we drive along the tiny paved road that leads to our home we are confronted with ladies, that have spread their piles of rice along the side of the road, right on the pavement and are walking through it with bare feet looking for something (not sure what but am determined to find out eventually).
In the once vibrant and green rice patties there are sections that are sparce of growth and filled with what looks to be amazingly muddy and nasty dirty water, scattered with piles and piles of bushels laying amongst the water waiting to be directed by floating to the side where they then are hoisted upon someones head to be carried to an area so they can be beat against a barrell upon it's side until the tiny grains of rice fall out of the shaft. Upon that time they are collected, along with stray leaves and other floaties to be laid upon the road for drying and a good walking through.
Many tiny merchant shops along the sena or market are closed during the harvest time because entire families are expected to work to bring in the rice. They must do what they can while the weather permits.
There are bushels on their heads, people up to their waists in water, and all sorts of rice laying on the road as it dries and gets ready to be bagged for the markets..
I could not help but think of my Uncle, his twin and their family Tax business - they are so alike the rice farmers. They are dedicated, wake up early and work late, often times working through lunch. Files from clients are sitting in orderly piles all throughout the office waiting to be tended to. There is a process, a hand off and an entire community that works on a common goal. Even the other people in the community that don't live the "rice" or "tax" life give more understanding and a helping hand when they can. Putting in as much work as they can while the weather permits.
Just in awe of it all!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thankful for Support
Support comes in many ways and is very cherished in each of those ways that it is both given and received. Support is a word that many people run from, tune out or sometimes it even makes their skin crawl. Why is that?
Do you know what it is like to loose a family member? To feel the support of friends and family through emails, phone messages/conversations and just being there. Support during this time can also come in the preparation and giving of a meal for the family, caring for a pet or helping with other details. Support just means that you care, that you are a part of this event in time, that you CARE for those that are going through something tougher than what you are going through right now.
God just gave me the opportunity to be a little bit of comfort/Support to a friend here in Madagascar that lost her baby at a bit under 3 months. She did not know that she was even pregnant but it doesn't make this time in life any less hard on her and her family. When you go into a hospital here you, your family or SUPPORT team have to provide the bedding and the meals. That means each day when the sheets need to be changed then the family provides fresh clean sheets and takes the soiled sheets home to be washed. As I was there caring for my friend, I realized that GOD was using me to be a support to this family and directly to this friend. The family had someone to stay with her for the 3 days that she was there but each person did their part, helped, became community and showed support in whatever way they could.
Do you know what it is like to loose a house and need a place to live, or to loose a job and need money or food? Do you have a community around you like the families here that will come together, NO QUESTIONS asked, no grudges held. They just provide/support, just meet the need... What is it that keeps most of us from being this sort of unconditional support for others? Is it that we are over committed with our own bills and each paycheck is spent before we ever even receive it? Is it that we don't want to get emotionally involved? Could it be that we don't know exactly how the other person thinks and feels about certain things and would not help us or support us in return?
I guess for me it is hard because I depend on the support of others. This has been particularly hard for me the last 5 years or so because living in this NEED of support creates a great valley filled with expectation both on those around you and on the LORD. I know that HE has taken me on this road, gotten me this far and HE is in charge of where my feet go, daily, who I meet with and talk to and who I get to share Christ with.
In Madagascar their family units live this lifestyle daily. A family no matter how large or small, no matter how spread out is dependant on the rest of the family and when one person looses their job then the whole family pitches in to make sure that there is food on the table, a place to live and clothes on their backs, even gas in their car. I am learning what it means to be this SUPPORT to others, day in and day out. Being here in this position though causes me to understand more fully the support of all of the people all over the world that are part of "team Madagascar". I would not be here without your support, I would not be learning what I am learning and meeting who I meet with daily without your support. I am so thankful, overflowing with thanks daily for your sacrifices, your prayers and your financial backing.
I pray that I can perpetuate the cycle of support and be there for many when they are in need, when they go through grief, have moments of joy and incredible growth. SUPPORT, reminds me of all of you and without you allowing GOD to lead, we would not be touching lives half way around the world.
THANK YOU, FOR YOUR UNCONDITIONAL and very necessary SUPPORT.
Do you know what it is like to loose a family member? To feel the support of friends and family through emails, phone messages/conversations and just being there. Support during this time can also come in the preparation and giving of a meal for the family, caring for a pet or helping with other details. Support just means that you care, that you are a part of this event in time, that you CARE for those that are going through something tougher than what you are going through right now.
God just gave me the opportunity to be a little bit of comfort/Support to a friend here in Madagascar that lost her baby at a bit under 3 months. She did not know that she was even pregnant but it doesn't make this time in life any less hard on her and her family. When you go into a hospital here you, your family or SUPPORT team have to provide the bedding and the meals. That means each day when the sheets need to be changed then the family provides fresh clean sheets and takes the soiled sheets home to be washed. As I was there caring for my friend, I realized that GOD was using me to be a support to this family and directly to this friend. The family had someone to stay with her for the 3 days that she was there but each person did their part, helped, became community and showed support in whatever way they could.
Do you know what it is like to loose a house and need a place to live, or to loose a job and need money or food? Do you have a community around you like the families here that will come together, NO QUESTIONS asked, no grudges held. They just provide/support, just meet the need... What is it that keeps most of us from being this sort of unconditional support for others? Is it that we are over committed with our own bills and each paycheck is spent before we ever even receive it? Is it that we don't want to get emotionally involved? Could it be that we don't know exactly how the other person thinks and feels about certain things and would not help us or support us in return?
I guess for me it is hard because I depend on the support of others. This has been particularly hard for me the last 5 years or so because living in this NEED of support creates a great valley filled with expectation both on those around you and on the LORD. I know that HE has taken me on this road, gotten me this far and HE is in charge of where my feet go, daily, who I meet with and talk to and who I get to share Christ with.
In Madagascar their family units live this lifestyle daily. A family no matter how large or small, no matter how spread out is dependant on the rest of the family and when one person looses their job then the whole family pitches in to make sure that there is food on the table, a place to live and clothes on their backs, even gas in their car. I am learning what it means to be this SUPPORT to others, day in and day out. Being here in this position though causes me to understand more fully the support of all of the people all over the world that are part of "team Madagascar". I would not be here without your support, I would not be learning what I am learning and meeting who I meet with daily without your support. I am so thankful, overflowing with thanks daily for your sacrifices, your prayers and your financial backing.
I pray that I can perpetuate the cycle of support and be there for many when they are in need, when they go through grief, have moments of joy and incredible growth. SUPPORT, reminds me of all of you and without you allowing GOD to lead, we would not be touching lives half way around the world.
THANK YOU, FOR YOUR UNCONDITIONAL and very necessary SUPPORT.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
2010 Praise and Prayer
how beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news...
Praises:
1.) I have spent the last 5 months here in Madagascar getting settled, starting language learning, and finding new amazing and adventuresome routines. Daily blessed to see that GOD made me for such a place as this, even during this exact time, political crisis and all. I have traveled through the last five months fully supported, and during these tough economic times that is something to PRAISE GOD about. I am honored and blessed to be the feet of such an amazing team "TEAM MADAGASCAR" that GOD has arranged and brought together! Without many of you these relationships would not be possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Misoatra betsika Jesosy! (Thank you JESUS!)
2.) Opportunities over the CHRISTmas and New Year holiday to share about relationship with Christ and what that really means with 2 Malagasy that are really seeking. Including great opportunities to share with Children and encourage them to SEEK Him as they are led. Also a wonderful opportunity to live with a Malagasy family, submerged in their lifestyle, with their comforts and daily routines. Yahoo!
3.) I was connected with a local orphanage here not far from where I live - went for a couple of hours and am praying about volunteering once a week there to serve but also to learn what I can. Pray that GOD would be clear to me on this.
Prayers:
1.) I find myself starting 2010 without sufficient support but with the assurance that GOD will provide as HE has shown over and over along this journey. Will you join me in praying that GOD would raise up new support and challenge those that HE desires to increase their already sacrificial giving? This could be you so be wise in what you pray for. :)
2.) Please continue to pray for those in leadership positions throughout Madagascar! So much is uncertain. We are safe! Prepared and storing up necessities as advised. So many people are suffering here because of the decisions being made across the globe.
3.) With the unrest and uncertainty comes more crime and violence. Please pray that as I continue to walk and take public transportation that GOD would protect me, have me be just in the RIGHT place at the RIGHT time and have others around that are willing to lead, guide and protect. Please continue to pray for a vehicle, the right price, reliable and someone to provide those exact finances.
Praises:
1.) I have spent the last 5 months here in Madagascar getting settled, starting language learning, and finding new amazing and adventuresome routines. Daily blessed to see that GOD made me for such a place as this, even during this exact time, political crisis and all. I have traveled through the last five months fully supported, and during these tough economic times that is something to PRAISE GOD about. I am honored and blessed to be the feet of such an amazing team "TEAM MADAGASCAR" that GOD has arranged and brought together! Without many of you these relationships would not be possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Misoatra betsika Jesosy! (Thank you JESUS!)
2.) Opportunities over the CHRISTmas and New Year holiday to share about relationship with Christ and what that really means with 2 Malagasy that are really seeking. Including great opportunities to share with Children and encourage them to SEEK Him as they are led. Also a wonderful opportunity to live with a Malagasy family, submerged in their lifestyle, with their comforts and daily routines. Yahoo!
3.) I was connected with a local orphanage here not far from where I live - went for a couple of hours and am praying about volunteering once a week there to serve but also to learn what I can. Pray that GOD would be clear to me on this.
Prayers:
1.) I find myself starting 2010 without sufficient support but with the assurance that GOD will provide as HE has shown over and over along this journey. Will you join me in praying that GOD would raise up new support and challenge those that HE desires to increase their already sacrificial giving? This could be you so be wise in what you pray for. :)
2.) Please continue to pray for those in leadership positions throughout Madagascar! So much is uncertain. We are safe! Prepared and storing up necessities as advised. So many people are suffering here because of the decisions being made across the globe.
3.) With the unrest and uncertainty comes more crime and violence. Please pray that as I continue to walk and take public transportation that GOD would protect me, have me be just in the RIGHT place at the RIGHT time and have others around that are willing to lead, guide and protect. Please continue to pray for a vehicle, the right price, reliable and someone to provide those exact finances.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Transportation
While out on this holiday learning lesson I rode a rickshaw (malagasy puse puse) in the rain, took the local busses, was picked up in a car and WALKED a lot! Even on New Year's Eve three of us walked about 4 miles in the pouring rain! What an adventure and one that I will not soon forget!
The real story is about the transportation home to Antananarivo. We scheduled our space behind the driver in the Taxi Brusse for the evening of January 1st. We were to leave the station at 5 pm... well there is only one Taxi Brusse station known for leaving on time and we were not scheduled to leave with them. There were not enough people to fill our bus so we were combined with another bus service and did not leave until about 6 pm.
After about 3 hours of driving very slowly we stopped and had our scheduled evening dinner. While we were there our driver decided to check on the noise that we had all been hearing for the last couple of hours and that was helping us travel at a true snails pace. Well, about 5 Malagasy men were instantaly pulling things out of the engine that sat under the front seats of the van. They taped, conversed, oiled and conversed, stretched and conversed some more. They would then put the parts back in and try the engine again, each time getting the exact same sound from the engine as before and it did not sound good at all. After 3 hours of this it was now midnight and the small town we had stopped in was closing up tight for the night. Most of the Taxi's that had been passing by had already passed us by and our options were getting slimmer and slimmer as to finding one to join for the rest of the 6 - 8 hour ride...
We finally were able to squeeze onto a bus that had come from the North East (Diego) and were relieved once we were back on the road home. After about an hour we came up to an area where the road had been washed over with a large amount of very wet sand and two taxi brusses and a gasoline tanker were stuck in it, so much so that no one else could travel either way on the only road in and out of town. Everyone got out and went to assess the situation. One of the busses was getting more and more into a sand hole because as they were digging and trying to get the bus out they were shaking from left to right and only causing the bus to go deeper and deeper into the hole, at this point the exhaust was underwater and from what I know that is not a good situation to be in. After about two hours of trying to convince the people that they needed to take all the luggage and bicycles off of the top of the bus they started to do so and were making great headway when the second bus was finally able to get out of the mud making a space for others to get through. Our driver took no time to hesitate, made sure to tell people to stay out of the way and gunned it through the space and never once got stuck. Everyone cheered and we were summoned to join our bus so that we could resume the travel, leaving the other bus to continue to work on their quickly sinking and drying sand situation.
At this point we had been traveling for about 7 hours and should have been about 3 hours outside of Tana but that was not the situation by a long shot. We were not even to the half way marker and had a long trip still ahead. By 4;30 in the morning we found yet another situation to build into our character. Our bus shredded the fan belt, we saw two tiny strips on the ground and the driver asked us all to get out of the bus. We did and while we were waiting for the bus to get fixed I looked for a place to water some plants, out of sight of the other passengers. We had also thought it would be a good time to find a mile marker to see how much more we had to go, trying to find a good area to call friends and let them know where we were and the adventure we had been on.
Bex and I decided to walk ahead of the bus incase it was working again we could get on and not get left behind. As soon as we said that out loud and had found the mile marker the bus coasted past us with 4 malagasy hanging off the back, a couple inside and the two drivers. All of them were waving and laughing, smiles from ear to ear! If it was not directed at us, it sure felt like it. We did not know what to think, "had they been waiting for a time to steal all the passengers bags?" "Why were some left behind with us and yet others were taken off in the bus?"
Bex had no shoes and mine were saturated with water from the area where the taxi brusses were stuck in the mud and water. We were quite unexpectant of this becuase of all the other things that had already happend and thougth "this can't be happening, not to us and not after the night we have experienced." Now we were walking as the light of the universe came on, glad that it was not as HOT as it could have been and glad that we had a paved road to walk on, but barefooted just the same. Discussing out loud the inventory we had in the Taxi Brusse, assessing how we could get out of this mess and back to our town, friends, community and co-workers. Thinking that we would not ever see any of it again. We were also wondering if there was some big thing that GOD was trying to teach us through this experience? "Were we not to return to Tana but go on this crazy, unscripted adventure and what was the ultimate purpose of it all?" Ended up that we walked 6 kilometers uphill and bare footed. Our feet were fine, the weather was great and nothing like a walk at that time in the morning to get your heart pumping.
Praise the Lord but after walking for that long, we came to a small village in the middle of no where, under a shaded area on the side of the road what did we see, but our very bus. It had finally stripped the entire fan belt entirely off and was getting a good looking over when we arrived. We were so upset that we climbed into the van and grabbed our things and just sat there. The drivers and some of the other passengers that were outside of the brusse were laughing at us and pointing at us which was not helping the situation at all.
Bex and I talked for about 20 minutes about what we should do, each praying that a solution would come and that we would be rescued from this nightmare. We joked about friends flying helicopters to come and get us, about the military on their way for us or other ways that we could see ourselves spending the rest of the weekend trying to get home. We were both so very tired of traveling, we had not had any food since lunch the day before and our water supply was about to run out. Knowing that we could not live in the village we were sitting in we decided that I would stay with our things and she would walk until she could get a signal on her phone.
After about 2 more kilometers of walking she was able to contact some friends and start talking about this situation and an exit plan. Before long she was back at the bus and we were packing up our things to walk away from this crazy bus, the drivers and the passengers. Our friends in the capitol knew of a man (Frank) driving this very road that would be alone, had plenty of room in his car and would be there to pick us up in about 45 minutes. How is that for an answer to prayer... This guy had left the same city that we had came from originally, Mahajunga but left at 5 am not the 5 pm that we had. We had many people praying for us, GOD was watching over us, our passports and other valuables were recovered and we finally arrived home after 21 hours of travel!
GOD is so very divine! What an amazing journey! We are both so very blessed and now more than ever praying for a reliable form of transportation to come my way. I don't mind being with the Malagasy at all and rather enjoy it most of the time so I don't mind waiting on the Lord for his timing and seeing what HE will do in all of this.
One amazing adventure behind me and the whole of 2010 ahead. Exciting times, people, exciting times!
The real story is about the transportation home to Antananarivo. We scheduled our space behind the driver in the Taxi Brusse for the evening of January 1st. We were to leave the station at 5 pm... well there is only one Taxi Brusse station known for leaving on time and we were not scheduled to leave with them. There were not enough people to fill our bus so we were combined with another bus service and did not leave until about 6 pm.
After about 3 hours of driving very slowly we stopped and had our scheduled evening dinner. While we were there our driver decided to check on the noise that we had all been hearing for the last couple of hours and that was helping us travel at a true snails pace. Well, about 5 Malagasy men were instantaly pulling things out of the engine that sat under the front seats of the van. They taped, conversed, oiled and conversed, stretched and conversed some more. They would then put the parts back in and try the engine again, each time getting the exact same sound from the engine as before and it did not sound good at all. After 3 hours of this it was now midnight and the small town we had stopped in was closing up tight for the night. Most of the Taxi's that had been passing by had already passed us by and our options were getting slimmer and slimmer as to finding one to join for the rest of the 6 - 8 hour ride...
We finally were able to squeeze onto a bus that had come from the North East (Diego) and were relieved once we were back on the road home. After about an hour we came up to an area where the road had been washed over with a large amount of very wet sand and two taxi brusses and a gasoline tanker were stuck in it, so much so that no one else could travel either way on the only road in and out of town. Everyone got out and went to assess the situation. One of the busses was getting more and more into a sand hole because as they were digging and trying to get the bus out they were shaking from left to right and only causing the bus to go deeper and deeper into the hole, at this point the exhaust was underwater and from what I know that is not a good situation to be in. After about two hours of trying to convince the people that they needed to take all the luggage and bicycles off of the top of the bus they started to do so and were making great headway when the second bus was finally able to get out of the mud making a space for others to get through. Our driver took no time to hesitate, made sure to tell people to stay out of the way and gunned it through the space and never once got stuck. Everyone cheered and we were summoned to join our bus so that we could resume the travel, leaving the other bus to continue to work on their quickly sinking and drying sand situation.
At this point we had been traveling for about 7 hours and should have been about 3 hours outside of Tana but that was not the situation by a long shot. We were not even to the half way marker and had a long trip still ahead. By 4;30 in the morning we found yet another situation to build into our character. Our bus shredded the fan belt, we saw two tiny strips on the ground and the driver asked us all to get out of the bus. We did and while we were waiting for the bus to get fixed I looked for a place to water some plants, out of sight of the other passengers. We had also thought it would be a good time to find a mile marker to see how much more we had to go, trying to find a good area to call friends and let them know where we were and the adventure we had been on.
Bex and I decided to walk ahead of the bus incase it was working again we could get on and not get left behind. As soon as we said that out loud and had found the mile marker the bus coasted past us with 4 malagasy hanging off the back, a couple inside and the two drivers. All of them were waving and laughing, smiles from ear to ear! If it was not directed at us, it sure felt like it. We did not know what to think, "had they been waiting for a time to steal all the passengers bags?" "Why were some left behind with us and yet others were taken off in the bus?"
Bex had no shoes and mine were saturated with water from the area where the taxi brusses were stuck in the mud and water. We were quite unexpectant of this becuase of all the other things that had already happend and thougth "this can't be happening, not to us and not after the night we have experienced." Now we were walking as the light of the universe came on, glad that it was not as HOT as it could have been and glad that we had a paved road to walk on, but barefooted just the same. Discussing out loud the inventory we had in the Taxi Brusse, assessing how we could get out of this mess and back to our town, friends, community and co-workers. Thinking that we would not ever see any of it again. We were also wondering if there was some big thing that GOD was trying to teach us through this experience? "Were we not to return to Tana but go on this crazy, unscripted adventure and what was the ultimate purpose of it all?" Ended up that we walked 6 kilometers uphill and bare footed. Our feet were fine, the weather was great and nothing like a walk at that time in the morning to get your heart pumping.
Praise the Lord but after walking for that long, we came to a small village in the middle of no where, under a shaded area on the side of the road what did we see, but our very bus. It had finally stripped the entire fan belt entirely off and was getting a good looking over when we arrived. We were so upset that we climbed into the van and grabbed our things and just sat there. The drivers and some of the other passengers that were outside of the brusse were laughing at us and pointing at us which was not helping the situation at all.
Bex and I talked for about 20 minutes about what we should do, each praying that a solution would come and that we would be rescued from this nightmare. We joked about friends flying helicopters to come and get us, about the military on their way for us or other ways that we could see ourselves spending the rest of the weekend trying to get home. We were both so very tired of traveling, we had not had any food since lunch the day before and our water supply was about to run out. Knowing that we could not live in the village we were sitting in we decided that I would stay with our things and she would walk until she could get a signal on her phone.
After about 2 more kilometers of walking she was able to contact some friends and start talking about this situation and an exit plan. Before long she was back at the bus and we were packing up our things to walk away from this crazy bus, the drivers and the passengers. Our friends in the capitol knew of a man (Frank) driving this very road that would be alone, had plenty of room in his car and would be there to pick us up in about 45 minutes. How is that for an answer to prayer... This guy had left the same city that we had came from originally, Mahajunga but left at 5 am not the 5 pm that we had. We had many people praying for us, GOD was watching over us, our passports and other valuables were recovered and we finally arrived home after 21 hours of travel!
GOD is so very divine! What an amazing journey! We are both so very blessed and now more than ever praying for a reliable form of transportation to come my way. I don't mind being with the Malagasy at all and rather enjoy it most of the time so I don't mind waiting on the Lord for his timing and seeing what HE will do in all of this.
One amazing adventure behind me and the whole of 2010 ahead. Exciting times, people, exciting times!
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