catch up time

Every day has its own normalcy and its own unusualness. Friday was no exception.  Man came to the house with two chameleons and wanted to sell them to Jon for Abby.  Understanding that he was needing money and the chameleons were now without a home......... took one of them in as "bug control" officer for outdoor area. 

By the time he got three feet into his new area of responsibility, he was well adapted to his new surroundings. Have only caught sight of him once since then and have not really noticed much impact on local "bug" population.

Went for a 75k moto ride (by myself) to a small town named Koumonde.  It is on the crest of one of the many mountains in North Central Togo and "beautifully situated".

A few "klicks" (my Vietnam vets will know what I mean) down the road it makes a horseshoe curve just inside the ridge of the mountain.  In this video you are actually looking across the valley at the same road I am standing on.  Since it takes over half an hour to upload 15 seconds of video this is necessarily short.  Wish I could do justice to the view, as it is awesome. 

Going to pretend that someone asked how I was doing and post this in response.  Took it after the ride and was checking out my "farmer tan".  You know when the head and forearms are tanned and the rest is pasty white.  Like this....

The top limb is my forearm laid next to my calf.  Thought it was neat until a little "sun poisoning" effect with an itching that is still with me ten days later.  Have not found any benadryl in local pharmacies, so an occasional rub of aloe gel (world wide remedy) and wait for it to fix itself.  As Carion would have told me, "that's an awful lot of white.....".

Wednesday we walked a "klick" from church to the well that we had a cover made for a month ago.  Over the past four years a couple of children had drowned in it and the small stone wall was not adequate for protection.  

This is what it looks like installed.  Keep in mind that the mason had to get the three pieces of steel as well as the mortar and his tools to the well over the same footpath we traveled.  The Togolese are hard working from birth and can carry you and I on their heads with ease.  Probably booth of us at the same time.  Well, maybe not as you may have put on a little weight.........

Seriously, looking down into the murky waters of the well, it is easy to imagine why so many are sick and why life is so short for most.  Only the strongest survive and clean water is one of the biggest health problems in Africa.  The clear water you saw from the village well (pump) in an earlier blog is worlds better for all purposes and a very appreciated investment in the village.  What a door opening tool for taking the Word of God to a whole village.  They understand the "woman at the well" drawing water for the Lord and the similitude of "Living Water".

As if murkiness was not enough, at least two of these bottom feeder catfish are living in their drinking, cooking, washing water. 

Midst all of this is the beauty of an area not touched with "progress". People living close to the earth.

Little things also need attention.  These small openings in the cover of the baptismal pool allow rain to collect in the bottom of it and breed mosquitoes as well as stagnate. 

A few well placed nails and problem solved.  Now to figure out generator and roof and........ 

Had to share this short video.  Storms vary in intensity and length, this one was steady but long.  This is looking from the upper room toward "downtown" Kara Saturday about 8:30 at night.  As you might notice there is the absence of "light" as the power was off for about eight hours.  During the lightning flashes you will get an idea of how dark dark is.  Love the solitude and peace of a rainy night. (think it would make a song "I Love A Rainy Night").

Every once and a while I wonder off to some place different (understatement noted) and this afternoon was one of those times.  This is a restaurant in town, very French and quite pleasant.  While I was there the rains came and since the dining room is on a lower part of ground the rains came in.  With the power off, my entertainment was watching three of the staff trying to get the water back out and down the garden that makes the wall of one half of the dining room.  Eating in the dark, with water lapping at your feet, and a wait staff that speaks French and Kabiye (no English) is adventure at my age.  God has blessed me in my later years to give me adventures still.

BTW:  Rode home on moto in rain with muddy roads that only Jon could appreciate.  God kept both of my feet out of the mud and brought me safely thru it.  Really get some looks from locals when old white guy sets at intersection on moto in rain and acts like it is normal happening....... I'm just saying.

By age thirty I thought I had done all, seen all and everything left was "daja vu" all over again. Now, everyday holds the opportunity for "UP".  (If you have not seen the movie you will not understand.)

last minute add on:  Christophe called and someone else in village is sick and needs to go to local hospital in am.  Last one died the next morning.  Pray for this one, it is difficult to learn what is wrong with an ill person not only because of language but doctors do not share information with patients.