Before I Came to Africa...(Thoughts from Diana)
 
Coming to Africa has been a learning experience for us all.  We have been stretched in many ways that we might never have been in America.  We are still figuring things out, but here are a few reflections on what I know now that I’ve been living in Africa for 13 months.
 
Before I came to Africa...
 
I thought bars only came on windows in prison.
 
I thought my grandmother was crazy for reusing zip-loc baggies.  It’s amazing how many times you can use those things!
 
I thought my shirt had to match my skirt.  
 
I thought if I found something in my food that wasn’t supposed to be there, I couldn’t eat it.  Finding a rock in your rice sounds worse than it really is.
 
I thought I could never drink a hot soda.
 
I thought you had to use a vacuum cleaner in order to sweep carpet.
 
I thought wearing the same clothes for more than one day in a row was unspeakable.  We get lots of mileage out of our clothes!
 
I was self-conscious about people staring at me.  Now I expect it.
 
I thought roosters only crowed in the morning.
 
I thought brushing your teeth was an easy chore and getting water out of the faucet wouldn’t make you sick.
 
I thought lizard poop...wait a minute...I NEVER thought about lizard poop!  Now I have to wipe it off the countertop every day!
 
I thought if you picked your nose in public you were in preschool.
 
I thought having ants in your pants was just a saying.
 
I thought de-worming was for the dogs, literally.
 
I thought if the electricity or water went out, someone would know, be concerned about it, and fix it in a timely manner.  I was wrong.
 
I thought public service announcements were only made on the radio or television...not over a loud speaker strapped to some guy’s bicycle telling your neighbors to pay their water bills at 10 o’clock at night!
 
I thought God was faithful to his promises...
 
...now I know.
Saturday, September 8, 2007