Learning the culture

Ya know I learn something knew everyday. I am always trying to remember the things I find interesting so I can write them down and tell them to you. Then after thinking about them I think, oh maybe that is boring information, maybe you won't find my new information interesting. However, I have decided that instead of my just thinking for you, I will give you the opportunity to decide for yourself if it is boring or not.

Usually when I wake up in the morning, it is VERY difficult to drag myself into a sitting position so that I can make my eyelids remain open, so that I can do my bible study/quiet time. For me the word quiet time is not good because if it is too quiet I find myself drifting off to sleep. :o) I am such a good "M!" I know God is smiling down on me right now as He is thinking,"Oh what was I thinking when I put her in the middle of a village of lost people? Hmm?" I do try my best and most of the time I do stay awake during this time of studying the bible! Yesterday, when I was in this state of dragging myself to the sitting position I heard a loud moaning/crying noise coming from outside my window. (Our windows are not insulated, you can hear everything outside) I then jumped up ran to the window and instantly knew what had happened. My Adolfo had died. I quickly got dressed and went outside in the frigid weather and found our landlord, Adolfo's son by himself. He told me that Adolfo had indeed passed away. So I went to see Mada. (Adolfo's wife)

Now you have to understand a little about the way we live her to fully understand this story. We live in a home that was built in the middle of Mada and Adolfo's property. They have their bedrooms; which are 2 concrete rooms on the left side of our home, and they have three wooden rooms which are used as a kitchen and storage,on the right side of our home.  There is a wall built around all of their property, kinda like a compound.

So, I walked over to the wooden rooms where Adolfo and Mada had been sleeping for the past few months and found about 20 or so people sitting on benches. These were all people who were distant relatives, many of whom I have never seen. I found Mada sitting on a stoop in the room where Adolfo's body was. He was on a table with a white sheet over him. His daughter was fiercely dusting the room, his sister was sitting with Mada and I was rocking Mada as she silently cried. Now I haven't been around that many dead people in my life, but since living here, I have been around a lot more. It is strange how things don't bother you the way they once may have. I was sitting right next to a corpse and I never once thought anything of it. I sat there with Mada for awhile. Then her son, (our landlord) came in and had a ball of string in his hand. I thought to myself, "Oh he is going to hang something, maybe I can help him." Then I see him take the string and place one end of it at Adolfo's head and then he started to unravel the ball of string and handed to another man. The other man took the string and pulled it tightly so it was at Adolfo's feet. They shook their heads as if to agree and then tied a knot a few inches past his feet and wala, that is how long the casket needed to be. :o) See, told you I learned something new everyday!

So, I told Mada I would come back later and she said okay. I went back home and was trying to do school with Annie when we hear the horrible moaning sound. Not a human moaning an animal moaning. Annie asked what it was and I said I didn't know but it was coming from our backyard. So, we got up and looked out the back window. What to our wondering eyes did we see? But a bull being slaughtered! Oh my, oh my! "Mommy, what are they doing?" "Umm... fixing dinner." "Oh, I don't want any!"  "I don't either!" 

Later on I find our dog, which is really Mada's dog in the backyard with something in his mouth. I ask, "What does Louie have in his mouth?" " Oh that is the bull's tail." Oh the memories we are making here are so interesting! I hope I haven't totally bored you! I have a ton more to tell, but I know you aren't ready to read all of my adventures today! I will try and save some for later! Love you! Missy

My sweet Nana Mada and Tata Adolfo

This is the photo I said I took a few days ago while Adolfo was trying to get warm in the sun. I told you it was priceless! I just got home from sitting with Nana Mada. (That is her pictured with him) Bless her heart, this is so hard on her. They were married for almost 67 years. Please pray for her. I love her and it is breaking my heart to see her so sad. When I first moved here, she was a thorn in my side. Oh, she really made me mad. Now, she couldn't be sweeter to me. She is loving and kind and treats me like I am a daughter. I have learned a lot from her. Tomorrow, or I guess later today, (it is 3am) will be extremely hard on her. Please pray she will have the strength to endure it! Love you all! Missy