As you can see, it rained yesterday. Things did not work out as we had planned. Since we left early yesterday due to the rain we decided to take the "Country road" home. Someone on the team took this picture from inside the car.

Its fun having art people here taking fun artsy pictures. Here is another good one:

Thankfully the sun came out today, contrary to the weather forecast, and things got back on track. Some local high school art students came and helped with the mural today. We left today with the wall grided and the sketch drawn on the wall.

The coloring process begins next week.

Art and Rain

Its raining outside and I am enjoying the sound. I really enjoy the rain, especially when its timed right. Tonight its okay that its raining, its actually a nice soothing sound. Tomorrow, I will not be happy if it is still raining. I had a little chat with God and I told him he can let it rain all he wants tonight, but its needs to stop by noon tomorrow. Too bad God doesn't always do exactly what we want, but what is in His best interest.

You may be asking yourself right now, "why is it such a big deal to Lynn that it doesn't rain tomorrow?" I will briefly explain. There is a team of volunteers from Colorado that have come here to paint a mural on the cultural center of a small town. (see link on the right "CO team mural") Today they prepared the wall by scraping off the loose paint and putting spakle (that's what I call it, I don't think that's the appropriate name, type of cement) over the holes. Tomorrow we will go and paint the wall with primer and make the grid. Since this team is only here for another week and a half, its best to make the most of their time and not be stuck inside.

I am confident that if it does rain tomorrow God has a plan for this team inside... I will find out tomorrow.

For tonight I need to go to bed. I have a horrible head cold/sinus problems, hopefully a good night's sleep will do some miracles ...along with prayer of course.

Ramazan

The Muslim month of fasting began today. For the next 3o days many of the people here in my country will not eat, drink, or smoke during daylight hours. In the evenings there will be feasts and celebrations, and some will even wake up at 4am before the sun rises to eat a small meal.

Tonight I walked through the city around 6pm. The streets were busy with people rushing to get home in time for Iftar, a light meal or sweet to break fast. The bakeries were crowded with people waiting in line for fresh samun, a special English muffin type bread eaten specifically during this month. As it got closer to 6:38 (sunset) the streets were more deserted. A few stragglers rushed back from the stores to get the special sweets eaten only during this month. As I walked past the mosque in my neighborhood a bunch of young children jubilantly ran out of the courtyard yelling something I couldn't understand (I will have to ask someone tomorrow). Then the call to prayer started - the people could now eat.

During this time I am thankful for the freedom I have in Christ. When I fast, I do it because God leads me to, and He gives me strength to endure. Today I will rest in His glory, His love, and His grace poured out on me.

Frustrations

The water is out, the internet is not working and I have a stomach ache. Any one of these things would be fine, but all of them together make me upset.

Why does it seem that every time I need to use my American phone at a specific time the internet is out? On my mom’s birthday, nope, couldn’t call her. Today the staff from the leadership camp we had this summer are all together for a small reunion. I was planning on calling them. But no, the internet is out.

Since I couldn’t talk on the phone I decided I would go and wash my face and get ready for bed. No, the water is out. Thankfully I have a back-up for that. I don’t mind washing my face with bottled water when I have been out and by the time I get back the water is already out. But its so frustrating when I have been home all night and just forgot to wash my face earlier when the water was on. You think after 6 months of this I would remember, but still I forget most nights. I do get excited when I remember to wash my face early in the evening and the water is still on, or when its midnight and the water is still on. Tonight I was not so lucky.

With all this I am going to turn my computer off, go read my Bible, and go to bed.

Naten e mire
(and this will be posted on the web tomorrow.)

Small World

Again and again I am surprised by how connected we all are in this world, especially in this small country of 2 million people. Yesterday I had a meeting with USAID (US government money for projects around the world). They called me a few days before and said they had heard about a project I had done at a school here and they wanted to know more information and see if I was interested in working together with them for a new project. (Not really working together, but just providing funds for this project, while we do all the work.) During the meeting I explained some past activities we have done here. One of the workers kept saying "Oh I think I have a niece that was in that." "Oh yes, she has helped my nephew a lot." "My daughter was in that program." Now I was describing some different activities we have done over the past couple years, in this city and my previous city. She was the one who connected me to this project, since her daughter had such a good time at the English course we provided at a middle school this summer. It wasn't until I started explaining other things our organization has done that she realized her relatives have also been involved in our activities. It is such a small world.

So now I get to decide if I have time to start, plan, and organize some extra-curricular activities in a few different schools. Have any ideas of some simple after school activities for children grades 1-8 (not necessarily all together)? Anyone want to come an help with this?