Hello again!
This post is all about the weather. And by weather, I mean intense heat without air conditioning or fans. Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to fall asleep inside an oven!
I was listening to the radio while going with the children to school, and the host was apologizing for the intense heat Nigeria is experiencing. He said that usually it's not this bad.
And the other thing is there is a constant haze, which makes everything exponentially hotter. If you look at the picture below, it says 29 at night, but feels like 43. Which makes my room feel like death in a box.
So as you can see, we're breaking some records over here! I know Canada has been pretty warm as of late, but I think Ibadan takes the cake.
The only hope I have now is rain. And I mean a nice long, cool rain. For the first time in my life, I have been praying for rain constantly. I now understand why people make rain dances! (I've got to be honest with you: I have contemplated doing this many times).
And look what I've got coming my way! I just hope that it's enough to truly cool down the city. If we only get a little, it will evaporate and make it muggier (=hotter). Please pray that God will bless us with rain! (I want to be able to sleep again!)
In other news, the routine is getting better. At first I felt pretty useless, not understanding the language, and not knowing what was happening when. But now I realize that they intentionally left me to do not much for the first week to get accustomed to the temperature and the food.
Today, I received my first project, which was to clean out the toy corner in the play room, and throw out broken ones, bring in new ones and organize it all. We put all the toys in the cupboard (pictured above) and then locked it so the little ones couldn't rip everything out as soon as they came home from school. It's good to feel useful, and Mr. Idowu said that he is going to give me more projects and outings to go on as I stay here. What an answer to prayer!
Anyways, I'd like to end this with a happy list (inspired by Allie).
1. the international phone I have to call my mom at 2 in the morning here to ask her to pray for me and the heat
2. the internet I can use to Skype and email my parents every day (call me a mama's kid, but its' true)
3. the brief bout of electricity this afternoon while making a puzzle inside
4. the promise of rain
5. the dancing, singing, happy children around me all the time
6. the project I was given to do
7. the nutella my mom packed for me
8. the healing of the girls with chicken pox (they've had it since I arrived, and they've had a pretty rough time of it)
9. the food I've been eating (I thought I would be overwhelmed with the spicy taste, but it has been pretty awesome so far)
10. the continued support of my friends, family and people I haven't even met who are just contacting me now to share their excitement for what I am doing
For all of you back in Canada, I love you, I miss you, I would love to talk to you, and I envy your cool nights :)
Peace,
Sierra
P.S. Don't forget to pray for just the right amount RAIN!
"Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field."
Zechariah 10:1