soooo my brother and i went to spain. we left on july 15, and were supposed to be there until the 25. so why am i writing about it now, you ask? well.
it all started when we boarded the plane last tuesday night. we were literally taxi-ing for take off when the pilot turned the plane around and headed back... he came over the intercom and told us that something on the plane "didnt look right" and he was taking it back for an extra check-up before we left. turns out, the plane was actually out of service and was not supposed to be flown. we had to exit the plane, wait 2 hours, and board a new one. so we were 5 hours late getting to madrid.
we went straight to our hostel when we arrived- and it was really nice, really big. we went on a walking tour (FOR FREE!!!) that our hostel offered and got to see a lot of old madrid. parts of it are absolutely beautiful- the plaza mayor, where people gather every night to have drinks at sidewalk cafes and watch the street performers, the palace, the cathedrals, the writers square where people like cervantes and hemingway spent most of their creative time... this is the madrid that i loved. this part, however, was incredibly short-lived.
apart from sight-seeing and visiting the museo del prado, madrid is, and im scared to write it because i know some people will ardently disagree.... boring. its just an old town with nothing to do but sight see. and as i said, the buildings are beautiful, but you can only stare at them for so long.
so the second day we're there, we see the policia bring a dead body out of a side street near our hostel. no explanation and no feeling that it deserved one... they just brought out a body bag and continued with their day. we were robbed by gypsies in the park. we searched all over the city, FOR 3 DAYS, looking for a stamp. we finally found a stamp, and could find no mailbox to mail it. we still have the postcard with us right now. and to top it all off, we tried to buy a phone card from a man who insisted that he had never heard of the united states, despite the television in the background that was tuned to CNN. for whatever reason, madrid hated us. we were just ready to get to barcelona.
so we went to the bus station late last friday night to board to bus to barcelona. when it was time to board, we were told that our tickets were no good (even though we had bought them from that station the day before), were offered no explanation, were not allowed to board the bus, were not refunded, and were not put on another bus because they "were all full." therefore: stranded in madrid; no hostels because you have to make reservations ahead of time. we lost our reservations for the following 3 days because if you dont show up on time, they give your room to someone else but still charge you for it. sooooo it was a mess.
because we lost so much money, we decided to come home early. we spent the night in the airport, as there were no representatives from our airline there, only to find out the next morning that there were no open flights until monday.
this isnt at all how i expected spain to be. but at least i have a good story to add to my travel memoirs. we finally made it home late monday night, and i'm not even sad. i would still love to go to barcelona, salamanca, valencia, sevilla.... but i'm done with madrid. for good.
and this is why i love my life:
* my birthday was monday((FINALLY 21))--- my friends, family, boyfriend are the best. God has blessed me in allowing me to have relationships with the most beautiful people i could ever imagine.
* my two best friends from high school surprised me and drove up to meet us for dinner. it was the first time all 3 of us have spent time together since before christmas. i knew i had missed them, but i didnt realize how much until i was with them again. it's amazing how we can be apart for so long, and as soon as we're back together, we're how we were before. i love it.
* my parents got me COLDPLAY tix!!!! november 11. atlanta. im not even kidding when i say this is on my top ten list.
* zach and i leave for SPAIN two weeks from today. we'll be there for 10 days.
* for my birthday, zach is renting out a gymnastics gym so i can go play on the equipment. seriously. there aren't words sufficient to truly express my excitement. (((for those questioning this present, i'll fill you in on some background info and say that i took gymnastics when i was little and was pretty hardcore about it. these were supposed to be my olympics, oh yes)))
* megh's back from italy. i've missed my roommates.
* monday i'm going to see coty and her beautiful boy charlie, who just turned one year old on saturday. after that i'm driving to summersalt, arguably my favorite place ever, to spend time my with friends and my jesus.
* i got gift certificates to barnes and noble, and to target. the best two stores there are.
* i'm done with work until classes start in august.
its amazing to me that jesus allows us to experience little things like this that make our lives so full. im not saying that traveling or concerts or even family and friends are the source of joy in life, im saying that our savior is beautiful because he gives us little things like this because of his love and grace, and just proves that HE is the source and sustainer of our joy and passion in living.
We're on the flight from Paris to Cincinnati. I'm so close to being home, and I'm not as ready as I thought I'd be.
Wednesday morning, we packed up everything and got ready to leave. We went to say goodbye to the chief and the mayor, and played with our kids until our van got there so we could head back to Bamako. I can see in my head so clearly my little boy waving as we left. He was sitting on his tricycle with a huge smile on his face and just waved until I couldnt see him anymore. I love him. And I'm going to miss him. So much.
Ever since we left I've been thinking about the kids. Bambara worldview is so different, so opposite from American worldview. Americans value children and youth because we value the future, while Bambara value the elderly because they value tradition and wisdom. As a result, the children are not very invested in. The parents just don't spend time with them. And I'm so scared that this will carry into the church- that they won't understand, won't grasp the importance of teaching the gospel to the children, of discipling the children. I so badly want to see these beautiful kids grow up in a changed community; to grow up hearing the name of Christ and having adults pushing them towards Him. I talked to Steve and Susan (the missionaries in Bamako) about all of this, and they said they have already written curriculum specifically for the women, to teach them how to teach the kids. They said they'll need teams specifically for this reason. The moment they said that was the moment God made it clear that He's not done using me in Mali. I dont know what that means-- I dont know if, when I'll come back, if I'll just be involved in planning and prayed, or if He'll call me there on a more permanent basis. I dont know. But I'm excited. And i'm ready for whatever He wants me to do. Because I love these people.
I've missed everyone from home-- missed them more than i thought i was capable of missing people. Yet i'm still not ready to be home. I'm scared i'll get rushed back into the routine of things at home, that I'll forget the people I love in Mali, forget about the way they live life and how much it affected me at the time. I dont want to forget.
Today was a really long day. We didnt have anything specific to do, so we just stayed at the hut. After breakfast, the lady came to do our Henna tattoos. She started on mine first, and it was literally al afternoon before she'd finished everybodys. It was such a long process. First she made the design on my feet, using small strands of tape. That part alone took around an hour. Then Souhad put the henna on my feet, and I just had to sit there for two hours, with my feet in plastic bags. After that, Yagare helped me wash it off and we put the last layer of dye on.
Teaching time with the women last night was really encouraging. Only 3 women came, but they listened and discussed with us the entire time. They even helped each other get through the Creation to Christ story. It's amazing to see them growing.
While some of us were getting our henna done today, Bailey, Joe, and Chanda were able to go to a town meeting about equality between men and women. At the meeting, the mayor told the village, that the Malian government has bapssed a law saying that women are equal and should be given equal opportunities in education, careers, and even holding public office. This could have--- WILL have a huge effect on the lifestyle of the villagers over the next years as they begin to take it seriously. Right now, there is a huge disparity in the ways men and women are treated. Men are seen as superior. That's just the way it is. The women do all the work. Hard work. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out and how it affects the people here.
Today we spent all morning in Sine's courtyard, which is about a mile from the village (side note- this shows how dedicated Sine is to the church. He's here to greet us every morning, and comes for teaching time every night. Meaning that he walks around 4-5 miles every day, 2-3 of those in the dark, just to be a part of the church).
We (the girls) spent the morning in one of the ladies' huts. We sang songs and with eh children and later told the Creation to Christ story to all the women who came. It was really frustrating because it felt like no one was paying attention, and if they were listening, they just weren't getting it.
I can't figure out in my head how you teel the story of Christ in a simplified manner where they'll understand and remember, without watering it down. We dont have time to get into deep theology with these people- we're here for only a week- I get that. But I dont want the weight of the story of Christ to be trivialized into "Ok. Just believe in Him and you'll go to heaven." I want them to understand the fullness of the gospel. I want them to understand what a relationship with Him means. I guess it comes down to just speaking truth and trustin that He's big enough to help them understand. Just having the faith to believe He can and will reveal Himself when and how He wants.
Tomorrow is our last full day in the bush.
It will be bittersweet, for sure.
ps- we got to ride donkey carts today.
Today was really good. We had a church service this morning, and a good many people came. Ladgi sat beside me the entire time-- bowed his head when we prayed, sang the songs along with us. It was beautiful. We got to play together the rest of the day. He'll repeat everything I say. It's quite awesome. George and I have been teaching the kids a handshake-- slap, pound, and then pound your chest. We taught Ladgi to say "Ballin!" at the end of it. And apparently he's been teaching the others. All the kids in the village are saying "Ballin" now. Seriously. These kids are the best.
So Bailey was amazing today and let us all make phone calls home. We have all been really homesick. Which is weird for me--- i've traveled a lot and have never felt like this before. I dont know if its just that this trip is so much more intense, or if its mental; just knowing that people at home can't get in touch with me if they need something. But anyways, he broke out the satellite phone, and I was able to call Zach and Brandon. Just talking to them for literally 2 minutes each made me feel so much better. I've never missed friends and family like this before. George said she felt like we were on Survivor and had just won a challenge and the prize was a phone call home. Thats exactly what it felt like.
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(the next morning)
Last night we went to bed early, without training time (since we'd had church). So around 10ish, we set up our tents and climbed in. About an hour and a half later-- i hadnt even fallen asleep yet-- these crazy winds started up. They got really strong really fast. We were literally getting blown around inside of our tents. We all had to drag our tents under the awning-- dust was flying at us so hard that it was difficult to see. So we girls stacked our air mattresses in one side of the hut and lay under the tin roof with the rain pounding so hard we couldnt even hear each other speak. All in all, an interesting night...
We all got our Bambara names yesterday--- mine is Aminata Barry. The people in the village know me as Ami.
We have basically been living life with these women- participating in whatever daily chores they have to do. We learned how to pound millet, carry babies on our backs, wash clothes on a washboard.
And all of that's fun and it's interesting to see the way they live, to try to do things like them, but I'm not sure that any of us truly grasp the understanding that while this is all new and exciting for us to live like this for a few days,
this
is
their
life.
They work hard everyday. Every single day of their lives, they will walk to the well, pump the water, and carry the buckets- on their heads- back their hut. They will grind millet until their hands are permanently calloused. They dont get to leave. I come here like a little tourist, trying everything out, taking pictures as i do. And then I go home. I'll probably pick up Zaxby's on the way back from the airport, go to my apartment, throw my clothes in the washing machine, fill up my bathtub with hot water that just flows out the spiggot as I sit and wait. After soaking in the tub, i'll brush my teeth with clean water, climb into a bed that belongs to only me, and lie under my fan that will keep me cool all night long. I'll sleep in late the next day because I'll have no chores or obligations--- no duties that are necessary for me to do if I want to just make it through the day.
And the sad truth is that I've been on so many trips like this before, seen so many circumstances like the ones here, that its become simply a fact that I accept rather than an injustice that I fight. My heart and mind simply cannot grasp the magnitude of all of this.
There's a fine line between blessed and spoiled. In America, they have come to mean they same thing, whether we realize it or not.
I met themost beautiful, most awesome little boy today. His name is Ladgi. I started taking some pictures of him, and then he started copying funny face that I'd make. And then we'd just laugh. I'm probably going to bring him home.
After I wrote last night, some of the women came to our hut and we went through the Creation to Christ story. I had to tell it- and it was so intimidating. But God is good and He totally spoke through me, helped me through it. We were sitting there with just three women- only three women in the entire village who follow Jesus- and I started realizing how much we take for granted in America, even in areas of our faith. Most of us have grown up in church, or at the very least, have grown up in a culture where "Christianity" and southern tradition are one in the same. We have a background concerning prayer, concerning the idea of church as a family- we're accustomed to ideas of leadership within the church, we've heard about the Holy Spirit. These are all concepts that we know and accept as normality.
The people in this village have never heard of Jesus, let alone the theology, traditions, opinions, and controversies that we are so used to. This can be a good thing because they just know Jesus. They dont have to search through excess information, useless ideas created by man. But it's also complicated when you're trying to disciple a people who have never heard of concepts that you are so used to you've never thought twice about them. Here in the village, we are literally starting at the very beginning.
After the women left last night, we set up our tents a fell asleep under the most breathtaking stars that you could ever imagine- in a world where there is no electricity, no pollution, no noise- i lay in my tent, staring up into space, becoming increasingly consumed by the infinite diamonds bursting through the pitch black darkness.
Today we went to the market here in town- and it was easily one of the most overwhelming events of my life. Just us girls went- and i'm not exaggerating when i say we could barely walk for the crowd of children that engulfed us. To add to the chaos, the people aren't used to having white people around, so every single person in that entire market stared at us constantly. Not that they were rude, just curious.
Funny thing that followed though- our translator, Yagare (who is quickly becoming a close friend), got frustrated with all the kids who were following us, and finally turned around and yelled something at them in Bambara- and the children just scattered. I asked what she said to them, to which she replied: "I told them if they did not leave right now i was going to beat them with that branch over there." Can't lie- she's pretty hardcore.
When we were in the courtyards today, a lady offered us some food. Of course we had to take it- its the only respectful and gracious thing to do. She brought out this huge bowl that had a substance in it that resembled doughy bread. In the center was a smaller bowl with a green sauce. We were told to take a small bit of the dough, roll it into a ball and dip it in the sauce. I went first, and took a fairly big amount ( i assumed since it looked like bread, then it must taste like bread- no no). As my tongue realized what was going on, it was all I could do not to spit it out. We were eating millet- I dont even know what millet is- but if you're ever offered it, you should probably just stay away.
We made it to the village today- it took about 2 hours to get here. Before we left Bamako, we met with the missionaries for orientation and then met our translators- Souhad, Yagare, Amadou, and Saye.
The village looks exactly like you would expect it to. It looks like any picture of Africa that you've seen on a movie: small mud huts in the middle of sparse grasslands, African women dressed in brightly colored garments carrying buckets of water on their heads, half-clothed children running around, creating games from whatever they find lying around- rocks, sticks, garbage. It feels unreal. Literally, feels like I've stepped into a movie.
Once we got here, we unloaded our van, and then the girls went to get water to fill up our buckets. We learned how to carry them on our heads and I have to be honest and say its not as much fun as I thought it would be. It hurts. And we have to use our hands to balance it- but the women here just hoist it up and walk as if its the most natural thing in the world.
After we'd pumped our water and carried it to the hut, our whole team went to greet the chief and the mayor. As soon as we started walking, the kids came up beside us and grabbed hold of our hands. We can't speak to them, which is frustrating, but they seem happy enough to just walk with us. They. Are. Beautiful.
Im trying to pick up on some Bambara, but its so difficult. It sounds unlike any other language I've ever heard.
It's pitch black dark as I'm writing right now. No electricity in the town- no concept of time. We just finished eating dinner that Souhad prepared for us, and we're just hanging out, waiting on the church members to come for teaching time. I think we're all really nervous about that.
Im having a hard time taking all this in. Its hard to accept it all as reality right now. Maybe I just need a few days for this all to sink in...
its hard to wrap up everything i've seen and learned in the past 2 weeks into a few paragraphs. so i thought the best thing would be to have a separate blog for each different day we were there. im going to write straight from my journal that i kept so i know that i'm saying everything that i was thinking. each entry on here will be a journal entry from each day. here goes...
Day 1
We're finally in Bamako- after 28 hours of traveling. As soon as the flight landed i got so excited- its always like that for me. i can have a million things running through my mind, be going off of no food or sleep, be leaving countless situations and circumstances at home... but whenever i touch ground in another country, everything else fades away. There's a high that comes from traveling that is incomparable to anything else that exists in this world.
Even as we landed, I could tell that Mali is going to be different from anywhere else I've traveled. There were no city lights to greet us, no big buildings surrounding the airport. It was impossible to even decipher how close the plane was to the runway because it was so dark outside. And we landed in Bamako, which is the biggest city in Mali. Still, its so small, so underindustrialized, so technologically behind. The airport was small and getting through customs, though a bit chaotic i suppose, was surprisingly uneventful and took hardly no time at all. They didnt' check our bags or anything.
So now we're in the guest house in Bamako. Georgina and mine's room is on the roof, so we have a view of the city. Tomorrow, were going to to the village, where we'll be until next Thursday.
on things that i love on a summer weekend