Michelle visits Senegal

December 14-December 22

My friend Michelle arrived Tuesday, December 14. She happened to arrive the night before exams started which was great timing for me, but not so enjoyable for her. With her help, I graded all my exams and submitted marks by noon Friday. In the meantime I was able to introduce Michelle to friends here. Tuesday night the Radford family hosted us for a delicious meal. Wednesday night was dinner at our friends Jill and Darl's. Thursday we celebrated Kari's birthday at Le Recif, an ocean side restaurant at the western most point of Africa. The holiday began Friday afternoon when we celebrated Freedom Friday with junk food and movie.

Saturday we slept in and enjoyed a lazy morning at the apartment. We headed over to the Artisan's Market mid-afternoon for some shopping with our friends Kari and Erin. Crepes at ocean-side for a late lunch, and we spent the evening making dough for ginger bread.








Sunday was a lazy day. Kari, Michelle and I headed to the Meridien, a hotel near the ocean. Kari and I will occasionally go to the pool there for a treat. When we arrived Sunday morning we were told that we would have to pay for the Sunday brunch buffet with the price of pool admission. We decided not to pay $50 per person for a swim and lunch, but we walked down the street to another hotel that had been recommended to us. We enjoyed the day beside the rooftop pool. Though the pool itself was small, we had almost the entire roof to ourselves, and an extraordinary view. The hotel district is on the tip of the peninsula so we could see the ocean on three sides. It was a very relaxing day...which was important because Sunday night was 80s LADIES NIGHT compliments of Nichole and Jenn our event planning team. They sent a complete theme night in a bag including accessories, make-up, candy, a sound track, and movies...even leg warmers!










Monday Kari, Michelle and I opted for another sun-filled day poolside, but this time we took it more seriously and went to the luxurious Radisson Bleu, a Christmas present from Michelle. We sunbathed in luxury next to the infinity pool looking out at the ocean. It was the type of atmosphere that made us feel like movie stars. After the effort we went to in order to relax, we didn't want to over exert ourselves, we shopped in the mall for an hour (Kari and I got a couple of things for our upcoming trip to Madrid) and spent the evening decorating our gingerbread house.


The darker blue is the Infinity pool, the lighter blue water is the ocean. Cool n'est-ce pas?





Tuesday was our tourist day at Goree Island. I was very proud of myself for getting us by taxi to the ferry terminal, across to the island, and guiding us around the island, to the Slave House, and to the WWII artifacts around the island. We had a lovely lunch overlooking the beach including entertainment from a vendor selling a maraca-like instrument.









Sadly, Michelle flew out Wednesday afternoon. I was so thankful for her visit and the time we had together. It was exciting to introduce her to my life here. She was an encouragement to me and we had a ton of fun. Thanks to Laura who helped to make it all possible, and to my friends and family who sent treats and Christmas gifts. I love you all, and I'm just sorry that you couldn't all come.

Christmas Arrives at SC31

This coming Thursday is American Thanksgiving which is a big deal among the DA family as we are a largely "American" school. Wednesday we will finish the school day at 11:30am to begin the celebrations with Turkey Bowl, an annual football tournament. In addition, traditionally "American" foods like burgers and hot dogs, as well as products such as Mountain Dew (and I'm hoping Dr. Pepper) and Gummy Worms will be sold.

Kari and I have plans to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends from school and are looking forward to a restful weekend. I am told that Thanksgiving weekend is often when Americans will decorate for Christmas and so we decided to uphold that tradition in our household. We made arrangements to borrow a tree from friends this year, and planned a trip to Orca (a home furnishing store) to buy a few decorations. However, both Kari and I are Christmas enthusiasts, and though we had admirable intentions to wait until next weekend, our Saturday shopping trip inspired our Christmas spirit. Low and behold, Christmas arrived at Sandcastle 31 last night complete with Christmas music and snow!

Welcome to Sandcastle 31: Before


Welcome to Sandcastle 31: After


The Dining Room: Before


The Dining Room: After




The Corner: Before


The Corner: After


O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches...

Tabask*

Oh Tabask* Sheep:
Do not make a bleat,
Do not even peep,
For you will soon be meat!
~Danielle Bowers

Wednesday was Tab*ski, the Musl*m Festival of Sacrifice. This religious holiday celebrates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son out of obedience to God before God intervened by providing a ram instead. Here in Senegal musl*ms will celebrate by buying sheep, which in Africa look more like goats, to sacrifice and roast. I, on the other hand, celebrated by sleeping in and going to the beach.

For weeks we've seen sheep throughout the city being washed in the ocean, feeding from empty tires laid on the ground as food troughs, being dragged or pushed along the side of the road, and occasionally even stuffed into the trunk of a taxi. This past weekend as I was returning from the missionary ladies retreat in Saly, I saw a few unusual sights. The women around me who have lived in Senegal for more than a year looked on with amusement as I endeavored to catch photos of the thousands of sheep (no joke) being sold in various places along the highway, or the few that were tied to the top of a tanker truck and buses. Unfortunately vehicle was moving fast and my many attempts were thwarted however, I did manage to get a few pictures to share with you.

Yesterday, the girls and I spent our holiday at N'Gor Island, a 2 minute boat ride from the mainland. As we approached the loading area of the beach I saw hundreds of people with buckets in the water and along the shore. I didn't know if they were doing laundry, or just enjoying their day off. As it turns out, they were cleaning the sheep innards in the water. We saw what appeared to be t-shirts being scrubbed but were actually sheep stomachs and skins. Younger kids were also squeezing out the intestines. All this was happening a few feet from where we had to step into the water to board the boat.

A lot of sheep on the side of the road. Unfortunately not the best picture to capture the many, many, many sheep.


A sheep chillin' on top of a bus


A struggling sheep on the side of the highway


Sheep on the beach


Sheep being cleaned along the shore

Trial and Triumph

Last week was a very trying and emotionally draining week for the DA family. Many of you received an e-mail from me early last week asking for prayer for one of the DA Dorm Dads.

Last Saturday night the dorm dad and his wife were out for a date night when they were involved in an accident. A man on a motor bike had been hit by a driver who fled the scene. When John and Jenny passed they ran over the man who was laying in the road. They turned back to help, but the man died. John was taken to the police station for questioning and the situation was further investigated. Technically John could not be responsible because the man had already been struck, and there were witnesses who confirm that another driver had hit and run, but the Senegalese system does not work this way. He remained in police custody (though not in jail) until Tuesday. It was a long wait as Sunday is a non-working day and Monday was a public holiday here. He was able to have friends stay with him throughout the nights, and he was told they simply needed a judge to sign for his release. However, on Tuesday rather than a judge signing off, they were told they must meet with the prosecutor which was a long process and ended with John being taken to prison awaiting trial Thursday. After two and a half days of much prayer and assurances that he was simply waiting to have his release signed, this came as a shock to his wife, his dorm kids, and the staff. Through it all John later wrote, "The many police officers (including the chief) at the station who, despite changing shifts every day, were always courteous, encouraging, and professional. God opened the eyes of the Police Chief and the investigator to see the accident for what it really was and, I believe, caused him to write the report almost exactly how it happened –had they felt I was at fault,the report would have reflected so and the tribunal may have gone very differently."

As you can imagine the prison conditions in an African country can be dangerous and unsanitary and we could only imagine the worst. It was only the next day, after a long and restless night, that we heard news that the conditions were not nearly as bad as they could have been. On Tuesday, he was transferred to a holding cell (~40 men in a 15’x15’ room) at the justice center – after several hours he became really hungry and fatigued and a guy received a meal from the outside and he offered some of his food to John and a bag of water before he took any for himself. John wrote that it really gave him the energy to keep it together when he went to the prison several hours later.

In a letter sent to the DA family and prayer supporters John wrote of some of his experiences through the 6-day ordeal. "Two men who I found myself in the line-up with as we got off the ‘bus’ at night and were funneled into the prison quietly ‘coached’ me through the process, explained what was going to happen, and gave me a sense of peace that I can only attribute to God’s provision and a direct result of your prayers. While nearly everyone else was ushered into small rooms holding anywhere from 80 to 150 people, I was escorted to another cell. This was truly God’s hand in my situation; there were only about 25 of us, some foreigners, some Senegalese military, etc… The room was calm, orderly, and pretty quiet – a very, very stark contrast to the other cells I had seen (packed and super noisy). God provided several people in my cell who really looked out for me while I was there. The chief of the cell (also a prisoner)allowed me to keep my stuff under his bed (I was on the floor) so no one messed with my things…he also insisted I wear his African sandals for my court appearance because he, and others, were concerned about my grey, puma flip-flops being too casual. A young, former Senegalese military guy who was determined for me to wear his flip-flops to the shower area so I wouldn’t ruin mine. An older man, who was one of two guys who spoke English in the room who explained many things to me (prison procedures, etc…) – he also was worried that my button-up shirt for court was too wrinkled so he put it under his mattress with his court clothes and, sure enough,on Thursday my shirt looked just like someone had ironed it (of course, I sweated through it while I was waiting for my Tribunal but…) Another prisoner who also spoke English and was constantly joking around – in fact, at one point during the last night, I was in tears because I was laughing so hard."

"Despite being nervous about all the details [for the trial Thursday morning](Would they even hear my case that day? Would I say the right things? Would the outcome be favorable?), I clung to the promises of Jesus and the thought of so many around the world praying. There are many little details about the tribunal I wish I could share but, suffice to say, God provided peace and justice on Thursday. There were countless people that God provided to help with all the different facets of this situation."

I'm happy to be able to report that around noon Thursday, John was exonerated by a Senegalese court. All three judges on the panel agreed that John could not be held responsible for the death, that it was an accident and that John acted in accordance with the law.

When the call came to the office Thursday, one of our admin made an announcement for the student body that John was exonerated. This was met with a deadening silence. It then occurred to Mrs. A to re-phrase. When she announced he had been found "not-guilty" the campus exploded with cheering. We got a chuckle out of this in the staff room.

The paper work for his release was time consuming, so unfortunately John spent another night in prison, but was welcomed home Friday afternoon around 1pm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEXKWKoDk4Y


Thank you for supporting us in prayer. It's amazing to know that people were praying around the world. Please continue to pray for the family as they recover from this very traumatic experience.

Shopping in Dakar

It's funny how time gets away from you. I've been MIA for a couple of weeks, and while they say, "time flies when you're having fun" I can't say the grading, lesson planning, and first quarter reports are my idea of fun. Don't be fooled, I've had plenty of fun on the weekends, and have been relaxing in the evenings, but it's hard to say where the time has gone. I have been living in Dakar for 11 weeks (75 days to be exact) and it feels as though time has widened the distance between my Canadian home and I.

As different as certain daily routines are, life is not without its similarities as well. Once or twice a week we will walk 5 minutes down our sandy street to the main road, hang a right and come to Caddie, our local grocery store. Caddie is about the size of a Rabba 24 hour Grocery Store at home. We can buy fresh meat and cheese from the deli counter and almost anything else we need need from the shelves or fridges/freezers. There are two check-out registers, though they are so close to one another that you often can't tell there are two lines. Just outside we buy our fruit and vegetable at the corner stand. It is almost always one of two vendors. One is from Guinea and is very friendly and amiable. The other is very serious, and I often will have fun trying to get a smile out of him. We once overpaid by about 40 cents US and he chased us down the street to return the money. Ironically, he was so pleased with himself that he was grinning.

Occasionally we will be invited along for a trip to the bigger grocery store chain, Casino. These stores are comparable to Superstore or Loblaw. They are huge, tidy, bright, and well-stocked. They sell school supplies, housewares, fresh produce etc. The cost of groceries, generally speaking, is quite high.

In addition to the required shopping for physical sustenance, I have visited a beautiful French bookstore downtown Dakar for intellectual sustenance. It didn't look like much on the outside, a modest two-story building squished its neighbours on a sidestreet. Inside it was much like Chapters or Indigo though it wasn't quite as well merchandised, the stock is entirely French, and it was missing the smell of freshly brewed coffee from an adjoining coffee shop.

There are several other stores around the city you can visit for a North American-feeling shopping experience, but you don't have to go far to shop. Vendors walk around with arms full of the most random goods to sell to passers-by; board games, cds, dusters, coffee mugs, shoes and shirts. They wander through slow-moving traffic allowing you to make purchases from your car window. They'll even jog alongside the car to complete the sale if the gridlock eases.

A few weeks ago I had a unique Senegalese shopping experience at Fugg Jaay (pronounced Fug-ee-jaiy), also known as the Saturday market. Imagine with me, a median about the width of a narrow two-lane side street between two or four lanes of traffic (this is Senegal, it might look like two lanes, but it's four). The two outside edges of the median, closest to the road, are covered to create makeshift booths. There is a narrow aisle down the middle, wide enough for two shoppers to pass comfortably though dozens of people manage to circulate without too much difficulty. Pants, dresses, and a variety of other clothing are hung from metal frames, while piles to dig through are on the canvas-covered ground. Though it is easier to peruse the wares hung on display, clothes are cheaper if you dig through the piles. Once you've found something you're interested in, the negotiations begin. To the average vendor, white skin implies wealth so it is important to know how much you are willing to pay before beginning the bargaining. The market itself covers 3-4 city blocks and you could easily spend a morning pushing your way through the crowds and getting bargains.

Another day I went with some friends to HLM Market specializing in the sale of material. It is most common for men and women to buy material and have outfits custom-made by a tailor. The material is sold in designated lengths perfect for one outfit. As with most everything else, bargaining is important. I bought 3 'wax' materials which feature African patterns, and one more expensive print all for $40 US. I then went to a friend's tailor and we discussed a style for the four outfits I will be able to pick up next week. I'll be sure to post pictures once they're ready. All together, material and tailor costs, each outfit will be approximately $40 US.

A typical fabric shop


An example of an African wax material

photos from: http://banyangigirl.blogspot.com/2009/04/african-fabric-and-prints.html

My most recent shopping expedition took me to the Artisan Market. Jewlery, purses, shoes, wood carvings, and art are among the many products available. The market itself is a maze of booths with shopkeepers who call out to you in French or broken English insisting you look at their wares. As the market caters primarily to tourists, the experience can be quite overwhelming as various vendors compete for your attention. I am not inclined to ingore people and avoid eye contact, but it becomes a survival instinct when you are accosted by people from every direction. I managed to come away with only one necklace and a fabric purse for a very reasonable $15 US.

Shopping at home is a weakness of mine, and unfortunately I don't seem to have escaped it here. The way I see it, I'm simply doing my part to stimulate the local economy.

Weekend Getaway...

Two weeks ago I was excited to head out of town for a weekend away with the Dakar Academy staff. This was a treat for two reasons. First, the Saly resort area is about 1 1/2 to 2 hours outside Dakar so we got to see a little more of the country. I am still fascinated by the things I see every time I get outside my little neighborhood, but it was the first time since arriving in August that we left Dakar. We drove through some smaller villages and admired the lush greenery that will disappear in the not-too-distant future when dry season is upon us. Second, I was anticipating a weekend of doing nothing but lying in the sun, swimming, and reading. And that's exactly what I did. Darl and Jill Powell our facilities gurus organized everything and went above and beyond to make sure we were all enjoying ourselves. They are truly amazing! The kind of people I wish you could all know.

It was fun to see the staff more at ease, or at least not rushing around between classes, coordinating students, or the millions of other things that we are all normally so busy doing.

I spent so long in the pool that I was afraid my face would start to look as pruny as my hands and feet. For those of you who are concerned (*ahem* Nichole) I took every precaution in applying sunscreen and did not experience any burn whatsoever. I was just disappointed that I hadn't remembered to take my wide-rimmed sun hat. When I wasn't in the pool I was reading by the pool or eating delicious food from the buffet. In the evenings we played games and painted our toenails (not the ENTIRE staff ;) and continued to get to know people we hadn't connected with before then.

Saturday evening and Sunday morning we had worship services. Saturday we were each asked to share what we were thankful for. I shared that I am thankful that God is sovereign and that He has my best interests at heart. Sunday we were asked to share our 'life' verse or a verse that is meaningful to us. The passage I chose, a promise I hold onto, is Philippians 4:6-7

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

It was a fabulous weekend, but like most vacations, it was over too soon. That's not to say the ride how was without some excitement.

About ten minutes away from the resort our bus (a charter bus) was sideswiped by another large bus and the window where Kari and I were sitting was smashed. Kari was at the window seat and had a few minor scratches. Our colleague behind us was not seriously injured, but she did have hundreds of microscopic slivers of glass that we spent an hour removing from her skin with tweezers and tape. Just to add to the excitement we were simultaneously experiencing a torrential downpour. If I have learned one thing since arriving in Senegal, life is never boring.


The villas.


Our villa.


The fancy handle in the middle of the door. I felt like I was staying in Whoville. The stripes (not photographed) and colour palette, but especially the big gold doorknobs created a fun ambiance for my imagination.


The luxurious pool. How I miss it.


Poolside bar and outdoor lounge area.

Church in Senegal

This past weekend was full of much anticipated new experiences around Dakar BUT you'll have to wait until another day to hear about them (there's a teaser for you).

I missed telling you about my first true church experience in Senegal a few weeks ago. This isn't to say that the other services I have attended on Sundays are not "real" or even good, but this Sunday in particular I visited a typical Senegalese service in a suburb of Dakar rather than an American-style service at Dakar Academy, or an international service in the city. The whole morning was an eye-opening adventure.

I was invited to join Phil and Judy Bowler at a church near Thiaroye about 15-20 minutes outside Dakar. We found ourselves waiting alongside the "ranch", a livestock yard along the main highway, to pick up the church's pastor who would navigate us to the home where the church service was held.

From where we were parked we could see the odd animal here or there, but they are mainly kept further back off the road. These animals are generally goats, sheep, and cattle. In addition, this is where people buy hay and other food for their animals. They sell it in large stacks which you can see being stuffed all along the roadside. This also happens to be a hectic hub for Ndiaga Ndiaye (pronounced jug n jiay), local buses. While we waited I saw two older gentlemen flag a taxi, negotiate their price, and at the last minute drag three goats towards the vehicle. They proceeded to load the poor animals into the trunk and drive away as if it were the most normal thing in the world. I'm told that it really isn't uncommon, though you are more likely to see goats tied to the top of vehicles close to Kor*te and Tabask* which are both musl*m celebration days.

Not only did I see goats being wedged into a car trunk, but at the very same time a small kerfuffle broke out behind our truck. We're not exactly sure what triggered the situation, but it appeared that a young guy had done something to disturb the peace on one of the Ndiaga Ndiaye and a crowd was holding him accountable. Rest assured that he wasn't injured, I wouldn't be willing to tell you about anything I wouldn't want my mom to read for fear of her freaking out. It was a very eventful morning...and all this happened before we got to church.

As I mentioned, the church itself was located in a suburb of Dakar. The infrastructure in the city is not the greatest; huge pot holes, lots of exposed rocks, and poor drainage during rainy season. All this is worse the further you travel outside the city. In several areas we drove through mini-lakes. It is particularly dangerous to drive through deep water because you can never be sure if there may be a sink hole, or other hidden surprises beneath the surface.





Though the journey to church was adventurous, it was the service itself that was the highlight of the day. When we arrived they honoured us with front row seats, though I would have loved to observe from the back. It was extremely humbling to worship alongside people who radiate their love for God in spite of the challenges they face on a daily basis. It was ironic that they were honouring me while I have so much to learn from their example.

The church building was actually a small courtyard about the size of my family's two-car garage in Canada. At one point I could hear the neighbours talking in an adjoining courtyard, and a bleating goat. It was a hot, humid day (surprise, surprise)though the courtyard was shaded from the sun, thankfully.

There were about 25 people worshipping together including children. It was a very lively service and I was able to pick up a few of the French lines from songs, but there were also Wolof songs I simply enjoyed listening to. The singing was only accompanied by djembe (hide-covered hand drum shaped like a large goblet).

The prayer time was the most exciting element of the service for me. While it is typical in North American churches for the pastor to lead the time of prayer from the platform on behalf of the congration, or for the congregation to pray quietly in private prayer, in this service everyone prayed aloud simoultaneously in their own language (French, Wolof, and Serer). It was amazing to hear people praising God so passionately.

After the service, as an element of their ministry, the Bowler's sold medication at reduced prices to the church family as well as neighbours. This is a way the Senegalese are able to feel in control of their health needs. Iron supplements for women, vitamins for children, malaria medication, and common anti-inflammatory drugs are among the most popular.

Though I have not been back to a Senegalese church since that Sunday I do anticipate visiting similar churches in the future. I'll keep you posted.