I'm back again and this time I’ve got a question for all the fellas reading this. Have you ever woken up in the morning and thought to yourself, “Hmm I might as well wear my least favourite boxer shorts today, no one is going to see them”? You have, yeah me too, because it’s not everyday you are going to find a beetle crawling in your trouser leg is it.
Yeah that’s right, I found a beetle making its way towards private parts, and it was pretty big too and scared me to death. I was on my way back from working in the community and was riding up front in Tatwa’s, the deputy director’s jeep. The back of the car was full with 4 passengers, that’s 4 other guys from the mission and we were driving on the most bumpy roads back home for evening dinner. I had been waving at children through the window who were treating me like a celebrity and then I placed my hand on my lap as I faced on looking out of the windshield. I felt something hard and strange on my leg and all of a sudden freaked out. Instantly Tatwa knew there was something wrong and that I had something travelling around inside my linen leg warmers. He pulled over and I jumped out by the side of the road. I felt the hard, round creature inside on the left leg and was really debating whether to pull down my pants and scout round inside to see what it was. I knew exactly where the creature was, I could feel it. I took a second to think, no longer as this was too crucial as i seriously hate creepy crawlies. I dropped my pants slightly bearing my less attractive underwear, and reached down on the outside of my boxers and grabbed the creature which clutched to my hand. In a tenth of a second I had removed my hand and launched the creature on the floor fast as a bullet, even now writing about an experience which was probably about 3 hours ago, I’m still shivering at the thought of it.
My days are beginning to find themselves a set routine so there are less new things for me to include and present in my blog. So rather than keeping you up to date with what seems like a Coronation Street, 4 times a week special, I’m going to make them less frequent and maybe slacken it down to once or twice a week max.
Monday the 21st began like any regular day back at work in Brighouse. I was straight into the day with plenty of problems to take a look at and other areas to help out in if my skills could be of any use. Ann’s office was the main problem for my morning as she has encountered a virus like many of the other machines that can be found in and around the offices. I stuck to the structure both Dean and I are most comfortable with, and did a full scan with AVG, the best free virus software on the world wide web. I did this and it only made a small difference as the computer seemed to be pretty messed up. The whole computers seem to have lately been flooded with viruses and the network doesn’t seem to be performing and making things any easier. The new IT guy should be coming over the next coming week so I’m pretty sure i'll have the opportunity of helping assist him as he tries to erase these problems.
So the morning was taken up by looking at Ann’s computer and by the afternoon she was experiencing new problems. Later in the afternoon things got a lot better. I began designing t shirts for the GAP programme for Matthew. I felt, as a volunteer myself that the t shirts needed to be pretty cool as well as appropriate for the mission. I designed the front and back in a matter of minutes and we were really pleased with the results. The design was simple but effective and went alongside the design we had recently created to update the GAP website and letter heads.
Tuesday was different. Matthew told me I would be working “out in the field” his words not mine and I assumed having not discussed it in detail because I am willing to try almost anything, that I may have the possibility of getting muddy or even worse ripping my items of clothing. So because of this I put on some trousers that were relatively new but I wasn’t bothered about ruining, a black t shirt to hide the mud that I may get covered in and some old trainers that could support me for the day. I didn’t particularly look scruffy but nether the less, I was dressed and made my way over for morning breakfast. Sat with Matthew I filled myself up on sausage and tomato while the kitchen staff very kindly prepared my packed lunch for the day. We discussed our nights sleep and then began to talk about the things we both we doing this day. My adventure for the day was brought up and that’s when I found out “in the field” was technical jargon that translated very simply to “in the community”.
I was going to be working within the community which involved hopping in the deputy director’s jeep and taking about a 45 minute journey to another town. We were getting very rural and took trips on roads that had seen better days. I had to sit through an almost four hour seminar that saw three different languages and dialects and not one of them were one I understood. I had a translator helping me out but he was also involved within the seminar so some of the time I had to sit and try my best to figure out what was going on. There was a lot of laughing and a lot of enthusiasm as the congregation stood up and told stories about how their fellowships have helped certain parts of their local communities. We heard stories how one fellowship worked together to aid a new mother who couldn’t provide milk for her new born. As a result of this the fellowship worked together to earn and support the mother, and provide her with milk that she could give to the child. There were many other stories told and they showed how kind and generous people can be who are filled with the faith of God. It was a long seminar but it was an experience I definitely wasn’t going to forget. I had another one of these which I would be involved in on Thursday and if the congregation were anywhere as enthusiastic as todays, then it would be another very successful event for the mission staff.
Wednesday was just another day in the office. I didn’t do much apart from continue creating the GAP programme website. I got frustrated a few times with the constant slow network and the failure of connection but managed to design and preview successful and attractive pages. This continued all day until the evening when we went back for evening dinner. Afterwards we had evening devotion and quite kindly one of the guys from the mission Edward, came to support and assist us. Just a few days ago Edward had just had a new daughter which he and his family had named Joy. He told us how previous to this his wife lost a child during labour therefore they named their new child after the way their new blessing made them feel. This devotion only lasted about 20 minutes and it was nice to look back other the day and show appreciation for the things we had done and received. Thursday was another one of my days working within the community. This would be the third time the mission staff had carried out the seminar so they were getting pretty used to the long sessions and the best ways to get the messages across. Both days we have been due to go out to work within the community the meeting time suggested was 10am. Just like I have experienced many times before, 10am was never going to be the time we set off and we usually ended up leaving at around 11.
We set off in the “Bone Shaker”, that’s the name I have given to Tatwa’s vehicle as you get thrown all over the place because of the poor suspension. The last trip we took in it, it was very noticeable that it was leaking break fluid and we needed to get this fixed so we set off and stopped at one of the local garages in Kimilili town. The job took around two hours as I watched the mechanics remove the wheels, attack and replace the break pads and also fix the area in which the break fluid did its thing. It was around mid day where the sun is at its hottest and I really didn’t fancy getting third degree burns and being uncomfortable for the next week or so, so I sat in the shade on a small wooden bench that I expected to give way at any moment. Mobiles were ringing every other minute with people from the seminar wondering where we had gotten to. Eventually we were back on the road after the repair was complete and we attended another seminar that was very productive indeed.
I sat it out, only leaving for a couple of minutes to stretch my legs and eat my sandwiches to stop me from passing out in front of what was again another lively congregation. After the seminar was over we went next door to the neighbour’s house where food had been prepared for me and the rest of the mission staff to share. I was very hesitant at first as I had been warned to be very careful of what I eat when I am not at the guest house. There are obvious reasons for this such as they may have been prepared in water that I shouldn’t be consuming and also they may have ingredients in that my stomach is not normally used to. I sat and watched while the food around me was placed in bowls to be eaten and I was pretty hungry but was more bothered about my health than having my tummy rumbling until I made it home for my evening meal. It was interesting to find out what was being eaten as the food was quite traditional and not very obvious to the eye what it was. They had Ugali, which is maize and water mixed together to make a dough. They had cooked and mashed banana and also rice and chicken with its juices which they like to call Cuckoo. My eyes were watching the food as they advised me what I could and couldn’t eat from what was available. I didn’t want to be rude and say I didn’t want any but at the same time I didn’t want to eat something that was going to make me ill. Eventually I gave in and decided I could try some of the food that had been suggested it was okay to consume. I grabbed my spoon and took a lump of the cooked mashed banana. It was delicious and I was so happy I tried it. I grabbed my bowl and filled it with my new favourite dish for the afternoon. I then added some of the juices left over from the chicken which made a nice soup that I could do some mixing with. The bananas didn’t taste like bananas but more like an Irish potato. I couldn’t get enough. Not going overboard I stuck to one bowlful just to take it easy and get my stomach used to new foods.
After the beautiful meal and some great hospitality we set off back home to do whatever we had planned for the evening. I assume by this point the beetle had already entered my trousers from the home I had just recently been sat in. The house was really basic with mainly chairs and a table and it also had a small cat roaming round with the occasional hen and chick clucking round to say hey. I never expected to take one of their pet’s home with me in my trousers but I was too freaked out and shocked after finding it to even consider taking it back.
It’s been an eventful past few of days and the weekend is coming up soon which will give me one or two stories for me to tell. Hopefully they won’t involve any creatures or any disasters of any kind x
Yeah that’s right, I found a beetle making its way towards private parts, and it was pretty big too and scared me to death. I was on my way back from working in the community and was riding up front in Tatwa’s, the deputy director’s jeep. The back of the car was full with 4 passengers, that’s 4 other guys from the mission and we were driving on the most bumpy roads back home for evening dinner. I had been waving at children through the window who were treating me like a celebrity and then I placed my hand on my lap as I faced on looking out of the windshield. I felt something hard and strange on my leg and all of a sudden freaked out. Instantly Tatwa knew there was something wrong and that I had something travelling around inside my linen leg warmers. He pulled over and I jumped out by the side of the road. I felt the hard, round creature inside on the left leg and was really debating whether to pull down my pants and scout round inside to see what it was. I knew exactly where the creature was, I could feel it. I took a second to think, no longer as this was too crucial as i seriously hate creepy crawlies. I dropped my pants slightly bearing my less attractive underwear, and reached down on the outside of my boxers and grabbed the creature which clutched to my hand. In a tenth of a second I had removed my hand and launched the creature on the floor fast as a bullet, even now writing about an experience which was probably about 3 hours ago, I’m still shivering at the thought of it.
My days are beginning to find themselves a set routine so there are less new things for me to include and present in my blog. So rather than keeping you up to date with what seems like a Coronation Street, 4 times a week special, I’m going to make them less frequent and maybe slacken it down to once or twice a week max.
Monday the 21st began like any regular day back at work in Brighouse. I was straight into the day with plenty of problems to take a look at and other areas to help out in if my skills could be of any use. Ann’s office was the main problem for my morning as she has encountered a virus like many of the other machines that can be found in and around the offices. I stuck to the structure both Dean and I are most comfortable with, and did a full scan with AVG, the best free virus software on the world wide web. I did this and it only made a small difference as the computer seemed to be pretty messed up. The whole computers seem to have lately been flooded with viruses and the network doesn’t seem to be performing and making things any easier. The new IT guy should be coming over the next coming week so I’m pretty sure i'll have the opportunity of helping assist him as he tries to erase these problems.
So the morning was taken up by looking at Ann’s computer and by the afternoon she was experiencing new problems. Later in the afternoon things got a lot better. I began designing t shirts for the GAP programme for Matthew. I felt, as a volunteer myself that the t shirts needed to be pretty cool as well as appropriate for the mission. I designed the front and back in a matter of minutes and we were really pleased with the results. The design was simple but effective and went alongside the design we had recently created to update the GAP website and letter heads.
Tuesday was different. Matthew told me I would be working “out in the field” his words not mine and I assumed having not discussed it in detail because I am willing to try almost anything, that I may have the possibility of getting muddy or even worse ripping my items of clothing. So because of this I put on some trousers that were relatively new but I wasn’t bothered about ruining, a black t shirt to hide the mud that I may get covered in and some old trainers that could support me for the day. I didn’t particularly look scruffy but nether the less, I was dressed and made my way over for morning breakfast. Sat with Matthew I filled myself up on sausage and tomato while the kitchen staff very kindly prepared my packed lunch for the day. We discussed our nights sleep and then began to talk about the things we both we doing this day. My adventure for the day was brought up and that’s when I found out “in the field” was technical jargon that translated very simply to “in the community”.
I was going to be working within the community which involved hopping in the deputy director’s jeep and taking about a 45 minute journey to another town. We were getting very rural and took trips on roads that had seen better days. I had to sit through an almost four hour seminar that saw three different languages and dialects and not one of them were one I understood. I had a translator helping me out but he was also involved within the seminar so some of the time I had to sit and try my best to figure out what was going on. There was a lot of laughing and a lot of enthusiasm as the congregation stood up and told stories about how their fellowships have helped certain parts of their local communities. We heard stories how one fellowship worked together to aid a new mother who couldn’t provide milk for her new born. As a result of this the fellowship worked together to earn and support the mother, and provide her with milk that she could give to the child. There were many other stories told and they showed how kind and generous people can be who are filled with the faith of God. It was a long seminar but it was an experience I definitely wasn’t going to forget. I had another one of these which I would be involved in on Thursday and if the congregation were anywhere as enthusiastic as todays, then it would be another very successful event for the mission staff.
Wednesday was just another day in the office. I didn’t do much apart from continue creating the GAP programme website. I got frustrated a few times with the constant slow network and the failure of connection but managed to design and preview successful and attractive pages. This continued all day until the evening when we went back for evening dinner. Afterwards we had evening devotion and quite kindly one of the guys from the mission Edward, came to support and assist us. Just a few days ago Edward had just had a new daughter which he and his family had named Joy. He told us how previous to this his wife lost a child during labour therefore they named their new child after the way their new blessing made them feel. This devotion only lasted about 20 minutes and it was nice to look back other the day and show appreciation for the things we had done and received. Thursday was another one of my days working within the community. This would be the third time the mission staff had carried out the seminar so they were getting pretty used to the long sessions and the best ways to get the messages across. Both days we have been due to go out to work within the community the meeting time suggested was 10am. Just like I have experienced many times before, 10am was never going to be the time we set off and we usually ended up leaving at around 11.
We set off in the “Bone Shaker”, that’s the name I have given to Tatwa’s vehicle as you get thrown all over the place because of the poor suspension. The last trip we took in it, it was very noticeable that it was leaking break fluid and we needed to get this fixed so we set off and stopped at one of the local garages in Kimilili town. The job took around two hours as I watched the mechanics remove the wheels, attack and replace the break pads and also fix the area in which the break fluid did its thing. It was around mid day where the sun is at its hottest and I really didn’t fancy getting third degree burns and being uncomfortable for the next week or so, so I sat in the shade on a small wooden bench that I expected to give way at any moment. Mobiles were ringing every other minute with people from the seminar wondering where we had gotten to. Eventually we were back on the road after the repair was complete and we attended another seminar that was very productive indeed.
I sat it out, only leaving for a couple of minutes to stretch my legs and eat my sandwiches to stop me from passing out in front of what was again another lively congregation. After the seminar was over we went next door to the neighbour’s house where food had been prepared for me and the rest of the mission staff to share. I was very hesitant at first as I had been warned to be very careful of what I eat when I am not at the guest house. There are obvious reasons for this such as they may have been prepared in water that I shouldn’t be consuming and also they may have ingredients in that my stomach is not normally used to. I sat and watched while the food around me was placed in bowls to be eaten and I was pretty hungry but was more bothered about my health than having my tummy rumbling until I made it home for my evening meal. It was interesting to find out what was being eaten as the food was quite traditional and not very obvious to the eye what it was. They had Ugali, which is maize and water mixed together to make a dough. They had cooked and mashed banana and also rice and chicken with its juices which they like to call Cuckoo. My eyes were watching the food as they advised me what I could and couldn’t eat from what was available. I didn’t want to be rude and say I didn’t want any but at the same time I didn’t want to eat something that was going to make me ill. Eventually I gave in and decided I could try some of the food that had been suggested it was okay to consume. I grabbed my spoon and took a lump of the cooked mashed banana. It was delicious and I was so happy I tried it. I grabbed my bowl and filled it with my new favourite dish for the afternoon. I then added some of the juices left over from the chicken which made a nice soup that I could do some mixing with. The bananas didn’t taste like bananas but more like an Irish potato. I couldn’t get enough. Not going overboard I stuck to one bowlful just to take it easy and get my stomach used to new foods.
After the beautiful meal and some great hospitality we set off back home to do whatever we had planned for the evening. I assume by this point the beetle had already entered my trousers from the home I had just recently been sat in. The house was really basic with mainly chairs and a table and it also had a small cat roaming round with the occasional hen and chick clucking round to say hey. I never expected to take one of their pet’s home with me in my trousers but I was too freaked out and shocked after finding it to even consider taking it back.
It’s been an eventful past few of days and the weekend is coming up soon which will give me one or two stories for me to tell. Hopefully they won’t involve any creatures or any disasters of any kind x
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