Today we went into Freetown to run a few errands including picking up our missing bag from the airline. (Yay!) It was dark when we arrived last weekend so this was first time the kids would see the city.
We bought groundnuts through the car window for a snack, shopped for bowls & rice plates in the street side markets, as well as mangos, pineapples and vegetables. We had (really good) pizza at a nice restaurant for lunch.
We went grocery shopping for eggs, butter, etc and my cereal loving Gideon pleaded for a box in vain.
This is was a $39,900 box of a Honeycombs looks like! (Well...$9 US but still....) Whoa.
We had two car sick kiddos today so now we know who to give the anti-motion sickness meds to next time! (Poor Gid & Levi).
So, What does everyday life look like here for the Durens? Well, in some ways life looks a lot like it does for us in the states. Every morning my awesome husband gets up early and heads out to work.
Instead of working is normal construction job, he has been working construction at a school for special needs children and on a toilet system for Margaret's kids. After a long hard day of work he returns home for dinner and to a house full of people ready for his attention and love. My job is the same as at home- our crazy crew! The kids and I are starting to get into a regular routine. They do their reading, activities and school work everyday. They write and draw in their journals. We clean, cook, do laundry, and clean some more. The apartment where we are staying has solar power so we are able to have electricity during the day, an amazing blessing! I look forward to our kids getting to know Margaret's kids well. I am thankful and humbled that we are being allowed this opportunity. We are blessed with much! Many friends and loved ones have given to help us be here.
We are safe and well taken care of. Thank you!
We have been very comfortable eating the American food we are used to but next week our Auntie Doris will cook a couple local meals for us. (I'll let you know how that goes!) Justin is the most excited about that. If you know us well you know that I'm NOT an adventurous eater, but I do love that groundnut stew!!
The kids have all been happy and well. They each have their comfort items and were loved on by notes from some wonderful people who are very important to them at home. **Huge thank you!!! You know who you are :)
They play ball outside, get excited when they see lizards, and get to watch movies on the tv that is in the apartment. Our home is the second floor of a center where people come for community development and educational classes. There are plenty of new people to meet and their starting to learn a few Krio words. The kids miss their little dog Sally who is at home being cared for by Aunt Jessica but there is a dog here named Dennis, Isabel loves him.
It's hot during the day and has been raining at night, every time I hear the thunder I can't help think about our Waterloo street boys and others who don't have a roof to sleep under or a bed for that matter.
It's hard to believe we just arrived on Saturday night, it feels like we have been here so much longer and yet time feels like it is flying- how can that be?
Chris
