We arrived in Conakry in the evening and got our first taste of Africa. The traffic was crazy, bizarre, out of control and a wild ride. People are everywhere, on bikes, “motos” and in cars. There are no lanes or traffic signals, no street signs or even street lamps in some cases! I closed my eyes several times and braced myself for a bump that never came. I was also amazed at the number of people out and about. There are always people walking about on the streets, sitting in their courtyards or in front of their hut. I also saw lots of trash everywhere, and ramshackle huts that people sold their goods out of. It was a feast for the eyes that is for sure!
We ate dinner at the missionary family who was hosting us all week. They are amazing. I learned so much from just being with them for 8 days. I hope to highlight what so many of our missionaires face on a day to day basis, just to live. To eat, to have running water, electricity and ice! I am so burdened in a way I have never been to pray daily for those serving around the world. Their sacrifice is huge, but I know that God will honor their obedience.
We stayed at a guest house that had an internet connection, running water, a fridge with GLASS BOTTLE soft drinks and a shower. I was ready for all of those things! We got to bed and were up early on Sunday to travel 12 hours across Guinea. I had no idea what to expect. We met two hands on missionaries, Rocky and Matt. They are semester missionaries through the IMB. Great guys who are serving in Guinea. We left in two vehicles and took off. We went through several checkpoints to get out of town and also through out the country. When this isn’t something you do, EVER, it can be a bit unsettling, but we had no problems.
Our trek for the first 6 hours was windy and through the mountains. Breathtaking, at times. I also caught my first glimpses of the differences between towns and villages. We did stop at a gas station and I used a “squat pot” for the first time ever. Basically, a hole in the floor, which is much more of a challenge for girls than boys, I must say!
The villages are a lot of what you have in your head of what Africa looks like, yet the reality of it, hit me, right in the face. Children running around, in dirty, tattered clothing, no shoes, some are only partially clothed or have no clothes at all. Their are goats and cows running everywhere, which always made me wonder how they kept track of which one belonged to who! The women are working, usually in groups, I am sure to make the day go faster. We have that in common! They love to be with each other and gab!
The second half of our journey was not so easy. The road had huge potholes in it. This made for a very bumpy, long few hours. Our drivers, the missionaries, were troopers. They took such good care of us! Another glimpse of what it takes, just to travel, in Africa. It is hard, long and there is no McDonald’s to stop at!
We finally arrive in KonKon after dark and get our keys to the guest house. Let me be frank. I had a moment of anxiety and fear when I saw where we were staying. I was praying for electricity. I honestly thought, “I don’t know if I can do this.” The Lord, used my husband in that moment to begin to show me how focused I can be on the things that don’t matter. I needed to step it up. Quickly. We found out the pump was out on the well, which basically meant that we would be drawing all our water out of the well, no running water and bucket baths. It also meant you had to pour water down the commode when needed to flush it. The house was solar and the fridge ran on batteries. We learned to be very economical with the lights so we could use fans at night to help cool us off so we could sleep. I took a lot of deep breaths and reminded myself- YOU ARE IN AFRICA. This isn’t my daily life but for many, it is. For millions, it is.
D, the female missionary, the wife of P, the other missionary, had made chili, and brought it. Here was a huge revelation for me. The vast majority of food has to made from scratch. There is no microwave, no frozen entrees, no fast food. She made all of our food, all week, except for one night when we had an African meal made for us. Hours of her day were spent and are spent preparing food. The vegetables and fruits have to peeled and if they do not have a peel, they are soaked in diluted bleach water just to eat. The water goes through a water purifier. AMAZING and I will never look at preparing food as difficult again. I HAD NO IDEA.
We settled in and began to get ready for our day with our translators the next day.
Stay tuned….
