A Typical Day for Carol

Lest we think it's all smiles for Carol....Read her rundown of a typical day in Mozambique and if you ever wonder how to pray, maybe this will give you some ideas.

Relax today....That was the plan...Then things happened. I was so tired when I got home last night from the church day. This morning I got up and went walking. Then I was expecting Fernando at 7 am to pick up some of his money. He's a good guy, I don't mind it when he comes by (most of the time). I could tell I've been at my breaking point the past few days. I thought I have some things I have to do but I also have to have some time. I prayed and I read Psalms 140 where it says and it says when my spirit grows faint w/in me it is you who know my path. I said that is me, I am there!

I went to the store to get a few groceries. Then I stopped at the Duncan's house to pick up my pots and pans which I use to take to the different churches when I go for cooking purposes. That was Saturday's question/dilemma where are the dishes? The pastor was supposed to have brought them back three weeks ago but I'm still waiting. Come to find out the person had dropped them at the Duncan's house b/c that is the Baptist house and they knew where that was at. The Duncan's had no idea that they were mine and that I had been waiting for them. Anyway....

I got those and I came back around 12 ready to fix salmon patties brought to me from a friend who went to S.Africa and to eat them while I watched Grey's Anatomy. I fixed them and ate and started watching the show. Then I heard a voice outside and I thought no...But it was, it was the pastor who came to town yesterday with us. He is going back on Wednesday with us when we got out to that area again.

I thought okay he doesn't know what time it is. I greeted him and we did all that mumbo jumbo. Then he said the reason I came. He said we are buying 5 bags of cement for our church, we want you to go with us and pick them up tomorrow afternoon. He said the bags cost more than they thought they would be so they didn't have money to pay for someone to transport them to the house where they are staying; and then Wednesday morning I could just pick them up there.

I said I can't go tomorrow afternoon in what I thought was very clear and simple Portuguese, I can't go. The other guy said maybe she didn't understand. So the pastor repeated the story again. I kept saying yes b/c I actually did understand it all. By that time my frustration level was about at the highest limit which I have. I was so frustrated that I could feel the tears of frustration coming. I raised my voice and said I cannot go tomorrow afternoon, I have another program. They said oh, what are we going to do. By this time my fleshly side was coming out and I thought you should have thought of that earlier, I don't know what you are going to do.

Then they asked for a drink of water. I said okay and I went inside to get the water. While I was inside I was able to breath and calm down a little. I took the water out to them. They continued talking for a few minutes saying what are we going to do?

I sat there and listened. And after God convicted my heart I said I can meet you tomorrow morning and we can get the cement then. That started a long conversation of where do we meet. When the pastor said you meet us at another pastor's house and we'll go from there I said no. That is going the opposite way of where the store is, I knew kind of where the store is but not really.

By this time it was about 12:35 and I was still thinking about Grey's Anatomy. Finally I said let's go this afternoon at 2 when the stores open up again. So we went at 2.

In the meantime I said you can wait outside with my worker and talk to him. I went back inside. Guess what? The electricity went off. I said okay God you didn't want for me to see G.Anatomy today.

After going with the pastor and then dropping him off I came back home a different way. I thought it would be the route where I see less people. Well I saw one of the English teachers and he said can I come by tomorrow morning? I said sure. When my evening guard got here today he said I saw you this afternoon b/c the different way went close to his house. I said I can't hide can I? He said well when you are in the car and on the road it's hard for you to hide. I said yes it is. Then I clarified that I didn't want to hide from him, my other guard and Fernando. Then I just left it at that b/c I didn't want him to feel like I wanted to hide from everybody. Plus that would be a different mindset from what the Africans have where you are supposed to be in community and they don't believe in privacy.

When I got home around 4 pm I started baking b/c that is a good outlet for me. I enjoy doing it. Speaking of which I better go check on the chocolate cake. Then I was able to watch the last quarter and half of Cowboys-Redskins game. I know you were happy.

So how was your day???

The heat is back here now. It's about 8:30 and sweat is starting to drop off of me from the heat....Take care, Carol
(Before we get judgemental and say "But she's a missionary!" Remember that she's just a regular person who like us struggles with too many demands on our time!)

Trains, Trains!

Trains are a major form of transportation for people from one city to another but also vehicles.

What is Carol up to???

I just thought you would enjoy some photos of Carol chilling and smiling! The past several weeks for her have been stressful so pray that she will have some "relaxing" time soon.