This first story is fictitious and could never have happened to a real missionary:
"My alarm goes off at 6am and I am delirious. I roll out of bed, half falling into a hole on my side because a queen size mattress doesn't quite fit on a king size frame. As I roll, I hear a tearing sound, and realize I just ripped the mosquito net down. In my morning fogginess, I forget for a millisecond that I live in Africa and stick my toothbrush under the tap. Only half way thru brushing my teeth do I realize my critical error...all you can do is wait. And to think, it's not even 6:30am yet. I wonder what the day will hold!"
At 2am, I'm paying for my earlier mistake, sitting on the throne, when it starts to sway back and forth. At first I think it's just because I'm up at 2am, but I quickly realize we're having an earthquake. I think to myself, "Great, I travel all the way to the middle of Africa just to contract giardia and get buried under a pile of bricks!
You also learn a lot of things about creepy crawlies and rodents. Like cockroaches can hiss, make you scream, and even fly. Or how rats only need a 1/2 inch gap to get in and will eat an unbelievable amount of concrete and still survive. They are expert climbers and poop on everything.
One day I was exploring our new garage and decided to open the front doors. The first opened easily, but the second wouldn't budge. I pulled for 30 minutes before realizing it was holding up the concrete roof.
I walk into a Subway back in the US and the guy behind the counter asks what kind of cheese I'd like, american, cheddar, or provolone. I instinctively reply, "Goma cheese, please." (since that is the only kind available to us here in Congo)
Just wanted to share a little different perspective on life here in Africa :-) Thanks Chris!
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