You Know You're In Africa When...

• you soak your salad veggies in bleach water before eating them.
• you flush a toilet with the water you just soaked your veggies in and take a “military shower” to conserve water.
• you wash your feet before going to bed.
• you walk down a street that’s been literally paved with garbage.
• a church service starts a half hour late, then lasts for over three hours.
• you put your toddler’s carseat in a van, realize the van has no seatbelts, but strap the kid in anyway because that’s what he’s used to, and try not to worry too much about it. Later, your husband figures out how to strap the carseat in using a luggage strap and a carabiner.
• you drink and brush your teeth with water that’s been put through a filter.
• the exuberance and joy of a worship service is enough to bring tears to your eyes.
• you go for days without checking your email or watching TV.
• you walk out the front gate into an open air market where you buy bananas for your breakfast and bread for your supper.
• you cut up a chocolate bar to make chocolate chip cookies.
• your husband wears a short-sleeve shirt, tie, and red and white basketball shoes to church
• Memphis drivers start to seem tame and well-mannered.

This is a running list that I will be adding to this month while we are in Angola. So far, everything has gone really well. We have been in Luanda for the past several days, just getting acclimated and taking care of some business. Tomorrow, we will be heading out on our 17-day tour around the country. We thank you for your prayers for our health and safety and ask that they continue.