Dumelang!
The day before Easter, a board member of YFC and his wife took all of us housemates out for dinner again at Spur in honor of my birthday on April 6. Then he, Ant (short for Anthony) took us on a game drive through the Gaborone game reserve. We just rode in his vehicle and it was quite cheap (like a dollar per person). We actually saw lots of wildlife – impala, ostriches, warthogs (some baby warthogs too!), and lots of zebras! We got out of the car and took pictures of the zebras only about 35 or 40 feet away. Then we went back to Ant and Nellie’s house for some dessert.
The next day was Easter and we celebrated at church in Gaborone; and the next day (Monday April 5) we each paid about 20 dollars to go on a safari with a guide at a park called Mokolodi. Interestingly, because of the recent rains, there were not many animals out and about at all (since they don’t need to go to the watering holes as much). So in our 2 hour safari, we saw less animals than in our really cheap game drive in Gaborone. Go figure! But the hilly scenery was quite beautiful with hills/mountains in the distance and good views from the high points. We did see a couple cheetahs and a hyena that they adopted from a young age, so they live in an enclosed part of the reserve and are fed because they lack the natural instincts to survive in the wild.
The following day (April 6) was my 27th birthday. I started it out with a brisk 4K run…and later in the day my body must’ve known I got older because my left knee started hurting and swelling for the first time I can remember. After a few days resting from running, it feels better now. Right as the knee was starting to improve, I got sick with a fever/stomach bug. I had to register my car under my name instead of the previous owner, and I had to do it that day, so I waited in a long, hot line outside. Then to get out of the penetrating sun, people at the front of the line were crammed into the small indoor office. So many people that it was stuffy and quite hot. Since I wasn’t feeling the best already, I started sweating like crazy and felt nauseous, so I left to get some fresh air outside in the shade. Again I went back in and was ok until right before my turn, another wave of nausea came over me, but by God’s grace I made it through to get the registration. The same day (Thursday, April 8) I also got insurance for my car and made my first trip to Gaborone in my car to fetch a YFC missionary care coach named Lynn from the airport. I met her last May when she led a YFC retreat in Colorado, and she keeps up with me through email and phone. It was great to have her here for four days.
Once we picked her up from the airport, I decided to be adventurous and try to find a shopping mall that has the store that E.J. (YFC Botswana director) said sells wires needed to work an mp3 player in my car. So after a slight detour thanks to some erroneous directions, we arrived there. And I’m thankful we did. I walked into the store, asked a clerk if they had these wires for a car sound system. Then this guy opens up a cabinet inaccessible to customers and says, “Well, we just sold out of them, but there is this one left. It is already opened because I was using it to test something, but you can have it for one buck…You can try it out with your mp3 player to make sure it works.” So I got mine, tested it, and sure enough it worked swimmingly. Not only was there that cable but also a charger to charge my mp3 player in the car! All for 0.95 thebe – less than one pula! Translated into American dollars, we’re looking at about 15 cents!!!!! Craziness!!! So I went to pay for it, and sure enough it was less than one pula. The cashier just smiled giving it to me and the smile was huge on my face too – all of us knew I was getting a ridiculously amazing price…literally almost a steal!! Thank you Lord for crazy cheap things!! This is NOT normal here…things are quite comparably priced to the U.S., so it was a true blessing, and now I can ride in style with my tunes. Sweetness!
I’ve been taking it easy since then with the sickness bug I had…the doctor gave me medicine and wanted me to stay home and rest. So today is actually my first day back at the office, and this afternoon a few of us are going to help out at a camp for high school kids this weekend. I’m super excited to go—being stuck at home was slightly like being a prisoner…I only ate bread and water for the most part, I couldn’t really leave because I was supposed to rest, and there are bars on the windows! (all the houses/buildings here have bars on the windows for security). So today is a taste of freedom and thankfully more tasteful food! The camp even has a pool I hear! If I’m feeling up to it and my knee is all good, I am registered to race in a 4K on Sunday…I know with the knee and sickness lately it won’t be the best time I could do right now, but I hope I can at least enjoy a ‘fun run’ as they call it.
Alright, well, I’ll let you know next week how it all turned out. Prayers would be appreciated for the camp to spiritually impact the teens and for everyone’s health (as this bug has been going around). Take care.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
~Em
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