Colors and colors on a fabric filled with all kinds of patterns that you can ever imagine; cellphones, shrimp, mail you name it they’ll have it here in West Africa. Taxis stuffed like sardine cans with a fote (white person) drowning in the middle of it. Money exchanged by the thousands. Crying babies at the sight of the first white person they have ever seen, I never really thought I was so scary looking. Extremely funny moments that I’m not so proud to admit…
Fact, I have made two babies cry in my time here in Africa. Life off the ship is definetely where my heart is with the people of the beautiful country. Across the street from my tailor is a dump site right on the beach where alot of people call home. My heart broke as I looked around at living conditions and just stood amazed at the children playing among the garbage. My western mentality wanted so badly to go over and take them from among the dump to play in a “normal” play park on a jungle gym. While the children play the men make boats and fix fishing nets to get ready to go out the following day, the women gut and smoke the fish to make them last longer so that the children will be able to sell them and make some money for the family at the market. Walking amongst these people was truly humbling and made me see that everyone is created for a purpose no matter how big or how small or with what role. The families from the dumps grasp that concept and know that they all must be part of the bigger picture trying to make a living working alongside community in whatever way that may be, they dont pick and choose or fuss about the job they are given they just do it. I’ve seen three year olds scrubbing clothes on a wash board better than my grandmother ever could, definetely an embarrassing moment for me I wouldn’t even know where to start. I don’t know the stories or why they’re stuck living in a dump site but they are. The thought of people actually living in a dump site is probably not so real to most westerners and it really almost never crosses our minds. Facts are that this lifestyle is common around the world! Please pray that God will move the hearts of the people that He wants to send to the His children at the dump sites all around the world. That Jesus will use missionaries to make Himself know to these precious people. May they teach them valuable skills so that they will be able to make a living and see what else life has to offer. Many blessings to y’all and lots of love from Africa!!!
