My life thus far

My days all start out pretty much the same, wake up at 7 a.m. shower, get dressed, head to french class on this wonderful bike (minus the helmet). Getting to french class is quite a task, first it requires a very keen eye and quick feet (for peddling). I will describe the driving here as every man for himself. There is no such thing as yielding, or stopping for that manner and no lanes for 'your side' of traffic. Thankfully the school is not too far away, maybe a mile but it does require crossing a busy street. After that the long hall comes the treacherous mountain biking expenditure, and by that I mean a dirt road of pot holes. And voila the school finally appears in the distance. It's quite fun, daring, and challenging every single day. Once at school I spend 2 hours with Sacre, who is a university student and also my first professor who speaks ONLY french! Let's just say those 2 hours never seem like they are going to end most days. After those 2 hours pass my next 2 hours are spent with Mumoni who speaks English very well, it's quite a riot because he will point to a word and ask me what it is, so I tell him in english, and he compliments me as if I have done something spectacular. For example, "What is the first month of the year Jessica?" "January" "Oh tres bien, jessica, tres bien." I have never felt more appreciation and encouragnment. I love those 2 hours!

There is no telling what the rest of my day will hold after french, some days it's to the REC (which is the American Embassy) to eat lunch with Alice and the kids, some days it's to the market with Virginie, some days I have conversation practice with Virginie, and some I just spend laying in my bed wishing it wasn't so hot to go to sleep. But I will in fact say that I am learning so much, learning how to cook, learning how to speak, how to live in a completely different culture. Most importantly though, the Lord is teaching me how to depend on Him, how to trust Him and how to be His light in a dark world where I can't speak the language. Lately it seems like alotof my ministry has been through prayer, prayer as I walk past the mosque, as I sit in french (when I am not paying attention of course), praying without ceasing is what I have been trying to make a priority in my every day life.