Electricity is a luxury

Good afternoon to all. Chelsea and I just got back from running errands in the downtown area. We met with our friend Ahmed Turay and "Bob Dole" (he found the need to tell everyone that he was emphatically against Bob Dole in the 1996 presidential election vs. Clinton, and as a result, he acquired this nickname from his friends; I don't think anyone knows his real name). We found out from the meeting that we still have no prospects concerning a vehicle, but hopefully Monday we will advance our progress as we are meeting with a dealer who is good friends with "Bob Dole" and Ahmed. We are also closing in on an apartment. This is good because we have to move out of our present apartment by the end of this month.

Speaking of our apartment…

Two days ago Chelsea and I did not have electricity for up to 36 hours. It really wasn't too bad, as we busted out our head lamps and played cards and scrabble all night. It was a little crazy eating dinner though in the dark with our lamps; that was a new experience. This picture is of us in the bed playing cards (it looks light but only because of the flash of the camera). When the electricity did come on yesterday evening it made Chelsea and I very excited. We were able to have the ceiling fans blasting to keep cool, eat dinner in the light, and charge up our computer for internet access and to watch "Home Alone." We both have a renewed appreciation for electricity, as we have realized that it is in fact a luxury to have.

Blessings,
Mike

My face is on fire

Mike and I just finished dinner. We had salami, cheese, and avocado sandwiches and mango. It would have been delicious but...
There are these peppers commonly found in most african dishes in this country. Sierra Leoneans call them "hot peppas." Mike loves hot and spicy food and was confident that these peppers were not going to be too hot for him. I told him that they would, so we bought one (one is about the size of your thumb) for dinner. I cut it up for him to put on his sandwich. Myself, on the other hand, doesn't care for spice. I made sure not to put it on my sandwich. Well, I was right, Mike barely used any of the pepper and his mouth and lips were on fire! But of course he enjoys that kind of thrill. Unfortunately, I forgot to wash my hands after cutting up the pepper. When I picked up my sandwich, the juices from the pepper got all over the bread. My mouth was on fire too! It made my eyes and nose run. So what did I do? I wiped my face with the pepper still on my hands! What a moron! Well, it was a good laugh anyway..

These last couple of days have been great. We have mostly been running around the downtown area of Freetown looking for a factory site and doing the logistical work it takes to set up an NGO. Our funniest moment today: While we were in a taxi we went by a shoe stand where, "As Long as You Love Me" by the Backstreet Boys was playing. I know it seems simple, but everything is so different here, so it was such a random thing to hear in the streets of Freetown. Mike and I looked at each other and were like, "Where are we?"
Blessings to all! Chelsea

A Busy Week

Sierra Leone has been an awesome experience for me so far. I am amazed at how friendly and helpful the Sierra Leoneans have been to Chelsea and I when we seemed to need help (which is quite often). Running errands around town proves to be much more difficult than I am used to, but it is manageable; patience is key to getting anything done here. As I have observed my surroundings, there have been many things which I have enjoyed. For example, the friendly faces while walking down the street, the unique smell of an African dish being prepared at a street market, and the beauty of the land. Sierra Leone is great! There are many goals which need to be met, not least learning a new language, but we trust God that things will get done as needed. Peace in Christ,
Mike