An African Folk Story:

One day a cow, goat and dog all got on a toka toka (public transport van) The  adjudante (man who collects the money) came around and the cow paid. The dog however, only had large coins so he asked for some change. The adjudante did not have the correct amount of change and said “wait until the goat pays and then I will use the goat’s payment to make correct change you.” Unfortunately at the next stop, the goat quickly disembarked and ran away without paying. This is why when a car passes by, the cow just stands there, the goat runs away and the dog chases.

Interesting fact: the number one cause of motorcycle/bicycle accidents I have encountered has been cows standing on the road.

Interesting question: Jon was talking with Mamadu (late 20s) about western movies that he had seen. Apparently Chuck Norris (Chika Nordi) has made it pretty big here. They were discussing his obvious strength and skill. With all seriousness, Mamadu asked “why hasn’t Chuck Norris taken over America yet, to rule it?”

I never cease to be amazed at this different world of Africa. However, the object of my amazement continually changes…. It changes from being amazed to see a cow/goat/chicken/pig walk into a house…. To being amazed that I am not amazed at seeing a cow/goat/chicken/pig walk into a house.

Jon and I have exactly one month left here in Catel. Sometimes it’s hard for me to think about leaving other times (mostly when the heat gets the best of me) I can think of nothing else but leaving. With no replacement yet found to run the clinic, leaving is very hard. It is hard for me to leave a task uncompleted. Ask Jon… once I start a Sudoku puzzle… it is almost impossible to persuade me to stop until it is finished. I feel that leaving now is dropping a project right in the middle. The clinic has been started, it continues to grow in both what we can treat and number of patients daily. Tenning is learning so much but will have two years of school before he can officially run the clinic on his own. I keep asking God what his plan is here….This clinic is obviously desperately needed.  Is there no one to take this responsibility off my shoulders?

Then I am reminded. This is not my project. The clinic is God’s project and he knows how to take care of what is his.

“God does not call us to be successful; only faithful” –Mother Theresa