Well, where do I begin?? This trip to the village was an adventure for sure!! Monday, Arnett and Mitch headed out the village. Zeke and I stayed in town and went out Tuesday afternoon. To say I didn't want to go is an understatement. I mean, I would of rather had a root canal without novocain then go out. However, I knew I needed to go, so off Zeke and I went. The first night out was pretty normal. One plus, is we now have power in our little mud hut. Yes, that's right, I said power. But before you start thinking I'll be hooking up my ac unit soon let me explain it a little further. The power is run by a generator in the village. They turn it on every night at 7:00pm and then they turn it off at 11:00pm, so there's no need for an ac unit or even a fan. We pay about $6 a month and that gets us 2 lights, one inside the house and one outside, and it gets us an electrical outlet. However, not really quite sure what I'll use it for. Some of the villagers use theirs to hook up their T.V's and satellites, yes that's right, T.V's and satellites in a place that doesn't even have running water!! I didn't take my camera this trip, so next trip I'll take some pictures and post them. It is very nice having those lights though!! So,I am Praising God for this little luxury!!
Now, on to the "adventure day". It started off as any normal day in the village. And in fact the entire day went off pretty normally. That afternoon, about 6:00pm, Arnett and Mitch decided to go "yaalayaala" which is the Bambara word to go "wonder around". We (myself, our host, and his wife) said, "Okay, see you soon!!" Then, it was the normal late afternoon activities...give Zeke a bath, take a bath myself, help our hosts wife anyway I can, and then wait for dinner. Well, it gets dark here about 7:00ish. So, at about 7:o5ish it was getting darker and still no Arnett or Mitch. I thought, "No big deal. They'll be here soon." I did tell myself, "If they aren't here by 8:00, I'll start to get a little worried." Well, at 7:30 our hosts got worried so off he went on his bicycle to look for him. I thought, "If the Africans are getting worried maybe I should be getting worried too." My hosts wife assured me that they were fine, they were just lost but that they'd find them. At this point my stomach is starting to turn into knots. I knew they didn't have a flashlight and the only water they had was about 32 ounces. I tell my hosts wife and my friend, Mandy, that I would like to talk to them about getting the women together to study the Bible. They tell me, "We can't talk now. Your mind is not sitting down (basically you can't concentrate)." I told them, "Yes, but if we talk it will help me to get my mind off of it." They said, "Oh that's a good idea". So, I was able to talk with them. And next week the ladies and I are going to meet together to study God's Word. I Praise God for the opportunity to talk with them!! Now, back to the story... So, slowly but surely the news started spreading that they were lost. The ladies started gathering at our hosts' house and we just sat there. Well, then about 8:30ish, a lady walks up and tells the women that they have been found. Whew! Praise the Lord. But wait, not so fast!! This is only what the ladies tell me!! Partly because I think they don't want me to worry and they want me to eat something!! Shortly after this the village chief gets up off his mat, which in the 6 months we've been going to D-village, I've never seen him do, and comes walking to our hosts' house. They bring him a chair and I greet him. He tells me, "I'm not well, they are lost!!" Okay, so now, worry has started big time!! It's 8:30ish, pitch black dark (no moon at all!!), and my husband is nowhere to be found! Then the chief calls someone to bring him his drum. OH GREAT! But first, let me explain the drum. Anytime the chief wants to call the elders together for a meeting or in general calling of the villagers, he uses this drum. It's what they call a "talking drum". So, like I said before, "Oh great, he's calling the entire village to come look for Arnett and Mitch" Insert even more worry and fear here!! So, the men come and they leave going to look for them. Well, at this point I offer to drive the truck to go looking for them. Of course, I was told, "No, you must stay here!!" Great! Thankfully, Zeke is doing well and not concerned about a thing. In fact, he's sound asleep, even through the drum!! Come to find out, the lady who came up, said her son had seen them. He was on his moto headed into the village. But he was too scared to stop, so instead he went faster!! Well, finally at about 9:45 they return!! Our hosts wife, Mandy, and all the other ladies started screaming and dancing. Come to find out they had gone to their field and coming back they cut through the woods. Then it got dark.They flagged a moto down and asked how to get to the village and he pointed them in the direction. Well, they must have gotten off the road cause they never made it to the village. Then, they saw the 2nd moto who drove even faster. They stopped and listened to his sound and he went way out of their hearing. Then they heard a call to prayer going off closer, so they turned around and went that direction. They went to the first house they came to and scared that man too!! They assured him it was okay, they were lost and what village were they at. They happen to be at the village before you get to D-village. The man gave them some water and a flashlight. So, then they headed towards the village. Well, one of the villagers who was out looking for them saw them on the road. He and another boy were on his moto so they couldn't ride to the village. About that time the "Bush Bus" (a big van type vehicle that makes trips from the capital to D-village daily) came by. So, Arnett and Mitch hopped on the back and rode hanging onto the back of the bus (not an unusual occurrence here). Then, they got back and all the partying happened. They shot off a gun several times to let those in the bush know they had been found! Then, they took a bath and ate some supper. So, it's just one more adventure we can write down in our journals. Praise the Lord they were found. Praise the Lord for the African friends He's given us. It's like Mitch told the chief this morning, "We know we have a home here in D-village cause you sent all those people looking for us!!" So true!! Until next time...
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