I am not in America anymore!

This morning God gave me a list of to-dos:
clean, organize, fix, be an encourager, pray, smile, laugh, talk, pray, eat, sleep, pray.

He also gave me the following verses:
Psalm 34: 1-2 and 5 regarding showing - radiating - that we are His- showing His presence in us.

Psalm 32:8 - a great promise that He is in charge and that He will guide and protect us.

So, God gave me a toilet and a sink drain to fix , I got to straighten-up a bit, work to get a letter translated with one of the gentlemen here, James, so SHIR can begin work to respond to a local government request. I ate dinner out (shish kabob and rice), accompanied the team to drop Bruce off at the airport for his home trip, and told a joke to a local family at the airport (they laughed, but I do not think they got it...courtesy laugh).

Pray for traveling mercies for Bruce.

I was praying for light rain today that would hinder fighting in Darfur, and that God would calm the people's hearts to stop fighting long enough to allow the numerous aid organizations (NGOs: Non-governmental organizations) to get back out to the people in tough areas. The rainy season is hard from the standpoint of lost roads, pneumonia, and mud. NGOs pull out if it gets too tough.

It was about 90 degrees today and humid (the humidity is not normal). It is a desert. Most everything is lightly coated with a thin layer of fine red dust. The buildings are brick and mortar and covered with plaster. There are no screens. Fans keep it cool inside and window-mounted air conditioning is common. Power outages are common too.

There is a lot of construction going on along the main street and there is a lot of decay going on too. The new construction is quite attractive; blocky, but like a Spanish villa with middle-east style. Things are built for privacy. If I could give you a flavor of the overall look, I would say that having the mosques so prevalent reminds me of Provo, Utah with the ward spires every city block coupled with the urban decay of Camden, NJ in the middle of a red-dirt desert. However, unlike Mormonism, the towers are used here in that the local Imam will climb up the tower (minaret) and chant to call everyone to prayer in the evening over a loud speaker (I am not in America anymore).

There are street vendors on the corners selling food (cooked right there), cigarettes, candy, touristy things, etc. But when I say street corner, do not think sidewalk...there aren't any. There is dirt and drainage ditches and traffic weaving about. Road travel follows a different set of rules: go if it doesn't kill you or you will wait all day. Red lights are suggestions. People cross the street anywhere but the intersections (which would be more dangerous to attempt), and the cars do not slow down for them, they just weave around them.

If outside near a shop, children come up and beg.

I had mentioned that there are two currencies here, the Sudanese pound and the danari. Prices are very similar to what you would find in Orange County California. Very surprising, that.

All my love - Todd