I’ve wanted to describe where I’m living for all of you, but I could never find an adequate starting point. So I’ve decided to begin with what I look at most often — the ground.
I never noticed how much I took sidewalks, streets, pathways, sanitation departments, and animal/pest control for granted. The earth here is covered in volcanic rock. Red, orange, and brown gravel and dust covers the ground. Regardless of the color of your shoes, by the end of your first day here, they are brownish-tan. However, if dirt was the only issue, the paths we walk would not be worth examining. The real inherent danger is the rock-bed beneath the thin layer of dirt. This rock-bed has been precariously revealed so that it resembles a burnt-brick-colored Arctic Ocean of icebergs jutting up out of the ground. More than one of my toes has been bloodied from an unintentional kick to one of these unyielding masses. And don’t be fooled, the paths I walk are the same ones trucks and motos (our motorcycle taxies) drive on… or perhaps it’s more like off-roading.
As I’ve been here for about two months and walk the same path each day, I’ve learned the location of the most hazardous rocks and avoid them without much difficulty now. Why then do I continue to watch the ground when I walk? Well, another danger is present in quite a small foe, which is often mistaken for a branch lying harmlessly across your path. No, I’m not referring to a snake (but I will get to those next), no it’s much more ominous than that. I am talking about Chula. These are a most vicious type of ant that don't care about your size or ability to squash them. If you step on their trail they will climb on your feet and begin to mercilessly bite you, and they bite in rhythm with your pulse so the pain is even more shocking and amplified. Of course, stepping on their path is more pleasant than stepping on their anthill or walking into brush they’re occupying. Just last week one of the other missionaries was out on a trek and as he carefully made his way through thorny bushes (watching for Chula on the ground) he was assaulted from above when they poured down from the branches above onto his head, neck, shoulders, and back. Ouch!
So why are Chula worse than snakes? Well, snakes will try to escape your presence as soon as they become aware of it. Even though their bite can be deadly, it rarely occurs unless the snake is scared or provoked. Of course, if one were near a path, stepping on it would count as scaring and/or provoking it and would probably not end well for them.
Lastly, but by no means the least important, you must always be on guard for feces, because it is the most prevalent of all obstacles. Imagine you lived at the county fair and the only places you walked were in the barns and holding pens of the animals to be showed. Then you would understand the dance one must partake in when walking in our village. At this point, I should probably expound on how livestock is managed out here. Well, it’s quite simple, all livestock roams free. That means all cows, goats, sheep, chickens, cats, and dogs are everywhere. I found this strange when I realized how many fences and walls there are around. Well, wouldn’t you know it, those barriers were put there to keep animals out, not in. Sometimes you’ll even see a goat or sheep with a long stick being held around its neck that prevents it from entering doorless gates. One more interesting note before I return to my previous topic, the cows here are extremely docile, but have long pointy horns. The people here will slap them on their rears if they need them to get out of their way (you see that a lot in town), but I’m always a little nervous because these cows are powerful creatures that I don’t want to irritate. Anyway, back to the by-products of these animals that litters the roads. I’m becoming a connoisseur of sorts when it comes to detecting the presence of - and the specie who most likely deposited - the obstruction. Also, I have a new appreciation for anyone who tends to cattle and cleans their pens, simply because of the sheer volume of waste cows apparently produce.
Seeing the length of this post, I see that it may take several entries for me to adequately describe all of the aspects I desire to convey to you about this place. Please check back for more installments on The Village.
Until then, know that your prayers, emails, and support are so very much appreciated. I am so blessed to be able to serve the Church, our God and Christ by living and teaching here in West Africa.
Indebted to Christ and His Will,
Julie
Julie
