Here Cometh The Dreamer: Real Living

I spent most of my time in Torogo living with an Africa family in Korohogo (a city a couple of towns over from Korohogo). Let me tell you, it was quite the experience. It was so wonderful at times and so hard other times. It was definitely a time for me to completely rely on the Lord for patience, strenth, love and energy.

Marilyn is 29. She works at the dispensary in the baby room. She lives with her mom, younger sister and 2 other little kids. These people became my family. They were so great, so generous and hospitable. Marilyn spoke French to me, but the rest of her family spoke mostly Cebarra. So once I finally felt like I was getting a handle on this whole French speaking thing, I move in with a family who speaks mostly Cebarra..

This is what an average day looked like for me:

Marilyn and I woke up between 5:30 and 5:45. We went and got our water from the well for our morning bucket baths. We both took our baths and got ready for work. Then we had a 30-minute moto ride from Korohogo to the dispensary in Torogo. We worked at the dispensary from about 7:30 until 3:30 or 4. We rode our moto back home and hung out with the family for a little bit. At around 5 we started preparing dinner. We would usually make some sort of sauce with either rice or kabato. At 6:15 Marilyn and I would go to church because for the week that I was living there her church was having a nightly conference. The conference consisted of music, worship, dancing and a sermon. It was really fun and I got to meet so many wonderful people! After church ended we would go visit some of her neighbors or friends. Then at about 9 we would go home and eat dinner, take our night baths and then go to sleep!

Spending a little over a week with an African family was probably the best experience I could have asked for. I didn’t realize how “American” the guest houses were that I was staying in. In the African home not only was it physically hard (sleeping on a concrete floor, getting water out of a well, cooking dinner with out a stove) but it was also mentally exhausting. There is so much work and effort that goes into every little thing. Even just communicating with someone. Just trying to say that I want to take a nap or I haven’t washed yet took so much time, patience and work. I know that this week was a true test from the Lord. Daily I had to rely on Him to get me through the day. There was absolutely no other way I could do it.

I am so thankful to the Lord for being so faithful and getting me through the week. It was an amazing experience that I will forever be thankful for. The lesson I learned from my African family and the lessons that the Lord taught me, I honestly don’t think I could have learned anywhere or anyway else. I truly learned what it means to pray without ceasing. I love that family dearly. Marilyn even gave me a Cebarra name! My name is Yèlè, which means first daughter. It was so sweet to know that Marilyn thinks of me as her daughter and as part of her family.