A Day #1

It’s been lovely to have a number of visitors in the Gambia recently on “short-term mission” trips of various kinds. They often ask something like, “So what does a typical day look like for you out here?”

Well, call it privileged or exciting or unsettling or exhausting, but there’s not really such a thing! Most days are different and often involve unique and new experiences. I try to establish a rough pattern to most weeks, and the 3 terms of the Bible School year give a broad structure to the year. But within that there’s a lot of variety day to day.

So I thought it might be interesting to share the odd day every now and then. I’ll try to pick days that have some interesting moments, but in other ways are just fairly run-of-the-mill days.

Here was today (Tuesday 1 March 2016)…

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7am  Rise (after snoozing since the cockerel’s alarm call) / quiet time with Father / clean up puppy’s overnight ‘gifts’…

8.30am  Convene with other facilitators at a week-long children’s workers training event that SOW (Servants of the Word) is hosting. Discover that the leader left his bag in a taxi the night before which had his laptop, passport, cash and credit cards in… No chance of it being handed in.

9am  Whizz back home to collect laptop and whip up a powerpoint presentation to replace lost one.

10am-1pm  Help lead children’s workers training for 30 pastors and children’s workers - covering things like communication skills (introductions / illustrations / application / body language / choosing one main point), the uniqueness and preciousness of the Bible, plus lots of fun and games!

1pm  Collect lunch prepared by a SOW colleague’s friend: Chicken Yassa - a classic Gambian dish with rice, lots of onions and a lot of spice!
Meet with Pastor Steven and others to come up with a plan to deal with the lost valuables.

2pm-4pm  More training. Beginning to flag a bit in the heat of the day. I often have a nap at this time of day but can’t today!

4pm  Take visiting children’s workers’ trainer to British Embassy re. lost passport. Told by security guard (with zero sympathy) to come back in the morning.

4.30pm  Drop guy off to get a taxi back to where he’s staying. Get pulled over by a nearby policeman for not fully coming off the road when dropping off my passenger. After checking my ID he says he should give me a “summons” - to go to court for my offence! I stay calm, pray continually, try to sound respectful but reasonable and patient… I’m thankful that previous experiences have taught me he’s most likely bluffing to tease some cash out of a slightly frightened foreigner. After a pretty unnerving few minutes, he lets me go. It’s been a hot and slightly stressful day! “Father, please get me home.”

4.45pm  Home. Grab swimmers. Go to cool off in the sea.

5pm  In the beautiful sea. Aaahhh…. Thank you, Father!

6pm  Back home. Play with crazy puppy. Shower.

7pm  Pastor arrives whom I’d invited for dinner. Have a lovely chat and then enjoy dinner with the Gap Team. Mama’s delicious cooking, as usual. On the menu - Chicken Yassa! This time, a bit less spice and more (i.e. some) vegetables. Followed by lovely fresh fruit - pineapples, mangoes, watermelon, oranges…

9pm  Lovely pray together with the pastor before he leaves.

9.30pm  Card game with the Gap Team, before heading to bed. Thankfully, it’s beginning to cool down to sub-30˚s!