Update from Africa

[This e-mail was sent from Sarah early this week. Her e-mail is svaneck@nwciowa.edu]

Hey Everyone!

So I just moved locations and am now located in Banga at a hospital. It is super super hot here, very buggy, and no running water to speak of. Being here has made me realize that I was very spoiled in Bamenda with the cool air, warm showers, and TV. Anyway, I just traveled to Banga yesterday from Bamenda, which was a wonderful 7 hour car ride. Today was my first day at the hospital so I am not exactly sure what I am going to be doing, although I am sure that it is going to be interesting. Unlike Bamenda, most of what I will do here is work. I am living all alone in a guest house on the grounds of the hospital, and work from 7am to around 5-6 pm.

Even though I am living alone, there are two girls, Anna (9) and her sister Esther (12) who kept me company last night. Their mom works at the hospital and they live in the grounds too, so I am hoping that they can keep me company in the future. It is weird to be lonely in a place with so many people.

I also went shopping for the first time today at an open market. Let me tell you..the people of Cameroon like to eat! I had someone come with me to shop and the food that she had me buy for one week was crazy! The closest market to Banga is 15 minutes away, so we took a car to get here. As some of you know, they try to cram in as many people as possible. We had 4 people in the back of the tiny car and 5 in the front. Very interesting indeed :)

Well, there is not much else to report. I do not really know anyone and haven't made any connections, so I am still very much by myself.

Please please please e-mail me and update me on your lives! I should be able to check once a week and I would love to hear about what is going on there. It is nice to be able to connect and such.

Prayer Requests:
--patience with the hospital staff and the confusion that sometimes occurs
--that I am able to connect and from some lifelong relationships
--God works through me in ways that I would never have imagined
--I do not become bored with working
--to be able to find purpose and worth in everything that I do