The water gurgled and swished as tap water filled my water bottle. This mundane task over the last seven months suddenly triggered the reality of this privilege. We were about to go into a completely different mode of living. My mind started rehearsing our family conversations about what we would miss or about what we were looking forward to in Senegal. Things like:
~I’m looking forward to eating Cheb! (Bashir)
~I won’t get to fill my bottle or cup from a tap. (LaRae)
~Are you ready for the taxi hustlers outside the airport? (Boaz)
~Mosquito nets again.
~Can’t wait to eat the whole mango myself! (Bashir)
~I’m ready to go back to warm weather! (LaRae)
~We won’t have a washing machine for awhile! ugh. (LaRae)
~I don’t want to ride the buses. (Bashir)
~We can eat village bread again! (all of us!)
~It will be good to sing French hymns again. (Boaz)
~Happy to see old friends! (Boaz & LaRae)
Finally, after packing 10 check-in bags and eight carry on bags, we left amid snow flurries for the airport and our 30+ hour trip. There were challenges a long the way, details we hadn’t expected that wrinkled a few things in the trip, but as we traveled on we could see God working and taking care of things. We are now just praying that our jogger will miraculously show up at the airport for Litsa to ride in.
We arrived just before sunset, and had the easiest time of customs ever! We waited outside in the cool Dakar breeze as night drew on until our friends arrived and took us to their home. We visited, ate, showered and found the things we needed for the night. Rest!
Each of us in our own way are wondering at our feelings. It is good and strange, and weird, and wonderful and surreal to be back in Senegal. It is all so familiar, yet we feel as newcomers. Litsa is having a hard time with the dirt that gets in her shoes, refusing to walk in the sand. Bashir is enjoying rediscovering foods, memories and friends.
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