2 weeks down, 8 1/2 months to go!

(Here is a pic of some of my brothers)

Wow, it’s been two weeked already since my last update! Time has gone by so fast. Since you last heard from me my life here in Côte d’Ivoire has changed in some pretty radical ways! I am living with an Ivorian family now in the part of town called “Nouveau Quartier” at the base of “Mount Korhogo” (it’s just a big hill really). The family consists of 4 parents and 10 children (of whom I can say most of their French names, and but a few Senefor names) and with the multiple friends passing through each day it makes for a realy full house! My dad, Soro Zana, is a commerçant and a pretty wealthy one at that. That has afforded him to buy two houses in the quartier so he and his wife can live at one house with the 2 oldest children (late 20s), while the rest of the kids live at my house with Zana’s brother and wife. The kids range in age from 2 up to 28 and are a lot of fun. I spend my days doing a lot, though a lot less than the girls have to do that'’s for sure!

I bath in the morning and at night, eat 3 times a day like normal (though the food isn’t normal for me), and spend my day reading, studying, creating music, entertaining the kids as they have a dance party in my room, go on a bike ride to IBB to use the internet, etc. Three days a week I go to a French/Senefo class (so I can learn Senefo), which proves to be of little value for me at this point, since translating a language which I’m just starting to comprehend a bit into one I know basically nothing about is a tough envoirnment to learn in!

Church each Sunday proves to be a really good experience, especially the music! The music is SO awesome! I attend the first service which is in French, with on average 2 to 300 people. There is about the same amount for the second service in Senefo as well.

I’m having some fun experiences here, sometime this week I should be going to Radio Sinai to record a song in Dyula and Senefo with Melée. A couple days I got a lesson on how to drive a motorcycle, and I should probably be pretty proficient on that soon here. Keep in mind that the motos here have 1 cylinder, so they are not very powerful, the best ones have maybe 250cc engines.

I experienced my first sickness here last week, I had a little parasite in the intestines which gave me much trouble. I’m 95% better now though, so praise God for that! One thing that is insteresting, is that at church on Sunday, the Pastor though it’d be good to tell everyone about the symptoms I was having, so no 300 people know about it! Granted, I’m sure most of them knew already, since news spreads like wildfire here! I went to bed sick one night, and the next morning 7 people were in my room visiting, one of which I had never met! And I’ve had visitors every day since, from pastors to friends, all wishing me well just passing by to say hello and “bon guerison.”

Language has been good, at first is was almost all Senefo, but now the families have been talked to and they speak mainly French with us journeyers now. So since that talk, I’ve been getting a lot of practice, and that’s been good. It’ll come in time, it’s already beaucoup mieux! If I just stick it out and keep exposing myself to conversations and new experiences, I’ll be fluent in no time. It’s only been two week and I’m already worlds beyond where I was when I arrived in Korhogo!

Well I should get going, but I hope that helps you all get a bit clearer idea of how life is going! I miss you all, covet your prayer, and wish to know how I can pray for each of you! Leave a comment with prayer requests if you wish!

Pounding Ignames

My Mom and two of my bros
My House

My Room

Les petits enfants

My sis doing laundry