A day In the Life

So far every day in Africa has held new adventures for me. I have yet to grow bored even while inching through Freetown traffic for hours. I would like to recount a recent day in my life. It was a Sunday and so I attended church at The Covering. Church is quite the experience with visitors from the community the kids and the staff there was something like 150 people packed into a medium size sitting room praising God and worshiping.  After church I left to drive a young lady to the Ferry that crosses over to Lungi Airport. We left with time to spare but were stopped by a traffic cop. This particular civil servant spent 15-20 minutes attempting to extort money from me. He was not successful but now there is just enough time to reach the ferry before it leaves so long as nothing slows traffic for the next 10 miles. So I made a mad dash through Freetown to the Government Warf and arrived just as the ferry was blowing it horn to leave. There was seconds to spare but we made it.

From there I decide I will drive to a local stretch of beach and read for a while as I wait out the rain.  When the rain slows I take a stroll down the beach where I get to participate in hauling in the fishing nets, play a pickup game of beach soccer, and run into one of the visitors to TRS Church. Sorri is a young man that I had met on previous trips who live a few miles from The Covering but comes to the church every Sunday. He introduced me to his family and proudly showed me the family fishing operation.  They have a wooden boat and large drag nets that they use to harvest fish. Local women buy these fish and then re-sell them at market or in the street.  I got a lesson in microeconomics.

I latter received a call from my American African friend “Santigie” Andrew Sisco asking if I could exchange a propane bottle for him. Andrew is a missionary who moonlights as a DJ at African nightclubs. Upon returning to the Sisco home I run into Morli a young boy who lives across the street. Morli invites me to the 20th anniversary party for the generous couple who care for him. There were a lot of people and a lot of food. Africans are big on ceremony so there were multiple speeches and multiple prayers before we ate. There was even a ceremony of libation where a drink is poured on the floor to honor the dead. I ate many new foods to include fish balls, what I think was the male reproductive glands of a goat.  

I can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

Living in Freetown

I am officially an expatriate now. I have been living in Freetown for 2 weeks now. I am caring for a sick monkey and a Sierra Leonian puppy. We traveled to Guinea to shop for vehicles and returned with one Toyota Hilux. We only had to stop at 7 border checkpoints to get there 6 to return. I am becoming more proficient driving around Freetown and out to Bauya without getting lost. Krio is the lingua Franca and it is becoming easier to comprehend for me. I still can't "talk Krio" to well but I am learning "small small". African time is difficult to get used to. Today I went across town ( maybe 20 miles ) to register my vehicle and returned 9 hours later without registration in hand. One task took all day and was still not completed in full. This task might have taken 3 hours at home, if the lines where really long.

I have made friends with some neighbor children and they come visit me often. Lucinda and Abdul  live up the hill in a corrugated tin house that is about 10'x12'. I treated a face wound on Lucinda and now I am Dr. Michael. The imaginary and real wounds abound but band-aids fix everything

The Bauya Project has begun at least in part. We are meeting with contractors and soliciting bids. Once we have the official land deed signed off on we can really begin. My quarters in Bauya remain inhabitable but that should change soon. In the mean time I am eating wonderfully as Auntie Marie has cooked wonderfully meals every day at the TRS guest house.

We meet Marie a young girl at the Children's Hospital who was slowly and painfully perishing from a facial tumor. We took her to the private hospital where much better medical care is available only to learn that it is too late to operate and radiation therapy does not exist here. Marie will meet Jesus soon and will experience indescribable joy. In the mean time she will anguish without pain medication, or food in her village. Her father decided to take her home to die upcountry. She can not chew food and I am not sure she can swallow as she spit up all liquids she was given. Please pray for this young girl and her family.

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Living la vida loca

I will begin by reporting we really miss Michael! This is a lot harder than I thought. I would not make a good millitary wife. I give props to all of you spouses out there that live without your significant others over long periods of time. It is really difficult. Don't let him know, but he does alot around here. If nothing more than take the kids for 15 minutes in the evening, it is what keeps me sane!! So yes, now you know, I am insane!
We have been able to skype him which has been fun. One skype session was done while a cute little monkey sat on his lap making crazy faces at us. Don't worry though, it is a city monkey and cannot come to Bauya, it can't make it. City monkeys do not belong in the country. We will remain a monkey free home.
The kids are ok, just doing everything any kid could dream of doing. Endless sleepovers, dozens of trips to the pool, visiting all the friends and family they can stand, pretty much anything they can think of that they want to do. It's been fun, but we are ready for life to slow down a bit. I think Africa is the answer to all this madness! If you've been, you realize the irony in this statement.
I just want to use this small paragraph to let my friends and families know how much I love and appreciate them. They have loved on us, cared for us, lifted us up, cried with us, and prayed with us so fervently over the past few weeks that I am blown away. I want to bottle up all these moments we are sharing because of how precious you all are. If I don't gush and tell you that all the time, forgive me, I don't want to be too mushy! But truly, you make it possible for us to live out an enormous dream and calling. We are forever changed and affected by you. (not to be confused with infected) Thank you.
I will leave with a funny Ella quote. While sitting on the couch the other day, she looks over at me and gives me a curious look. She says, "When are we going to go get Daddy and bring him back here?" I say, "We are going to fly to Africa to live there with him." She says, "No, I don't think so, I'm kind of over it!"

Oh child! Don't worry, you will be hooked like us before you know it!

One week down!

Phew!! We have been busy!
Michael has been in Sierra Leone for a week now. It is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Single parenting is not for me! Kids are nuts! They have been great, but it's so different not having Michael around. Don't tell him, but he does a lot around here! To sum up, we miss him.
The kids and I spent the weekend at our last kids camp with The Bridge Fellowship. It was awesome. We really loved every minute of it. It was fantastic!
We have one more camp at the end of the month and we are looking forward to that too. In between, we are spending as much time with friends and family as possible. It's really happening! We are moving to Africa.......all of us.
Today's big news: everyone in our family has a passport! That big piece of the puzzle is now in place. Next, it will be tickets and visas. There is still a fair amount of things I need to finish wrapping up here, but we're close!
It's crazy. This whole journey only began a little over a year ago for us. It was something we thought would happen in the future and even then a year seemed so far away. It's insane to see us at this point! Insane/good.
In the mean time, the kids and I are catching up on tv, soaking up some pool time (frankly, I have to prepare my white self for that hot African sun) and taking lots of showers! That should prepare us!
Thanks to everyone who is giving us so much support and love. We are overwhelmed by how everyone is lifting us up. So, if you happen to be near when I have one of my many crying fests, just know that I am speachless and appreciate so much all that you are continuing to do for our family.

My bottom half is African

Wow, it's been so long since I have posted anything! There have been so many things going on that I have felt a bit overwhelmed about what to share and what to let roll off. So, I'm sorry if you haven't been able to sleep at night in anticipation of the next great thought shared by the Ropieckis!
We are homeless and all of our belongings fit into a 10x10 storage unit. It's a little liberating and a little sad. We are staying with my dad. Big shout out to the poor man that gave up his bed, his personal space and his quiet! We are really enjoying spending time with him, but I know he is a little bit excited about having his bachelor pad back!
Both Michael and I have been back to SL for visits now. Michael's trip went well, but trying to get details out of him can be a little tricky. I can report that he is totally smitten with the kids at the center and Todd reports that he probably is African way down deep.
My trip was wonderful. I was able to learn so much. I "fake shopped" as Michael likes to say. I found prices as well as availability on items like food and housewares. I also got to see the new sections of land. I'm pretty sure we are moving to the Garden of Eden. It is gorgeous! I also fell further in love with the kids at the center and just the people in general. What an incredible place.
Mike is scheduled to leave in 3 weeks. It's going too fast!! We are trying to fit in as many friends and family visits as possible, as well as an array of speaking engagements......whew!! In the midst of all the craziness though, we are loving this time in our lives. We have had so many awesome people step in and do so many things. The stack of thank you notes I have to write is insane. We are overwhelmed most days! Thank you to all of the individuals that have stepped in and done so much to make this project a reality for us. I hope we do you proud!
Aubrey was able to speak to her merge group at church. Although I haven't seen the video yet, I have heard she did an incredible job. She is excited to go but spending as much time with her buddies as she can!
Anna is.......Anna. Love that girl. She is excited to have friends that live in another country but for the most part just wants to get through today and make sure that her sisters obey her!
Ella is convinced we are moving to India and can't wait to live with the "Indians". When she says Indians she means Native Americans. So you can see all the ways she is confused! She also wants to nail down if they will speak "American" to her or not. Oh, her redneck is showing! She will really be surprised when we arrive on a continent where her parents are big white freaks! I can't wait! She's also pretty sure that we should consider Disney World as an alternative to moving to Africa on account of there are fewer shots she would need. Africa is a lot like Disney........oh, wait, it's not.
We are all in between. We aren't starting to see "American things" as less important. But we still don't understand all the African things we need to know. And I'm not sure that being in this world not part of it, isn't what I should have been feeling all along. So we are all a little African and a little American. African Americans? Hmmmm.....

We are totally normal.......really.

I'm not really sure how to begin this post. There are a lot of things weighing on my mind!
First, I'll go over the essentials. We have begun the fund raising process full force. It's hard! The reality is this project can't happen until my handsome, intelligent, talented husband is there to begin it. The other reality is there are so many children in life threatening situations that can't be helped until the project is underway. This motivates us to work in ways we can't even explain.
Next, our moving date has changed to the end of May!!! What? I said MAY! But to be honest, our hearts are there. We truly enjoy spending this time with our friends and family, but we long to be in Africa. We feel in between. We are wrapping up one life and ready to begin the new. We selfishly want to be there.
We will be auctioning off Casa De La Ropiecki in April along with it's contents. Those people who know and love my Michael realize that we will need to be far away from our house that day. He loves his stuff! All that to say we are packing up and cleaning out! It's becoming so real.
Now the stuff that's been on my mind. Africa is going to be hard. No, we won't have electricity. Nope, no water either. Yes, it's hot. And we are so white!! We tend to stick out, majorly. It's crazy expensive, it's so dirty. There will be language barriers and I can already see how my heart will be broken. There may be some moments of danger. It's not the safest area of the world. Communication with friends and family may have its difficulties. I will be crazy homesick at times. I will miss showers, American junk food, watching netflix, air conditioning, wearing my diamond wedding band, a refrigerator, dinner and a movie, Thanksgiving and my pets. But I have never known with such clarity where God wants me. I can't wait for the craziness. Bring it! As far as I can tell, the Bible sort of sets us up for a hard time the second we become "little Christs". It's going to be so hard, but he's going to be there. HE's already there ahead of us. There is no place I want to be more than where He is right now. We aren't super human, we aren't the few who are "called to his service", we aren't "better Christians" than any of our sisters and brothers. We are totally normal...really! Our call just sends us a little further, plus I have this super awesome blog!
The point? It is this, if you are living a comfortable no real hassle life, check your call. I'm struggling hard to find a Biblical basis for this thought that God will protect us from a crazy life full of hassle. Instead, I'm finding his followers getting jailed, being chased having some totally crazy stuff happen to them. Why have we been playing it so safe? What have we been missing? Bottom line, we are all called. Go into all the world......ring a bell? Maybe your world is Africa, maybe it's in TN. I don't know. But I have learned that if your life is comfortable, you might want to take a look around and see if you aren't missing a call. So, although there will be very few cokes and snickers (oh how I will miss those), don't feel sorry for the Ropieckis. It's our place. It's our privilege. We are speechless that we get to be a part of such an adventure. Go get an adventure too!!! Trust me, it's a rush!
That's my soap box and our announcement. I hope I didn't offend. Pray for Michael next week, as he will be putting in 2 wells in Bauya. Pray for me, as I will be caring for 3 crazy girls, alone for 10 days! Thanks!!

February 13th

Yesterday was a goodbye ceremony from at The Covering. Needless to say I was in tears a good portion of it. I formed a really close bond with a girl named Betty. She drew me a picture and cried when I left. She hugged me so tight and I am really going to miss her. Along with 94 or so other kids! Not to mention the other Aunties and Uncles, Pastor Daniel, Quamey, and Ossay. It’s hard to leave!

Sweet girls here I come!!!