We're in Jammal!

I'm up with jet lag while the internet is at it's fastest, so here's our first blog post in Jammal. We arrived in the capital city Monday evening and spent 36 hrs resting and grocery shopping before taking a 4-seater out to Jammal. Much to Moriah's delight, we were greeted here with fanfare. She proudly announced to our large welcoming crew, “I took a plane to Jammal. Now I’m going to go potty!” Up until we’ve arrived, the only two things she’s known about Africa are that we take a plane to get there, and that she will need to go potty in the toilet once we arrive because she won’t have any more diapers. For the record, I’m letting her (and myself) recover from jet lag before we hit this potty training thing. And while I’m on the topic… dealing with kiddos with jet lag is probably the toughest physical endeavor I’ve undertaken. Except for my first childbirth experience, and maybe biking up the Vail pass both ways. My brain is mush from trying to keep my kids and I alive while we’re adjusting to the time change and heat, so I’ll stick with a few highs and lows from our first week here.

High - our plane ride and arrival in Jammal!

Jammal from the air - it’s rainy reason and really green.

Low - being awoken by the pilot knocking on our door because we set our alarm wrong :( And then leaving a chocolate bar in the freezer because we were in such a hurry to get out. Also finding a “chocolate” nugget under the bed that rolled out of Moriah’s diaper while Nick was changing it in a jet-lagged fog.

High - new friends! Anyone surprised who is making the most of them?

Low - friends a few hundred feet away hearing our jet lagged children screaming in the middle of the night :/

High - being in a place where we think God has asked us to be for this season. A place not many are willing to go. Moriah gets to go to “work” today. The occupational therapist has asked for her help in doing some play therapy with a Nigerien toddler. I’m looking forward to seeing some faces of the precious people we came here to love. I’m hoping these faces make our jet lag struggle feel meaningful. That they’re a glimpse for me of hope for joy beyond our trials. Of hope in the joy of seeing Jesus make all things new, one person at a time.