The first day...........

Hey everyone!!

Its me Cody hope that you still remember me!! Today was my first full day in Africa!! For those of you who don't know I am not living in the bush just yet. I am currently living in the IMB guesthouse which is very nice, but still very different than a house in America. I am here in the capital city until next Tuesday, from which I will then go into "the bush" as they call it, and start my ministry. This week is orientation, a lot of information and language study to prepare us for the upcoming weeks.

so let me tell you about it, first of all just wanted to let you know that it is really hard adjusting to the life here, I probably miss all of my family and friends just as much as you miss me! it is really hard to not think about you, and today was left feeling really homesick, however the missionaries said that everything that I am feeling is really natural, and they went through the same process. Today in the morning i went for probably around a 4 mile run through the streets of niamey. The city is poverty ridden and ranks somewhere in the top 5 of the poorest cities in the world. It is not unnatural to find naked children peeing in the streets, and running around aimlessly, so that came as a bit of a shock to me. Today was information overload as the missionaries gave us tons of information of which I am still trying to remember, the TOP 3 rules that we MUST REMEMBER is to never get in the river, don't let them braid your hair (for girls) and pray with you partner everyday. They told us that one of their last girls decided to get in the river anyway, because it is so hott!! however she paid dearly meaning she ended up peeing blood for a couple weeks, the river is disease ridden and will seriously mess you up. We also learned today that our goal while in the bush is to visit at least 4 compounds per day and ask for prayer requests, and then share with them a story from the Bible. They have the Bible translated in Zerma, and they have audio cassettes in their language which is very helpful. I will be required to make a run to the local market each week and buy the food that I wish to prepare for the week. So learning the language and all of the currency is very important. The heat here is unbearable reaching 107 today, I am constantly sweating............no seriously I don't think you understand..........constantly, lol. and still trying to adjust to the temperature, but drank 5 nalgenes today!! yay me!!! I also got to go to the market today with 2 natives who did not speak the language and where there were no missionaries with me, and lets just say it was quite an experience!! Poverty filled the streets, with meat that had flies swarming on it, kids playing in trash, and filthy water, however our job was to observe and to come back and report to the missionaries what we saw, and share during debriefing time. Please pray that Satan is bound from my mind as I am constantly having to battle him off. I sometimes doubt whether I am supposed to be here or not and am hoping that God fills me with his joy and love and a desire to love these people, and that I would stop focusing on me and my struggles and focus on others. Life here is so hard for me but I think I will adjust. P.s.i found out i will have to poop in a bucket next week!! AAAAHHHH that will be an experience... I think i'm going to go to bed for now and will try and write again whenever I can!!

oh and if you ever want to say anything to your friends in zerma start with this......... Matte Gahum.....which means how is your health, and the response is Sami which means fine.....

I'm off to shower then to bed, I love yall!!!!!!!

pray hard for me!!!!!

Love, Cody