Subject: Night with Velveeta!
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 21:21:11 +0300
Hello everyone,
April 26, 1999
What a wonderful night we’ve had! We had a notice in our mailbox today that we had a package waiting for us at the post office here in Kilifi! I guess if it’s a small package, they’ll sometimes send it on here. I was just dying to get find out what it was, but when I > > tried to pick it up, I found out that I had to have either my passport or my driver’s license with me and I didn’t have either. So, later this afternoon Gabe went back to town and got it for me! It was 2 boxes of Velveeta from my mother!! So tonight I made up a scrumptious batch of rotel dip with rotel I’d brought from the States.
We haven’t been to Mombasa for groceries in about a month, so we were out of chips. But, not a problem...I just made homeade tortillas, and we sopped up the dip with those. Yum, yum. It was so delicious. I do have to say that I felt a little bit sick while eating it, knowing how much it cost mom to get it here. Truly, only a mother’s love could cause a person to spend a small fortune on processed cheese. We are so thankful, but feel extremely guilty about it.
We just got our e-mail messages tonight, 12 of them! It’s so nice to hear from everyone, and to be reminded that we aren’t forgotten here, and that lots of prayers go up on our behalf.
I now relate to missionaries stories of being awakened by phone calls in the night. I hadn’t talked to my mother in almost a month, and I think she was getting desperate, so she called the only time she could, which was 1am for us. We were jolted out of bed, just because we haven’t heard a phone ring in so long, much less in the dead of night. Shortly after we hung up, my sister called. I think it was 2am when I finally crawled back into bed.
I felt so good when we hung up, and couldn’t go to sleep for a couple of hours, just thinking about how much I love my family and what a sacrifice I know you all are making by not getting to be a part of our everyday lives here. I just want you to know that we love you for letting us be free to go, and we realize that you have given up much more than we have.
It rained almost all day today. I wore my duck boots and raincoat as Ginger and I went to town. I’m realizing that I’ve never lived anywhere where it actually rains. These aren’t like thunder storms, where it rains for an hour or two. This is a constant downpour for hours on end. It’s actually really nice, but makes me want to stay home in bed.
I was so proud today because when the lady at the market (Mary) gave me my total that I owed for what I’d bought in Kigiriama, I understood her. She said "Shillingi gana mwenga na mirongo mifungahe nane." In English she said "Your total is 174 shillings". I was very proud, if I do say so myself. Tomorrow we start up with language again after our week off.
Saturday the Talleys are coming for Hannah’s 4th birthday party, and then they’ll spend the night with us. It will be the first time they’ve gotten to stay with us, so we’re excited. I need to get the mosquito net hung up for them in the guesthouse. Since the rains have started the mosquitoes have been really bad. We have to keep a mosquito coil burning in whatever room we’re in after dark.
Well, I love you guys and hope your week is going well. We are busy working on our next newsletter, and I’m trying to think of what to write in my article. I know you are all busy, but write when you can.
Love you so much,
Jill
