My Amazing Weekend and the Rock Star Husband Who Made it Possible

For the first time ever, Dan spent the weekend alone with the girls.  To many of my N. American friends married to super dads, this may seem like no big deal.  But keep in mind that there are no kid-friendly restaurants to take the little ones to for a burger and romp around in their playland.  We also have no parks, malls, or any place remotely fun to go in town.  We don't even have The Disney Channel!  Oh, and did I mention that Dan let me use the car, so he had no way to get around anyway?  And it’s blazing hot outside right now, so even going for a short walk is a challenge.  So, you can see that it takes a tremendous amount of effort for even the best of dads to keep a 5 year-old and an almost 2-year old entertained from Friday morning till Sunday evening.

Who needs clothes when you're having this much fun?!

Well, while Dan was back in Thiès, giving it his all, I spent a delightful weekend with 38 other ladies in a village called Niakhar, 1.5 hours away from home.  A handful of women came from our church in Thiès, but the majority was Sereer women from the Baptist churches scattered among 19 villages in the region.  Unlike the retreats we’ve all been to at nice hotels, this one required we bring our own mosquito nets, sheets, towels, flashlight, and flip flops – for the shower.  (If you’ve ever wondered why the idea of going camping when I’m in N. America isn’t in the least bit appealing, it’s because I rough it enough here!).  Yet despite the rustic accommodations, the venue was charming, the company was delightful, and we had consistent electricity and running water (which is more than I can say for some of my city-dwelling friends!).  Let me share a few of the highlights:

1. Soon after arriving, I went to greet a Sereer lady whose baby was on her lap.  As soon as I got close enough for the little guy to see what was coming, he burst into tears!  He’d never seen a white person before, and was terrified of me!  I love evoking that kind of reaction in small children! :D
   
   

   

   This little cutie wasn't afraid of me at all! :D

2. Cindy McMartin, who along with her husband comprises the newest unit of our Crossworld team, was my partner in crime this weekend.  But since she doesn’t speak Wolof, she had a hard time communicating with the Sereer ladies.  That’s why it meant so much to her when one sweet older mama pulled up a chair right in front of her and tried to make conversation.  I quickly jumped in to translate, and the three of us started chatting.  Her name was Marie Faye (which is like the Mary Smith of the Sereer).  Since topics of conversation are hard to think of, I figured a good question would be to ask if she had any grandkids named after her (since that’s a very common practice here).  She told me she had two, and that they were sisters!  (And that is rare, since most people don’t give two of their kids the exact same name!).  All of a sudden, a light went on: Our team members Kwashie and Davi adopted an orphaned Sereer girl named Marie Faye several years ago, and they recently told us about visiting her village and her sister, Marie Faye “The Second.”  Further inquiry revealed that this sweet, kind older lady was our own Marie Faye’s grandma!  What a small world!
   
   

   

   Mama Marie Faye

3. Early on, I had an eye-opening conversation with a group of women who came from the same village.  As I asked about their husbands and kids, it came to light that two of the women shared the same husband.  Now, this is common enough among Muslims, but these ladies were believers, and neither they nor their husband came from a Muslim background originally.  I was so taken-aback that I repeatedly asked, “Are you pulling my leg?  Are you serious?”  Turns out, this isn’t uncommon in their culture.  Once I got to know them better, I asked what life was like for them, if they got along well.  Not only did they claim that they do, but I also saw it with my own eyes - they were inseparable!  Christ really makes a difference in every area of our lives, even living with the challenges presented by polygamy.
   
   

   

   Co-Spouses (in blue and in gold) sharing a laugh with a couple women from their village

4. During our first evening session, a swarm of flying termites gathered around the one source of light.  At the time, I found them to be a terrible nuisance.  The next day, however, I discovered their benefits.  Some non-Senegalese African sisters from our church had gathered them, washed them, and cooked them up, and they were delicious!  I came home with a bag full to share and a great story to tell! :D
   
   

   

   Digging in for a little crunchy snack.  Mmm!

5. Once we finished dinner and our evening session, everyone dispersed to get ready for bed.  Cindy and I shared a room in a bungalow with three other rooms.  As the women came back from their showers, many stood outside the front door.  Topless.  And this is completely normal here.  Keep in mind that there were two men with us this weekend.  Still, not a problem.  After all, those are just baby feeding devices!  Cindy and I did our best to integrate, by sleeping, eating, and participating in the same way as everyone else.  But we drew the line at cooling off topless with our African sister!

All in all, I enjoyed myself tremendously.  The teaching was great, the food was tasty, and the fellowship was sweet.  When I came home, I found out that everything had gone smoothly for Dan and the girls.  What an answer to prayer!  After being a homebound mom for the past two-years, I feel like I can finally get out and get more involved in the women’s ministry at church.  I can’t wait!  Thank you, Lord!