Anyway, another night falls and I find myself waking up and scratching. The next morning, Chase gets a small sheet from the third room in the structure where we are living that houses bunk beds, linens, and wool blankets. He had planned to use the sheet as a curtain, as one of the windows in the main room is broken out. Just being curious, I walked up to the sheet. Sure enough, there were at least four little jumping creatures. That confirmed my suspicions and that morning I was really itching.
Chase and I decided it was now time for a complete washdown and a room spray down. A friend we met at the guest house in Nairobi gifted us with a can of "Doom" as a house warming present. 😉 It came in quite handy. I had been using another sheet to cover my clothes, so most of my clothes, our sheets, pillows, blankets and all had to be washed. Two friends came and helped with the washing since it takes a bit more time and effort these days. There was a rainbow of color as clothes and linens lined the barbed wire and bushes. I am still unsure as to why clothes are hung wet on barbed wire, but I won't ask questions. My Kenyan friend explained that fleas visit often and I wasn't quite sure what to say. Was I being a baby for trying to get rid of them? I wasn't sure. He told me that his family washes all linens weekly in an effort to keep them at bay. In a community where animals (cows, sheep, and goats) are everything, it only makes sense. I also read in a medical manual from my training that fleas only like certain people. In a family, only 10-20% even get bit. Well, I guess I fall in the percentage and provide a tasty meal for the critters. 😊 Needless to say, Chase and I changed our routine a bit and bought some "Sevin Dudu Dust" in Narok when we went for groceries yesterday (Saturday). Strange name, but we've found that it works so far!
I realize that in the scheme of life, this is a painfully small challenge. What it's reminded me of though is how little we are in control and ultimately, what a good thing this is. This same day, Chase and I were nearly out of food. We were we were headed to Narok the next day to get groceries. Our bread was out, as well as our veggies and fruits. That left peanuts, flour, water, and some orange drink mix. We had been asking our friends about the ingredients that went into making chapatis, a local flatbread that Kenyans make. We realized that we didn't have enough flour or the eggs to make it happen.
Chase, being the determind person that he is, decides to try anyway. The whole time I'm thinking, "Why try without all the ingredients?" With just flour, water, sugar, and salt we ended up having the most delicious dinner: almost chapatis topped with salt and garlic power (close to garlic bread, right?) and others with sugar and cinnamon. On the night we wondered if we'd go hungry, God provided and we were full of delicious bread. I'm not sure why it still surprises me so much. Now, isn't it a good thing we aren't in control? If it was up to me, I might have gone hungry or eaten peanuts for dinner. Thankfully, I have a determined husband and a very faithful Father. Even though there seems to be a lot that DOESN'T go as planned in this new life of ours in Kenya, as one of my favorite movies Dan in Real Life says, "Plan to be surprised." I would add, "and thank the Lord you aren't the one in control".
This is me posing with our "du du dust". 😊
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