Readjustment

Since our return, we've had a bit of culture shock to deal with (as usual) while we try to wrap our heads around the vast economic differences and living conditions.  So many things are much more expensive (furniture, gasoline, electronics, appliances, vehicles) while income is so much lower.  It is a harsh reality.  The electricity is unreliable and coping with the high humidity and heat is a readjustment.  Tropical weather also fosters much more mold and dirt to clean.  Cleaning is another challenge as the city water which we rely on at our rented home has been off frequently.  Curious how we cope when there is no water for several days? Well, the dirty dishes pile up and the laundry starts to mold and cleaning the bathrooms and mopping is put on hold (except for when your toddler tracks poop through the house 😵), but we buy these bags of water to use for hand washing, teeth brushing, filling the water filter to drink, and for showers.  After a day of doing anything (and we've been doing MUCH) in this weather, a shower is a necessity!  You bite a little hole into the corner of a satchel of water and hold it up to pour over yourself.  Soap up and then bite into another one to start rinsing off.  If the water stays off for more than three days then we have to start carrying buckets to someplace with a borehole (like the school) and bring home water to hand wash dishes and laundry and flush toilets. Our neighbor said it was off for three WEEKS in September, so let's hope it doesn't get to that point.

Hoping to catch some rainwater in the barrel for flushing toilets
Before leaving the States, Jessica was able to get some lab tests done and her doctor put her on a very restricted diet and meds to tackle the candida overgrowth in her gut. It was hard to adhere to the diet while traveling, visiting, and eating out; so we had to curtail some of our planned trips and weren't able to visit everyone we had hoped to see. Apologies to everyone! She had marked improvement in her health and her constant stomach pain was cleared up, thankfully. However, shortly after our return here, several of us have experienced tummy troubles and she is now frequently in pain again. The water situation may have something to do with that, but not sure. Hoping for the best.

The bank still hasn't released school funds and the university is still closed down for one more week.

Here's the fun and exciting news, though!!! We are so thankful to all who donated items/funds for us to bring back school supplies in our suitcases and for those who sent boxes of supplies here!  It has been fun to give them out and share with the learning centers and to have more PACEs (textbooks) for the students. Our hearts overflow with gratitude!









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