OK,
Well, another week has past here in Madagascar. It's amazing to me how fast time goes by, because I feel like I just got here, and yet, somehow I can speak the language. Congratulations Ben! Amazing. Thanks for the letters Richard Diblee, Sophie and, as always, Mom. I'm always at a loss as to what to say when I write these things. I'm still working on it.
This week I was reminded of my former " accident prone" nature as I was walking home one night. In my defense, it was dark, and the Malagasy people are all short, and so their concrete road signs sometimes reflect their height. Anyway, I was walking and looking down ( because you will twist your ankle and/or fall in a ditch if you don't sometimes) and I noticed to my right that there was a concrete pole rising out of the ground. What I didn't realize was that this particular concrete pole was in fact, a triangle yield sign, about 4 feet too close to the ground. The next thing I knew, I was knocked flat, with a severe throbbing pain on the top of my head. I had run head on into the corner of the sign, and was literally laid out on the ground. My companion thought I had run into the pole, and was laughing hysterically. And while I was in severe pain, and on the ground, I couldn't help but laughing at myself too. Between the laughs, I shouted my frustrations in English and Malagasy of " YOU'RE ALL REALLY SHORT!!" at the next group of Malagasys ( who walked under the same concrete yield sign, without ducking, with no problem.) They laughed too. It was pretty funny. I walked away with a large bump and a small, ( emphasis on small Mom:) gash on the head, my pride more or less intact.
I believe I mentioned before about how I'm trying to cultivate patience, mostly with myself. I might also add, "humility" to that list of "virtues yet to be attained". Just when you think that you have "sufficiently humbled" yourself, you find yourself on the ground in lots of embarrassing pain, wondering why you ever thought you were doing "pretty good". I don't know if I'm describing this well, but I've realized how many things I need to work on. I'm happy to say that I have improved in many things, however, I'm finding more and more that I can never allow myself to settle for anything, because that's when the Lord shows you just exactly where you lack ( and sometimes it hurts.)
I don't have too much time to write this week, so I'll just say that I love you all. I pray for you and I love to hear from you. I'm excited for Thanksgiving, because the whole mission is coming to the mission office for the "Island Conference" and we will get to have an actual American thanksgiving Meal. Life is good. Well gotta go. Tune in next week for a possible eventful letter from -
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