Tip of the Week-- March 19, 2015

Most of us have had our basic hygiene routines down to a memorized science for many years.  Sure, the occasional visit to the dentist gives us new resolve to floss more or to spend more time getting the toothbrush to those hard to reach areas, but, really, it's probably been a long time since you looked at yourself and said, "That's gross. I've got hygiene issues."

That is, until you move to West Africa, and suddenly, you will find yourself saying this all the time.  My colleagues might not vote me "Most Likely to Give Hygiene Advice", but having made most of these mistakes, I feel quite qualified to offer you today's Tip of the Week: 5 new habits to keep you from being "gross".

1. Bed-time = foot washing time:  Unless you are one of those people that steps out of the shower and falls right into bed at night, you are going to need to add a stop by the shower or tub to scrub your feet.  Somehow, your feet become magnets for the ubiquitous dust.  If you don't do this, you won't likely feel a difference, and you'll sleep just fine.  However, the next morning, when you step into the shower and a stream of dirty water runs off your feet, you'll feel a bit gross that those dirty feet were being smeared all over your sheets all night long.

2. Sheets.  Wash the gross out. More often.  Whatever you current routine for washing your sheets is, you are going to want to increase that.  Even when you've got the foot-washing habit down, there are plenty of other factors that dirty your sheets more quickly.  Like dust.  Or like sweating during the hot season.  Or blood smears from mosquitoes that bite you during the night.  There's nothing quite like pulling back the comforter in the evening, only to see the traces of where you slept last night.    

3. Say no to potatoes. Clean your ears:  In your childhood, did your mother ever tell you that your ears were so dirty that they could grow potatoes?  Well, that was just a lie, but here, it is actually true.  We've actually had to surgically remove some from ears that have been long-neglected.  Don't let this happen to you.  Wash those ears and clean them out.  In case any of my ENT doctor friends are reading this, I cannot officially recommend Q-Tips, but if, theoretically, you were to ride your moto somewhere in the dust and then come home to clean your ears out with that white cotton, you'd be amazed at how much dirt your ear can hold.

4. Pick and Choose: When to blow your nose.  Most of the time, you don't reach for the Kleenex box unless your nose is running.  Here, you are going to have to be a bit more intentional about blowing your nose when you sense a certain "nasal fullness."  You'll be amazed by the dark crusties you'll be able to get out.  This also means that if you'll be away from home, you are going to want to make sure to pack Kleenex.  If you don't choose to do this, you'll be picking the consequence.

5. Baby those feet:  Walking around in the dry heat in sandals every day is bound to build up some calluses.  Now, I fully understand that having a pumice stone in the shower seems a little "froofie" but without this handy little aid, you end up growing dragon scales on your heals, and then they start cracking open, and you'll be in a world of gross misery.

Prayer requests

1. Thanks for praying for last weekend's outreach.  Praise the Lord that it went extremely well.  The turnout was excellent, and attendees were very attentive to the lessons that were given.  Throughout the day, many, many people sought prayer for needs, and 11 people gave their lives to Christ.  Please pray for the Lord's blessing on the town of Konina, and pray for the discipleship of these 11 people.

2.  On Monday, I dropped a team of national pastors off in a rural town for an outreach.  I was only able to spend about 24 hours with them before coming back for a meeting.  Pray for them as they pray for the population and show the Jesus film each day through the end of this weekend.

3.  Pray for the outreach coming up next week to the village of Tiere.  There are still some practical details that need to come together, but everything is set up.  Pray for a special anointing on the pastors that will be coming with us.  Pray for open hearts. 

4.  As Easter approaches, I'm looking for ways to share with my friends about what Jesus did for us.  Pray that the celebration of Holy Week would allow me great opportunities.