Tip of the Week--January 16, 2016

Well dear readers, it has been a long pause, and we find ourselves in the new year.  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Years!  We had wonderful celebrations here and some great times with friends.

In the last couple weeks, I've had some epic moments, all of which merit tips.  However, I'd be remiss if I skipped over cold season.  We recently had two consecutive days of rain.  Temps stayed in the 60s all day long, and there was much talk of snow.  (Remember, most of these people have never experienced anything south of 55F.)  I, for one, wore a sweatshirt almost all day on what we are now calling ice-age, day two.

While this was an unusual weather event for us, "cold" season (December through as much of January as we can get) does often give us nights in the 60's, sometimes dipping into the 50's.  The days can warm up into the 80s, but compared to average temperatures at other times of the year, this doesn't even merit being called warm.

Anyone who lives in Europe or the USA will find cold season delightful.  Some locals love it as well, as long as they are bundled up or next to a fire, while others just tolerate it even while dressed for a polar expedition.  Two days after the rainy cold snap, I met a couple Norwegians who commented on how hot it felt.  So it occurs to me that making an all encompassing Tip of the Week for surviving cold season would inevitably fail. 

So I propose a choose your own adventure Tip.  Option A is for those visiting from the States or Europe.  Option B is for those with snow experience but who are largely acclimatized.  Option C is for the true locals.  So here is how to enjoy, or survive, your West African cold season experience:

1. Wear a coat

1A. Don't.  You won't need it, even at night.

1B. Pull out your hoodie!  Wear it whenever you can.  Sometimes you'll need it, other times you wear it just because you can.  It's kind of like the start of fall and wearing light jackets is a fun change up.

1C.  Several long-sleeved options should be at your disposition.  At night, you'll want to put on your winter jacket.  Any time spent on the moto will require multiple layers of the warmest clothing you have.

2. Get ready for bed time

2A. Keep the fan on full speed and you might be able to get under the sheet and, on really chilly nights, you might pull up the comforter around 4am.

2B. Lower fan speeds, add blankets, and ENJOY!

2C. Stay fully clothed at bed time.  Cover yourself, including your face and head with a blanket.

3.  Pull on a hat

3A. You know...a wide brimmed, breathable adventure hat for sun protection.

3B. On the moto at night, you'll want to have your helmet on to keep your ears warm.

3C. Nights and early mornings require stocking caps, which are available for purchase in the market, a few stalls down from the fresh tropical fruit that was grown locally.

4. Go out at night

4A.  Of course, it is lovely!

4B.  Add a layer just for fun, and go out and enjoy the slight chill.

4C. At around 7:30pm, you'll want to retreat inside.  You may go visit friends at night, but be sure to bundle up.

5. Drink warm beverages

5A. If you need a coffee fix, go for it, but in general, you'll want to avoid anything too warm.

5B. Yes, yes, yes... hot cocoa, tea, coffee.  It is a lovely time for a hot mug in your hands.

5C.  Don't drink anything, including water, that is colder than room temperature.

6. Take a shower

6A. Probably twice a day since it's dusty out there.

6B. Fling open the bathroom window and linger under the hot water a little bit longer as steam fills the bathroom.

6C. Only while the sun is shining.  Particularly cold days are good reasons to delay showering until the next day.

7. Light a fire

7A. Umm... sure, if you are in to that kind of thing.  Don't stand too close or you'll start sweating.

7B.  Fun to have on the side of your outdoor event, and it always makes Christmas events a little more cheery.

7C.  Almost a necessity.  Sometimes it is necessary to bring the hot coals inside to warm up the house at night.

Prayer Requests

1. Pray for an upcoming outreach with a visiting vet team.  We will be going to a couple villages to  vaccinate/deworm cattle.   We received news this morning that their flight is delayed.  Pray for safe arrival and travel, a good rearrangement of plans, and an effective outreach.

2. At the same time, 2 teams of pastors will be working in the area of the villages we'll be visiting with the vet teams.  Pray that their presentation of the Gospel would be winsome.  Pray that the Holy Spirit would prepare hearts even now.

3.  It seems like there is a lot of spiritual warfare going on here lately.  Several trips have been interrupted by vehicle problems (including 2 major accidents--none of our people hurt though).  Would you please pray for a covering from the Lord for our work?

4. Pray for neighboring Burkina Faso which just suffered a terrorist attack in their capital.  Our teams there are safe, but pray for the families that were affected.

5.On an exciting note, our team is growing! We'll be adding several people over the next year.  Pray that we'd be able to do the right prep work now to make it easy for these new teammates to transition seamlessly.