The guys here in Botswana are very different than in the states it is common to see them peeing on the side of the road and also holding hands especially pinkies. It is not so accepted for girls to hold hands but guys do all the time. It definitely takes time to get used to.

Driving.....

I got my Botswana Driver's License today and my picture is awful because the camera is set for black people and the flash is very bright. They couldn't figure out how to get the flash to not be as bright so I look like a ghost. There are a lot more dangers here driving in Africa than in the States. Cows, Donkeys, Goats, Chickens, occasionaly a horse or a herd of monkeys will cross your path so you always have to be on the lookout. There are also the drunk drivers that go around after dark because the cops quit working after 5pm so no one will catch them. Traffic lights are called robots and turn offs are called slip aways. There are roundabouts instead of most traffic lights and orange lines are on the outside while white lines are down the middle. Oh and there is of course the fact that you drive on the other side of the road.

Baby Lion Cubs

This past week I was able to go to Johannesburg in South Africa for a Journeyman retreat. It was a nice relaxing time and it was great to be with people who are going through some of the same things as me. The highlight of the week was definitely petting baby lion cubs in a game park. One lion even went down a slide for me. We also got to go to a restaurant called the Carnivore and eat lots of interesting food like zebra, crocodile, impala, ostrich, and buffalo. I got to hear a lot of what God is doing all over Africa and how he is working through all of us in different ways to further his kingdom and show his love to the people around us every day.

Problems in the Pipes

Sunday morning I was getting ready for church and when I went to put the water on so I could brush my teeth when a pipe exploded under the tube and water went everywhere even down the stairs. To make matters worse I went to the gym to shower and was reading by the pool when a bug bite me and I had an allergic reaction to it and have been sick for the past week. When I went to the doctor he was mad at me because I didn't go to him right after it happened or to the hospital he says if I get bite by the same type of bug again it could be deadly. The bite was small and know it is half my leg and I had a fever for several days because of it. All to say bugs in Africa are much different than those in the states that is for sure. I won't make that mistake again.

Village

I was able to go to a Village this weekend with another missionary in the area. Ann who is in the picture has been doing bible storying in the village for over a year. None of the children or adults who came could speak english but we had a translator. I had a lot of fun playing with the children and trying to learn some more Setswana. Please pray for the village because they have no water from the drought and we bring them some each time we come but soon thier cattle and crops will die and they will have nothing to eat or drink. Pray for rain here in Botswana. Rain that can heal this dry and dusty land.

Counseling

Today was a great day! I went to the school assembly and got introduced to everyone. All the kids laughed at my name Mma Dabney, they cannot say Dabney. There was a major emphasis on my counseling that I will be doing on Tuesdays. I even talked with one student right after the assembly and a teacher asked me if she could come to counseling. It was a huge encouragement and I was glad I received my psychology degree at Liberty University. I was able to go to their prize ceremony. The children got prizes for good grades and behavior. The interesting thing was they got prizes that were useful. For example some got ironing boards, or basins. Even others got coolers and chairs. Then the students would give their prizes to their parents if their parents were present which there were very few. A lot different from the toys we get in the US.

Mokolodi

I was able to go camping in a game reserve in Gabs to celebrate the Independence of Botswana. It was very nice except for all of the thorn bushes I ran into, they are dangerous. I was able to see lots of animals like Impala, Kudo, Warthog, Muskrats, Eagles, Ostrich but my favorite was the Giraffe. Here are a few of God's beauties I was able to enjoy. We even had baboons come and steal food from our camp site. This week teaching has been going well but it is hard to relate with the nationals they see me as a White American so maybe after some time they will see who I really am. There is a Prize Assembly this week and I was asked to help out. Praise God the teachers and administrators at the school have accepted me as part of their staff. They take good care of me and some even sit in on my classes. Thanks for your prayers and support!