So I know I have talked a little about the food here, but I really don't
think you all understand how amazing it is over here. Last week I found
these little black bugs in my food, but didn't take them out because I
was already half way through the meal by the time I found them, but it
added some nice spice! Oh, and I also ate a grasshopper...actually it
was more like a bird, this thing was pretty big! They fry em up and put
some nice spices on them, but just the thought of eating a big
grasshopper made it hard to enjoy. Some of the food here is just really
good, like the rice. It's kinda like eating in a sandbox. Actually at
my house it's really not that bad, I'll get a rock or some sand every
other bite, so not too much. But last week I went to Matthew's family's
house, and well, I really did feel like I was eating in a sandbox.
Every bite had a couple of rocks, and some of them were big! I always
know that I can't chew all the way down because of the rocks, but that
meal it was like I couldn't chew at all; it was really nice. And I know
that I have been in Tchad long enough, because when I have a meal
without rocks, it's super surprising.

So I just got a puppy, and I don't even like dogs, but this one's super
cute. He is technically my family's though, so they take care of him,
but I contributed and gave him his name, and I thought that Jackie Chan
is a fitting name for an Asian! I've never had a puppy and I didnt'
realize that they are such hard work! He's sleeps outside though, and I
just put my iPod in when he starts crying...I'm gonna be an awesome
parent! Oh, and people have asked me what kind of wild animals I hear,
so I want to let the whole world know how awesome Tchad is. Every
night, right outside my door I hear crickets. Some of them sound quite
nice actually. During the day, there are lots of cows, donkeys, goats,
chickens, sheep, dogs, pigs, the random neighborhood kids, pretty exotic
really. At night, IN MY HUT I have mice that I can never find but can
always hear, huge spiders, lots of ants and crickets, geckos, and these
big black wasp things that make homes in my hut and put their larva in
them...and they taste great! I'm just kidding, I only eat
grasshoppers. When I first got to Tchad, some of the sounds at night
would scare the pee out of me and keep me up for hours, but it did help
my prayer life. Another thing that helps my prayer life is riding on a
moto with a Tchadian. When I drive I don't go too fast, but I like to
feel the wind on my scalp. The Tchadians though, man alive! They will
fly down the road swerving around the pot holes, people, cows, random
donkeys, and there is a ton of sand on the road. Since it's not rainy
season anymore the roads are all dried up and so in some parts of the
road there are 4 inches of sand. I know that doesn't sound like a lot,
but when you're flying down the road at 50 mph with 3 people on the moto
and no helmets and you're swerving everywhere, that 4 inches can kill
you...but don't worry dad, I'm in God's hands. Oh, and this is not at
all about prayer, but there is only one paved road in this whole country
and it ends 2 hours away from here! The people still call all the roads
here highways...If only they knew that a highway wasn't a small dirt
path, that would rock their world!

Oh, so I can't remember if I already wrote this, but I'm gonna tell you
anyways. So a while back, I was in my hut getting ready to go to bed,
but I really had to pee. My squat hole is a ways from my hut, and I
don't like going there at night because there are a ton a really big
cockroaches, so I always just go right outside of my hut. So I took my
headlamp so I could look at the ground to make sure there's no snakes,
scorpions, or spiders, but when I found a nice spot to pee I turned the
light off so that the locals didn't have a show. On my way down to
squat I lost my balance so I thew my hands down so that I could catch
myself, but since my light was off I didn't realize that I had dropped
it on the way down, but whatever, I peep and went back into my hut. I
was really confused when I got back in my hut though because I couldn't
find my light. After I had looked for a bit, I went back outside to see
if I had taken it out there, and that's when I remembered I had, but it
was too late, there it sat...right in the middle of my pee puddle!!!
But don't worry, it still works great!

There are things that happen in Tchad that are a little more serious
though, like the evangelistic series that's happening in Lai right now.
It's a town 18 kilometers from Bere, and the church thhere meets under a
mango tree right now. We've had 3 meetings so far, and Satan is working
really hard. I have never heard such disrespectful people in my life!
The meetings are held outside, so all the peolpe come to see the Matthew
because he's white, but they don't respect him. There will be kids in
the front yelling out random words, and drunk people walking around and
talking. Sometimes I can't even hear myself think. There are only 10
benches and 20 chairs, and over 200 people coming. I know that there
are people who are coming and hearing what is spoken, and that God is
blessing the meetings, but last night I couldn't help but think of how
Satan is possessing these people and causing them to be so disruptive.
On the first talk of the Great Controversy, there were so many
problems. The mikes would work for everyone until it got to the actual
sermon. Sometimes they would work for Matthew, but then the
translator's mike would stop, and they had to stop for almost 5 minutes
one time trying to get everything to work. I know that the lives that
these people live are not filled with hope, and that God can free them
from the bondage that they are in, so please please be praying for the
meetings! I can't remember all the times zones right now, but we are 9
hours ahead of California, and the meetings are every night at 6pm our
time, and will be continuing until the 18th. Pray for Matthew as God
continues to use him through speaking each night, pray that God quiets
Satan and his angels, and that through these meetings that God is
glorified. Thanks again for the prayers and support every day as we
continue working out here on different things.

I hope that this Sabbath is a blessing and that you are able to spend
some awesome time with God today. Happy Sabbath