Africa Journal August 23

8/23/2013
I've been feeling gradually better all week. I've noticed something kind of weird. Ever since I came to Liberia, it has been harder to keep track of the days. I am amused to find that my computer claims that today is Friday. If someone had asked me a few minutes ago, before I checked the day to put it on the top of this journal entry, I would have said it was either Tuesday or Wednesday. The reason for this, I'm sure, is that I don't really write the date on a regular basis anymore. When I was home, I had to write it pretty much every day for work and school. I also have different schedules every day back home. Here, though, every day is the same, except Sunday. I don't really mind it. It's nice to not worry about the passing of time so much. I mean, I am aware that my time here is limited, but by not tracking it, I am able to enjoy it more.
Anyway, I've been working with Diana and studying A Thomas Jefferson Education. Diana has been getting frustrated with Art class. I think she feels like she's not getting better, but she really is. I've been trying to be encouraging, but I'm not sure how to help her feel better. I think the biggest problem is that she's comparing her work to mine, not to her own past drawings. In fact, I don't think that this is a problem unique to Diana. I believe that's what our church is about, that is, teaching people to progress in their own way at their own speed without trying to compare or outdo those around them.
Okay, this is kind of weird, but I've noticed, mostly at night, that there is this unusual sound here. At first, I thought it was someone breathing loudly, but that didn't really make sense because I was alone in my bedroom when I first noticed it. Then, naturally, I thought it was my imagination, or maybe the echo of my own breathing off the cement walls in my room. After a couple experiments involving holding my breath and listening for a long time, I ruled that out. I didn't really figure it out until I was reading the 7th Harry Potter book yesterday. There is a part that talks about the ocean and how it sounds like deep breathing. It was then that I realized it was the ocean I've been hearing. We're not really that close to it, so I didn't think of it at first, but it makes sense that, when everyone is quiet at night, the sound travels far in the humid air so that it sounds like really soft breathing when it reaches my room. It's a beautiful sound. I often lay awake listening to the sound. It's like the earth itself is sleeping.
I got tired of the younger girls running around with giant holes in their clothes, so I told them to bring me their ripped clothes so that I could sew them up. Today, I repaired a blue Roaring 20s style dress for Bintu. I must admit, I was worried. I am not exactly an accomplished seamstress. It turned out well enough, but not perfect. My mom always told me that I should practice sewing. I honestly never thought that there would be a time when I wouldn't be able to go buy new clothes when they get damaged. Back home, we are blessed to have DI so close to our home. We have access to new (or new to us) clothes all the time. Even starving students like me can afford to buy a new dress when our old ones wear out. We're spoiled! Still, like washing laundry by hand, repairing clothes is a skill we Americans should learn just to be on the safe side. So, my future children and grandchildren who might be reading this...I'm sorry if you, like me, hate sewing. Do it anyway.
I'm sitting in the van during my break writing in my journal. For some weird reason, all the kids decided that they wanted to get in the van, too. I really don't know what's so exciting about watching me write in my journal, but apparently it's thrilling. They're cute. I suppose they like to watch me type and it is raining, so perhaps they're just hiding from the rain. It's a good thing they're cute or I would be really annoyed really quickly. It's hard to focus on writing with half a dozen children talking loudly behind me.