Expect the Unexpected

I couldn't quite decide whether to title this post as it is, or maybe
instead "Predictable Unpredictability." In any event, that pretty much
sums up Nigeria. Another bit of wisdom shared with us by Bro. McLean (and passed along to him by Bro. Nickerson, who was a missionary here through the 80s): If you accomplish just one thing on any given day, you can count it a successful day. It seems a little harsh, or maybe like overstating things, but I think we will find it to be true.

So… what's new? What's different? What's going on in your little
corner of the world there, Everett?

Well the first order of business was to pick up a cell phone. We have
one now, and you can call us whenever you like. Well, just be sure
that it's before 2 or 3 p.m. Central time otherwise we are likely to
be asleep. We don't wake up in the morning usually until 11 p.m.
central at the earliest. So if you want to reach us, try in the
morning, or in the early part of the afternoon. I picked up an
international calling plan through "OneSuite" which does not seem to
be all that more expensive than Skype. To call our Nigerian cell phone from the U.S. would be on the order of around $.27 a minute, I believe. Yes, expensive, I know. But $3 for one ten minute phone call isn't all that much I guess! If you do want to try giving us a call, please email one of us and we will send you the number.

By the time you are reading this, you will know that the next order of
business was to get connected to the Internet and if you are reading
this, you can be assured we were successful. We are now able to use our cell phone as a modem to connect to the Internet. It took about 24 hours for that to get fully processed, so that is the reason for the delay. All told, we ended up spending about $65 for the phone, Internet access, and enough phone cards to last us for a few days (or maybe some weeks). We're not sure how quickly the minutes / Naira will be used up.

Just an aside, Naira is the Nigerian currency, and the exchange rate
is roughly 175 Naira to the dollar at present, although it has
fluctuated wildly over recent weeks. 175 is really high, 115 is really
low, and right around 140 to 150 seems to be what might be considered normative.

Finally, to reward those faithful enough to have made it this far, if
you wanted any salacious detail about any misery we may be
experiencing, I will tantalize you with this little tidbit. Guess how
many of our six action packers made it to Enugu with us? No, really,
take a guess. Take a wild guess. I imagine you have guessed it by now. Yes, you are a winner. The correct answer was indeed a big fat ZERO. When we arrived we had no luggage (aside from our carry-ons) and the initial estimate is that it would be four days (at the EARLIEST) before we MIGHT have a chance to see our beloved action packers.

I feel a little bad because we will be sending someone to Abuja to
pick up all of our Action Packers. What a nightmare. I thought it was
going to be bad with two adults. I suppose it's not too much more for
one person to manage than for two adults with a three year old child
along with them. But it's a $200 round trip flight, plus the extra
baggage fees we are going to incur. Ridiculous. I am very much hoping that the airlines will reimburse our out-of-pocket expenses relating to the retrieval of our luggage.

But my scripture reading for today says this:
We glory in tribulations
Knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed;
Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts
By the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
For when we were yet without strength
In due time Christ died for the ungodly.