Monday 11/6: Jared had dispensary this morning. He said Dr Elizabeth, Miriam and him all sniffled and snorted their way through the morning. They all have bad colds! This morning in the paper Jared found the most hilarious add. I shall put it here:
“ Bridegroom Wanted! Prospective Bride: In Country Mid-Level Banker, Well Educated, Intellectually advanced with modern outlook, Graduated 2007, American green card holder, height: 5 feet plus, complexion: fair, looking for same ranking university graduate as groom.”
I do wish Romeo and Juliet a fairy tale ending.❤️ Shania pulled a lamp over onto her self today so I decided it was time to baby proof things. This led to a big organization project that I hadn’t originally planned on doing. This is usually how I operate. I start to do something and think of all the different ways I could organize something and off I go for far too long. This afternoon Jared had to take some papers to the bank then later we went to the guesthouse to make the beds and get it ready for the visitors tomorrow! In the evening Layton and I played badminton in the courtyard. Another boy joined us for awhile. He wanted to play a match so when we were done he shook my hand.😃
Tuesday 11/7: Jared canceled clinic for this morning. Lawrence and Bonnie Penner plus their daughter Jodi and 16 year old grandson Levi flew into Dhaka. They are from Pine River Manitoba and here to visit for a week. Lawrence and Bonnie were the first CSI couple here in Bangladesh back in the early 90s. They were here in Dhaka for awhile! Layton and Jared went to the airport and picked them up. Since Lawrence’s did the visa on arrival option it took them about 2-3 hours after they landed. While the men were gone Shania and I went and bought some vegetables and then went to Carebox. The people that work at Carebox just love Shania. They always want to hold her while I shop. I let them and it’s fun seeing them so enthused about my white baby😍 The one worker there insisted on carrying my bags home for me and I sure didn’t argue. I did have him drop them off at our gate because I didn’t want him to know our apartment number. Lawrence’s rested in the afternoon and then came for supper. They came here to Bangladesh to visit around 20 years ago when Pats were here in Dhaka. They hardly recognized our area, maybe just a few things in Monipuripara. We canceled singing for this evening due to Jared and Layton’s colds. Layton seemed abit feverish off and on all day and didn’t want me to get too far away. It was very interesting hearing what all Lawrence’s did when they were scoping out Bangladesh years ago. They know a whole different part of Dhaka then we do. Hearing what it was like back then to try and find a place to live and to have clinic makes us ever so grateful that we have good places to live and work! Their first week here was in a hotel that stank, had mice and cockroaches in it. They ate omelette and pop for the first week because that’s what the hotel had. 🤨Lawrence’s daughter brought us a huge bag of Halloween candy. Jared was excited because it had O’Henrys! Apparently they are a Canadian thing because I had never had them before. We had to laugh because Lawrence gave Jared some air fresheners for the car because he said he hadn’t forgotten how bad Dhaka can smell sometimes! They are such fun people to be with. Shania was terrified of them for some reason. All evening she kept her eyes on Bonnie and Jodi. She would just cry and shake. I couldn’t figure it out because she lets all our Bengali friends that she doesn’t even know hold her. Bonnie said she wondered if it was her white hair that scared her because when they were here she said her children were scared of people with white hair. Maybe Shania is already used to all the black hair already? I was disappointed because I wanted Bonnie to be able to hold Shania so she would know what a grandma was!
Wednesday 11/8: We all did nothing this morning. Layton had an episode of croup during the night so him and I were rather short on sleep. We rested and took it easy. Jon came over and did some paperwork with Jared and then they headed to the auditors office for a meeting. Lawrence’s and us headed to the clinic for lunch! Natun wanted to come eat too so he joined the party. He was busy eating and started laughing. He said “it looks so funny to see you all trying to eat with your hands.” 😂 Layton convinced him to give him a motorcycle ride home again. We all took good sound naps. Around 4:30 we left the house and went to Chefs Table in Gulsane with Lawrence’s to meet one of their friends there. Traffic wasn’t too bad. The BNP (anti political party) announced another road blockade in order to try and upset the government. No buses are supposed to be on the roads, limited cars etc. These blockades happen every few days. We stick to going to familiar places and usually walk or take a rickshaw. We’ve been avoiding the markets or anywhere where there might be large gatherings of people. The BNP party is hoping to stir up violence and protests so that the current government will resign. I think everyone will be glad when the election is over. The government has been stopping the protests and arresting many of the BNP leaders. Lawrence’s friend was in his 20s I’d say. They knew his dad back 30 years ago! He is here doing a 3 year mission term through MCC. Interesting to hear about his program. Sounded like it was more agriculture related than health program oriented. They are teaching villagers how to farm and plant gardens so they can become more self sufficient. On the way home while we were sitting in traffic a little girl and boy came up to the van and were begging for money. They were so cute so I gave them a bag of animal crackers that I had brought along for Layton. The girl was so excited! She just hugged them to her chest and blew me kisses. She would not share them with her brother so they were chasing each other around. He kept coming up to the window and banging on it wanting more since she wouldn’t share.😄 Got home and both the children were exhausted. The colds are setting in heavy at this house. Mama seems affected too.
Thursday 11/9: This morning Jared took Lawrence’s half way to Golpagange to be with Doyle’s. Doyle met them at the bridge and took them back to Golpagange. We weren’t sure if it was safe to drive on the main roads with the BNP hartal now but Natun thought it was ok. Jared thought about getting a Green Line Bus for them but buses can’t leave or enter Dhaka right now during this hartal so that wasn’t an option. Some parts of Bangladesh are more strict about these BNP “rules.” Layton slept all night! I was so relieved. Jared got him some prednisone yesterday to take before his croup gets worse. Took the rest of the day pretty easy. Walked up on the roof for awhile. Noticed this morning that we can occasionally hear the announcer at the metro station. I was hanging up laundry on the back veranda and I heard “welcome to the Farmgate metro station.” The breeze must have been just right!
Friday 11/10: Had church this morning. Jared’s thoughts were on prayer and how God wants us to pray no matter how small the need is. Natun was an hour late to church which is very unusual for him. Usually he is right on time or early. We finally started church. Sang several songs and then Jared had Miriam read the verses that he had to go with his thoughts. We sang another song and here came Natun! So Jared had the full sermon then. Natun said the roads were awfully jammed up. He left his apartment at 8 and it took three hours to get to church! He tried three different routes and finally he started just trying to weave his way through the jams until the police started yelling at him. He thought there was a VIP coming through thus why the roads were clogged. He needed a listening ear so we stayed for almost an hour and a half over church so him and Jared could visit. His Muslim friend asks him all kinds of deep questions that Natun doesn’t always know how to answer so then he asks Jared how he thinks he should answer! Natun had an interesting comment. He said “when I am in my own Christian community I don’t need to know much. But when I am with my Muslim friends then I need to know more.” By the time we go home from church I was so sick. Jared said “are you going to make it?” I said “I don’t see that I have much of a choice.”😂I warmed up lunch and then collapsed into bed for sleep. No shopping today! Jared left at 2:30 to go pick up Lawrence’s at the Padma Bridge. It took them quite awhile to get home. Traffic was really bad again. When the BNP goes a day without calling a hartal the streets are really busy because every one feels safe to get out. They didn’t get home until 7. I knew everyone would need supper so a nap, hefty doses of Tylenol and Ibuprofen gave me a kick in the pants to get it made. Made Stromboli. Lawrence’s stopped and got naan, chicken and some puri. (Lentil and onion filled tortillas. If you know what El Salvadoran papusas are, they are like that but with lentils inside.) Layton and Shania seem mostly over their sickness so I’m grateful.
Saturday 11/11: Woke up feeling so much better. I was so thankful because I get really down when I’m sick. For sure when I have two little people depending on me. Lucky said she could come cook so I was glad! Lawrence’s love shrimp curry and so do we so Jared set out on a shrimp hunt. He came home with the biggest shrimp I have ever seen!! Layton has been restless with our lack of a schedule due to sickness the last few days so did kindergarten with him. Caught up on laundry and other things. Went to the tailor and got my dress and Jared’s clothes that he fixed. My dress fits much better. It’s a little snug now in the hips but he sewed such a big seam that there is plenty of room to let it abit. Lawrence’s had their own plans this evening so we just relaxed and took it easy. Jared worked on some reports for awhile. One noteworthy thing: It has been nice and quiet today. The past two weeks the helicopters and airplanes have been flying over very low. (The ones from the nearby military airport) Jared wonders if it has anything to do with the political unrest right now? Some days it’s literally every 10 minutes. The helicopters are so loud you can feel it in your chest. What an experience for these Kansas people, where the loudest thing we heard was the coyotes at night. I told Jared that when we go home we are going to feel eery with no noise.
Sunday 11/12: Jared had a very busy morning! Had 45 patients. We were supposed to take Lawrence’s to New Market but Jared wasn’t able to finish up in time so they went by themselves. I was relieved it didn’t work because the roads were horrible jammed up today. Layton and I did kindergarten this morning. Shania slept long enough that we were able to get some extra work done even! I try to do that whenever possible. This evening when Layton and I were down in the courtyard I noticed the night guard was wearing a stocking cap. It’s 80*. While it does feel so much cooler I really don’t think it’s THAT cold.😂
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