Things I learned today...

1) Never leave home without your cell phone
2) Memorize Blu's cell phone number
3) Always carry a spare set of house keys in the truck
4) Always carry an umbrella
5) Learn how to put the truck in four wheel drive
6) If you're feeling like maybe you shouldn't go to Bible study today, then maybe you shouldn't go to Bible study today...
7) And finally...never EVER think to yourself "I haven't had anything to blog about lately.."

Bible study starts at 2...it was 1:55 and I was not feeling like going. It had been pouring for hours and my stomach wasn't feeling so great. But I thought I SHOULD go, so at 2pm I threw on some nicer clothes, jumped in the truck, and headed off into the rain. Zambians are always late so I figured I'd be ok. Sure enough, I drove up to the church and nobody was in sight. I started to turn the truck around so that I'd be able to get out easier...spin...spin...I was STUCK in the mud. Not too badly stuck, but enough that I knew I would need Blu. I flashbacked to that moment before I left the house when I saw my cell phone sitting on the table and thought, "nah...I won't need it." Darn. At 2:20 one of the ladies showed up. She had a cell phone!! She had no talk time. Here you buy lottery ticket type cards called "talk time" to add minutes to your phone..almost every Zambian has a cell phone, but almost no Zambian has talk time. Then it occurred to me...I don't know Blu's cell phone number! I tried to stay calm as 2 more ladies showed up at 2:45. Then it started to POUR. Rain was pounding on the sheet metal roof and we couldn't even hear each other talk. Oh man.

Then I realized that Mrs. Musanje knows Blu's cell phone number! A lady showed up who had just enough talk time to phone Mrs. Musanje and ask her to get a message to Blu to come get me out of the mud. Mrs. Musanje's response? "No talk time." So she sets off in the pouring rain to a nearby store to get talk time and finally gets a message to Blu to come get me.

So at 3:15, Blu, Mulenga, and all 3 kids show up. (We have an extra vehicle at our house that belongs to some other missionaries). It had been pouring and the truck was now VERY stuck in the mud. But with some bricks, some pushing, and a shovel Blu is able to get it out and get the four wheel drive on. In the process, he runs into the back window of the truck and cuts the top of his head. The ladies then inform me that I can go ahead and leave because there's really not Bible study, just a planning session they are having. Blu then informs me that he and Mulenga, in their haste to leave, locked the padlock on the gate without grabbing the keys...

We get home, it is still raining, and Blu and Mulenga get out to assess the situation. Our gate is topped with 3 strands of an electric fence. We debate as to whether or not the fence will just shock you or kill you. (my vote was kill him). Blu daringly climbs to the top. Mulenga is about to have a heart attack right now as Blu is balanced precariously with his jeans just an inch from the wire. Mulenga warns Blu "Don't grab the tree!! There are no fibers!" to which Blu responds "fibers??? Mulenga what are you talking about??" At this point, Blu gingerly steps over the wire by using one of the "fibers" of the tree for balance. Suddenly all we hear is SNAP and Blu drops instantly to the ground on the other side with a THUD. He gets up, dusts himself off, runs inside for the key to unlock the gate.

We look at each other and agree...I should have stayed home from Bible study today...