Quick Update

After my two week break I decided to dedicate a day to catch up on my blogs. Let's be real, I'm only posting a summary about everything I would have written about. From the demon possessions to the so real feeling I have about leaving. 

Demon possessions - So the whole country shut down school for a week because of the mass hysteria that was going on. Once school started again the craziness commenced also. I had stopped trying to put a label on whatever was going on. Whatever it was the devil seemed to be on the winning side of the girls lives. The situation almost split the church and all of Bere. 

One day, one of my friends was carried to the hospital due to demon possession. Charis, Naomi, and I decided we should go over to the hospital and pray with her. (We had been praying for all the girls, but we wanted to physically be there for our friend). That is how I was able to see firsthand how the doctors treated this situation. 

I have to commend the doctors. It is a tough situation to deal with, and I feel like they handled it really well. Honestly, at first I was a little confused about their tactics, but I knew they had a reason behind their actions. Basically, Olen was yelling and asking my friend what her name was. She started to act up and get crazy again, so he pushed her down onto the hospital bed. He continued to scream and ask his questions as he inflicted a little bit of pain, whether it was bending the finger back or a finger pinch.

The church elders were all over Charis and I trying to make us see their side of things. They were mad that Olen kicked them out of the room because it was demon possession and a matter for prayer. We told them we were staying out of the situation. If they really felt compelled they should discuss it with the doctors at a more appropriate time. (Honestly, I wondered why they took all the girls to the hospital if they thought the only thing the girls needed was prayer).

The next day, Olen explained his actions during staff meeting while Danae went to talk with the children at the Adventist school. Danae answered all the teenagers questions and told the girls that if anyone else faked a demon possession they would be kicked out of school. Olen used the Bible as his support. He pointed how Jesus asked a possessed man what is your name and the response was Legion, not the man's name. That is why his first question to all the girls was what is your name. He continued to go through the Bible, story after story, showing how in the Bible the demon possessed cut themselves, threw themselves on the fire, or had no sense of pain. Within 10 seconds most of the girls would be telling him their name and answering all of Olen's question with the slightest bit of pain. 

After giving his argument for why he felt it wasn't demon possession, he continued to explain why he felt these girls were putting on a show. He used my friend as an example because everyone knew her. (She lives with her uncle who use to work in the hospital). She is far from her immediate family. Her father isn't around and the uncle she was living with took off for other reasons not involving her. Basically, she has no male influence in her life. However, when she throws herself on the floor and fakes a devil possession all her male classmate run to hold her down. The men of the church come and pray for her during her attack, and after every man is concerned for her. Boys and men come to visit her and ensure she is doing ok. It makes sense to do if you desperately want attention, but the girls obviously didn't think of the repercussions. No one will want to marry someone who is/was devil possessed. So they had a short moment of attention and then they will be even worse off from when they started.

It has been two weeks since these talks and there have been no more demon possessions. 

Gymnastics - We weren't able to get a show together because of the craziness with the girls. I am a little bummed about it, but I thank God for the time I had with the kids. They still come to gymnastics excited to practice and learn something new.

Crochet classes - I have been trying to write a pattern book for all the woman. I want to make sure they can continue on their own after I leave. I have made a pretty decent pattern book on my iPad, but the lady I wanted to teach how to read it got sick. Basically, she got a few splinters from pounding boule. The stick splintered while she was using it and the cuts got infected. Her thumb had doubled in size due to swelling and infection. For two weeks she was unable to come to class because she couldn't crochet. At first the sante-sante was only giving her Ibuprofen shots! Her hand kept getting worse and worse. I heard the she was only getting Ibu and said something to Naomi, but I'm not sure if the woman was told. Either way the next week she her hand was looking much better when she came to class. She was even able to crochet. So I pray that I can teach her and Naomi everything they need to know before I leave.

 

Party - I threw a small traditional Tchadian party at my house this past Saturday night. Let's be real, I tried to make it traditional, but what I imagined in my head isn't what took place. Most of my friends work in the hospital, so they were all called in for an emergency and were unable to come. Therefore, my party was composed of mostly party crashers and children. At first I was really upset, but I still had a lot of fun and enjoyed myself. I invited these amazing drummers for music, but they never came... I don't know what happened to them. Naomi said that they had confirmed they were coming Sabbath morning, but something must have happened. Our thoughts is someone died and they had to go and play for the funeral instead. (We just played the radio instead). Either way we had a ton of good food and funny moments. All of the men left early, but it was for the best. My family and the other kids had a blast with Charis and I. We taught them the cupid shuffle and tried to show them how to salsa dance. They taught us traditional Tchadian dances and we had a good time. It probably would have been more awkward then fun if all the men stayed. Charis and I are sure they wouldn't have danced. 

As of now everyone is gone...well almost everyone. The Parkers and the Blands left last week, and Charis left yesterday morning. The compound is really empty now. I am the only person left in the group of friends I made. Lionel and Charis left for home and the Tchadians are on a trip in N'Djamena. Therefore, I have been very lonely lately. I still go out and talk to/hang out with people, but it isn't the same. However, the more lonely I get the more excited I am to go home and see all my friends and family. I am still really sad to leave, but at the same time I miss you guys a ton!