Steve and Casey Cretsinger Experiencing Tribal Missions in Guinea, W. Africa 
Pots used for cooking outside the house
I love to get out in the village without the kids and visit with friends. Not that I don’t want my boys to be out in the village, but it is infinitely easier to focus on my french without having to keep Ephraim from some major disaster! The other day I was visiting with my friend and she was sharing with me about how her bed was broken up in different pieces. She told me that she is trying to come up with some money to order a new bed to be made. I asked where she and her kids are sleeping in the meantime.  Here, each wife has a room that she shares with her children and the husband has his own room as well. She took me in her bedroom to show me. I stood there totally shocked that she is sleeping on the mud floor with just a sheet as her bedding. Not only is she sleeping on the ground, but so are her three kids who share the space with her. In that moment, I thought about all the times I’ve complained of a bad nights sleep and how truly blessed I am. Seriously, there are a million things that happen every day that remind me how extravagant my life is compared to those around me. To have my own bed with a mattress – with a fan even! is a luxury that most here can’t imagine. I asked her how much the bed would be and it’s roughly a years salary for her working at our mission guest house. She said that she hasn’t been able to save up any money because her kids keep getting sick and she doesn’t have any extra money after paying for medicine. Culturally, the husband is obligated to help his wives with food, but for things needed by themselves or by their kids – it’s the wife’s responsibility. It’s crazy to think that she’s already been sleeping for months on the ground and she could be sleeping there for years to come while she tries to save for a bed. It’s a hard line to be a friend to someone and not want to take care of all their financial problems. I’m not doing her any favors to become just a money symbol to her, but at the same time I want her to know that I do care and help her in some way. It’s a constant battle – not just in this situation, but in most of our relationships here. It’s one that we need your prayers for every day – as we seek to show compassion and empathy without those around us becoming completely dependent on us.
Tags: Africa, friends, relationships
