Day 2

The next day I think a few things were also finished off in the house, I continued to work my way through the suitcases and I even managed to get the kids to do a little homework, or at least write and draw in their Gambia books ( more excellent gifts from Gisela and Corinna). I had given them more or less free rein on their electronic gizmo’s up until that point because I just couldn’t cope with the fights and discussions but felt a bit stronger today.

I carried on sorting and managed to make some make-shift shelves out of some boxes, so the kids could put their own clothes away in some kind of order. The Toilet was working and the gas oven too, by now but they would come back for the water heater, once they had the wall brackets. We slept without the Mosquito nets on the first night, but not that I had found one I hung it temporarily to the curtain pole. The kids had another argument about something or other, so I asked Obama if we might be able to walk to the beach.

We walked to the beach slowly, Vincent loved playing in the sand as we went and now had his favourite stick (which we had managed to bring all the way from Berlin !? )

I hurried us up a little to make it in time for the sunset, it sets quite quickly here. We made up some songs, as we passed the various unfinished buildings, kids playing, animals grazing and many allotment gardens on our way to the beach.  

 ‘Here we are, in Gambiaaa, with our friend Obamaaa, come visit us, it’s not so far, but probably not if you come by car, did you know that here they all speak Mandinkaaa....

and very soon comes mamaaa !!’ (added Vincent).

The beach was a little rough at the edges with the various unfinished buildings and yet more rubbish dotted around, but stunningly beautiful at the same time. The kids ran off immediately once we got to the fine sand of the beach, it felt really nice to see the kids playing and enjoying themselves. With the sunset it was spectacular.  

I told Obama a bit about what I planned to get involved in and the waste issues in the village, whilst they played in the water, explaining to him how Biogas can work, he seemed interested. I’d had the odd message here and there from Anja and kept telling myself (and praying) it would be ok, I think I may have burst in to tears in front of the kids when I finally heard she was on the plane from Brussels. They didn’t really know why as I had anyway said that she would be coming on Friday.

The kids got into their pyjamas,  we got the projector working and managed to connect it to their game machine and played together a racing game. We turned it off, stayed on the sofa and read at little, the kids insisted on waiting on the sofa for Anja to arrive and were fast asleep when she finally did. They didn’t even wake up when we lifted them into bed.  She is here! Thank you anyone who was listening, I was just enjoying the fact that a little bit of our plan had actually, finally and eventually was going to plan. God, I was so relieved.