It's Been Two Days

That's the phrase people use around here when you've been too busy or too sick to go around greeting everybody.  It's like, "Wow, it's good to see you, it's been two days" even if in actuality it's been months.  Usually the next phrase is, "Why have you let me fall by the wayside?"  It's usually said with a giggle and a wink, but I always wonder how much people really feel like I've neglected the relationship.  It's really something to think about - that if you go two days without seeing somebody, then that's just too long, and perhaps it means that you're really neglecting the relationship.

Well, here's where you look at the date of my last blog post and say to me, "Wow, it's been two days, why have you let me fall by the wayside."  I laugh nervously and say, "well, I've been sick a little lately" (which is true), and I say, "I've been doing a lot of traveling" (which is also true - a trip to Bobo, Sindou, and Kangore to see the members of the Jula team plus a trip to Ouaga for Daniel to get to do some youthgroup activities with the expat community there - fun, fun, fun).

I also might tell you the exciting things I've been doing.  We had a literacy conference where we taught 24 prospective literacy teachers representing a possible 500 students from 22 villages that might soon be able to read passages of scripture in their own language for the first time ever.

I could also tell you about the recent grand opening of the literacy center in the Nabie church.  It's a unique church because it's on the border of Dagara land and a bunch of other peoples (Mossi, Puguli, Fulani, etc.)  There were a couple of Mossi guys in the class that want to learn how to read Dagara even though it's a second language for them, because most of the people going to church there are Dagara.  Interesting.  There are a total of 30 possible new readers in this literacy center. The other 21 literacy centers are still slated to start some time before the end of the year.

Anyway, when I'm in these awkward conversations about how it has been two days, I always have this internal urge to turn it into a battle of blame.  It's like I want to say, "Oh yeah? Well, why haven't you been knocking down my door the last couple of days. It's not like you've been trying to call me or anything.  You don't bring me flowers anymore . . . "  Then I remember it's just a verbal game we play.

So, what have you been up to?  It's been two days, and you've really let me fall by the wayside. ;)  Seriously, what's going on in your life.  I'll pray for you if you'll pray for me.