NEIL IN NIGERIA: Day 80

Ogugu Last Week

Day 80-86 (Saturday 23 – Friday 29^th April)

I am going to do a bit of an overview for the rest of the time in Ogugu like I did for Kagoro. The week flew by, although it’s hard to talk about many tangible things I did. The time in Ogugu was designed to be our holiday, but I ended it more tired than when I began!

I’ll start by talking about the things that happened...

Easter Sunday was WEIRD, like the most bizarre church service I’ve ever been to! I can only describe it as odd, and barely related to Easter. I would really struggle if I had to go there as my church. Can’t really go into any more details because it’s not fair.

The Monday and Tuesday were the short term retreat which was an opportunity for the six of us plus Lynsay to spend quality time together and with God.

On Thursday I drove Mel , Will and Asabe to Ankpa which is the nearest town about 45 mins away. Half way there it started tropical storming which was fun because I couldn’t see the potholes. Will and I went paddling into the muddy market and I bought a Nigeria football top.

On the Friday I went to my first Nigerian wedding. It was a traditional wedding and we had outfits made in the wedding cloth because we are the Enefus (white people in Igala). It was very different to weddings at home! The bride kept changing her outfit to show off the cloth bought for her by her fiancée. We were fed with rice which was different to the other guests, and were given meat which I think was goat. There was one bit of ‘meat’ which was round, fatty, and white in the middle. I had a bite to amuse those around me and regretted it. It felt a bit like I’m a Celebrity!

So the things that need summarising:

Water – Comes from and smells of the stream. Has to be collected by one of the local boys who has random days off and leaves you with no water. This is the same water that they bath and apparently poo in, yum yum!

Electricity – Is from the generator which is switched on for 4 hours a day in the evening.

Shower – Using a bucket of the water described above

Toilet – ‘Flushed’ with water described above, but has drainage issues so doesn’t actually flush properly. Will and I had an agreement to only use the girls in the main house, which they don’t know until they read this.

Mocha – Essential for comfort and staying awake, and made perfectly by Mel on a regular basis without prompting.

Storms – Rainy season has started and it is incredible seeing lightning light up the sky every night even when the storm is nowhere near us.

Evening entertainment – The Jos girls went to bed each night really early at about 8pm to try and sleep before the gen and fans went off. I spent the evenings chatting, listening to music, and Will and Ogugu Lyndsey’s amazing guitar playing and singing. We spent a fair amount of time playing a lie and a truth, where you say one fact and one lie. Everyone then needs to work out which is true and which isn’t. Great fun!

All these things make Ogugu what it is, magical and special. I had an amazing time, and really enjoyed it. As much as I love the ‘luxury’ of Jos and am clearly called here, I could happily have spent my seven months in Ogugu.

Lyndsey – Lynz is a lovely bubbly person who I really enjoyed being around. She lights up the room with her crazy northern Irish humour, and awesome singing voice. When you’re feeling sad, she always has something nice or funny to say to make things better.

Mel – Mel is a little bit nuts in a good way, but one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I desperately tried to do the washing up each night and she wouldn’t let me. She cooked for us all the time generally things she doesn’t like just because she’s nice. She always thinks of others before herself. She’s taking a break from her Dr training and is being a Dr here. The locals call her Jane because they can’t say Mel.

Will – I love Will and am so glad I’ve taken him back to Jos with me for the next three weeks before he goes home. I’ve really struggled not having guy company, and he’s made a huge difference. He inspired me at the holiday bible club because he’s 19 and probably more mature than me as a nearly 27 year old, not that that’s hard! Will is amazing at the guitar, and we had some great heart to heart man chats, I’ll miss him so much when he leaves!

Ogugu guys you can dash me for my nice comments when I see you :)