A little thing

When most people think of living in Africa they think it's exotic and completely different from the States.  I suppose that's true in a way when you look at the whole picture, but really I find that there is much more the same.  It's like speaking a different language- two languages may have completely different sounding words for an object, but it is essentially the same.  Take the words "dog" and "perro".  Same animal, same relationship to man, but different words.  In the States kids climb oak trees, here my kids climb mango trees.  But when it comes down to it they are still kids having fun and climbing trees.  The kids used to look out for squirrels and get excited when they saw one from the car (seriously), now they look out for monkeys.  The language, the context is different but the life is the same.  

One little addition to our lives comes in our bedtime routine: foot washing.  The kids roam about the garden all day with bare feet and by bedtime their feet are filthy!  I make them wear shoes when going out and about, but many of the children here do not.  I'm still getting used to seeing teenagers at the grocery store with no shoes on.  I confess I chuckle at the thought of those Tom's shoes.  In America it sounds great to send a pair of shoes to a needy kid in Africa, but being here it kinda seems silly.  Even the rich kids don't wear shoes all of the time.  Even funnier to me are the pairs of knock-off Tom's for sale in the stores here.  Oh irony upon irony!  

But I digress.  After the kids have gotten their pjs on and brushed their teeth I line them up in our bathroom.  I use a little basin of water and have them step in and then I scrub.  It's amazing to watch their feet change color!  By the end the water in the basin is orangey brown.  The girls like to go last so they can be the one to soak in the warm water.  The boys just want it over with.  :)