New Year 2008

I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas, wherever you are in the world. On Christmas Day I shared lunch with a family here (Ebrima, Bintu, Nyakasi, Moro and Haddy) and a family visiting me from the UK (Stephanie, Roger, Rachel and Caroline). We ate in local fashion from a communal bowl, sharing rice and cow meat (as beef is called here; it is a rare treat for most Gambians) followed by fresh papaya, all washed down with mango juice and baobab juice.

 

      

 

I enjoyed welcoming my ‘strangers’ to The Gambia (visiting guests are known as strangers). We saw monkeys, crocodiles and a violet turaco (a purple bird) at Abuko Nature Reserve. We spent a night in a basic lodge in Sanyang and dozed in hot December sunshine. We attended the church of St Charles Lwanga in Faji Kunda on Christmas morning, where we witnessed a fantastic nativity drama by local children, and the Catholic bishop of The Gambia presided.

I was sad when my strangers left yesterday. I walked away from their hotel and wheeled my bicycle along the beach under palm trees, with cool Atlantic water lapping at my toes. It was so lovely to see them, and to enjoy Christmas together. And it gave me some small comfort to call in at the VSO office in Fajara and collect a number of envelopes sent by friends back home. Thank you to all who have sent cards, letters and messages – it makes a big difference.

      

This blogsite has received nearly ten thousand visitors. I wonder who will be the first visitor in five figures. Please humour me by recording your visitor number as a comment below… 

I wish you well for 2008. I will toast 2007 in a few nights time, and will think cosy fond thoughts friends who I have seen rarely or not at all during the past year. Perhaps I can finish this year by quoting The Electrics, a Scottish Christian Celtic Rock band, who wrote… 

May your life in this world be a happy one
May the sun be warm and may the skies be blue
May each storm that comes your way clear the air for a brighter day
And may the saints and saviour watch over you.

Happy New Year
Justin