Day 9 (9th May)

We had rain last night, thank God! Made the climate cooler. Still managing the on-off electricity but this is something one gets used to in Nigeria. Although the continuous drone of generator drives me…. Especially my Mum’s tenant whose apartment is directly underneath my room. They keep their generator on all day and night; sometimes they don’t even know when the electricity comes back. Couldn’t the Chinese come up with a noiseless generator for goodness sake? I wonder how people who lives in a block of apartment of rooms manage, each one with their own noisy gen. Am sure this would be affecting our eardrums or something.

Anyway, one of my quiet days is Monday as it is a fasting day for me. As usual I tend to spend it with as little physical activity as possible. Was in doors except when I went to help a fried pay in some dollars into his domiciliary account. I still can’t decide if it’s more beneficial and cost effective to hold a hard currency account or a Naira account if you are in Diaspora. Anyway, not an issue for me right now, any dollar I have is for spending.

I always have this anxiety anytime I have to go to a Nigerian bank. Anxiety because you don’t know what you would meet when you get there. You might be told your account is dormant, or your signature is not the same as their record or you fill this form and put the pink in a box sitting on the far end of room. I find my banking experience in 9ja tedious. Oh yes, not to forget that you have to relieve your body of everything jingly, hold your many phones (in 9ja we do have more than 2 phones as you never know which network might be clearer) in your hand with your hands up in the air as you enter the security entrance. Anyway, this time I completed what I went for unscathed. Although I heard something like ‘the account is dormant....’ and I was thinking just pay the money in my friend.

I managed to get my laptop out and start typing my sabbatical journal all the while praying that God will help me keep it up. I know am not a daily journal person. I have a diary which has been writing in for nearly ten years now and the small black book is not yet finished. Just goes to show. But this one, I am determined and focused (by the grace of God). I want to challenge myself and push my limits in these six months. I know I can do it and will do it.

All the while am thinking of the many things I want to accomplish. Related to this is setting up a blog to share my sabbatical journey. I’ve asked a friend to help get a data bundle to start this as DIY (do it yourself), should be easy what is it. Am quite excited.

Still on John Eldridge book ‘Walking with God. I want to finish this by end of this week, in fact, I’ve set myself a target (so many targets chi, God will help me oh) to read one book per week. I have been buying and keeping so many books that I promised myself I would get through in this six months. So far, not bad, am on page 52 of 210 and its only Monday. If I read average of 50 pages a day (did I mention that I started the book four days ago?), then I should be able to finish by the weekend. Very good book, a lot of emphasized on Jesus as the Shepherd leading the sheep, in essence that we believers should be followers of Christ. He must be the one leading in all areas of our lives. Makes me wonder how many times I had taken a decision to do something and then just remember to ask God to bless it. I conveniently forget to ask Him first, if I should do it or not. Father, take me to that level where I don’t breadth without asking you first.