crying naked in the dark with half-shaved legs

so apparently all the power outages are starting to get to us. One of my teammates was worried that the power would go out again while she was taking a night shower and we would just find her there crying naked in the dark with half-shaved legs...oh Africa you do have your quarks...so i got sick, had a nice throat infection for which I'm still taking antibiotics...Monday night we went out to dinner for my bday before two of the team members headed out, one back to the states the other to France, Israel, Singapore and most likely a stop in between...the restaurant had the AC on, normally that's a good thing...turns out when your sick it's not such a good thing, who knew you could be cold and get the chills this close to the equator...so a fever of 101.6 Monday night translates to a fever of 38.4 or something the next morning at the doctors office...that's right i went to a third world (2/3 world) doctor's office when i got sick...we're lucky, for some reason the small clinic that is literally on our street one block down is WAY WAY nicer than the hospital...to quote the Dr.s Bob from when they were here from Texas, upon their return from the hospital had this to say when asked, so how was the hospital? one of the Dr.s Bob said this "puhh, small chuckle" the other of the Dr.s Bob said "Yeah it uh...looks like the kind of place you don't want to go for treatment"...so we are lucky to have our clinic, pretty sweet the doctor was very nice spoke some English, but upon hearing that i spoke some french his English went out the window...got tested for malaria, 2500 CFA for that test, roughly $5, not bad...had to get blood drawn however, I've never paid so much attention to where the needle was coming from or going to before and after it was in my arm...oh happy day it came from a case and went to the trash, yay!...the doctor prescribed three things for my throat infection, the antibiotic, some pain medication, and vitamin C tablets...well we're roughing it/have little money so myself and the other teammate who was feeling poorly past on the pain medication, oh yeah that's right be impressed we're so hardcore (please note that the tone of this last sentence should be read as incredibly sarcastic)...so i took my birthday off from teach, normally that would be awesome and i could do fun things...but alas, i spent my bday lying in bed sweating trying not to swallow because someone, who shall remain me, said "naw we don't need to spend money on the pain medication"...it's loads of fun being sick in Africa when you're on a mission trip or doing volunteer work, want to know why? well of course you do...it's loads of fun because you're some kind of gift from God and everyone and their mother, brother, sister, Aida, the former prime minister's guard take it upon themselves to say or do something for you...so as i lay in bed thinking i wasn't going to die but still in enough pain to wonder if it would be the best alternative, Pastor Zongo burst into my room looking WAY to concerned..."Ben!" he said in a low whispered voice as his eyes nearly popped out of his head, "Ca-va?" to which i quickly replied "uhmahu" (no that's not Moore, i just couldn't realy talk)...Zongo "I gonna pray for you", to which i did reply "go for it"...keep in mind Zongo looks roughly like a life size teddy bear...he put one hand on my knee and the other on my shoulder, and if it had been a WWF wrestling match i think he would have thrown me through the window...why are there so many miracles in Africa, cause we don't have medical care, that and we pray...i was teaching the next day made it through with no problem and my throat gave out just in time to dismiss my last class...all my students took the class period they would normally have with me to make birthday cards (Hallmark ain't got nothing on my students with scissors, tape, paper and colored pencils)....upon my return to the classroom i was greeted by one class with a great rendition of happy birfday to you Misoure(t) Ben...aside from the adventures of sickness this week not too much out of the ordinary...a good lesson from Matthew basically says that i need to shut up because when Jesus sent out the disciples to do mission anyone who welcomed them welcomed the Lord, so I should just keep my mouth shut and be grateful I'm welcomed. Picture is of my birthday presents, a traditional hat called a "gaban" and a Burkina Faso national team soccer jersey, Go Stallions!