Welcome to Madagascar Mom!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. My mom is here visiting us in Madagascar, and the truth is I have been delaying this post. I have been waiting to tell you of all of her wonderful, amazing impressions of Madagascar. Unfortunately, we haven't gotten there yet! Sometimes I forget how much culture shock I have been through in the last year and a half - so watching my mom go through all of the same emotions I have had in the last year in only two weeks has been overwhelming.

My mom's biggest fear coming to visit, was going through the customs section at the airport. (yeah...I know that seems crazy...but she has heard a few bad stories about customs here) When she arrived, Grant and I were there to meet her as she came out of customs. I asked her how her flight was as we continued to walk out the door of the airport and she said, "So far it's been good...but I haven't been through the worst part yet. Customs." I laughed, and said, "Mom, you just came through customs!" How funny, that the biggest fear she had she didn't even know she had experienced. :)

We spent our first few days in the capital. Mom was overwhelmed by the amount of people. Not just overwhelmed, but shocked. She just couldn't fathom why there were so many people EVERYWHERE all the time. Where were they coming from? Where were the going? I told her that because all of the shops are outdoors along the road, it was as if we took all of the people in America (in all of the malls and walmarts, etc) and dumped them outside. She still couldn't get it, and still comments daily on the masses of people.

Despite being freaked out driving in the masses of people, it took her one walk around the neighborhood for her to decide she preferred being a driver to a pedestrian. She was sure she was going to get run over by every passing vehicle. She now has a new biggest fear...that is that one day we will hit a person and have to live with the emotional turmoil that comes with that.

Mom did enjoy a fun trip to the Croc Farm (once we arrived off the bumpy road). She was able to see her first lemur, but to her surprise was even more excited about being able to hold a beautiful chameleon.

Her favorite moment from our time in Tana, was when we attended a local youth group Bible study. Mom was overwhelmed listening to them sing (in beautiful voices) praises to our Lord. It is pretty amazing to be able to have brothers and sisters in Christ all across the world, despite not even speaking the same language!

Here are a few pics from our time in Tana (along with one of Eli and his buddy Judah).