wonderful, wonderful rain...

Saturday night around 2:30am, a huge gust of wind blew my mosquito net out from under me. I tried for a few moments to tuck it back under the foam pad on top of my stick bed, but I quickly realized what a futile exercise that was, and resigned myself to sleeping without it. A few moments later a few blissfully cool droplets of rain began to fall. I laughed out loud…The wind picked up and picked up the corners of my foam pad, scattering my water bottle, head lamp, keys, hand fan, ear plugs, and cell phone everywhere. I followed my family’s lead and took cover under my sheet and mat, to protect me from the blowing sand. Suddenly, several bolts of lightning hit in the distance and the downpour began. RAIN! It is difficult to describe the total elation I felt at the familiar and sorely missed sensation of cold water bearing down from the sky.

As my family scurried to bring the mats and mattresses inside and out from under the tree where we all sleep, my sister Binta (my namesake), helped me grab mine and we dashed to my hut on the other side of the compound. The torrential rain combined with my tin roof was deafening and we had to yell at one another as we set up my foam pad on the floor and sat to wait out the worst of the storm. Not knowing how long the rain was going to keep up, all I could think to do was stand outside in my douche, with my arms outstretched high above my head, letting the rain soak me from head to toe. Twenty minutes later the storm let up. Soaking wet, I walked out to take down my mosquito net which was now saturated and pulling on the tree’s branches. My family giggled at my wild appearance. And rightfully so. There I was, hair matted down, standing on top of my stick bed in my pajama shorts and tank top, soaking wet and grinning from ear to ear. As my family settled back down outside, I set up my bed in my hut for the first time since I had arrived Wednesday night. It was the first night that the temperature had fallen below 100 F in my room, and for the moment the electricity was working and I slept in a bed with a real fan. Total bliss…wonderful, wonderful rain…