Taboo

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Hello friends!

Can you imagine living in a world where there are rules for literally in EVERY area of life? And if you break one of the thousands of taboos, you live in guilt, may be ostracized, or you may even live cursed just because you were born on the wrong day.

I’m reading a book about some Malagasy taboos (“fady”) and it’s just overwhelming:

1. To begin with, you can’t just ask, “What are your taboos?” You must say something like, “What customs and traditions, including taboos, did your ancestors observe in this place?”

2. One rule I LIKE is that you must not show a stranger the wrong road. lol.

3. It is forbidden for a son to shave his beard if his father is still alive.

4. Children born on Alohotsy Friday w ill not be allowed to grow up. They must be placed out in the fields

to die (unless destiny can be changed – a very expensive process).

4. If a child is born on the birthday of someone else in the family (like Caleb and I were both born on December 21st), they must separate the two kids by giving the newest child to away to be brought up in another family lest the two destinies collide and put the family in danger.

6. Sundays are powerful days, Monday days of weeping and sorrow, Tuesday light and playful (nothing important can be done on this day), Wednesday is evil and you should not travel, Thursday is a good way for weddings, Friday for burials or bloodshed, and Saturday an excellent time to wear the color blue (for freedom).

Highlights of this week included learning about mosquito bourne illnesses (MALARIA!) and a trip to VA Beach on Saturday! It was raining when we left, but as soon as we got outside of Richmond it was sunny and BEAUTIFUL! So warm, in fact, that we ended up swimming in the ocean. :D Heather and I looked really far across the ocean and Africa and SAW Madagascar…or maybe that was just our excited imaginations.

I love you all,

Cara :)

More from training!

My dear friends,

I have spent nearly a week here and it has been lovely! The highlight of my week was on Friday afternoon when we were "assigned" (ha ha - I love it!) to take three hours alone with God. It was a time of refreshment and joy, and much needed after last week.

Stat: the company supplies the 2nd most vaccines on the East Coast (second only to the military) giving approximately 15,000 immunizations per year!

Here’s a picture of Kylie (7), Karis (5), and Caleb (3) after they helped me make some delicious brownies.

Play-dough is a staple game with the kids, but we also did hair when Kylie’s friend, K-Beth, came over.

We have a great group. I can’t show you all their pictures, but here are my wonderful roommates! From left to right are Lauren, me, and Heather. Lauren is headed to Malawi, and Heather is my friend going with me to Madagascar for two years (brave woman!).

And lastly is a picture of my superly fun sisters (taken at a tea room just before I left) to remind you to pray for my family during this time, as well as myself, as we adjust to being apart.

I love you all,

Cara :)

Hello from Richmond!

Dear friends,

Quick update - I am here! Lots of acronyms to learn...among other things. I was blessed to have my daddy drive up here with me. He's now in the air somewhere flying home to Nashville. Ask that he arrives safely in time for his study group tonight! I am in quad 3C, and the address is still the same. :)

We took the high road (literally) through Virginia for part of our trip, so I attached a few pics from that. The frightened faces are some painted rocks that I thought were cute. :) Eventually I’ll take some pictures of the training center here so you can see where I am living!

I love you all,

Cara :)