Week 1 in Africa

Wow what a week. Seems like forever since I last emailed. I havent read anyones individual emails yet, but i will after I send this message. 

Missionary life is hard. Very hard. Much harder then i expected. I am trying my best, and everything is coming pretty good, except for a few things. I can understand why people lose weight here. Ive probably lost at least 3 in 5 days, just from stress and not eating. Like I never eat. For breakfast, I normally have two slices of bread, some sahdsa for lunch and maybe something for dinner if a member feeds us. But the real problem, is i dont know how to eat certain foods members feed us. My third night here, the bishop fed me and my companion, and it was fish with sahdsa. And not just fish, but it looked like a trout that had been thrown on a grill and then tossed on my plate. And they eat the whole fish. EVERYTHING. Like they start with the tail and work their way down to the head, bones and all. I couldn't eat it. I started gagging when I tried to take a bite, and evryone was watching me. I felt so bad. It was terrible. I felt sick all night. My companion is elder Ngobi, hes from Uganda. I'm being honest when i say i cant hardley understand a word he says.  The first 4 nights, I got about 2 hours of sleep a night. I was beat. The house I stay in is apparently one of the nicer ones, but it doesnt feel like it. AT ALL. There are spiders, huge spiders evry where. There are cockroaches and ants everywhere as well. I cant eat a slice of bread with out eating ten ants, no exageration. When I sleep I have ants crawling all over me. It is very hard to sleep. The whole mission is hand wash clothes only, which i havnt done yet but will later today. So the first night I got here, I arrived at the transfer house at 11 at night, and guess what. No electricity, no running water. It was a very very difficult experince for me. it is very hard to ajust here, and numerous times cominghome has felt like an amazing option. I am covered in mysquito bites from head to toe, and itch like crazy. here, i have used the bathroom twice, thats how little i eat. I feel sick everyday, but am slowly getting better i hope So i got sent to Bulowayo, The furthest zone in my mission. And apparently its the hardest area to understand accents. I figured that out pretty quick. Its been tough, and there are like no laws or restrictions here, so its crazy. its like nothing you could experince in USA, no matter where you go. All the little kids think its crazy that i am white, any road i walk down all i hear is "keywah" meaning white person. Its been a crazy crazy time here, but i am needing lots of prayers to make sure  i stay out and am safe. Please eamil me suggestions for how to survive and  how to cope with foo.. Love you guys E. CAZIER

                      

I forgot to mention that I was the only zim guy on my plane over. Its crazy how the Lord blesses you, cause i got lost in the South africa airport. And litteraly missed my plane. I talked to so many people asking where to go, and they would just look at me and keep walking. I just prayed and guessed which way to go, and was right! I like had to run to catch my plane, and was praying so hard i would catch it. I knew i was too late, so i was praying like crazy. by some insane chance, my plane boarding time was delayed 20 minutes so i barely made it. wow. What the lord does for people who pray!

Yah my misson is tough. So so so tough. I need some advice. The people here are super poor. im not joking when i say that their houses are smaller then living room. Like that is a large house in zimbabwe. In visiting about 40 houses, 2 of them have been the size of our living room. In about 150 people weve talked to, ive only been rejected once. Its not a problem getting into peoples houses obviously, the problem is getting hem to focus and listen. Everyone knows about god and how to pray. Havent met someone who doesnt yet. One thing that is crazy, is no women wear bras. And even to church they dont. Had a lady feed her baby right next to me in sacrement meeting lol. I was just sitting there waving at the baby and she pulled down her shirt and started feeding haha. Im also like the only white guy here. Everytime i see the other white missonaries it feels like home more lol. Miss you guys alot. Miss Ry, Dad, and Mom Elder Caz