My (first) dust storm

It hasn't rained since October. I mean, really rained.  We had a small drizzle one morning in February.  They call it "mango rain."  But the dust and the dry heat is very real here in Niger.

The constant "my-face-feels-like-it's-too-close-to-an-open-oven" heat of hot season apparently comes with 2 perks:  mangoes and dust storms.  Sunday night after NEWS, a couple friends and I ran through the sprinklers.  How could we resist?  Sweat was dripping down my neck and my hair was damp.  We kicked off our shoes and let our toes meet the grass.  I skipped to let the cool mist from the sprinklers shower cool head and heart.  (Never mind that the three 20 year olds were joining the elementary students.)

As we danced in the sprinklers, dragging each other by the hand, we noticed a brown cloud close to the horizon.  It was getting bigger, but it wasn't until one of the dorm students ran out into the field did I realize what was happening.  Dust storm!

While many church goers attempted to get home quickly, a group of youth joined together on the softball field, filled with anticipation.  The winds picked up and the dust began to invade eyes, nose, ears and mouth.  Grit filled my mouth as I talked and we leaned into the wind.  The sun, which had been brightly shining, quickly disappeared.

Since being in Niger, I have truly missed the change in weather that Pittsburgh brings.  And while yes, we were getting extremely dirty and covered in sand, the change in weather was too exciting to miss!  We sat and chatted, smelling grass and dust.  What others might have considered irritating, inconvenient, and maybe even dangerous, brought us together.  We forgot our troubles and laughed in the late afternoon haze.

Isn't it funny how storms bring us together?

Thank God for dust storms.