There has been an amazing new development in my family's concession and on my street corner in Siguiri. LIGHT! One day, I came home from Mandy's after dark, and upon walking into my concession's courtyard, I realized I hadn't tripped or stubbed a toe yet. Why? Because, I soon noticed, I could see where I was going! I was used to stumbling up to my doorway in the African darkness, but no more!

A single light bulb hung awkwardly with many exposed wires, changing my life after sunset. I now have no new black and blues on my shins and feet. I haven't fallen down the steps while brushing my teeth outside. And I can now easily drain my pasta's boiling water into the corner outside without fearing third degree burns. It's a new world for me.

After asking around in my broken French and even more broken Malinke, I learned that the tailor's mysterious husband has a new generator that is powering multiple family's homes.

This generator has changed my life in more ways than one. Another day, I approached the corner outside my concession and saw a new, but not-yet-functioning ice-cream machine. I thought to myself, "Wouldn't that be heaven?!" But I tried to not get my hopes up. I asked if they were planning to have ice cream one day, and they said they did - by Saturday, it would be running. Well, Saturday came and went, and I thought to myself, "Oh well, they meant A Saturday, not this Saturday. Maybe a Saturday sometime before the end of my service? Hopefully, but don't hold your breath, Amy." I was wrong! I could have held my breath! By Monday, it was up and running, dispensing a sweet-powdered milk flavored, COLD (in fact, FROZEN) substance onto a stale cone. Sweet frozen heaven! All powered by the generator Allah sent into my life.

It's a new world up in the Sahel!

And get this! We may be able to run a wire into my window and I can power 2 lightbulbs and a FAN (maybe)(inshallah!). But still, I won't hold my breath.....