Cock-a-doodle-doo

July 25th, 2007

At four o’clock in the morning our family begins waking up. Each one in turn takes a bucket bath and dresses into their school uniforms. By seven o’clock they have left for school in a taxi. The very first morning that I slept in our new home, I was awakened at six in the morning by the gonging of the neighborhood church bell. The next thing I heard was a rooster crowing “cock-a-doodle-doo”, then the chirping of birds with their high pitched voices.

“What a perfect alarm clock” I thought as dawn began shyly creeping its ways into the African sky. Suddenly, the entire heavens seemed to burst with praises and melody as the church was filled with the orchestra of drums, sassas, singing and harmony. The scenario reminded me of my childhood days in Cote d”Ivoire, West Africa on Christmas Day. “What a great way to start off the day,” I mused, “just praising Jesus!”