Tim the Tarantula

Last March God taught me a lesson on how to become friends with a spider that I named Sam. Him and I spent countless hours together in my bathroom while I recovered from an allergy to cheese. He prepared me in many ways to survive here in Kenya, taking speedy showers, living with spiders and other creepy crawlers and gaining confidence to be able to kill bigger and more scary creatures that exist here.

But on Tuesday of this last week, a new record of spider experiences occurred that I believe (and sincerely pray) will never be broken. I was sitting on my bed in the village (minding my own business!) writing in my journal about the day and listening to Shrek on my computer. It was a beautiful evening actually, a slight breeze blowing through the window as I wrote down my fairly uneventful but good day that had taken place. I glanced over to the wall at the foot of my bed because I saw something out of the corner of my eye move.

My body paralyzed, my net down but not tucked, my voice gone for about 30 seconds, no I think it was closer to 5 minutes I really had no idea what to do. If I move it may move. If I speak it may move. I was obviously not thinking rationally but how can anyone when this thing is so close to you??!!

I know the picture really doesn’t do it justice. And just for fun here’s a comparison of Tim the taratula from Tuesday and his cousin, Sam the spider, from last March. Tim was hairy, a big body and about 3.5-4inches in diameter (my American roomie vouches for the measurement).

I refuse to take pictures but I have gotten a bit more confident killing cockroaches. They are huge here, many fly/have wings, and they are soooo fast!!! Two nights ago I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night to find one near the “toliet” and there was no way I was going back to bed without accomplishing what I had come for so I bravely (because everyone was asleep) smacked the very large roach with our broom. Unfortunately that did nothing to him and he quickly tried to make a run away but they only way to go was at my feet. Since God was the only one able to see I’m pretty sure He was laughing because it was a sight to see.

I did win the battle though, him dead and in the water I was able to “flush” him down and then complete my business. I still don’t like them, I do prefer someone else to accomplish the task but if it comes down to it, I will complete the job.

I’ve come a long way in almost a year. Who knows what God has next!