Camera Scare!!

      Tonight the staff decided to have a campfire on our last Sunday before the kids come back.  I really enjoyed all the hymns and songs we sang.  I am so blessed that I can praise God with all the wonderful staff at Sakeji.
      I had brought my camera to get a few shots of everyone since I don't have too many of the staff.  Unfortunately, after we had finished singing I left  my camera on the bench to go and talk to everybody.  When I came back Mr. T found my camera on the ground, on the very sandy ground!!  A flash back brought me to when I first got my camera.  The guy said to never bring your camera to the beach or sandy places.  Right from the beginning I knew that I would be, because I love getting outside pictures and just any where.  I knew why he warned me against it, but now I REALLY know why!! 

      Mr. T offered to take it home and try and clean it with a paintbrush.  I brought my paint brushes with me to Zambia so I said I would just take it home and try myself...with little success.  I was just about ready to burst into tears after hearing that terrible grainy sound every time I tried to open my lens.  The sand was in the lens!! As I usually do, I googled. I typed in "I got sand in my camera".  The results were pretty bleak! At that point I decided to take Mr. T up on his offer.  Their house is visible from ours so I made sure the lights were still on then walked down to ask for his help.

      Let me tell you it's very nerve racking watching your camera being cleaned!!  He used compressed air and a brush (which I think was a proper camera brush, not just a paint brush) to try and get the sand out.  It didn't seem to be working very well, so he went a step further and started taking it apart.  I did a LOT of praying all the while!!  I was praying for a miracle for my poor camera.  It's kind of silly, but...  I can now say I have seen the inside of a camera; I just wish it wasn't mine!  Mr. T cleaned it out even more (all the while he didn't have the use of his index finger because he had hurt it earlier).  Eventually I had to distract myself, so I helped Mrs. T with the supper dishes from earlier (our tea as the say in the UK).  So we talked and did dishes while Mr. T put my camera back together.  It's very discouraging hearing the error sound go off over and over again!

      He came into the kitchen to deliver the good news!!  It now works! The flash no longer works, but that's a small price to pay. Especially since I hardly ever use the flash any way.  It still doesn't sound quite right when turning it on, but the lens opens and my camera will work for some time longer.  I don't know how much longer, but at least I will be able to take pictures for the third term!  I thank God that He guided Mr T's hands as he worked on it!!  I am going to be soooo careful now! Lesson learned, "always be very, VERY cautious when bringing your camera near sand!!

      Thank you God for all your wonderful blessings!!