She finally did it

Mbamie finally passed her learner's permit test. Quit laughing. I know this is supposed to be pretty easy, but it was so incredibly hard for her. I really think she passed by some mistake of the DPS lady as she was putting in Mbamie's answers. This was her 7th try to pass the test. I've translated for her for the last 3. We've studied, gone over info, any time I was with her in the car we went over rules of the road, we got her failed test back the second time to find out the correct answers...

She's pretty much illiterate in her own language. She has limited English skills. Very poor paper/book learning skills. No understanding of how to write tests, what are multiple choice questions, why they keep changing the test on her...

We were all praying including her husband in Africa, her, me and others. I almost gave up on the 1st page. We had just gone over one of the answers she got wrong on the last test while driving over. It was raining and the question was about slippery roads- can't get much more hands on than that- unless she was behind the wheel! Lo and behold, the first question was what we'd just talked about- AND SHE ANSWERS IT WRONG. As well as the next 2 questions. There are 30 questions, about 5 to a page and I almost told her we may as well hand it in after page 1 and give up. She had many other missed answers on other pages and you're only allowed 9 errors, so really I think some funny math got her through. We are just so happy she made it!!! She said one refuge in Dallas did the test 26 times.

Now she can learn to drive- which really terrifies me. Her siblings are horrible drivers and they passed the test the first try. Sometimes when they come to my house I tell them to go back and repark the car since it's sticking way out in the road at an angle. The teenagers next door, who have been driving since they were about 12 laugh at my friends when they attempt to drive up or park. I think these same siblings are going to teach Mbamie to actually drive now. Lord help us all- seriously.

But there is no other way. Public transportation in the fair mother city doesn't work for people with jobs and kids and only 24 hours to the day. It takes 2 hours and a trip back to the terminal to get anywhere. Half the time you could walk faster- but what do you do with a sick 3 year old and no ride to the doctor's an hour's walk away? (true situation)