Our work in Kimini is all about children and their needs. Some days my heart is filled with sorrow. I question with my Western mentality how needless tragedies are allowed to happen. What sign did we miss? How could we have intervened? What prevention should have been in place?

Nine-year-old Fanta had died while we were away from the village. Fanta was one of three handicapped children in the same family. She and her two brothers, Seydou 15, and Issa 7 were all enrolled in school but only Seydou has a wheelchair to help get him to school. Fanta and Issa were not able to go home during lunchtime. Classmates carried her outside to sit in the shade under a tree that had a beehive in its branches. 

Being children, they began to throw stones at the hive causing it to fall to the ground. When the angry bees swarmed, the children ran away. Helpless, Fanta could not escape their wrath and was repeatedly stung. When help arrived, Fanta was covered with bee stings. She was taken to the hospital but did not survive. 

Life here is harsh by any standards. When you are poor and handicapped the odds are really stacked against you. We ask ourselves why this had to happen but there are no quick solutions to problems when you live in the fifth poorest country in the world.

Other days we rejoice when God uses us to intervene on behalf a child. This was the case recently when we became acquainted with Malima and her infant daughter. They had come to our house one afternoon when the news spread that we had baby clothes to share. At first glance, it was clear that this baby was very thin. After a few moments we learned that the child was 15 months old and was not receiving the nutrition she needed to grow. Something needed to be done before Nadjata became a sad statistic.

In nearby Bobo there is a special facility for children who “fail to thrive”. We had made the required phone calls and were told they would accept Nadjata and her mother. It is required that the mothers stay on site with their babies so they can be taught how to prepare highly nutritious meals and monitor the weight of the babies. The objective is to equip the mother with skills that will carry over when she returns to the village. 

Now all that was needed was consent from the family.

Burkinabe are very family-centered, relational people. So it was no surprise that not only was the permission of the husband needed but also approval was sought from the extended family. So with that in place, Malima, with Nadjata in her arms, climbed into the backseat of our limo. (Most likely her first ride in a car).

Upon arrival, health records were reviewed, measurements taken and weight obtained. Nadjata, a fifteen- month old, tipped the scale at a mere 5.5 kilos, about 12 pounds.

Now three and a half weeks later, weighing 6.5 kilos, about 14 pounds, Malima and Nadjata were given the green light to return to Kimini. The weak, listless baby girl we transported to Bobo now giggled in the back seat as we made our way back to the village. This was truly music to our ears!

A careful follow-up plan is in place to monitor the progress of Nadjata’s growth. Each Monday she will be weighed and a week’s supply of specially fortified food will be given to Malima to prepare for the coming week. We pray that the progress that has been made will continue and Nadjata will begin to stand, walk and thrive.

We start each day anew looking to God for guidance and strength to face each challenge with renewed hope.

A Forever Home--

We have shared some pretty awesome experiences this week with a truly amazing family from San Diego. The Dorseys have come to Burkina Faso to add Sylvain, a delightful six-year-old boy to their family. Being allowed to see the melding of this new family unit has been a privilege and a blessing.

They arrived in Burkina on May 23 laden with gifts to shower on the two orphanages where Sylvain had resided and gifts for Yako and Kimini as well.

Kellan, their sixteen –year old son, and I took a taxi to their hotel while Ruth drove the rest of the family there. It didn’t take me long to learn this was no ordinary family. Kellan is a special young man gifted in many ways. I told Kellan that Sylvain is a gentle boy full of enthusiasm and curiosity and added that I knew he would love him.            

Kellan responded, “ I already do. He is my brother.” By the time we arrived at the hotel I knew God was smiling on little Sylvain.

Saturday morning could not come soon enough. It was the long awaited day when the Dorseys would finally meet their boy.   

Sylvain ran into the arms of his papa and mama and embraced his new big brothers.  With twinkling eyes, he grasped the hand of nine-year old Nathan, a sensitive, compassionate boy.  I can only imagine the memories they will make together.

                                            

                                                                               

Clearly, Joe and Cris have already raised some wonderful boys. Sylvain is so lucky to have a father and mother filled with boundless love. Joe and Chris are the embodiment of the words of Mother Teresa, “ Intense love does not measure, it just gives.”

   

Generous Friends

Drilling a well

Each day has its highs and lows but one morning not long ago started out at a very high point. It is always an encouragement to hear from friends and family who are interested in what we are doing. Sometimes that interest spawns involvement on a personal level as it did with the 7^th and 8^th grade classes at North Country Union Junior High School in Derby, Vermont. The students have been studying Africa and recently read The Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park, the story of Salva Dut, a Lost Boy who returned to Africa after his immigration to Rochester, NY to pay it forward and build wells for tribes in the Sudan. Through various activities, the students raised $329.33 to help drill a well in Kimini. I am moved by the generosity of children helping the people in our village have access to safe water. Great job students and great job, former student and now teacher, Teresa Morrison Piette!    

 Rarely do you see a person in the village wearing eyeglasses. That was a reality that I had failed to recognize until Bev Favreau, a friend from home,

offered to send reading glasses to share with folks here. Organized like a true teacher, eyeglasses arrived arranged by strength in a well-labeled box making selection of the correct glasses simple.

What a delight it was to see the joy on the faces of men and women as one by one each held the bible and was able to read the Scriptures with newfound clarity of vision. Thanks Bev, for recognizing a need not apparent to me. You have brought joy to many people by your kindness and insight.

                                       

    

                                        

Comings and Goings

    The past few weeks have provided many opportunities to immerse myself in the daily events of life in Burkina Faso. Spending time in Bobo with the Matheny Family has given me a chance to concentrate on learning French. I am so grateful for their warm hospitality while Ruth is in The USA.

Each morning, Philip and I study for two hours with Paul, our language helper. Not only are we gaining knowledge of the language but we are also learning many things about African culture. At times , I feel I have made great strides and yet I am aware that there is so much more to learn. Looks like I’ll have to stay here a very long time!

Here are just a few of the other experiences I have had lately. We spent a week in Yako recently. I was so pleased to be with Barka and Alexis, our two sponsored children from St. Agnes Academy. I arrived just in time to deliver birthday greetings from the students in Dalton. Taking Barka and Alexis shopping for fabric to make new outfits for each of them was great fun. Pauline, the seamstress at Sheltering Wings, will make their new clothes. They could not hold back their smiles when given these gifts.

 The highlight of each day was spending time with the babies and toddlers.

We also participated in a small distribution of TOM’S shoes in a nearby village. The students were delighted with the donation of new footwear. I was delighted to meet Sr. Solange, a Sister of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

 

Another day we traveled along with the nurses to a medical clinic held regularly in Doure. Mothers were grateful to have their children examined and given the appropriate medicine.

And what would time in Burkina Faso be like without sharing a meal of TÔ with gumbo sauce, a favorite African meal?

I am grateful for each day spent with these beautiful people. Even the ones reaching 109+ degrees with frequent power cuts!

All Work and No Play....

 "All work and no play....." Well, you know how it goes. So sometimes you just need to have  a little fun.

Still taking field trips !

 Recently, we had a chance to visit the "sacred crocodiles" at the lakeside Bazoule village. The people of the village have lived harmoniously with these incredibly strong and fearsome creatures for many generations. Tradition has it that at a time when the village was facing a severe drought the women would walk in excess of 40 km in search of water. One day as the women were walking past the lake filled with crocodiles, a woman attempted to fetch water close to the crocodiles. Amazingly, she succeeded without being attacked by the crocodiles. From that day on, the women were able to draw water at the nearby lake without incident. The villagers, in gratitude to the ferocious creatures, named them the "sacred crocodiles" because their peaceful  co-existence saved them from a drought and thus saved many lives.

And we were grateful no lives were lost on the day we visited !                                    

My, what big teeth you have !

       

WHY ???????       Just because I could !

                             

What Is Normal ?

    What is normal to one person can be far from ordinary to another. "Ordinary is what you are used to.     This may not seem ordinary to you now but after time it will become ordinary."- Margaret Atwood
    No matter where we live, we bring our culture with us. It is like our skin and covers all we think and do. We may think we have risen above that but perhaps the most we can hope to do is adapt.
    Upon my arrival in Burkina Faso just over five months ago, sights, sounds and customs struck me as peculiar. I could be heard making comments about buying eggs from people on the street and questioning the safety of such a practice. Or thinking it odd that each morning women busy themselves sweeping SAND! Often I would regret that I had left my camera at home when I saw a a women balancing a huge pan of carrots on her head , each one artistically arranged  for visual pleasure.
    I have recently noticed that I rarely think of snapping photos of donkey carts, traffic jams created by sheep and goats crossing busy streets in the nation's capital or buses jammed with passengers both inside the vehicle and sharing space on the roof with luggage, motorcycles and livestock. Has all this become normal to me? Am I unconsciously adapting, assimilating to this new culture?

    Maybe so. I have eaten the  eggs without any negative gastric effects. Yet surprises still occur. Like the day Ruth hopped out of the car to dash across the street and over her shoulder said, "Buy some eggs and make sure they are not hard boiled." I simply chuckled at her humor and purchased six eggs from the girl who approached our car. Feeling quite pleased with myself, I held them for Ruth to see. "They are not hard boiled are they"? she asked. It was then that I realized she was not joking. And of course, they were " deja cuire" already cooked!!! Dinner became egg salad prepared with a plastic spoon and mixed in a black plastic bag since we were spending the night in an auberge ( hostel).
Julia Child would have been impressed with my skill in manipulating the "pastry bag".
    Every day I marvel at the richness of this culture  and still find things that aren't yet ordinary to me.

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