Switching Gears

It is said that "variety is the spice of life". I can assure you that variety does add flavor to our lives in Burkina Faso. Ruth and I often comment that there are NO "typical" days here. And it is all good !


Our  work here is divided between our ministry in the village of Kimini and all that it entails and our work with adoptions which calls us out of the village and into Ouagadougou and beyond.

Before arriving in the city this time, we were blessed by wonderful visitors who spent time with us in Kimini  blessing us and our people in many diverse ways……



LIKE : Providing Henzetta, the president of the Kimini women's  shea butter association the opportunity to attend an international conference held in Ouagadougou where information on production and marketing techniques  were shared.                                                                            

Merci , Dawn

Dawn and Henzetta

AND : Finally getting a coat of paint  on our "Home Sweet Home". Thanks Joy and Shari!

A splash of Golden Brown # 743 !

ALSO: Helping bring an infant and her mom to the center for malnourished babies Bobo.

Shari and Mamina

Now after spending four weeks in Ouagadougou for the adoption side of our work, we will be heading back to Kimini this week.   And it IS all good !

           
                                                     

Time" Marches" On

March certainly was a busy month. The last two weeks were filled with activity and abundant blessings. It would be impossible to share everything that occurred but here are some of the highlights of our "March" through the month.


The last two weeks were spent in our village of Kimini where the long awaited drilling of wells by the Friends In Action team yielded three productive wells in key locations. One is near the medical clinic and our house. The second is on the school property and the third is in a location at the edge of the village. Everyone in Kimini is rejoicing as the clean,safe waters flow to cleanse and quench their thirst.

And the water gushed

The mud flew

We cannot express the depth of our gratitude to these Christ-centered men who worked tirelessly from morning to way beyond sunset to bring the gift of water to Kimini. Five wells were drilled in all but two turned out to be dry. Although this was disappointing,it could not diminish the joy of the three good wells.

We all rejoice after successful drilling.

Dr.Scot, a member of the drilling team, was able to to provide medical assistance for five and a half days at our clinic. The stream of people seeking help never stopped flowing. We are thankful for his expertise and his willingness to work until daylight faded each day to see the throngs of patients coming to the clinic. Someday soon we hope to have the doors of the clinic open on a regular schedule.

Chief presents a sheep as a thank you gift to the drilling team 

Two nights of evangelization took place where the people were introduced to "The Living Water". Eight people expressed a desire to learn more about Jesus. We pray that their thirst for God will continue and grow even stronger.

Each morning we awake prepared to walk wherever God leads us. On a recent Sunday morning a family came to us from Folonzo, a village about 25km away from Kimini. They were seeking help for their malnourished 5 month old daughter who weighed only a lightly over five pounds.She had not gained more than a few ounces since her birth. Once arrangements with family were in place we were off to Bobo with our fifth malnourished infant and her mother.The mother is young and will benefit from the education she will receive from the experts there. Please pray with us that this story will will have a happy ending.

Sadly malnourished.



As always, we are so grateful for your prayers, encouragement and support  as we strive to to be the hands and feet of Christ to His people in Burkina Faso.

Back in Burkina

Well, today marks one month that I have been back in my Burkina home. It feels great to be back in the  sunshine again. Looking around me at the brilliant sun and palm trees blowing in the gentle breeze, it is difficult to recall the snow and freezing temperatures of Massachusetts.

We have been busy since our arrival in Africa.

Healthy twins.

Three times the love !

First order of business was to pick up healthy twins and their mama at the center for malnourished babies in Bobo. I never tire of hearing the "cooing" of contented babies replace the pitiful cries of babies on the edge. These little miracles doubled their weight in the nine weeks they spent there. The smile on their mother's face was thanks enough for us but not for her. Three times she walked the five kilometers from Nonfesso to Kimini to express her gratitude. The third time she brought a very welcome gift of fresh eggs.

We were asked to help a family struggling to feed their three month old triplets in Tondoura, another nearby village. We were more than happy to help by providing formula to supplement their nutrition. Most villages do have access to clean water and mothers are always instructed on the importance of using clean water and sanitizing baby bottles. Follow-up visits  to weigh the babies and talk with the family help to verify that these steps are being followed.

Cashew gatherers.

Every morning lately we have seen young girls walking by our house carrying long poles and pails. On their return trip through our courtyard they come laden with containers filled to overflowing with cashew nuts and fruit. It is amazing to see that each fruit bears a single nut. Children fill containers weighing 2 kilos and receive 150 cfas about 25 cents for each container. Where is the equity here?

Cashew fruit and nut.

Cashew nuts are so expensive to buy and so little trickles down to the harvester.

Thanks St.Agnes 4th Graders !

Mary, you put a big smile on Reine's face!

 Our work is filled with times of great joy! We delivered gifts to sponsored children. We brought  a goat to a family through the generosity of friends at home and gifted the Kimini school with flash cards made by the fourth-graders at St. Agnes Academy in Dalton,MA.

Thank you Sr. Maxyne!

Nonfesso has twenty five new children signed up for sponsorship. Now our goal is to connect these youngsters with people who can share their blessings and relieve the heavy burdens from the shoulders of God's little ones here in Burkina. I am so appreciative of those who have already opened their hearts and wonder if you might consider joining this family of friends and welcome a child into your heart. For $35 , about the cost of a couple lattes a week, or one meal out, you can change the life of a child in a positive and rewarding way.I have seen it happen over and over again.

We have many youngsters needing a sponsor. You may request a boy or a girl of a particular age. If you are touched to open your heart, Ruth and I would love to connect you with a child.Could we suggest Djeneba Tall from Nonfesso who would love to have a sponsor? Contact me or Ruth to learn more. Thank you in advance for sharing from your abundance.

Djeneba Tall

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to Me ." Mt.25:40

Renewing , Reconnecting and Returning

 Seven weeks ago I was eagerly awaiting my first trip back home after moving to Burkina Faso. I am now back in my Burkina Faso home. It is a strange feeling to be equally comfortable on two vastly different continents. What makes this so? People! Family and friends have been so welcoming and generous on many different levels. My thank you seems so inadequate when measured against the depth of kindness and generosity extended to me and our Kimini ministry.

Sharing smiles with Sr. Pat

Nothing can compare to Christmas at home with those you love.

Catching up with Sr. Maxyne

And what would a trip home be without spending time with my "St. Agnes Academy Family "? I was able to share my African experiences with the best students on the planet ( and yes, I am prejudiced) !

Busy hands are happy hands!

 Spending time with them and former colleagues brought great joy. I even  had the opportunity to help the fifth graders prepare for the upcoming fund raiser directed toward raising money for our new Kimini Milk Program.

Fifth Grade Helpers

Getting Ready

Attaching Labels

The children enthusiastically placed labels on baby bottles that will be filled with donations to help purchase baby formula  and cereal for malnourished and vulnerable babies. Ruth and I hope to be able to raise enough money to reach our goal of accepting ten babies into the program this year. 

My visit ended on a happy note. Doug Karrel, my niece,Cindy, and I were able to meet The Cassidy Family for lunch before bringing Cindy to the airport for her trip home to NC. It was such a delight seeing how happy and well adjusted Arnaud is and what a sweet family he has joined.

Together Again!

Cassidy Family Plus One 

 Tomorrow we will make the trip back to Kimini  and pick up where we left off before this delightful hiatus.

                                                                God is SO good !

The Year in Review

A gift from the chief

Stopping to reflect on the events of 2014 has left me wondering how I can possibly choose the highlights when so many memorable events fill my head and heart. But...

Home Sweet Home 

   We moved from our first abode into our "Home Sweet Home. "

New clinic

           
       The first building in our medical clinic project is nearing completion.


Orphaned,vulnerable children in five locations know God's love because of devoted sponsors who  assist with education, food and basic medical care.

Our first sponsored widow

Widows know the love of God manifested through the generosity of people like you.


                                                         

Two hundred fifteen Kimini students received medical examinations and treatment.

Open wide

OCC Kimini

Over seven hundred Operation Christmas Child  shoe box gifts were distributed and children were invited to attend bible classes.

Healthy Nadjata

Babies have received nutritional intervention and support.We have  recently started a Kimini Milk program to help fund  the expenses of keeping babies healthy.




Our small guesthouse welcomes Pastor Joel each Sunday when he comes to pray and share the Gospel in Kimini. We look forward to welcoming new Christians through evangelization efforts and hope 2015 will be the year we can say  Kimini has a church.

Hand in hand into the future

I feel so blessed to have met so many wonderful people who opened their hearts and homes to enlarge their families through adoption.

On the road again

We drive forward into 2015 with confidence and peace of mind as we travel far and wide in our new reliable truck.

AND we do all this because of YOU!

Full Circle

1-2-3 Open 

Does this smile say "thank you " ?

It hardly seems possible that nearly eleven years have passed since my introduction to Operation Christmas Child. I had no idea then where this would lead me but I am so grateful for each step along the path that has come full circle… packing shoeboxes, distributing shoeboxes, and now receiving shoebox gifts in our village of Kimini.

Stay clean and healthy

We are so grateful for the OCC  team who spent two days with children in Kimini and Wangolo delighting children with a lively puppet show to teach  the connection between good hygiene and good health. And then the joy of receiving shoebox gifts.

The real gift , however, came in the form of a child focused presentation of the Gospel message inviting the children and young adults  to receive the Greatest Gift of All !

 Those interested will be participate in a twelve week course to learn more about Jesus.

 The rest of the story is yet to be written.

Busy With His Work

On the road again 

Waiting for our new truck to arrive in Ouagadougou seemed endless when all we really wanted to do was get back to the village and minister in our Kimini community. Hearts filled with gratitude for all our donors ,we were finally able to take the eight plus hour drive back "home" with confidence that our days of stopping every thirty minutes to fill the radiator were now mere memories. This year our Thanksgiving Day was spent in our new truck raising hearts of praise and gratitude to God for his faithfulness and abundant  blessings and for you, our generous friends and benefactors, for making this all possible.

Drissa and new trike

Grateful Widow

Happy Aboulaye

Excitement and anticipation of great things to come energized us to hit the ground running as we prepared for our December distribution to sponsored children and widows. What fun we had purchasing rice, school supplies, blankets, soap and little treats for the special children sponsored in Wangolo, Kangala, Niangoloko and Kimini. It gives us a sense of satisfaction to be able to buy most of these items from the market and little boutique in Kimini and thus support local businesses.

"Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." St Francis of Assisi


                                 And yet the  stark reality of the harshness of life in Burkina Faso is ever present. Some days the sting is felt  a little more intensely. While meeting with the director of the school and a nurse in Nonfesso , a mother with two small infants, one strapped to her back, the other carried in her arms,came walking by. It was clear  these babies were unusually tiny.We learned that they were almost six months old but  each weighed only about five pounds. Something had to be done if these babies were going to have a fighting chance. A few days later we were on the road to Bobo to the clinic for malnourished babies with the mother, twins and Jennaba, a young girl who will assist the mom in caring for the babies.Once more my heart was broken as I gazed on these babies. Holding Fatamata in my arms and seeing her smile as I spoke to her grabbed my heart in a profound way. How many little Fatamatas and Adamas are out there only one illness away from death ? As time goes on ,we are becoming more aware of the need to establish an emergency medical fund  to allow us to respond when the need arises.

Jennaba holding Adama and Fatamata

Through the good works we are able to do in His name, we bring the Gospel to His  people that they may come to know the love of God .