I have so much to write about! Where can I start?! I am doing really well, I am adjusting to life in Yako and loving it.
I must humbly revoke my comments about there being no internet in Yako, as I'm writing this in Yako. Evidently somewhere along the way I got confused. There is no internet at the orphanage, but there is one internet cafe and another reopening shortly. My apologies!

Last thursday Liz, Hillary and I took the bus to Yako while Ruth stayed in Ouagadougou for another day. The bus was an advneture- I enjoyed it! The bus station is very different than any bus station at home. When a bus pulls up everyone runs and shoves their way onto the bus and for a few minutes there is mass chaos! And then the loading of the bus begins. Motos get loaded on the top, and more bags than anyone can imagine are shoved underneath the bus.. Our bus was supposed to arrive at 1:00 and leave at 1:30, but we didn't get on the bus until after 2:00. No one was worried though, I've been learning to live on a new way of looking at the clock. The bus ride was fun. We stopped a few times and leaned out the bus window to buy bread, and sesame treats from kids along the way. I spent a lot of time just watching out the window. The sights of Burkina and the African music playing on the bus was a delight.
When we arrived in Yako we walked to the orphanage. I probably couldn't tell you the way back to the bus station even after having been out and around- it's hard to learn your way around here! I'm grateful I've always got someone else with me when I leave.
Friday I spent a lot of time with the babies. They're wonderful! Lots of them love to cuddle, they love it when I make silly sounds, and the tickilish ones will flock to you if you tickle them. A couple of the older ones have taken to playing with my hair- which I don't mind in the least! I love watching the older kids eat too. Sometimes they eat to and other times they'll have riz gras (best described as african fried rice). The older babies have learned to take a handful and then stick all their finger in their mouth to shovel the food in. They don't spill a drop!

Saturday we were invited to the new years celebration for the Chef of Yako. The Fete started in the early afternoon and went all evening- but we only stayed a little while. There was dancing and music. And depending on which meal were invited to a dinner of some sort. SW was invited to the first of the dinners. Chefs from other districts and NGOS were among the the other guests.. Erneste (one of the employees at the orphnage accompanied Ruth, Liz, Hillary and I as our cultural expert). We met the chef, and the chef of our local district as well (although i think Ruth and I are going to anothe fete for him later this week) and then sat down to a meal. There was riz grasx, chicken, beef, salad, cous cous with beef sauce and fanta to drink. It was all very tasty. When the address was given in Moore the man sitting beside me said "Ma soeur-" and then translated into french for me, which was so kind!

Sunday was church. We arrived just as the music was starting (you never know i'm told. church "starts" at 9:30, but usually we'll leave at 9:30.) but we had to wait to go insde for them to get another chair for us. They have us sit at the front on the platform facing the congregration- which is a little for me. But i got used to it. I had a hard time singing along even with the songbook (singing is done in moore), but i tried. I'm sure i'll catch on as time goes by. Ruth preached this sunday, and the pastor translated for her. So it was really easy to listen to the message.

Yesterday was just an "average" day- if we have those i'm not really sure yet. I spent lots of time just hanging out with babies. I've gotten much better at changing diapers quickly! And i've started to get the hang of helping to feed the younger babies their riz gras (the youngest ones still drink milk, but some of the ones old enough to eat solid food spill everything without a little help.)
My french has been coming back bit by bit. It was a little shaky at first. But yesterday I had a really long conversation with Josie our nurse and I felt a lot more confident. Some of the kids
have said I have an accent but I figure that's to be expected. I'm trying to use my french as much as I can and not be shy of making mistakes because that's how I'll learn.
Barkwende and Yolande gave me moore lessons the other day in exchange for some english. I can say nose, eyes, mouth and chin in moore now. Well sort of. Moore is a tonal language: much like chinese the same word with a different emphasis can mean different things. For example when I attempt to say neck i say (to quote the kids) "caca". The kids find the word ear very funny, and anything with a th very hard. But I taught Barkwende to stick her tongue between her teeth and blow, and she can now say teeth very well.

Yesterday evening we went out for dinner to a little restaurant near the orphanage. We ordered four dinners and shared everything. Green beans, Macaroni (nothing like KD but still tasty), rice and peanut sauce, and Ragu (it was something with a potatoe like texture but much more dense. Alhtough it was a new texture and flevour I enjoyed it.)
I also tried To (pronounced t-oh, i'm unsure on spelling.) To call it a thick porridge like texture is so false! You could probably make bricks out of it. I had a bite of Ferdinand's and a bit of Therese's. There was a goopy green sauce poured over it- I don't know what the sauce was. I ate it, but it certainly took effort to eat it. Liz and I think we'll practice eating it once a week in case we're ever in a situation where we have to.
We tend to cook for ourselves instead of eating with the kids. We buy bread and lots of vegetables. La Vache Qui Rit cheese is available at our local store here in Yako - yummy! We buy lots of yogurt and although it tastes nothing like the yogurt i'm accustomed to (it's made from powdered milk.) I think it's delicious!
I had lots of questions about facilities so i'll let you all know I have running water and the electricity hasn't gone out once. Things are very comfortable! Also mentioned in a few emails was my luggage. One bag made it to Ouagadougou sunday night, the other is still MIA. The bag that has arrived will be driven up by a family that will be visiting on thursday. Prayers for the missing bag would be appreciated!

Other Points of prayer:
Pray for the babies- some of them are sick and in need of healing.
Pray for the state of the adoption cases of some of the children.
Pray for the new car- we still don't have it and are hoping to have it next week.

Tomorrow I`ll be going on a home visit with our social working, which will be a new and exciting oportunity!
Thank you for your prayers,
As the Burkinabe say
A Plus!