a glimpse at may

The past few days have been so blessed. I am certain I will remember them the rest of my life. My mind is working, I think, to process them, and I am tired from the days events. This perhaps, has contributed to todays lack of inspiration. However, photos and stories from the past fews days will be coming soon.

For now, some photos from the past few weeks...

Ferdinand (on the left) has started his own class over the lunch hour at school. The class meets under the bring tree by our front door. Ferdi takes his role seriously, he takes attendance, disciplines students for not listening and observes to ensure they are studying.

Augustin, one of the 7 students that will be writing the BPC exam in 6 days. Pray for the students as they continue to prepare for this difficult exam.

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Lukman (Joseph) and I playing

Abraham was one of the boys that participated in an impromptu afternoon photoshoot in the courtyard. It started when the boys wanted to look at my camera, try taking pictures with it, and then asked me to take their pictures. I followed them around the courtyard and took pictures at their command. We shared lots of laughs and the boys were thrilled to look through the shots.

Barka, on the road back from the village after our bikes broke down. The kids managed really well for a while, doubled up on working bicycles, but when another broke it became too much. Fortunately we weren't far from this rest stop and we waited in the shade until Ruth rescued us with the truck. Hoorah!

fête

Friday afternoon we threw an end of the school year party for the kids. A party for the kids is something that has been in my thoughts and on my heart since the early months of planning to come back to Burkina. This was especially cool because the other girls here had similar feelings about wanting to do a fête, and so we were all able to put our thoughts together and do a party together.
We started, late afternoon, with games. Not all the children were there, and not all wanted to join in every game, but we'd expected both these things and had a blast with the children that did do games.
Some of the games we played involved the parachute! The parachute was donated by Extreme Kids at Foothills Alliance and boy I wish some of those kids could have seen how extremely excited our kids were to play our parachute games. Little Faichal and Moumouni (two children that are fairly new to the orphanage) giggled the entire time we played. When we were all underneath the parachute, most of looking around at each other and laughing, I looked over to see little Faichal, curled up in a ball with a giant smile on his face. As the parachute began to fall around him his smile grew bigger, he giggled a little louder and jumped to his feet ready to go again. These were the parachute games. Thank you so much Extreme Kids for the parachute. I know this was just the first of many exciting adventures!
After games we all gathered for a family dinner. We'd made party hats which I'm certain everyone thought was ridiculous, but they were good sports about it and we all laughed... We all sat together and ate macaroni, goat and juice, followed by banana/peanut cake with buttercream icing. Throughout the meal we called on random kids to give speeches (in the true African manner- with no warning!). Some gave speeches of encouragement to the kids who still have exams left to write, some a thank you to the organizers of the event, some thanked God for His support for this school year. It didn't take too long before the kids called on us to make speeches; I knew it would come back to us!

After dinner we split into two teams and had a giant balloon sword fight. This was our second annual sword fight (the first was après-lunch in 2009) and I had such fond memories of it I knew we had to have another. It didn't matter at all that we'd spent hours pumping up balloons and twisting them into swords to see them all pop in a matter of minutes. The laughter, and shrieks of amusement were everything. It is also a hilarious way to see a totally different side of the quiet, gentle children: they somehow still remain gentle, as they laugh and hit you again and again over the head with a balloon, but it's just a little different...
Our final plan was to watch a movie with the children. This was perhaps what they anticipated the most. We brought out the projector, started setting it up and...the electricity cut out. It has, been cutting out at least once a day since I arrived (rather unlike last year: a large windstorm recently damaged the power lines between our town and Ouahigouya our power supplier, and we suspect perhaps this is the cause of the power woes). Sometimes it will go four times in a day but only five minutes each time, other times it is out for hours each time. Unfortunately last night it was out for hours. No film. Instead the children brought out the djembes. It felt like forever that the children drummed, danced, sang or simply enjoyed the music. I tended towards simply enjoying the music with the others- but I definitely joined in on a little dancing and singing! It was for me, a million times more wonderful than any film and I felt myself wishing for more nights with only the djembes... As I, selfishly, enjoyed the time without the movie and we have made plans with the children to watch the movie another night soon, maybe we all win.
And so here is another thank you: to all of you who contributed funds towards the 'discretionary fund' for this trip. My portion of the costs of the party (us four girls took on the party equally), was actually contributed by you! Thank you for contributing to this fun evening for the kids. The children have already told us they hope an end of the school year party is now tradition- they felt special! (I don't know if you can tell or not but the above picture is all three of our Abrahams sitting together for dinner!)

And lastly, a quick update: I am feeling well again! By Friday, although still more tired than usual, I was feeling back to normal. This is so encouraging! Thank you all so much for your prayers. God is good.

Le Foot

I can’t tell you how grateful I am to all of you for the ways in which you (my home team!) support me: through your words of encouragement, your prayers and the donations you have sent with me. From time to time I'll be posting pictures and updates with a little thank you note for these things. Everything is much appreciated.

Today I'd like to thank three of Calgary's Soccer Clubs for their generous donations.

I'd like to extend a huge thank you to Blizzard Soccer for the generous donation of boy's soccer jerseys. We held a small distribution and each of our boys received a matching, team jersey. Already I've seen many games of t-shirts vs. Blizzards and the boys have worn their jerseys everywhere. They were a huge success! Thank you Blizzards for the jerseys, and for the soccer balls!

Also I'd like to say a huge thank you to Northstar Soccer today for their generous donation of soccer balls. Last year and this year NorthStar donated heaps of soccer balls for me to bring to the kids at Sheltering Wings.

This year when I arrived none of the boys could wait until my luggage arrived because their last ball had recently broken. Once my luggage made it to Yako I was able to give the boys at SW as well as the children at our school a new ball. Many happy soccer games have since followed.

Thank you NorthStar!

Finally I'd like to thank NorthWest United for the donation of all things soccer: jersey's, T-shirts, shorts and socks! (Sorry: no photos yet.) Thanks NorthWest United!

***Edit***
check out Blizzard Soccer's Travelling Jersey section to see Sheltering Wings listed.

Starting Block

It seems I'd just made it out of the starting gate as far as my time here is concerned and already I've experience a hiccough. I got sick around Monday or Tuesday last week: I tried to keep going at my normal pace and ignore the pain in my stomach. midweek though this grew harder and by Friday I was down below half-speed. Saturday morning when Ferdi came to visit we talked for a few minutes, made a giant floor puzzle and then quietly I told him it was time for him to leave. He was confused, "I don't have anywhere to be" he told me and I told him I needed to rest. By Sunday and Monday of this week every movement took an intense amount of energy. I weighed the amount of energy each action would take (lifting the water bottle to my mouth, walking across the kitchen) with it's necessity before deciding when I would act. The girls and Ruth have been wonderful and took care of me. They're true sisters in Christ.
Yesterday we made the trip into Ouaga to see a doctor at the clinic. We've narrowed things down and are confident on a course of treatment. Fortunately I'd started that treatment (as a best guess..) on Sunday and so even today I am feeling better than I was yesterday. It's going to take some time before I can go at full speed again but I'm encouraged by the fact that I'm on the mend.
At times I've let myself feel being sick this early could be a discouraging. After all there is only so much time here with the kids before school is done and they leave for the summer. I'm missing valuable time with them. But, I have decided not to think that way. One reason being I can't change the fact that I've caught something. The other being, there’s some crazy reason for this.
I've decided on a theory: since I promised you all I wouldn't come home sick this time around I'm just getting this out of my system nice and early.
On our way into Ouagadougou yesterday someone rear-ended us. It has created an unexpected delay, in our return to Yako. We hope the repairs will be finished this afternoon and we can drive back this evening.

Please pray for health and pray for safe travel.
I'm looking forward to being able to update you about something more exciting next time I write...

Skeletons

Abraham asked me the other day if I have ever seen a living skeleton. He didn't mean a malnourished person, but a skeleton that was walking. When I told him I hadn't, he said very seriously that he had. Whether or not he was kidding doesn't bother meit is what happened next was that impressed me.
I said "I would have been so scared! Weren't you scared!?"
He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
"No," he said casually. "Not scared."
I said. "Why on earth not?"
He put his hand over his heart, lifted his eyes to the sky and pointed to the heavens. Then he smiled at me. "Understand?"
Yes. I understood just fine. It was a little exchange, perhaps based on fiction, but I appreciated it. How had I forgotten the deep faith of a child?
This morning I was in the village doing an impromptu children's outreach with Sarah and three of the children from SW. As I stood with the 150 village children around me I remembered the time when Jesus said "let the little children come to me" and about the verse that says "don't let anyone look down on you because you are young" and I was reminded of God's deep love for his children.
This is what is on my mind today as I have been praying a lot about a serving opportunity (with the village children) that I feel God has put on my heart. There is much to figure out still but I trust things will be revealed in the right time. As I pray about this I have been adjusting back to daily life at the orphanage. It has been good to get into familiar routines of playing with babies and time with the older children. This week has made me excited for what is to come.

Les bebes

Friday morning I saw the tantines and babies for the first time! It was so exciting to spend the morning playing in the totspot again. My first morning back at the tot spot I was reminded how much I love that beautiful, quiet moment when a baby falls asleep in your arms. I had three fall asleep in my arms in the span of a couple hours and was really enjoying my morning's work!
The tantines are still the same and I love them. As we care for the babies we have intermittent conversations about everything Brukina and some things Canada, like my lack of a fiancé.
The fiance conversation goes a little like this: the women ask if I'm engaged yet, I say I'm still a student and they all promise to find me a husband in Burkina. One of them suggests her son, who is far too young to be married, but apparently a suitable suggestion because evidently I'm not doing the work of finding a fiancé myself. We all laugh about her suggestion, I ask her how her about her family and the topic of conversation changes.
And our mornings progress as we tickle babies, change diapers and stop tears.
Here are some brief updates on the four babies I know from last year, all the other babies I knew are back with their families or placed with new families! We have 16 babies right now and I look forward to getting know them. Already I'm learning names and seeing personalities come out.
Joseph: still an old man in a little body(a wise soul). He is now the oldest baby and sometimes, I think, bored with the lack of children his age to play with. He is ever adorable and a petit bandit.
Jules: has grown a lot and it makes my heart glad. Last year he was in and out of the MSF creche every other week very sick and malnourished. I used to lose sleep worrying about his health but he is now healthy and spunky! While last year we would struggle (unsuccessfully) to get him to drink his milk we now have to keep a close eye on him because he goes around the totspot stealing the other babies' bottles.
Emmanuelle: She started walking while I was here last year but she's improved dramatically. She is now running around and keeping up with Joseph. Her personality is starting to show and she's absolutely adorable!
Wendenmie: Last year she was SO tiny! When she came to SW she was dehydrated and the soft spot on her head had started to sink in (the villagers filled this in with putty). She became so sick we worried she had meningitis and the nurses struggled to give her an IV because she was so dehydrated. For a few brief hours we feared she would die before we could get her to a hospital- and then she pulled through. Now she is so big didn't recognize her: she is walking and healthy. Praise.

Returning

"We're in Bousse! That means we're halfway!"
"Now Arbioles: twenty minutes!"
"The peage!"
That was me on the bus ride to Yako from Ouaga. Miriah didn't need a play by play of what time we could expect to arrive in Yako based on what town we were passing through but I was excited.
It had already been an exciting couple of days. The day after we arrived in Ouaga Ruth arrived and we were able to spend time catching up with her. I'd spent an antsy afternoon thinking every car that drove past the gate might just be Ruth driving up, finally when she came I was doing a little happy dance in the courtyard while the card parked and the guard laughed at me. I think my lack of Burkinabeness was showing in that moment. The next morning Adiara came to our guesthouse to visit her. I bolted into her arms and she, Ruth, Miriah and I spent some time that morning catching up. Adiara was married in January and so is no longer in Yako at the orphanage. Hopefully though, we'll see her from time to time.
Two exciting days before returning to Yako...
Lisa and Sarah (two SIM short termers at the orphanage) met us at the gare (bus station) in Yako. They told us the kids had been asking when we would arrive and if they were allowed to go to the gare to pick us up. They'd even seen Aristead sneak to the gare and had to send him home.
Arriving in Yako felt so good! It didn't feel like 10 months had passed; everything was still familiar. We walked from the gare, past my favourite tree (still standing precariously), down a backstreet near the church and...the closer we got to the orphanage the more my heart raced... and then we turned the corner on the last street and we were at the orphanage! I saw Aristead poking his head out the gate. He dissapeared momentarily (I assume to alert the others of our arrival) and then ran back to greet us just as we arrived outside the gate. Soon there were children everywhere. The girls and Ferdinand came right away for hug (Ferdi a giant bear hug). I saw Therese and Joseph standing and giggling timidly by the gate so I scooped them both up for a giant group hug and then gave them individual hugs and got a brief moment to chat with each of them before greeting someone else. Aristead took my backpack from me, and our crowd moved from the street into the courtayrd.
As I got more hugs and shook more hands I heard a familiar name being called: "Bitty". It was Joseph calling me. Now, keeping in mind he is only 3 ½ I believe Therese was coaching him. But, having him call my name and run for another hug from me was a better reaction than I could have hoped for- in fact it made my heart glad! Last year he ran away crying from new people, and I'd prepared myself for the little ones like Joseph to do the same when I returned.
The next of the greetings were a little less crowded and busy than those on the street but just as joyful. Many of the boys were gathered under a big tree so we joined them there as the others that were finishing up a soccer match and joined us slowly. We shook hands and gave hugs, asked about each others families, how school is going and about the other's health. It grew dark quickly and the power had been cut in Yako so we sat chatting in the dark. I was able to make out the children still by their voices and usually by their silhouette.
So much of the evening went by fast I can't begin to tell you everything. I loved the little moments with the kids. Therese lounged on my lap for most of the evening; every once and a while telling me something she remembered about when I was here. Ferdinand snuggled next to me on the bench and told me to 'eat my shoe' (in english) and then smiled, waiting for me to say I remembered that. Evance asked me to describe the emotion I felt upon returning and when I said "joy" he showed me he'd just updated his facebook status from his cellphone about how joyful Miriah and I were to be back. Barke had baked us a welcome cake and we all shared it together. It was a busy evening in the sense that there were so many children to see and catch up with. I was feeling so many emotions and there was so much going on it felt busy...But it also felt right, in that it was an evening lounging under the big tree with the kids. There was a lot of laughter, lots of hugs and lots of sharing of 'remember when'...
The next day (Friday) I spent more time with some of the children in the morning as we played a round-robin of connect four. Then we all shared lunch of to together. It was just as I'd thought: I wanted the community with the children but I hadn't really been missing to. That being said it tasted just fine and it was fun to have again. While it rained for the entire afternoon and evening that day Therese and Ferdi still came to visit us at the house. Therese smiled at me and ran across the living room, jumping into my arms for a giant bear hug.
These hugs from Therese, or the giant smiles and big handshakes from the boys are special greetings. I was thrilled to be able to, once again, do the special handshake that we do between friends here: snapping eachothers middle fingers as you pull your hands away. It has been so special to see the children again, to catch up with them just a little in the first days and to recognize these reunions are just the beginning of the time we have together. I continue to pray about the relationships I have with the children and that they would continue to grow and strengthen. The kids ask about how long I will stay this time: I tell them four months and they are happy (although some say I should forget about university and just stay here...). I pray about how I can build into their lives in the time we will have together.

dust on my feet

There's this old saying: 'you can't wipe the dust of africa off your feet' and there are two things I know to be true about it. The first is that if you can take the saying to be literal (which I'm not suggesting is the intended meaning). I've been in Burkina all of two hours and my feet are filthy. However, the second is more along the lines of the intended meaning: once you have Africa in you it's a part of you, and you can't get it out. I know this to be true. Africa is a piece of me. Burkina, is in fact, one of my two homes.

When I felt the wheels of our plane touch down on Burkina soil this afternoon my heart burst open in my chest. A part of me came home this afternoon. And in the seconds following I recognized I was surrounded by a small gathering of people that were experiencing the same pulsing emotions I was, because, as we all looked out the window at the beautiful burnt-red soil someone up front began to clap. And then, we were all clapping, grinning like fools and whispering quielty that we couldn't believe we were in Burkina.

And so here I am! From the moment my first plane took off in Calgary to the moment the last plane touched down in Burkina it took me 27 hours to get here. It was long and exhausting, but the fatigue I feel is a small price to pay for getting to be here.

I'm spending tonight and tomorrow in Ouagadougou before leaving Thursday morning for Yako. I had to take my sweater off and change into flipflops before leaving the plane this afternoon. It was almost 17h00 here and pushing 40C. We spent a long while in the airport searching for our bags in the baggage room, but finally everything came out of the other end! Every piece of luggage has arrived just as we packed them- a huge blessing. Thank you all for your prayers so a safe flight!

Dirty feet, high temperatures and hearing the word 'nasara' shouted as I walk by are just a few indications that I am back in my other home.

10354

I depart tomorrow morning! At 7h05 my flight will leave the Calgary airport and I will begin the first leg of my journey. Calgary-Montreal-Paris-Niamey-Ouagadougou is the schedule! I will arrive in Ouagdougou on the 4th at 16h40 local time (12h40 Calgary time). Miriah and I will take the bus to Yako the morning of the 6th.

As I have considered this departure I have struggled to put into words the way in which you (as my supporters, friends and family) will all be with me in Burkina. I know it sounds cheesy so I will call on the words of the wise Frederich Buchener to help me...

“When you remember me, it means you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. I means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us.”

Know that whether I have known you my whole life or you are a new friend you have had an impact in my life. And so while in the next months countless miles may stand between us know that I will never forget where I came from. The people of Calgary, my home church, my friends and family will always remain a part of me.

The thing is, this isn't goodbye but simply a see-you-soon on my part (as I'll arrive home at the end August). Until the time comes that we see each-other face to face know that I carry memories of you with me. You remain a significant part of my journey whether you are near or far.

I look forward to updating you through my blog, and I anticipate news of how your summer is going.

*The actual distance between Calgary and Yako is 10354km (as the crow flies) so it’s not actually countless miles that will lay between us...

Just a quick prayer request...Please pray for safety and rest as we travel. Also please pray for little things like our bags arriving as they should, where they should, when they should.

Toto

It has been a crazy, wonderful, week of visiting with friends and family and packing.

Yesterday and today as I finished the day’s errands Toto’s Africa came over the radio. I smiled and enjoyed the little shout out to Africa.

I leave bright and early monday morning. I have finally reached a point at which my bags are packed and I can see an end of the errands that need doing. The reality of the nearness is hitting me: in just a few short days I will be in the land of my heart.