Identity

In Burkina, there is a practice of tribal scarring. And though it is now against the law it is often still practiced in the village. Scars on the face (made by making deep cuts, that are then prevented from healing by covering them with ash) identify an individual to their tribe, and region. They are so particular that the Burkinabe can identify each other by these scars (usually down to family name) and can use them in lieu of identity papers (ie. Passport). It is often considered very special: something to be proud of. Simply put it is beautiful.

If you’ll allow me to, I’ll argue we all have scars on our hearts. While some are scars in need of healing (wounds inflicted by a painful time) others represent people and places that have affected us deeply.
Yako has left these scars on my heart: beautiful, deep scars that identify this time here.

Bilfu

A plus (ou au moins) Burkina… ‘A plus’ (literally translated ‘to more’) means ‘see you soon’ and au moins (translated ‘to less’) is what we often say to each other. It’s partly just a way to play around with words, and partly a way to say ‘hope to see you soon!’.
Bilfu- is a little like the mooré version of ‘a plus’.

See you soon Canada.
(thanks Fasichal for today's pictures)

Camp!

Thank You!
Camp has always been a huge part of my summer. It’s been a place to build friendships, strengthen my relationship with God, and learn some practical life lessons. This year when some of our kids started talking about summer camp I was so excited for them!
This week (Aug 22-28), nine of our kids are headed out to an International Young Adults camp that has come to Yako. It’s something they’ve all been looking forward to and I can’t wait to have news about the amazing week.
They will have bible studies, worship times, and seminars with guest speakers treating the subject of how youth can find employment in Burkina.
For everyone that contributed to the discretionary fund: your funds have contributed to sending seven of these children to camp for this week! Thank you so very much for being a support to the children of Sheltering Wings.

Tond na ya taaba

Tond na ya taaba; Oh! Oh!
Tond na ya taaba, Tond na ya taaba;
oh jah paga fond na ya taaba

[We’ll meet again; oh! Oh!
We’ll meet again, We’ll meet again,
In heaven, we’ll meet again]

Last night, as we spent some time celebrating together (we had a mini "fete"), this was one of the songs the kids chose to sing. It was, quite simply, a perfect selection. I have found myself humming it to myself all day today.
My last few days in Yako were very blessed, just as was all my time in Yako. I enjoyed lots of time with the kids and spent some time visiting with our tantines.
This morning I bid farewell to the Ghounghin church, and this afternoon to all our children. A day full of saying “until I see you next” has not been easy. It has however, been peaceful.

A picture with Ruth and some of my brothers and sisters just before leaving Yako.

in the heart. in the stomach.

Burkina Faso is not somewhere you say goodbye to. It is somewhere that takes possession of a piece of your heart and begs you to simply bid ‘until next time’. At least, this is my experience.
With the inability to say goodbye I have taken to saying ‘à la prochaine’ to my Burkinabe family and friends. When I say this, often we take a moment and say ‘if we don’t see each other again here, we’ll be worshipping together there’ and point to heaven. This puts a smile on our face.


Frederich Buechener once wrote "you can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you."

As I consider leaving loved ones and returning to loved ones I delight in the poetic ideas presented by Frederich Buechener. I think about the way in which those of Yako will remain an integral part of my thoughts and prayers, the memories of them I will keep in my heart and about how sometimes I will get a knot in the pit of my stomach thinking about them. And I know it is true: it has been so these past months for those I said good-bye to as I came to Yako as it was so last year when I was in Calgary, thinking of Yako.

I will be leaving Yako Sunday afternoon. In many ways I cannot believe how fast these four months have gone.

I look forward to what these next days in Yako have to hold. And to then discovering what these next months in Calgary will bring.