A trip to the desert!

Last weekend I made the trip to the desert in northern Burkina Faso. Along with Brittany and five other SIMers, we drove up to Djibo. We passed through Kongoussi, and from there til Djibo it was just dirt roads- washboard roads is more like it. I swear cars aren't meant to shake that way.

The first day we relaxed a bit and then headed out to a Touareg camp to ride camels and see their way of life. The Touareg people are refugees from Mali- a nomadic people group. They look almost Arab and their language also sounds similar to Arabic. We arrived and sat and had Fulani tea (similar to chai tea, but done differently) which was SO good. We got to ride camels- not a far distance, but very cool. They get up and sit down very differently, lots of jerking around. Turned out to actually be sort of comfy- who knows, maybe next I'll ride through the Sahara on camels! The village also had a well 30m deep that we got to see- so cool! There isn’t a pump on it though, so they attach a rope to a camel and ride him out a distance to pull the water up. Did this a number of times just to get water for all their cows!! Then got to eat a traditional meal- rice with sauce, pintade meat (yum!), and believe it or not, Camel's milk! I didn't even know they were milked. Warm, but good. I have to say, I REALLY miss dairy here. It was a very cool experience to sit on mats under the stars and talk with these very interesting people. They were very welcoming and seemed to be such a different culture than many of the Burkinabé.

A typical Touareg home

The Touareg people

Riding a camel!!

Video of me on the camel as it stands up- hold on tight!

Brittany and I with our tea

The second day we got to visit a hospital in Djibo that specializes in surgeries. Don’t worry, squeamish Liz didn’t watch any surgeries (or pass out on the floor). The hospital was started by a missionary couple (not with any organization) about 30 years ago. The husband is the only doctor (and the only person in the Djibo area that does the kind of surgeries he does) and the wife works in the lab there. We got a basic tour and got to chat a bit with this awesome couple. Afterwards we went to visit the pastor of the only Fulani church in Djibo. Remember me talking about Betty who works with the Fulani in Mahadaga? Well SIM has also worked with the Fulani in Djibo for a long time, and recently, a Fulani pastor has moved to Djibo with his wife and son to pastor the church there. A difficult job which is a definite prayer request! After our visit, we learned a little Fufuldé- “Djem Wali (Good morning, how are you?” “Djem tun (I’m fine!).”

The third day we went and climbed Djibo “mountain.” Every big hill here is called a mountain as most of Burkina is fairly flat. It was really beautiful (interesting how the desert can be beautiful)! Near one of the hills was a Muslim gravesite that had been beat up by the winds and sand so that many things were exposed now. All of the bodies were buried in clay pots facing Mecca. So interesting to see! Afterwards, we headed out to a Fulani village. This was actually a really incredible survival story. Friends in Action (same people who tried to dig our well 2x) put in a well just outside this village. Before the well, they had to walk a huge distance just to get water each day. The people were very very sick and had many diseases- the village was basically dying. After the well, they went in a year later and everyone is very healthy (except for a recent measles outbreak- happening over w.africa right now) and even complain that they’re hungry all the time now (which is because they are actually healthy and have an appetite). You can see the joy in their faces as they pump water for their animals and their families. We sat in their only mud-brick home (most Fulani sleep outside under a straw house) and had a traditional Fulani meal. It was basically Toh like we eat at the orphanage (or that I try to eat), only I actually really liked it. It was made of millet flour (we normally use corn four at the orphanage) so was more of a grayish color and much more sticky. The sauce was similar to one we’d have, but whatever that was in it (or not) that was different from the orphanage made it pretty good! After this, we were given Bouillie. This is a sort of cream of wheat made out of millet flour as well and usually sugar is added (much better with sugar). Our kids here at the orphanage eat this every morning for breakfast. Was a fun afternoon! The gravesite

Djibo Mountain

The toh of Fulani (Nirie)

Me showing kids pictures of themselves

The Fulani village (in the middle of nowhere)

Finally, Sunday, we went to the Fulani church before heading back to Ouaga. It is a very tiny church, and the only church in Djibo done in Fufuldé. It was really neat to sit there and listen to a very different sounding language and music than I am used to in Yako. There is something so beautiful about all of the different cultures that mix here in Burkina. Just as the landscape is incredibly diverse, so are the people.
The pastor and his family

I know I mentioned before going that it was going to be HOT. It definitely was hot, but I am so thankful that my body has really adjusted to the heat. It really didn’t feel much warmer than Yako or Ouaga. The only thing that was different was that there weren’t the same breezes that we’ve had down in Yako. It was really great in Djibo, because we slept outside under the stars and it cools down a lot at night, whereas in Yako it basically stays the same all the time now. My trick for this has been soaking a towel and laying it over me- actually have been sleeping pretty well with this! When we left Ouaga Monday Brittany and I noticed an outdoor temp gauge saying 49*C (121*F). I’m surviving the hot season!! Thank you for your prayers :)

Our bedroom :)

A servant for Him,
~Liz