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

Happy Easter! and Reflections...

Just wanted to say Happy Easter to all! I was, once again, excited to celebrate with my African brothers and sisters and see how they celebrate here. We had a great evening service Saturday night that was very similar to Christmas (only HOURS shorter). It was interesting to me how in the States we often have a Good Friday service but nothing on Saturday, and here that didn't have a Good Friday service but one on Saturday. There were many special songs sung by different groups- some GREAT numbers by the kids- as well as reciting the story of Easter (all in Mooré). I absolutely loved hearing the songs that are so familiar to me, just in a language I am starting to learn. Sunday's service was also similar and again, very short!! What a surprise! :) It was also interesting to me that people would say, "bonne année et bon fête de pâques (happy new year and happy easter)." Bonne année because it is a new year in Christ... An interesting way to look at it!

Brit and I in our new Assemblies of God (Assemblies de Dieu, AD) outfits. With Edward and Evance from the orphanage in their Manistee tshirts!!

Brit and I with Adiara, our social worker who has lived with us the past 2 months

At the orphanage, we celebrated Easter with a special lunch and dinner. Normally it's Toh every day, but for lunch we had macaroni with meat donated by our Social Action and for dinner, riz gras with meat- one of our goats killed by our boys, and no, no eyes or tongue for me this time. Brittany and I made cupcakes for them all for dinner and watched "Victory," an old soccer movie with legend "Pele" in it (whom they all love). It was a lot of fun, and great to eat all together and spend time just laughing and talking.

The kids enjoying lunch with a sort of koolaid drink they make for special occasions

The line up of bowls ready for the kids to grab for lunch

I pray that your Easter celebration was great as well, and that in this season, that God will renew our vision and remind us all how precious His gift was and what it means for us today.

I had an incredible experience during my week in Kongoussi, watching the film about Jesus’ life, that reminded me of the personal part of the story- God did this for ME! But also that it was because of ME that He died. I kept hearing the familiar hymn, How Deep the Father's Love for Us... "It was my sin that held him there, until it was accomplished. His dying breath has brought me life, I know that it is finished.."

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I can hardly believe I’ve passed my halfway point here in Africa. It has gone so quickly!! September still sounds very far away, but I know that this second half will probably fly by just as quickly as the last. I don’t like to think about how quickly it has gone though. Brittany gave me a good quote relating to this…

“Notice how we are perpetually surprised at Time. (‘How time flies! Fancy John being grown-up and married! I can hardly believe it!’) In heaven’s name, why? Unless indeed, there is something in us which is not temporal." ---- “A Severe Mercy” CS Lewis

This reminds me once again that life here isn't it... We're so surprised by time going by quickly perhaps because we are "time oriented" and yet we're not meant to be living in time. Our time here on Earth is so short, and yet we're eternal beings and our spirits are moving towards what will be be after death- where there are no limits to time. We are created to be eternal but our bodies are the ticking clock... I know, sounds a bit deep, but I've been thinking a lot about this lately... And would love to talk more if you want!

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"I will not boast in anything, no gifts no power no wisdom, but I will boast in Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection. Why should I gain from his reward, I cannot give an answer, but this I know with all my heart, his wounds have paid my ransom."

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Blessings in this new year in Christ!

A servant for Him,

~Liz

Featured Child for April

Madina was born December 20, 1992. She lives in Sector 2 of Yako, Burkina Faso. Madina’s father died in 2003. Madina is the youngest of 5 children. She has three older sisters and one older brother- none of which are married. Madina lives with her mother and two of her sisters.

Madina’s mother sells vegetables and peanuts for a small amount of money each day for the family but it is hardly sufficient to support the whole family. The home that the family of four inhabits is a mud-brick, one room house. It is probably no bigger than 10 feet by 10 feet. There is no electricity or running water and she has to walk to a nearby community water pump to fetch water for the family.

Madina attends the school Communale in Yako and is in Sixieme (comparable to 7th grade). She lives a distance from the school and walks back and forth each day. At this time, Madina is in good health.

Questions for me?

Just had a thought- if you have questions for me, specific or broad, about my time here in Burkina will you write a comment on this blog entry (found right below the entry, just click and write)? I’ll take a few questions to answer each time I’m online and maybe help everyone to get a better idea of certain things about my time here. I’m sure there are things that I just forget to talk about that you have questions about, so ask away!

A servant for Him,
~Liz

Something special for my Silent Praise group at Hope College!

Something special for my Silent Praise group at Hope College! The kids at the handicap center in Mahadaga were pretty excited that I knew some sign language and could communicate with them quite a bit the past few days. I told them about the group at Hope College called Silent Praise. I was a part of it for four years, and was director for my last two years. We learn sign language to praise songs, and share it with local churches. This was a huge part of my learning sign language (as well as a couple mission trips to Jamaica working with the deaf and taking an ASL1 class).

They wanted to say a special hello to my Silent Praise group (as do I!! Miss you guys!)!

(“We are the students of CE1 (3rd grade) in Mahadaga. Hello Silent Praise and God bless you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!”)

Mahadaga

I had a GREAT week and a half that FLEW by in Mahadaga in south-eastern Burkina. Mahadaga is another SIM station that has some pretty amazing ministries that I wanted to see and be able to help out a little bit. I arrived Wednesday (March 25) and was there til Saturday, April 4.

Mahadaga’s main ministries are a Dispensary/Clinic and a Handicap Center for kids. It was started quite awhile ago, and the dispensary is now run by Burkinabe people (not the missionaries). They are hoping to do this eventually for the Handicap Center as well. Both stations have really great staff that love the Lord.

So we arrived in Mahadaga (12 hours after I left Ouaga) just before dinner- I traveled by myself to Fada, and then met up with two friends from SIM (Maria and Kristin). It was a long trip, but talked a lot with different people and luckily wasn’t too hot (if you consider 100* + not hot). One of the missionary families from Mahadaga picked us up from Diapaga (the buses won’t go there anymore because the roads are so bad- better now) and invited us for dinner. They’re so great, and have two young boys (maybe 3 and 1). Caleb, the 3 year old, speaks English and French and a bit of Gourmanche (language of the Gourma)- throughout dinner he’d say “REGARDE! REGARDE!! (Look, look!)” and “Comme ça (like that).” What an awesome thing (and of course difficult at times) to have your children grow up with such culture and languages! The family already had ideas of things we could do for the next four days!

The first day we hung around the station a bit and went to the market. Unlike Yako’s market day which happens every three days, Mahadaga’s market day is every Thursday and much less of a selection of Yako’s. It is a really small village that has not as much access to a variety of foods. Mangos are in abundance though!! The trees are EVERYWHERE! I don’t think I had eaten mangos ever in the States actually, and in Mahadaga I ate them at least once a day! We got a tour of both of the stations in Mahadaga on Thursday as well. Friday we ventured to Parc d’Arly. This was very similar to Nazinga! We saw herds of elephants, buffalo, hippos, “pumbas” (warthogs), and baboons. It was real neat!! Saturday we went to the waterfalls in the area. Unfortunately it was more of a trickle, but still really pretty. A great hike as well (I couldn’t help but think of the Lion King again with some of the dead/dry surroundings). Sunday was church- all in Gourmanche translated to French. Was actually very different from church I’m used to here in Yako. I couldn’t quite explain it, but it was different! The language is sort of similar to Mooré, but I still didn’t understand anything. Fulfulde on the other hand (language of the Fulani) is completely different. Sunday afternoon, the girls and I helped a bit with the kids club that a missionary couple does right next to the station. I enjoyed just sitting and watching and enjoying the kids’ singing and smiles.

The local market

Pumba!

Herd of elephants
At the waterfall

Beautiful scenery around the waterfall

One reason I was real excited to come to Mahadaga was because of the Handicap Center. I’ve really enjoyed working with kids with handicaps in the past, and was anxious to see the ministry in Mahadaga. I especially was excited about the fact that they have a school for deaf children! The problem I found was that the kids were all on a spring break until Wednesday. Thursdays they do not have school, so turns out the only day I got in the school was Friday. It was great though!!

Monday morning I helped a bit with the handicap center. I worked on some admin stuff to help out the director. In the afternoon I helped with a big project of organizing the pharmacy over at the dispensary. Tuesday Maria and I both went out with the “animateurs” who are basically the social workers for the handicap center. They travel to distant villages and do physical therapy for the kids way out. They have some whom they visit each week, some every 3 mos, and some every 6 mos. They talk to them a bit, talk to the family, ask about any important needs, and do therapy. We visited four kids- the first young girl had a problem with her arm, the next boy had some mental issues as well as a large hump on his back, the next young boy was blind in one eye, and the last little girl had some issue so that her balance was off and her walking was difficult. It was interesting to see the different methods used for each child. And wow was it great!! Tuesday evening Maria and I saw our first birth. We had asked if it would be possible and checked in with them Tuesday evening. It was incredible. I’d be interested to know how different it is from the States (though am definitely not ready to be in that position yet!). Culturally, one difference is that no one is in the room while the delivery is happening. They are allowed to be, but it isn’t cultural, so the poor mother lies there alone. Many other things I would imagine are very different. Such an incredible thing to see the miracle of God in a birth of a baby.

With Patricia, an "animateur" and our first visit

A normal village in Mahadaga

Wednesday I went out with Betty. Betty is an 80 year old woman here with SIM who began as a full-time missionary here in Mahadaga in 1954. She retired some point around 2000, and has been coming back every year since for 6 months of the year. WOW! When asked if she’ll come back again, she answers, “Well there’s still so much work to be done. I can’t finish yet!” She is such an inspiration and really has done incredible work here. Betty works with the Fulani people group. For more info on them, see http://www.sim.org/index.php/content/fulani. She has quite a patience and heart for them. I went out and, of course understanding no more than 2 words, just observed as she sat and taught the Fulani in 3 different villages. They are beautiful people!

A Fulani family

Betty!

Thursday I spent the day at the handicap center. I helped out/observed some of the physical therapy going on at the center. I made some new friends right away, Potaga and Lalaba (don’t know spelling of their names because they just gave me their sign names). I learned a lot about the center while there. One of the coolest things I think, is that the school of 250 has children who are deaf, children with handicaps, and kids considered “normal.” They are all in classes together and ALL learn sign language starting in the 1st grade. So my two friends- Potaga had a problem with her leg which she has in a brace, and Lalaba is deaf. Both speak sign language! They helped me a bit with remembering some sign- and I found that much of the language is similar to American Sign Language. They walked around with me a bit, and I saw the school for about 30 blind children as well! Thursdays are a “trade day” for the kids- no school, but they learn different trades (girls- sewing, tye dying, etc, and boys-carpentry, leather working, sewing). They were all very willing to have their pictures taken, and as every other child here in Africa, LOVED to see themselves and laugh about it. After siest, Maria and I went back to the center and I gave her a little tour as well, but not as much going on in the afternoon.

My new friends, Potaga and Lalaba
Some of the boys learning carpentry

Friday was my first and only day in the school. I was real excited and got there early to find a class to observe. I first went to Potaga’s CE1 class (3rd grade). It was so neat to watch- they sign everything and the hearing students often speak out loud what is being said so that all of the hearing students can hear it if they can’t see it for some reason. So compared to other classes, it is probably fairly quiet, though you still have the sounds of children’s laughter and normal class noises. The teacher was real excited to talk to me and see that so much of the sign language was similar (he’d sign a word from across the room and I’d say yes what it was or sign the word we use). Really fun! At their recess break at 10, I went to a CM2 class. It was the class of the director of the school (I don’t think most schools here have the resources to pay a principle or anything like that, so it seems that most often, the director is also a teacher). He had a meeting though, so left his class to figure out different math problems that were on the board. I was pretty impressed by how motivated they were even though the teacher was gone for over an hour. It was interesting to see that in this small class, I think only 3 were deaf while the first one I was in had probably half of the class at least that was deaf.

I went back after siest, anxious to see more, and went to a CP2 (2nd grade) class. It was also interesting, and the teacher was kind enough to walk me around and have each child show me their sign name (and he’s say it out loud). These kids were very loud even though I think many were deaf :) It was real great, and I was sad to have to leave as I had promised the director of the project I'd help with some inventory before leaving. As the kids left for home though, Potaga and Lalaba found me to say goodbye and were sad to hear that it was goodbye because I was leaving. I had a sadness about leaving even though it was just a short time I was there. Such an incredible week full of many great experiences.

On the cliffs of Mahadaga, overlooking the city- beautiful!

A servant for Him,
~Liz

More OCC pictures!

A full truck of gifts every day!

A village in the very pretty, hilly area of Kongoussi

The kids would surround our bus and wave and grin- when we got out, every single one wanted to shake our hands!

Me with "Easidou"- a cutie that danced with us at the beginning of a distribution. Did not get a box, but OCC staff saw that he wasn't on the list and gave him one anyway

Some boys waiting for the distribution

The girls waiting for the distribution

Some precious kids outside of our bus as we sat by the road- just wanted to say hi and were amazed when we took pictures and they could see themselves

A girl opening her box while friends look in

Brittany and I in the warehouse with the TONS of boxes

A class of Muslim girls... An incredible witness for them as well


We would see large groups of kids walking down the streets- many with the boxes on their heads, some on the back of a bike. All would wave and smile and often try to chase the bus.