Today was my last real day of “holiday” even though I really didn’t deserve it after only one week of observation. I tried to write an update yesterday; however, it was one of those days that the internet just decided not to work…for four hours. After that, I finally gave up and went to bed.
Yesterday, Thursday, I went to school with Sheila to do some more planning. Scholastic book orders had come in. Who would have thought that they would even be able to ship these? Sheila and I organized all of the orders for the school. Parents buy a lot more than they did when I was in elementary school! We then went to the supermarket which is a cultural experience itself. I love riding around on the roads because it is like a roller coaster ride—full of suspense. After two weeks here, I have made some observations. Enjoy 20 random things:
1. Milk comes in powder and packages here. The powder comes in coffee cans with Arabic writing and the packets look like individual butter packets.
2. Flies are slower here. I think that they are not used to being swatted. Bri…they would have nothing on you! : )
3. There is a mix of the 19th century with the 20th century with living in the capital. This is especially true with the driving and roads. The 21st century is a long ways away.
4. Speaking of the 20th century, they created a bypass. Wow! It is hilarious to watch the people get on that! Everyone looks confused and cars are going everywhere. Also, bicycles ride on it, too. This cracked me up because it looks like a highway and then you see this twelve year old riding as fast as he can beside you.
5. There are no lanes on the few paved roads. You honk if you want someone to move over and look for any available space. Free space is anyone’s to claim.
6. Analogy….Sheep is to Ireland as Lizard is to Burkina!
7. You can have a whole conversation with “Se Va” because depending on how you say it, it means several different things.
8. Tampons are kitchen sponges.
9. Instead of step stoles in the grocery store to stalk the shelves, the men climb into buggies.
1o. Digestives and Magnum bars are here…I am one happy girl!!!!!
11. Everyday from 2-3pm is lunch and siesta time. I am starting to finally get used to this.
12. Commercials during a TV show is a new thing here. They still have hardly any…it’s awesome!
13. Women have strong heads and great balance, and they start this at a young age.
14. Whenever you are in public, people are ready to help you…and to make money. No one asks if you need help; it is an automatic thing. Some examples that I have experienced so far…man carrying my luggage and loading it at the airport, man cleaned our windshield at the light, men are always in parking lots waving you to a spot and helping you get out, and in the grocery store, they box your things and carry them out (similar to the states here I guess). They don’t expect a lot of money…just something. On the street, people will risk their life by jumping into traffic if they think they have a sale.
15. My feet may possibly be red forever.
16. Diet pop is hard to find and I miss Sprite Zero! Everything here is Coke products. Interesting enough…some man managed to find me Diet Pepsi but there is no Diet Coke. I am thankful for this…just thought it was strange.
17. Bills like electricity, water, gas, etc. are paid in person.
18. “No” is not a word in the Burkinabe vocabulary. They will always try to find a way to do something, even if it is not what you have asked.
19. Glitter scarves are the “new thing” in case you are looking to be in style.
20. Hannah Montana has managed to create a fan club even in Burkina.
Anyways, on to today…HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRI!! Today my brother is 27 years old. I wish I could be home to give him a hug and go out to eat with my family. But, I guess I will just have to make sure to find those lion teeth for him instead! Oh, and Happy Halloween! Only because I know the date do I know it is Halloween. Nothing here is decorated because only the American kids and a few others know about it. Today has also been a very productive day for lesson planning and writing papers. We had pasta and MAGNUM bars for lunch which was really good. Then, this evening I enjoyed a cup of tea with digestives. How wonderful!
Today was also the first day of the SIAO craft fair/festival that I have been greatly anticipating. Everything here shuts down early this whole upcoming week…schools, stores, etc. We are going tomorrow morning, and I heard that all of Burkina will be there. I can’t wait!!
Well, two weeks ago I was heading off of American soil. I am glad I am here. Thanks for your continued prayers and emails.
Sweet dreams! …Ok…real quick…I just have to say that today—during my siesta nap—I dreamt that I was on stage rocking it out with Backstreet Boys! What a dream! HAHA!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Relaxation
Already two days down this week from my "holiday" or vacation. I haven't written much these past few days because there has not been too much to write about. However, I have truly enjoyed doing not much of anything and just lounging around talking to Sheila and John.
Yesterday Alice invited me and Sarah, a short term missionary who I met the other day, over for lunch. This was a nice way to get to know Sarah. She is here for two years! She will be helping with the ESL ministry here which I got to see last time I was here. I am hoping to get together with her in the near future. Anyways, she had to leave, so I just stayed around at Pete and Alice's. I had fun playing Barbies and wheel barrel races with the kids along with getting to talk more to Pete and Alice. I am thankful to have them so close! Alice also suggested that I try the skype calling to cell phones or home phones. I called Eddie and the reception was great. He was surprised to hear my voice!! :) So, last night, as I was waiting for my parents to land in the states from their trip to Punta Cana, I added some minutes to my skype account. I called my grandparents and then my parents just as they were landing. SO good to hear the voices of family yesterday! My parents and I then connected back up later last night when they got home and tried our first skype to skype conversation. Last night and tonight was similar...sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The electricity and internet here in general are a little crazy. The electricity usually goes out at least once a day for fun. And the internet decides when it wants to work. I think that the dial up is another problem with skype. However, I still got to briefly see my parents and hear their voices. :) Tonight Eddie came over, so I got to see him, too! It is pretty amazing that something like Skype exists even in Burkina Faso! Yay technology!
Well, today I went to school with Sheila. She worked on report cards, and I began my lessons for next week. I will be teaching Language Arts to the Kindergarteners. They do the Letter People here which I did and LOVED when I was in Kindergarten! I will begin with Mr. P and his pointy patches. Today was interesting with planning and just how it is different with fewer resources. The school has a lot of resources; however, I personally do not. I was used to having little things like my lesson book, sticky notes, excess paper, my printer, etc. Being a planning freak sometimes, I must say that it is killing me to know that I have something at home that would be "perfect" for a lesson. But, I am learning to work with what I have, and I have to do much more creative but simpler things. I never thought twice of copying something at my last teaching experience, but that is not the case here. If there are more than 10 copies of something, you have to fill out a special sheet. Even though this sounds silly, this has been really hard. I have realized how wasteful I was during my last teaching experience. This is a new way of thinking for me which will be good...but hard. Good news...I did end up packing my sticky notes and found them this afternoon. SO exciting! :)
Big news of the day...I am going to get to see FARIDA!!! She is my compassion child, and I just found out this afternoon that things are confirmed for Decemeber 11. Thank you to those of you who have been praying. This has made me so excited, and I have been thanking God for working this all out! Now, I am praying that God will prepare my heart and hers along with other members of her family for our future encounter. I know that it sometimes is an awkward thing for the child, and I want her to know how much she is loved by me and most of all by God.
Well, tomorrow I am going to exchange some money into CFA or Franks, and then Sheila and I are going to go shopping. It should be fun! I guess the craft show thing I was talking about a few days ago begins on Friday. So, I am anxiously awaiting that, also!
It is now 1am here in Ouagadougou, so I must peace out! Love you all! :)
Yesterday Alice invited me and Sarah, a short term missionary who I met the other day, over for lunch. This was a nice way to get to know Sarah. She is here for two years! She will be helping with the ESL ministry here which I got to see last time I was here. I am hoping to get together with her in the near future. Anyways, she had to leave, so I just stayed around at Pete and Alice's. I had fun playing Barbies and wheel barrel races with the kids along with getting to talk more to Pete and Alice. I am thankful to have them so close! Alice also suggested that I try the skype calling to cell phones or home phones. I called Eddie and the reception was great. He was surprised to hear my voice!! :) So, last night, as I was waiting for my parents to land in the states from their trip to Punta Cana, I added some minutes to my skype account. I called my grandparents and then my parents just as they were landing. SO good to hear the voices of family yesterday! My parents and I then connected back up later last night when they got home and tried our first skype to skype conversation. Last night and tonight was similar...sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The electricity and internet here in general are a little crazy. The electricity usually goes out at least once a day for fun. And the internet decides when it wants to work. I think that the dial up is another problem with skype. However, I still got to briefly see my parents and hear their voices. :) Tonight Eddie came over, so I got to see him, too! It is pretty amazing that something like Skype exists even in Burkina Faso! Yay technology!
Well, today I went to school with Sheila. She worked on report cards, and I began my lessons for next week. I will be teaching Language Arts to the Kindergarteners. They do the Letter People here which I did and LOVED when I was in Kindergarten! I will begin with Mr. P and his pointy patches. Today was interesting with planning and just how it is different with fewer resources. The school has a lot of resources; however, I personally do not. I was used to having little things like my lesson book, sticky notes, excess paper, my printer, etc. Being a planning freak sometimes, I must say that it is killing me to know that I have something at home that would be "perfect" for a lesson. But, I am learning to work with what I have, and I have to do much more creative but simpler things. I never thought twice of copying something at my last teaching experience, but that is not the case here. If there are more than 10 copies of something, you have to fill out a special sheet. Even though this sounds silly, this has been really hard. I have realized how wasteful I was during my last teaching experience. This is a new way of thinking for me which will be good...but hard. Good news...I did end up packing my sticky notes and found them this afternoon. SO exciting! :)
Big news of the day...I am going to get to see FARIDA!!! She is my compassion child, and I just found out this afternoon that things are confirmed for Decemeber 11. Thank you to those of you who have been praying. This has made me so excited, and I have been thanking God for working this all out! Now, I am praying that God will prepare my heart and hers along with other members of her family for our future encounter. I know that it sometimes is an awkward thing for the child, and I want her to know how much she is loved by me and most of all by God.
Well, tomorrow I am going to exchange some money into CFA or Franks, and then Sheila and I are going to go shopping. It should be fun! I guess the craft show thing I was talking about a few days ago begins on Friday. So, I am anxiously awaiting that, also!
It is now 1am here in Ouagadougou, so I must peace out! Love you all! :)
Monday, October 27, 2008
Goat Food
I was wrong yesterday when I said that I experienced Burkina culture…I experienced Ouagadougou main city culture, not actual Burkinabe culture…that was today.
This morning I woke up with my handy alarm clock that worked just swell. Sheila was up and ready for me with my tea. She is wonderful…and so is the tea! Alice and her two darling kids, Charity and Sammy, picked me up. Pete drove separate to pick up others. Charity is in the other K-1 class, but I see her often. She didn’t remember me since she was so young the first time; so she has been really shy towards me until today. Going to church was as wonderful as I had anticipated. Not much had changed about the church in spirit or atmosphere. The women all had on their beautiful African dresses, it was hot, and it was packed. The things that had changed were the large number of mopeds in the “parking lot” and also the finished benches on the project that we had started last time. It was a humble sight to see the chalkboards that we constructed in use. So the service…I LOVE African worship! I did not know a word during the two hours and 22 minute service, but I still loved it! I read about Ruth during some of the sermon. I love that there is no time limit. People are there to serve God, and boy do they know how to praise Him. I saw Elizabeth right away…she is one of the girls that I got to know well before. At the end of the service they asked all new people and people who have not been here for a long time to stand up. Pete came to my seat (men and women sit on opposite sides) to translate to the congregation who I was. He introduced me as Jessica. I didn’t hear my name, and Jessica was the only word I understood, so that is what I guessed, but I thought that maybe I was wrong until he called me Jessica several other times. Here he and Alice were working with two other Jessica’s over email, and Alice told him that was my name. He felt really bad because he didn’t think it was right. I thought it was funny, especially when some of the youth came up to me at the end and said, “Jessica? You are Amanda, right?” I couldn’t believe that some of these friends remembered me. Pete said that they really love North Mar and feel really connected to us. I was SO excited to hug Elizabeth. She and Marie had asked me to promise that I would return to see them someday, but I couldn’t. Who knew that God would have us embrace two years later? I also got to see Pascal! He speaks English well, and we all got to know him well last time. He know is married and has a little baby. After church they had a sprite/fanta/coke reception for me and two other families that were there for the first time. This church is precious! I am now back in Burkina! :)
We left church and headed to the Rec center…this is the American Embassy. Most missionaries go here every Sunday after church because they have good American food and a nice pool for the kids. They also have added a workout area which is really nice. We ate and then I just talked with several moms from my school. It was wonderful to talk with Pete and Alice about missions and just to catch up with them. I feel like I am in a totally different stage of my life than I was last time. I had new questions and my heart has been changed. God has used them so much here…and in my life.
Alice and Pete invited me over to their house afterwards, so I played with the kids and watched Zeus and Roxanne which was a cute movie. Around 5:30pm I went with Alice and the kids to drive their guard back home since Alice was going to buy some hay bales from him for their skinny goats. (I’m not sure if I mentioned, but almost every house has a guard that sits by the gate that each house also has. This is to prevent robberies.) She was planning on buying 30 bales. We drove several miles on the main road and then turned into a village off the road. Dirt roads are all bumpy, but these roads had valleys, and if we did not have four wheel drive, we would not have made it. The houses here maybe have a few cement walls and measure a square about the size of a small bathroom that we would complain about in the states. Several people sleep on the floor in these homes. There is no electricity and some of these people had never seen white people probably. The guard who lives here wanted Alice to meet his family. He has two wives, so eight kids in all. Some of the kids looked like normal little Burkinabe children, and the others were skin and bones…separated depending on the wife. His baby reminded me of the baby I saw in the orphanage, very malnourished. It got darker and darker as some of the people piled bales of hay on top of Alice’s jeep. The jeep was too loaded down at 20 bales…some even in the car. I buckled the kids into their car seats, we said our goodbyes, and Alice and I both looked at each other knowing this would be an adventure going back through these dirt roads, now in total darkness. Alice drove at walking pace, but bales fell off a few times, so we would stop and load them somewhere else. I eventually got in the back seat with the kids and held Charity on my lap so that we could bring more into the car. Alice was worried that once we got on the main road we could cause an accident with bales falling off in traffic. So, Sammy prayed the sweetest prayer asking the angels to hold onto the bales so that his Mommy could drive safe. And angels did protect us…no more fell off. Alice also talked about our time at the village with her kids. She asked them what was different about these kids than the ones that they know. Sammy said they were sad because they don’t know Jesus, and Charity said that they were really skinny. Alice explained that this is what starving really is, and how they should not use this term because they are not starving at all. She is a wonderful mom and she did a great job at explaining this difficult situation to these little kids. As I am now showered and clean, sitting here typing on my laptop, I can’t help but think about these people that I saw tonight. These are the “least of these” that God is talking about. What are we as Christians going to do?? Something must be done for these people and the millions over the world who are in the same situation or I dare to say even worse. What does it mean to love these people like ourselves and more so like Jesus? Please pray for the Burkinabe people. My heart is heavy tonight for these hurting people. They need the hope I am blessed to have.
This morning I woke up with my handy alarm clock that worked just swell. Sheila was up and ready for me with my tea. She is wonderful…and so is the tea! Alice and her two darling kids, Charity and Sammy, picked me up. Pete drove separate to pick up others. Charity is in the other K-1 class, but I see her often. She didn’t remember me since she was so young the first time; so she has been really shy towards me until today. Going to church was as wonderful as I had anticipated. Not much had changed about the church in spirit or atmosphere. The women all had on their beautiful African dresses, it was hot, and it was packed. The things that had changed were the large number of mopeds in the “parking lot” and also the finished benches on the project that we had started last time. It was a humble sight to see the chalkboards that we constructed in use. So the service…I LOVE African worship! I did not know a word during the two hours and 22 minute service, but I still loved it! I read about Ruth during some of the sermon. I love that there is no time limit. People are there to serve God, and boy do they know how to praise Him. I saw Elizabeth right away…she is one of the girls that I got to know well before. At the end of the service they asked all new people and people who have not been here for a long time to stand up. Pete came to my seat (men and women sit on opposite sides) to translate to the congregation who I was. He introduced me as Jessica. I didn’t hear my name, and Jessica was the only word I understood, so that is what I guessed, but I thought that maybe I was wrong until he called me Jessica several other times. Here he and Alice were working with two other Jessica’s over email, and Alice told him that was my name. He felt really bad because he didn’t think it was right. I thought it was funny, especially when some of the youth came up to me at the end and said, “Jessica? You are Amanda, right?” I couldn’t believe that some of these friends remembered me. Pete said that they really love North Mar and feel really connected to us. I was SO excited to hug Elizabeth. She and Marie had asked me to promise that I would return to see them someday, but I couldn’t. Who knew that God would have us embrace two years later? I also got to see Pascal! He speaks English well, and we all got to know him well last time. He know is married and has a little baby. After church they had a sprite/fanta/coke reception for me and two other families that were there for the first time. This church is precious! I am now back in Burkina! :)
We left church and headed to the Rec center…this is the American Embassy. Most missionaries go here every Sunday after church because they have good American food and a nice pool for the kids. They also have added a workout area which is really nice. We ate and then I just talked with several moms from my school. It was wonderful to talk with Pete and Alice about missions and just to catch up with them. I feel like I am in a totally different stage of my life than I was last time. I had new questions and my heart has been changed. God has used them so much here…and in my life.
Alice and Pete invited me over to their house afterwards, so I played with the kids and watched Zeus and Roxanne which was a cute movie. Around 5:30pm I went with Alice and the kids to drive their guard back home since Alice was going to buy some hay bales from him for their skinny goats. (I’m not sure if I mentioned, but almost every house has a guard that sits by the gate that each house also has. This is to prevent robberies.) She was planning on buying 30 bales. We drove several miles on the main road and then turned into a village off the road. Dirt roads are all bumpy, but these roads had valleys, and if we did not have four wheel drive, we would not have made it. The houses here maybe have a few cement walls and measure a square about the size of a small bathroom that we would complain about in the states. Several people sleep on the floor in these homes. There is no electricity and some of these people had never seen white people probably. The guard who lives here wanted Alice to meet his family. He has two wives, so eight kids in all. Some of the kids looked like normal little Burkinabe children, and the others were skin and bones…separated depending on the wife. His baby reminded me of the baby I saw in the orphanage, very malnourished. It got darker and darker as some of the people piled bales of hay on top of Alice’s jeep. The jeep was too loaded down at 20 bales…some even in the car. I buckled the kids into their car seats, we said our goodbyes, and Alice and I both looked at each other knowing this would be an adventure going back through these dirt roads, now in total darkness. Alice drove at walking pace, but bales fell off a few times, so we would stop and load them somewhere else. I eventually got in the back seat with the kids and held Charity on my lap so that we could bring more into the car. Alice was worried that once we got on the main road we could cause an accident with bales falling off in traffic. So, Sammy prayed the sweetest prayer asking the angels to hold onto the bales so that his Mommy could drive safe. And angels did protect us…no more fell off. Alice also talked about our time at the village with her kids. She asked them what was different about these kids than the ones that they know. Sammy said they were sad because they don’t know Jesus, and Charity said that they were really skinny. Alice explained that this is what starving really is, and how they should not use this term because they are not starving at all. She is a wonderful mom and she did a great job at explaining this difficult situation to these little kids. As I am now showered and clean, sitting here typing on my laptop, I can’t help but think about these people that I saw tonight. These are the “least of these” that God is talking about. What are we as Christians going to do?? Something must be done for these people and the millions over the world who are in the same situation or I dare to say even worse. What does it mean to love these people like ourselves and more so like Jesus? Please pray for the Burkinabe people. My heart is heavy tonight for these hurting people. They need the hope I am blessed to have.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Plain Pizza
Last night’s Cinema Night was a major hit! There were close to 80 kids that came to see Disney’s Camp Rock. I have never seen this, but it wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. Let’s just say that Disney has really changed its style since I was a kid. Anyway, Cinema Night is a fundraiser for the school, and it costs 1,000 CFA or franks which is Burkina money. 500 CFA is equal to about one US dollar. I don’t know why it was so hard for me to comprehend this the last time I was here. Maybe because I didn’t have Math for Teachers yet. Haha! Anyways, 1,000 CFA includes the movie and unlimited juice boxes and popcorn. I think that most of the kids came for the food because it was a constant flow till both were gone. The high schoolers all chat and text each other. Then, afterwards Sheila and I cleaned up a room that looked like a dirty movie theatre. I am in awe that she does this whole thing every other week by herself. It was fun, but it is a lot of work. She is a great woman.
Today has been a day full of Burkina wonderfulness! I slept in to about 9:30 AM when I heard Rosie, the Labrador, bark. I think she is black; however, she is permanently stained red from the dust here. She sounds vicious but she is a sweetheart. Playing with her makes me miss Lexie. I bet that she is about the size of a pony about now. By the time I return, I suspect she will be a horse. I got my share of picking her up before I left because this wont be possible when I go home. Wow…off track! I had about two hours just to get some reading and emailing done this morning which was really nice. Then, Sheila and I just lounged around in the living room until around 3pm. We then went to another part of Ouaga which is more the business part of the city. This is where most of the hotels are located and also where the Presidential Palace is located. I remember the feeling I had last time I came when I saw these beautiful buildings. It is hard to see a corrupt government making good money when its people are starving. Sheila drove us to a furniture store in this area called Orca. The furniture was beautiful and reminded me of a regular store in the US except more original and exquisite pieces that looked African. Sheila wanted to get me a dresser for my “underwear.” I told her that I was okay with my suitcases, but she insisted and picked out a colorful dresser that I like a lot. We will get it on Monday. Then, she took me to what would be a dollar store in Burkina. To get there we had to walk through a market area where there were tons of people crowded around selling things. When Sheila and I walked up, we were bombarded and were being asked to buy even men’s clothing. These people are true salesmen…they don’t take no for an answer. Haha. We made it to the store, and Sheila bought me an alarm clock, and she picked up a few more things. It was fun to see what Burkina had as far as household items. We then headed home and lounged around again for awhile till John finished his first tennis lesson. I got to talk to a few friends on Gtalk which was really nice. We left for dinner around 7:45pm. We decided to make it a pizza night since there is a good place close to the school which is only about 2 miles away. It gets dark here really early because of the dust in the air. We ate at a pizza place across from the happening university bar. There were probably 300 college aged Burkinabe partying it up. Music was super loud but exciting since I love African music. I had a Margarita pizza….plain cheese….yum. A lot of food here has a little something extra in it, so I was glad to have my plain food. (Dauthan, I hope you are reading this)! While we were eating, bugs were attacking us. I think they realized there was some new blood in town. I learned quick last time here that you must cover up your bottles of pop (sprite, coke, and fanta…the three main sodas that are everywhere here) otherwise flies or other bugs are soon floating. At every meal, our food is covered before, during, and after with a plate to avoid this, too…even in the refrigerator. So, tonight I covered my sprite bottle, but I didn’t think to cover my glass. A big winged bug flew in. I grabbed it with my finger and threw it on the ground. Sheila said that you can always tell someone who is in Africa for the first time because they always freak out when a bug gets in their drink and then dump it on the ground. I guess I passed the Africa test!
Night driving in Ouagadougou—if possible—is even crazier than during the daytime. I really cannot explain in words what driving is like here; it is something that you have to see to believe. There are electric stoplights like in the US; however, they are kind of like those stOPTIONAL stop signs in the US on back roads. People just go when they want. Then, there is a little curb size blocking on the edge of the road where mopeds and bicycles drive. Mopeds also drive on the main road. Mopeds weave in and out of traffic and just pull in front of you if there is room. It is nothing to see donkeys pulling a wagon of sand on the main road, too. Pulling onto this road in the morning is a great sight because everyone is up and getting around. The bicyclists are riding as fast as possible…and some are booking it! Then, there are the women…in dresses…with a baby tied to their backs…carrying a purse on their shoulders…driving a moped. Women are also walking around the side street carrying a bucket full of about 100 bananas on their head. There are also the people at each stoplight. The men are selling phone cards that add minutes to cell phones. Most people buy these during the light…a quick exchange. The other people are the little children who beg for money. Everyone comes right to your window and if one person in the car says no, they go to the next window. The children break your heart. I have been really touched by Sheila because she has a drawer in her car that she keeps loose change. The few times kids have come to our car to ask for money, she quickly gets out a coin and says hello to the child. They are so excited over these few cents. Just the thought that this is their life is so sad and upsetting. These kids should be able to school and learning so that their kids don’t have to ask for money someday. However, even the public school costs too much money for several here. How we take education for granted. Another tangent I know…This road that I have been talking about is the main road which is paved, and then everything else is rough, dirt roads. Dad….I never want to hear you complain about me watching out for those little potholes….those are nothing! I have seen how much a car can really take! Haha! One teacher from the school asked me if I was going to get a moped while I was here, and I said, “No, I want to go home in December.” I would seriously be scared to death to drive here.
Well, here I have a book again. I hope that you are all doing well. Thanks to those of you who have emailed. I love hearing how you are all doing. I have now been here one week. My time here is going to go by fast. I am SO excited about going to church tomorrow morning with Pete and Alice. I cannot wait to be back in this church and to see some precious people. God is so good to let me return to this country!
I started a Bible study called, Experiencing the Heart of Jesus by Max Lucado. This first week is about how much God cares for us. I have a lot of thoughts about this but for sake of time, I want to leave you with a verse that I came upon today and was excited about….
“The person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for.” 1 Corinthians 8:3 NLT
Why would we not pour our hearts out to the Father who loves us so much? Rest in His love!
Today has been a day full of Burkina wonderfulness! I slept in to about 9:30 AM when I heard Rosie, the Labrador, bark. I think she is black; however, she is permanently stained red from the dust here. She sounds vicious but she is a sweetheart. Playing with her makes me miss Lexie. I bet that she is about the size of a pony about now. By the time I return, I suspect she will be a horse. I got my share of picking her up before I left because this wont be possible when I go home. Wow…off track! I had about two hours just to get some reading and emailing done this morning which was really nice. Then, Sheila and I just lounged around in the living room until around 3pm. We then went to another part of Ouaga which is more the business part of the city. This is where most of the hotels are located and also where the Presidential Palace is located. I remember the feeling I had last time I came when I saw these beautiful buildings. It is hard to see a corrupt government making good money when its people are starving. Sheila drove us to a furniture store in this area called Orca. The furniture was beautiful and reminded me of a regular store in the US except more original and exquisite pieces that looked African. Sheila wanted to get me a dresser for my “underwear.” I told her that I was okay with my suitcases, but she insisted and picked out a colorful dresser that I like a lot. We will get it on Monday. Then, she took me to what would be a dollar store in Burkina. To get there we had to walk through a market area where there were tons of people crowded around selling things. When Sheila and I walked up, we were bombarded and were being asked to buy even men’s clothing. These people are true salesmen…they don’t take no for an answer. Haha. We made it to the store, and Sheila bought me an alarm clock, and she picked up a few more things. It was fun to see what Burkina had as far as household items. We then headed home and lounged around again for awhile till John finished his first tennis lesson. I got to talk to a few friends on Gtalk which was really nice. We left for dinner around 7:45pm. We decided to make it a pizza night since there is a good place close to the school which is only about 2 miles away. It gets dark here really early because of the dust in the air. We ate at a pizza place across from the happening university bar. There were probably 300 college aged Burkinabe partying it up. Music was super loud but exciting since I love African music. I had a Margarita pizza….plain cheese….yum. A lot of food here has a little something extra in it, so I was glad to have my plain food. (Dauthan, I hope you are reading this)! While we were eating, bugs were attacking us. I think they realized there was some new blood in town. I learned quick last time here that you must cover up your bottles of pop (sprite, coke, and fanta…the three main sodas that are everywhere here) otherwise flies or other bugs are soon floating. At every meal, our food is covered before, during, and after with a plate to avoid this, too…even in the refrigerator. So, tonight I covered my sprite bottle, but I didn’t think to cover my glass. A big winged bug flew in. I grabbed it with my finger and threw it on the ground. Sheila said that you can always tell someone who is in Africa for the first time because they always freak out when a bug gets in their drink and then dump it on the ground. I guess I passed the Africa test!
Night driving in Ouagadougou—if possible—is even crazier than during the daytime. I really cannot explain in words what driving is like here; it is something that you have to see to believe. There are electric stoplights like in the US; however, they are kind of like those stOPTIONAL stop signs in the US on back roads. People just go when they want. Then, there is a little curb size blocking on the edge of the road where mopeds and bicycles drive. Mopeds also drive on the main road. Mopeds weave in and out of traffic and just pull in front of you if there is room. It is nothing to see donkeys pulling a wagon of sand on the main road, too. Pulling onto this road in the morning is a great sight because everyone is up and getting around. The bicyclists are riding as fast as possible…and some are booking it! Then, there are the women…in dresses…with a baby tied to their backs…carrying a purse on their shoulders…driving a moped. Women are also walking around the side street carrying a bucket full of about 100 bananas on their head. There are also the people at each stoplight. The men are selling phone cards that add minutes to cell phones. Most people buy these during the light…a quick exchange. The other people are the little children who beg for money. Everyone comes right to your window and if one person in the car says no, they go to the next window. The children break your heart. I have been really touched by Sheila because she has a drawer in her car that she keeps loose change. The few times kids have come to our car to ask for money, she quickly gets out a coin and says hello to the child. They are so excited over these few cents. Just the thought that this is their life is so sad and upsetting. These kids should be able to school and learning so that their kids don’t have to ask for money someday. However, even the public school costs too much money for several here. How we take education for granted. Another tangent I know…This road that I have been talking about is the main road which is paved, and then everything else is rough, dirt roads. Dad….I never want to hear you complain about me watching out for those little potholes….those are nothing! I have seen how much a car can really take! Haha! One teacher from the school asked me if I was going to get a moped while I was here, and I said, “No, I want to go home in December.” I would seriously be scared to death to drive here.
Well, here I have a book again. I hope that you are all doing well. Thanks to those of you who have emailed. I love hearing how you are all doing. I have now been here one week. My time here is going to go by fast. I am SO excited about going to church tomorrow morning with Pete and Alice. I cannot wait to be back in this church and to see some precious people. God is so good to let me return to this country!
I started a Bible study called, Experiencing the Heart of Jesus by Max Lucado. This first week is about how much God cares for us. I have a lot of thoughts about this but for sake of time, I want to leave you with a verse that I came upon today and was excited about….
“The person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for.” 1 Corinthians 8:3 NLT
Why would we not pour our hearts out to the Father who loves us so much? Rest in His love!
Friday, October 24, 2008
"Have You Seen my Duckling?"
Today was our Elementary School assembly for parents. The kids were all dressed up as book characters; however, some of them were just dressed up as whatever they felt like it this morning. It was a comical sight! We were supposed to begin at 7:30 am, but at 7:15 half of our class still hadn't shown up....our main characters. Finally, as we were walking out the door, all but one showed up. We were one of the first groups to perform, and we did "Have You Seen my Duckling." It is a book with only a few words which as you may be able to guess are, "Have you seen my duckling?" We made duck billed headbands yesterday that were super cute. Sheila and I also made a big nest for our little ducks. Today they just kind of waddled around, and I'm sure that most had no clue what they were doing because I didn't, and I know the story. Good thing they are so cute at that age! :) Then, the principal spoke and introduced me to everyone which I thought was sweet. The rest of the day was pretty crazy since the kids got out around 10:30am and then teachers had meetings.
Quick recap from yesterday....we went swimming, and the little ones did a great job! I was really impressed at how well they did for being so small. I guess I started swimming around that age, too, which is hard to imagine. Last night I went to an English speaking youth group where there was a mix of American and Burkinabe 6th-12th graders. It was a fun experience. It made me feel really old, even with the senior high group. I got to see Diana who was one of the missionary girls that I got to know when I was here last time. It was great to see and talk with her. I also met some other people my age that are here in Burkina for short term missions. I am looking forward to getting to know some of them better while I am here. John also came along with me which I was thankful for. I plan on going each week, so I hope he continues to come, too.
It is hard to believe, but I am on vacation now!! My school has a week off of school as they are preparing for report cards. Sheila has been really sick with a cold, so she is looking forward to resting. I am planning on getting some things done for my education portfolio. Also, we are going to get to experience some more of Burkina which I am really looking foward to. Shiela said that there is a giant craft show once every two years here where people from all over come with their things to sell. This will be next week, also. I am more than excited about this! Bri, maybe this is where I can find some real lion teeth for you to make your necklace! I'll see what I can do! :)
Well, I think it is time to go help Sheila make some popcorn. Sheila is in charge of "Cinema Nights" every other Friday evening at the school. They show a movie for the kids and have treats. This is great for them as there is not a ton for them to do on the weekend. I will let you know how it goes!
Quick recap from yesterday....we went swimming, and the little ones did a great job! I was really impressed at how well they did for being so small. I guess I started swimming around that age, too, which is hard to imagine. Last night I went to an English speaking youth group where there was a mix of American and Burkinabe 6th-12th graders. It was a fun experience. It made me feel really old, even with the senior high group. I got to see Diana who was one of the missionary girls that I got to know when I was here last time. It was great to see and talk with her. I also met some other people my age that are here in Burkina for short term missions. I am looking forward to getting to know some of them better while I am here. John also came along with me which I was thankful for. I plan on going each week, so I hope he continues to come, too.
It is hard to believe, but I am on vacation now!! My school has a week off of school as they are preparing for report cards. Sheila has been really sick with a cold, so she is looking forward to resting. I am planning on getting some things done for my education portfolio. Also, we are going to get to experience some more of Burkina which I am really looking foward to. Shiela said that there is a giant craft show once every two years here where people from all over come with their things to sell. This will be next week, also. I am more than excited about this! Bri, maybe this is where I can find some real lion teeth for you to make your necklace! I'll see what I can do! :)
Well, I think it is time to go help Sheila make some popcorn. Sheila is in charge of "Cinema Nights" every other Friday evening at the school. They show a movie for the kids and have treats. This is great for them as there is not a ton for them to do on the weekend. I will let you know how it goes!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Clicker
Today many Burkinabe men were crawling around my bathroom floor to replace the water heater which is located in my bathroom. I was wondering what would happen to my little lizzard friend(s) with its lean-to gone, but it has adapted well. Since it is here for the long haul I think, I've decided to name him Clicker. He sings to me as I go to sleep. Tonight he was right above the toilet. I feel much better when he plays hide-and-seek. :)
Today was a fun day. I got to help out more in the classroom with the Kindergarteners. We made zebras out of toilet paper rolls. Since I told Sheila about my obsession with zebra print, she thought it would be a good idea for me to make one, too. I don't know who liked this craft more, the kids or me. I now have a new decoration for my desk in my room.
Story of the day: 2 friends got in a fight and ended up kicking each other. The one boy has a French accent and the other has picked it up even though he doesn't speak French. They came in running to the classroom during their recess break. I just sat there and watched Sheila handle it, and she did a great job. Long story short...who knows who started the kicking?!? Anyways, Sheila was trying to review how to deal with problems the right way. She asked them what they were supposed to do if someone kicked you. She was looking for...tell them to stop. Well, one kid said, "Punch them!". I had to look away because he kept repeating it, and I was cracking up! They ended up shaking hands and promising to be nice friends. Oh little kids!
After school John had his friend over for lunch. We had tocos and french fries. I love that anything goes here; everyone needs a little Africa flexibility in their life. Then, Sheila and I went back to the school to work on our kids' costumes for Friday's assembly. Each grade will be preforming for a few minutes from a book. Our class is doing, "Have You Seen my Duckling?". It is going to be awesome! We made beaks and other items this evening, and the kids practiced on the pond (long blue paper) today. They will be really cute ducklings! Sheila noticed that Pete was outside. For those of you who don't know Pete...I'm sorry! :) Pete is the missionary that my group worked with when I was here in 2006. He is hilarious and also an amazing man of God. I was so excited to see him! He remembered me, and we talked a little about what I am doing there and future plans. He and Alice are going to pick me up for church on Sunday! I am going to a youth group meeting tomorrow night, but I guess it is a different one. Pete said that the girls who I got to know before are still here and remember everyone from our group. I can't wait to see them!!! I think that seeing Pete, going to Pete's church, and being with these girls will make me feel like I am really back again!
Well, I think I am going to try to make it an early night since I will be up later tomorrow because of youth group. Tomorrow my kids have swimming and the teachers swim, too! I CAN'T WAIT! Get ready for some funny stories!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
A little romance...
I'm sure that I just got a lot of you curious from that title! haha! No...no...not me...my little first graders. Today I came into class and one of my first graders said, "Miss Marshall, can I tell you a secret?" She whispered in my air, "I am in love with James, and he guessed it!" They sit by each other, so when I looked over he smiled and nodded his head yes. She then told me that James was able to guess all her secrets and that was one of them. They are so funny! Today I laughed a lot! We had P.E. today, so the kids played kickball. I went out to observe, and I am so glad that I did! They were hilarious. About three kids knew how to play, and the rest were just running wild! Some sat down on the bases, some ran the opposite way, some just stood there. It was a fun time. The rest of the day went by quickly. I got to work with an Indian boy who is probably the most intelligent and cutest boy his age I have ever seen. He read me this story perfectly in his cute little accent. I was amazed, so I asked him how old he was and he said five. I was blown away! At the end of the day we played Duck Duck Goose which is classic. The kids LOVED this. I got a few pictures, but I was not able to capture how precious this was unfortunately. It ended with two kids falling down and crying.
After school we came back for lunch which was mashed potatoes, beef, rolls, and fruit salad. Hands down...best meal yet! We experienced German hamburgers and chips for dinner. We were supposed to have french fries...or should I say Belgium Fries?...but the water randomly was off for a few hours. That's Burkina for you! Thankfully, the water is back on so that I can shower. You cannot go a day here without showering...well, you would not want to! I went back to the school for a few hours with Sheila, and we got things prepared for tomorrow. We were able to have a great conversation over a cold coke and sprite.
Well, it is a little after 9pm but between the heat and early mornings, I am wiped out!
After school we came back for lunch which was mashed potatoes, beef, rolls, and fruit salad. Hands down...best meal yet! We experienced German hamburgers and chips for dinner. We were supposed to have french fries...or should I say Belgium Fries?...but the water randomly was off for a few hours. That's Burkina for you! Thankfully, the water is back on so that I can shower. You cannot go a day here without showering...well, you would not want to! I went back to the school for a few hours with Sheila, and we got things prepared for tomorrow. We were able to have a great conversation over a cold coke and sprite.
Well, it is a little after 9pm but between the heat and early mornings, I am wiped out!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Miss Marshall returns to Burkina
I don’t really know where to begin. I guess I will start by saying that I am here in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso safe and healthy! It has been an adventure so far! I’ll back up to Friday, departure day!
Friday
I left my house around 11:30pm after my “last meal” as dad would say at Olive Garden with Mom and Dad. We headed to Pittsburgh and said our goodbyes. I then flew to JFK where Eddie was waiting for me when I got off the plane…what a good surprise! I haven’t seen him since the beginning of August. We had dinner together in the airport and tried to catch up as much as possible. We eventually made our way to the International terminal, and since Eddie wasn’t allowed to go through security with me, we decided to chat awhile at the food court. I had my boarding pass to Casablanca and was told that I would not need to check in till I arrived there in Morocco. So, it was almost time for the plane to board, so Eddie and I said our goodbyes, and then the lady at the gate told me that my boarding pass was no good. Umm…what? I hollered for Eddie, and we quickly followed a man to Royal Air Maroc’s ticket counter as he said, “I hope that they are still opened.” You can imagine the state I am in right now as I was quite emotional before this! We arrived at the ticket counter and the lights were out, and there was no line. We found a man that worked there….a tall, intimidating man…and he looked directly at me and said, “sorry, it’s too late. We’re closed.” I then stared at him and then Eddie for a few seconds and burst into tears. He then proceeded to tell me he was “just kidding.” Funny joke! I then took my new ticket to security and said goodbye to Eddie, still crying. I called Mom and Dad one more time on American soil and tried to explain the previous situation. My poor family! As I got on the plane, the man from the ticket counter was there, and said, “Oh, you’re still crying! Stop that!” and laughed. I then finally started to calm down. As the plane took off, I realized for the first time how crazy this idea may be…the whole traveling to Africa by myself. I have to admit that I was incredibly nervous…more about my upcoming experience in Casablanca knowing how long I had there and not knowing what the airport would be like. I kept repeating Joshua 1:9 over and over in my head to fight back tears, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” These were exactly the feelings that I had! I thank God for the calming peace He gave me that evening and thus far. I was able to sleep a decent amount on the plane which was a blessing for the next day.
Saturday
This day can be summed up by waiting! I arrived in Casablanca around 7:00am. My luggage was there which was comforting. Only one more stop to go! After using the “Do you speak English question” several times, I finally found out how to get to the ticket counter and lugged my things upstairs. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to check in 15 or so hours early, but thankfully, I did. The man at the ticket counter spoke some English, so he told me that I could go to the hotel. I didn’t know where it was, and was NOT leaving the airport. I was already way out of my comfort zone. Also, because of safety reasons, my parents and I decided to take this flight instead of going to the hotel overnight. So, I told the man “no thank you.” He said, “Mam…do you know you are here for a long time?” I told him that it was okay, and he looked at me like I was crazy. After I had my boarding pass, I asked the man where a phone was. I needed to let my family know that I had arrived safety to Morocco. I found this hole in the wall dark shop that sells cell phones and phone cards. I saw a payphone on the wall, so I dialed the numbers that the phone card people had told me (that I had checked three times for MOROCCO). It didn’t work. I thought that it was just because I didn’t understand how to work the actual phone, so I asked the man at the desk, “Do you speak English?” He responded by putting up two fingers close together…very close together! I tried to explain that my card is supposed to work, and he kept saying “no Morocco.” After 10 minutes of going back and forth, I decided to buy his 60 minute phone card that he kept shoving in my face. I didn’t expect to use my Euros yet, so I had to grab some money from my money belt underneath my jeans. I tried to be discreet, but it didn’t work. He started laughing at me. I asked him if he could help me dial on the phone since I was already frustrated. He took his fancy card, all excited, and put it in the phone, and it didn’t work. I’m sure he thought, “I am in trouble now.” He tried a few more times—no luck. The phone kept reading something in Arabic that meant… “ERROR!” He shrugged his shoulders and said in broken English, “I don’t know.” He then tried to write down my number on paper to see what was wrong. He realized that there was an extra one. He tried again and it started ringing! Mom answered, and of course I started crying! See a pattern here? I promised her I was okay, but I don’t think she believed me. She asked if I was safe, but I really didn’t know the answer to that yet. Our conversation lasted only a few minutes, no more than 3, because my phone card showed 18 minutes already gone. I then waited around the middle of the ticketing room because I didn’t know what would be on the other side of the gate, and I had a long time to wait. I met two older women—Iris and Norah—from Scotland. One was Irish! I really enjoyed talking to them. They were trying to “ring London” because of flight mess ups. Iris knew if she ringed London, the problem would be solved. I hope she got through on that stupid phone! Ha! I then sat a little longer, knowing I had some time to kill! I figured I would sit there until I came in contact with an English speaking person that could tell me about the rest of the airport. God is good because a Dutch girl, Wendy, sat down right beside me. She was a little older than me and was in Morocco for a friend’s wedding. She checked her things in, and we both went through customs and security. I was glad we did because there was a lot more on the other side. Not nearly like Pittsburgh, but it at least had a few shops and food stands. Wendy and I explored a little and talked. This made the time go until 1pm when she left. I ran into the man from the ticket counter, and he said, “Mam, are you sure you don’t want a hotel room?” I again said, “no thank you.” This time he just walked away shaking his head. I sure have had a lot of people look at me like I’m a crazy lately! :) I was bored silly for the rest of the night. People watching is fun…especially in another country…but after 14 hours it gets lame. I didn’t hear English for about 10 hours. When I was waiting at my gate around 10:10pm (boarding time), I met a girl from Germany going to Burkina who spoke English. She and I talked for awhile as African time we boarded around 11pm and didn’t take off till after 11:30pm since I was sleeping then. I woke up for breakfast at 2:30am which is when we were supposed to be landing in Ouagadougou. I was then a little nervous about whoever was supposed to pick me up. Anyways, I landed in Burkina at 3:30AM…an hour late.
Sunday
I guess it was Sunday now. There were three buses that were waiting to take us ten feet to the airport which I remembered thinking was so funny last time. I saw a man that I talked with in line as we were boarding in Casablanca, so I joined him on the first bus. I thought it was funny that we were the only two on that bus. But, I thought, well…we will get through customs first! Well, our bus took us to an unfamiliar entrance. After the guard looked through my passport and kept shaking her head no, I thought there must be something wrong. I thought I’d help her out by showing her my visa. I realized then from my little friend, that we were at the wrong entrance. Here we had went to the VIP entrance for officials who skip customs. NICE! Yep, right on the bus was a big sign! We were now last in line through customs. Good news…my bags were both there! Thank you, God! That was so reassuring! I then went outside and saw a sign that had my name on it that was held by a Burkinabe man. It sure wasn’t like in the movies, but at least it was my name, and he had a big smile! His name is Justan (Justin in the states); however, this evening I thought he said Pizsta. Hmmm…don’t know?!? Anyways, I remembered that the last time I arrived, I was scared by the Burkinabe who try to sell you things outside the airport. They are very pushy and intimidating. This time I knew what to expect, so I was okay. Justan grabbed by bag and another man grabbed my other one. They loaded them in the van, and the man started talking to me in some language. I don’t know what he said, but I know it involved me giving him money. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do, so I looked at Justan who shook his head. He only spoke French. He opened the door for me, and I got in and closed it. The man wanting money kept getting louder and looked like he was trying to open my door. I held it closed while Justan got in and finally started the car. The thought ran through my head, “French would sure be nice right now.” I hoped that Justan was taking me to Sheila’s house, but I didn’t know. So, I just prayed that he was truly the man that I heard was coming to get me. The side streets got darker and darker. One time I thought he was pulling over, but he just slowed down a lot and turned to miss a big bump in the road. We pulled up to a house, and I was hoping that Sheila was on the other side…she was!! She greeted me with a hug, and she showed me to my room. We sat down for about 15 minutes and had some water before getting some well needed sleep. Wow…I am here!
I woke up around 2:30 in the afternoon, and went to the living room to meet Sheila’s son, John. The three of us went to the US embassy for lunch. I went here 2 times the last time I was here, and really liked the food. We then went to the school, and Sheila showed me around as we got last minute things done. The rest of the evening Sheila and I talked and watched some TV. I also had some great tea which reminded me of Ireland…that good! :) Sheila went to bed around 9, so I did some journaling and looked around my room for lizards because Sheila warned me that one lives behind the hot water tank in my bathroom. When I looked, there were two tails. Then, as I was sitting on my bed, I looked up to make sure none could possibly be on the ceiling, and I was wrong…there was a pair of eyes staring at me. They are all over. This reminded me of Paraguay a lot. Ellen, I thought of you last night! I felt like the first night I was in Ypetimi and moths were falling down on us all over our bodies. I knew that they couldn’t hurt us, but they still freaked me out. Same situation. I am not used to showering with lizards or hoping they are not in my bed. I just pray that one doesn’t fall on my head or on my face anytime! I was thinking that God sure has stretched me between Paraguay and Burkina. I don’t think He is done with me yet, but I know that I have become a lot better.
Monday
Today was my first day at the school. The class has 15 kindergarten and first graders. What a difference between 15 and 32! These kids are precious! I love this age! I already know that this is going to be a wonderful experience. The principal got together with me today which was nice, and I learned more about the school. One funny story…we had show and tell today, every Monday, and one girl brought a rabbit. Sheila already has another rabbit, a turtle, and a hedgehog as a pet. So, she added the other rabbit to the cage. After break time, the little kids came running in, and one little girl said to me, “The rabbits are hugging each other. I think they are falling in love!” Let’s just say that bunnies will be here soon! :) I love the slow pace of life here which is also in the classroom. The students are from all different countries which is awesome because it is a true international school. I was busy learning their names that are hard to pronounce and getting to know their little personalities.
After school the technology man from the school came over to hook up my laptop to the internet here. This was a blessing so that I can keep in contact somewhat.
Sheila and I then went back to the school to meet up with some other teachers and some junior high girls. The group of us went to the outskirts of Ouagadougou to an orphanage that houses about 15 babies. What a heartbreaking experience. Sheila goes every Monday to hold and love on these little ones. I think that I will go with her each time. I can’t begin to describe the smell of urine and dirty babies…much worse than a nursing home. There were several times when I tried not to gag at the baby I was holding. Then, there was one baby that was the most malnourished baby I have ever seen. The lady working there gave her to me to hold. It was everything I could do to fight back tears. This precious baby was several months old but her body was not big enough to hold up her head. She maybe weighed three pounds. She just kept crying. I didn’t even know how to hold a baby that small. I sang “Jesus Loves Me” to her as I prayed for her. It is comforting to know that she has a Father who loves her so much and His heart is breaking for that one little one because she is precious in His sight.
Well, I think that this blog is huge already, so I better do a few other things before I go to bed. I hope that all of you are doing well. Know that I am doing well and learning a lot! God is good! :)
Friday
I left my house around 11:30pm after my “last meal” as dad would say at Olive Garden with Mom and Dad. We headed to Pittsburgh and said our goodbyes. I then flew to JFK where Eddie was waiting for me when I got off the plane…what a good surprise! I haven’t seen him since the beginning of August. We had dinner together in the airport and tried to catch up as much as possible. We eventually made our way to the International terminal, and since Eddie wasn’t allowed to go through security with me, we decided to chat awhile at the food court. I had my boarding pass to Casablanca and was told that I would not need to check in till I arrived there in Morocco. So, it was almost time for the plane to board, so Eddie and I said our goodbyes, and then the lady at the gate told me that my boarding pass was no good. Umm…what? I hollered for Eddie, and we quickly followed a man to Royal Air Maroc’s ticket counter as he said, “I hope that they are still opened.” You can imagine the state I am in right now as I was quite emotional before this! We arrived at the ticket counter and the lights were out, and there was no line. We found a man that worked there….a tall, intimidating man…and he looked directly at me and said, “sorry, it’s too late. We’re closed.” I then stared at him and then Eddie for a few seconds and burst into tears. He then proceeded to tell me he was “just kidding.” Funny joke! I then took my new ticket to security and said goodbye to Eddie, still crying. I called Mom and Dad one more time on American soil and tried to explain the previous situation. My poor family! As I got on the plane, the man from the ticket counter was there, and said, “Oh, you’re still crying! Stop that!” and laughed. I then finally started to calm down. As the plane took off, I realized for the first time how crazy this idea may be…the whole traveling to Africa by myself. I have to admit that I was incredibly nervous…more about my upcoming experience in Casablanca knowing how long I had there and not knowing what the airport would be like. I kept repeating Joshua 1:9 over and over in my head to fight back tears, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” These were exactly the feelings that I had! I thank God for the calming peace He gave me that evening and thus far. I was able to sleep a decent amount on the plane which was a blessing for the next day.
Saturday
This day can be summed up by waiting! I arrived in Casablanca around 7:00am. My luggage was there which was comforting. Only one more stop to go! After using the “Do you speak English question” several times, I finally found out how to get to the ticket counter and lugged my things upstairs. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to check in 15 or so hours early, but thankfully, I did. The man at the ticket counter spoke some English, so he told me that I could go to the hotel. I didn’t know where it was, and was NOT leaving the airport. I was already way out of my comfort zone. Also, because of safety reasons, my parents and I decided to take this flight instead of going to the hotel overnight. So, I told the man “no thank you.” He said, “Mam…do you know you are here for a long time?” I told him that it was okay, and he looked at me like I was crazy. After I had my boarding pass, I asked the man where a phone was. I needed to let my family know that I had arrived safety to Morocco. I found this hole in the wall dark shop that sells cell phones and phone cards. I saw a payphone on the wall, so I dialed the numbers that the phone card people had told me (that I had checked three times for MOROCCO). It didn’t work. I thought that it was just because I didn’t understand how to work the actual phone, so I asked the man at the desk, “Do you speak English?” He responded by putting up two fingers close together…very close together! I tried to explain that my card is supposed to work, and he kept saying “no Morocco.” After 10 minutes of going back and forth, I decided to buy his 60 minute phone card that he kept shoving in my face. I didn’t expect to use my Euros yet, so I had to grab some money from my money belt underneath my jeans. I tried to be discreet, but it didn’t work. He started laughing at me. I asked him if he could help me dial on the phone since I was already frustrated. He took his fancy card, all excited, and put it in the phone, and it didn’t work. I’m sure he thought, “I am in trouble now.” He tried a few more times—no luck. The phone kept reading something in Arabic that meant… “ERROR!” He shrugged his shoulders and said in broken English, “I don’t know.” He then tried to write down my number on paper to see what was wrong. He realized that there was an extra one. He tried again and it started ringing! Mom answered, and of course I started crying! See a pattern here? I promised her I was okay, but I don’t think she believed me. She asked if I was safe, but I really didn’t know the answer to that yet. Our conversation lasted only a few minutes, no more than 3, because my phone card showed 18 minutes already gone. I then waited around the middle of the ticketing room because I didn’t know what would be on the other side of the gate, and I had a long time to wait. I met two older women—Iris and Norah—from Scotland. One was Irish! I really enjoyed talking to them. They were trying to “ring London” because of flight mess ups. Iris knew if she ringed London, the problem would be solved. I hope she got through on that stupid phone! Ha! I then sat a little longer, knowing I had some time to kill! I figured I would sit there until I came in contact with an English speaking person that could tell me about the rest of the airport. God is good because a Dutch girl, Wendy, sat down right beside me. She was a little older than me and was in Morocco for a friend’s wedding. She checked her things in, and we both went through customs and security. I was glad we did because there was a lot more on the other side. Not nearly like Pittsburgh, but it at least had a few shops and food stands. Wendy and I explored a little and talked. This made the time go until 1pm when she left. I ran into the man from the ticket counter, and he said, “Mam, are you sure you don’t want a hotel room?” I again said, “no thank you.” This time he just walked away shaking his head. I sure have had a lot of people look at me like I’m a crazy lately! :) I was bored silly for the rest of the night. People watching is fun…especially in another country…but after 14 hours it gets lame. I didn’t hear English for about 10 hours. When I was waiting at my gate around 10:10pm (boarding time), I met a girl from Germany going to Burkina who spoke English. She and I talked for awhile as African time we boarded around 11pm and didn’t take off till after 11:30pm since I was sleeping then. I woke up for breakfast at 2:30am which is when we were supposed to be landing in Ouagadougou. I was then a little nervous about whoever was supposed to pick me up. Anyways, I landed in Burkina at 3:30AM…an hour late.
Sunday
I guess it was Sunday now. There were three buses that were waiting to take us ten feet to the airport which I remembered thinking was so funny last time. I saw a man that I talked with in line as we were boarding in Casablanca, so I joined him on the first bus. I thought it was funny that we were the only two on that bus. But, I thought, well…we will get through customs first! Well, our bus took us to an unfamiliar entrance. After the guard looked through my passport and kept shaking her head no, I thought there must be something wrong. I thought I’d help her out by showing her my visa. I realized then from my little friend, that we were at the wrong entrance. Here we had went to the VIP entrance for officials who skip customs. NICE! Yep, right on the bus was a big sign! We were now last in line through customs. Good news…my bags were both there! Thank you, God! That was so reassuring! I then went outside and saw a sign that had my name on it that was held by a Burkinabe man. It sure wasn’t like in the movies, but at least it was my name, and he had a big smile! His name is Justan (Justin in the states); however, this evening I thought he said Pizsta. Hmmm…don’t know?!? Anyways, I remembered that the last time I arrived, I was scared by the Burkinabe who try to sell you things outside the airport. They are very pushy and intimidating. This time I knew what to expect, so I was okay. Justan grabbed by bag and another man grabbed my other one. They loaded them in the van, and the man started talking to me in some language. I don’t know what he said, but I know it involved me giving him money. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do, so I looked at Justan who shook his head. He only spoke French. He opened the door for me, and I got in and closed it. The man wanting money kept getting louder and looked like he was trying to open my door. I held it closed while Justan got in and finally started the car. The thought ran through my head, “French would sure be nice right now.” I hoped that Justan was taking me to Sheila’s house, but I didn’t know. So, I just prayed that he was truly the man that I heard was coming to get me. The side streets got darker and darker. One time I thought he was pulling over, but he just slowed down a lot and turned to miss a big bump in the road. We pulled up to a house, and I was hoping that Sheila was on the other side…she was!! She greeted me with a hug, and she showed me to my room. We sat down for about 15 minutes and had some water before getting some well needed sleep. Wow…I am here!
I woke up around 2:30 in the afternoon, and went to the living room to meet Sheila’s son, John. The three of us went to the US embassy for lunch. I went here 2 times the last time I was here, and really liked the food. We then went to the school, and Sheila showed me around as we got last minute things done. The rest of the evening Sheila and I talked and watched some TV. I also had some great tea which reminded me of Ireland…that good! :) Sheila went to bed around 9, so I did some journaling and looked around my room for lizards because Sheila warned me that one lives behind the hot water tank in my bathroom. When I looked, there were two tails. Then, as I was sitting on my bed, I looked up to make sure none could possibly be on the ceiling, and I was wrong…there was a pair of eyes staring at me. They are all over. This reminded me of Paraguay a lot. Ellen, I thought of you last night! I felt like the first night I was in Ypetimi and moths were falling down on us all over our bodies. I knew that they couldn’t hurt us, but they still freaked me out. Same situation. I am not used to showering with lizards or hoping they are not in my bed. I just pray that one doesn’t fall on my head or on my face anytime! I was thinking that God sure has stretched me between Paraguay and Burkina. I don’t think He is done with me yet, but I know that I have become a lot better.
Monday
Today was my first day at the school. The class has 15 kindergarten and first graders. What a difference between 15 and 32! These kids are precious! I love this age! I already know that this is going to be a wonderful experience. The principal got together with me today which was nice, and I learned more about the school. One funny story…we had show and tell today, every Monday, and one girl brought a rabbit. Sheila already has another rabbit, a turtle, and a hedgehog as a pet. So, she added the other rabbit to the cage. After break time, the little kids came running in, and one little girl said to me, “The rabbits are hugging each other. I think they are falling in love!” Let’s just say that bunnies will be here soon! :) I love the slow pace of life here which is also in the classroom. The students are from all different countries which is awesome because it is a true international school. I was busy learning their names that are hard to pronounce and getting to know their little personalities.
After school the technology man from the school came over to hook up my laptop to the internet here. This was a blessing so that I can keep in contact somewhat.
Sheila and I then went back to the school to meet up with some other teachers and some junior high girls. The group of us went to the outskirts of Ouagadougou to an orphanage that houses about 15 babies. What a heartbreaking experience. Sheila goes every Monday to hold and love on these little ones. I think that I will go with her each time. I can’t begin to describe the smell of urine and dirty babies…much worse than a nursing home. There were several times when I tried not to gag at the baby I was holding. Then, there was one baby that was the most malnourished baby I have ever seen. The lady working there gave her to me to hold. It was everything I could do to fight back tears. This precious baby was several months old but her body was not big enough to hold up her head. She maybe weighed three pounds. She just kept crying. I didn’t even know how to hold a baby that small. I sang “Jesus Loves Me” to her as I prayed for her. It is comforting to know that she has a Father who loves her so much and His heart is breaking for that one little one because she is precious in His sight.
Well, I think that this blog is huge already, so I better do a few other things before I go to bed. I hope that all of you are doing well. Know that I am doing well and learning a lot! God is good! :)
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Im almost there...
I am in Casablanca, Morocco now going on my 13th hour. It has been a really long day. English is fading out each stop, so I have been reading and journaling. This trip has already been quite the adventure starting yesterday. I have been really emotional which I think is due to just the pressure of traveling alone. I am really excited to get to Burkina tonight...or tomorrow at 2:30am. I also cant wait to get on the plane in a few hours so that I can sleep. Not really being able to talk and the small terminal has made me sleepy b/c I am bored. I know that this isnt much of an update but Im on a timer and the keyboard is not American, making typing somewhat difficult. Thanks for all of your prayers thus far. I cant wait to share more. Love you all. :)
Saturday, October 11, 2008
One malaria pill down and thirteen to go
Today I took my first of fourteen anti-malaria pills. The journey has officially started. Traveling always seems like a reality with this medicine to me. Also, this weekend has been great so far with closure to relationships here at Taylor. I have had a wonderful week full of dinner dates, coffee dates, and just spending quality time with friends and even some family.
It is hard to believe that in a week, I will be in Morocco sitting around for fourteen hours waiting for my next plane to Burkina. Please pray for this.....for safety and that I won't go stir crazy! :) I am starting to get more excited about this new adventure but also am still anxious. I think that once I get there I will be okay and my heart will be calmed. The aspect of traveling alone has hit me quite hard. However, my Protector will be right with me the whole time.
Today I was asked if there was a question that I feel I am asking God about this experience or something that I specifically am hoping to get out of it. My prayer is that God will confirm in my heart whether or not He wants me to teach in an international school or somewhere else overseas. Right now, that is where my heart is, and I have an idea of what this may look like; however, I know that only by experiencing it will I truly understand some of the unique dynamics. If you think of it, would you join me in praying about this? I long to serve God and bring glory to His name whether that is in Canfield, Ohio or in Burkina Faso or in some other part of the world. I want God's voice to be ever so transparent to me during these next two months. I cannot express my thankfulness for your prayers!
Well, it is time to do some more packing up. I will be heading home to Canfield, Ohio on Tuesday after school. I am greatly looking forward to the few days that I will have with my family.
Here are a few pictures of my precious family from last weekend!
Dad, me, and Mom
Bri and me...he is trying hard not to laugh at his funny sister. ;)
Our newest addition to our family....LEXI!!!! :)
Gramps, me, and Grandma after lunch at my favorite restaurant...Antones!
Precious gifts like these come only from our loving Father!
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