Monday, August 22, 2011

Back Home

It has been two weeks since I have touched back down on American soil. It is still quite an adjustment getting back into the crazy, fast paced lifestyle, we Americans live in. But it has been great seeing all my friends and family and enjoying these last weeks of summer before jumping into the hectic thing I call school.
I find myself missing and reflecting back quite often at the time I spent in Burkina. It was an awesome time filled with many many amazing experiences. I learned so much about myself and others those 7+ weeks. That precious time in Burkina that I cherish so much really instilled peace in my heart, a new trust and patience with the Lord, and just an overall boost of confidence and independce within myself. I can't rave enough about what an awesome time I had. I will always hold a very very special spot in my heart for the people of Burkina Faso and especially my friends and family in Yako. I can't wait to go back! Don't worry I'll be back sooner than later Burkina :)

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Last Day in Yako...sort of...

On Thursday morning of my last week in Burkina I woke up ready, well not really ready, for my last day in Yako. I had planned to spend time with the babies in the morning and then the older, school-aged kids, in the afternoon and then top the day off with a movie, popcorn, and Kool-Aid that night with the kids. But...like any other day that I experienced in Burkina my plans were changed. When walking out of my room headed to the bathroom Ruth stopped me and asked if I'd like to take one of our babies to the hospital. I was still waking up so I don't think it fully processed with me. But seconds later I quickly agreed. So...I was on my way to Ouiahgouya to take baby Josias to the hospital.
Myself, one of the tanties (a baby caretaker), and Josias ventured on one of the busses to Ouiahgouya, about an hour away. Josias' ear had been bleeding and it was thought best that he be taken to the hospital so it wouldn't get any worse.
We arrive in the city, get off the bus and start walking to the hospital. Now, if it hadn't been for me...A) not being in Burkina for 7 weeks already and B) being a person that adjusts to the climate/culture around her...I would have found this hospital shocking. It is not like your normal American hospital. You will read why...
We wait in a small hallway in the ear, nose and throat section of the hospital, which consists of about two or three small rooms. After surprisingly only 20 or so minutes they call us in. I walk into the room with Josias in my arms. I am looking around; soaking up the room I am in. To my left is a Burkinabe young man on a patient's table his brother or friend is sitting directly to my right. Ahead of me is a few cabinents and tables with medical tools and supplies. There is also a desk to my right and a sink in front of me; all in a fairly small room.
We are brought over to sit on chairs. They ask us questions about Josias and then immediatley begin the procedure. I move to another section of the room where there is more medical supplies. I honestly don't know what is going on because my French is very limited so I don't know what they are about to do to this baby. The Burkinabe doctor tells me to restrain Josias to make sure he doesn't move, then she gets out this tube thing that is attached to some machine. I then realize it is a "sucky-tube." She puts it in his ear and sucks out a worm/parasite. Josias was a trooper through all of this. He hardly cried and was all smiles after his ear was cleaned out. After fixing the problem the doctor cleans his ear up and we are on to our next task. We walk to the pharamacy which is down the road from the hospital, get the medicine and then go back so that the doctor can give him the medicine and explain the dosages.
Well, while all of this is going on in the room that Josias was being treated in, there was another patient, the young Burkinabe man. In the same room that we were in there was a surgery going on. This man was getting a growth removed from the side of his face. It was insane. I couldn't believe this was happening all in this tiny room. However, as crazy or cooky as it may have seemed, I was also very interested and couldn't help myself watching the procedure. It was a very interesting day in Ouiahgouya. Eventhough this little adventure occupied my morning and afternoon it was well worth it. And, I still got to watch a movie, eat popcorn and drink Kool-Aid that night with my kiddos. Great last day!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Taxi Adventure

The day after our outing with the kids, us girls (Becky, Anna, Rebecca and I) went into Ouaga for a girls day.  We had fabulous plans to swim, eat good food, go to the bank and then go to a soccer game.  Well these all fell through except for the eating part.  But, even with our plans crushed, our trip was nothing short of interesting.

After we had an awesome lunch and then ice cream afterwards it was pretty much time to start heading back to Yako.  So we flagged down a taxi and were ready to head to the grocery store next to the bus station.  As we were approaching this taxi we all heard screaming.  It sounded like a child was dying.  We were all freaking out and wondering what to think.  We all cautiously entered the back seat of the taxi and once inside the screaming got louder and louder.  It was coming from the trunk and were were told by the driver that two  goats were in the back.  AH! What?! Every time we hit a bump the goats screamed and then we screamed.  The driver thought this was hilarious and just responded, "This is Africa."  After what felt forever, we finally dropped the guy that had been in the front seat off.  He got his four goats out of the trunk and went on his way.  We drove about 15 feet and then stopped.  We were all thinking, "what now?" It was a flat tire....so we all got out and sat down on the side of the road and waited.  Yes, we could have just tried to get another taxi but we were on some side road and we had no idea where the main paved road was so waiting was our only option.  By this time it was about 3:15 and our bus was leaving at 4.  Two tires later, we were on our way to the bus station.  By this time we didn't have time to go to the grocery store before so we headed straight for the station.  We got our tickets and had 15 minutes to spare.  Our bus arrived a little before 4 but we couldn't get on it because the AC was broken in it (the one bus that does have AC) and it didn't have windows that you could open so we had to wait for another bus to come.  So we went to go sit back down and wait.  A few minutes later they made an announcement that the bus would be about 20 minutes late, which really means 45 minutes.  With wait time, Becky and I decided to run over to the grocery store to pick up a few things you can only get in Ouaga.  Run we did.  We made it to the store, food in our hands, and in line within 6 minutes; record time I am sure.  While waiting in a fairly long line, Anna calls us to tell us that our bus is here.  Uh oh....do we just forget the food and run or risk it....we risked it.  We waited for our turn, bought our food, snagged the change and sprinted.  We ran so fast an probably looked like fools I am sure, but we made it just in time.  The four of us got on our bus and were ready to head home.  But we didn't make it out of the station until 5 o'clock.  Once out of the station it took us 45 minutes to get out of Ouaga.  Oh Africa time.....I hope I haven't become to accustomed to this time mindset....

Faso Parc

With only a few kids left in the orphanage besides the babies, us girls (Becky, Anna, Rebecca, and I) thought that it would be a great idea to take the kids on an outing.  So we decided to venture to Ouaga for a day trip at Faso Parc.  This is Burkina Faso's equivalent to an amusement park.

We headed out in the pickup truck on Friday morning, but we only got to the courtyard gate before the truck died.  Everyone was crushed.  We were all hyped up to go on our outing and now it wasn't going to happen. So with everyone's heads hung low we filed out of the car.  We headed back into the house to try to think of another idea so that the kids wouldn't be too heart broken.  But before we could even start our conversation the kids came screaming to the house.  The car was fixed! We came to find out that the 4 wheel drive gear was knocked out of gear which somehow made the car be in neutral and not able to move.  Thank you Jesus!

It was a windy trip to Ouaga but a fun one with all of us hanging out in the back of the truck.  Once in Ouaga our plans got all switched around.  We didn't get to go to Faso Parc until later in the day but we found another fun alternative until then.  It was a National Parc that had lots of different attractions.  We all chose to go on the animal tour.  It was very interesting.  It was like a mini zoo full of various kinds of animals.  We had a guide tour us around and give us a description and story about each animal.  We saw lots of birds, crocodiles, a hyena, a fox, antelope, turtles, and a huge baboon.  This baboon was the highlight of the trip because it was not in a cage. It was merely chained up; the weirdest thing I have seen.  After our tour we all got sodas and sat around and talked.  Then it was to lunch.  We all ate at a local restaurant; everyone got some form of rice.  It was yummy.  Then it was off to Faso Parc.

The kids were so excited to finally get there because this is what they had been waiting for all day.  Once there they rode on a carousel, bumper cars, go karts, and played some arcade games.  They had a blast and I had a great time watching them.  It was a fabulous outing and it was so fun hanging out with the kids somewhere else besides the courtyard.

Visiting Frank

In my very full suitcase for this trip there were two things that I was especially excited for.  They were a soccer ball and a pump for the ball.  Now, maybe not the coolest things ever but they were to me because I was going to give them to my family's sponsor child, Frank.

One evening last week I hopped on Pastor Valentine's moto and we were off to Frank's village.  When we arrived there was no one there.  But this wasn't a surprise because everyone was still working out in the fields.  So we waited and while waiting we asked each other different cultural questions: comparing America to Burkina.  It's always fun talking with Valentine and I know he loves to use his English as well.  After hardly anytime at all, Frank's grandpa comes walking up with a baby in his arms and a child walking at his side.  He greets Valentine and myself with an enthusiastic smile.  He immediately tells Valentine of who I am; making sure his assumptions are correct.  It warmed my heart that he recognized me from January.  I too recognized him; I mean who wouldn't.  He is a really short little old man with warmth in his expressions and a cute wool beanie on his head.  He joined Valentine and I and we all started talking.....well they were talking in Moore and I was just listening and then I received the translations from Valentine.  But while they were talking I just watched Frank's grandpa.  I was so awe struck at what a loving grandpa he was.  He was holding a baby in his lap and had a little one on each side of him.  He would bounce the baby on his lap and then tickle the little ones at his side.  My heart was instantly warmed.  It was also great to think that Frank grew up receiving this same love. :-)

After a little bit of conversation Frank came walking up from the fields.  It was good to see him again.  He joined our circle and we all discussed his school year and other various topics.  Then I gave him his soccer ball and ball pump.  I think he was more excited about the pump than the soccer ball.  It was funny.  Valentine took my camera and snapped some shots of Frank and me before we left.  It was a short visit but a fun and memorable one.  I really enjoy Frank and his family and I am honored that my family gets to sponsor him.  It makes the sponsorship so much more real and exciting when I have met and conversed with Frank.  I can't wait to see him again!