How Quickly it Comes!

Wow! I literally sit here almost appalled at the realization that today is October 27, 2009, I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed.

We have a calender haning on our wall and everyday that passes I mark out, counting down to the day I leave (hint the big circle) and everyday I realize once again how close the end is. As of today the countdown is 41 days. I cannot even begin to explain how fast this time has gone.


So what do these next 41 days have in store:
-a mission trip to Yako with the Youth
-Faso Parc (a 'theme' park) with Claudine, my compassion child
-a home visit with Claudine
-A couple visits to some other Compassion sites
-A anniversary party for the Clousers
-A couple thanksgiving celebrations
-A special youth group dinner
-A few Christmas Parties
-A little progress on the hangar that I am helping put up at the LAC
-and many surprises everyday between!



Prayer Requests:
~The mission trip to Yako
~Time managment ( I am having a difficult time finding time to do school work, surprised?)
~Re-Entry, and departure, already stressing about this.
~Family back home, and the family I will be leaving here.
~Wisdom in planning and arranging everything for school from here.



I also just wanted to share this little picture with you, a month ago(ish) we started a women's Bible study on the book of Esther, by Beth Moore, this is some of the women here in Ouaga who are taking part, hosted by the wonderful Amy Nehlsen!

WIRED

Not all time in Burkina is spent, on the streets, with the poor, under the blazing sun, shaking dirty hands and hugging African children, in fact that is not a very typical day for any of us, although you do find it happening often.

This past weekend was the farthest thing from the 'typical African life', and was all about being 'Girls.'

We have a 30-50 person English speaking youth group, which meets at our house, the HUB, every Thursday night. And this past weekend I hosted a SLUMBER PARTY for all of the girls in the youth. It was a blast!

We had enough food, 'snacks' to feed an army!

Plenty of games; this one here is what I call 'wet t-shirt contest' aka try to unfreeze your team's t-shirt and then put it on before the other teams.

Some teams got really creative and used the microwave (and still lost)

Then we played Quelf, a very intriguing and funny board game.

And of course every sleepover needs facials, homemade facials at that...let's just say they weren't the best smelling things ever, especially when your supplies are limited to what you can find in Africa.

Group photo, before the movies!

The next morning.....

Boy, I sure had forgotten how much fun it was just to be with girls, to pamper yourselves, to eat a bunch of junk food, and to watch movies that melt your heart. It was such an incredible time to spend getting to know these dear, precious, and hysterical girls just a little more and to realize once again how thankful I am to be who I am, where I am!

Tent Camps

After the flood, and the loss of countless homes the government put in place a few tent camps to house those who had lost all. I had the privileged of traveling to quite a few of them to witness the giving of food, medicine, and encouragement.

Here are just a few quick pictures of a typical
Tent camp:

Anywhere between 3-5 families lives in a single tent.

"Beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" to a place where bondage resides and captives are longing to be set free.

I ka donkili ka di an ye

I Ka donkili ka di an ye:
"Lord I long to sing your praises."

Two days ago I was sitting once again in Patte d'Oie church, unable to understand a word of the sermon, more or less hear a single thing anyone was saying. I came prepared to tune out and dive into a little reading I needed to catch up on.

But when it started, it was all I could do to hold back tears, the sound of the guy banging on the make-shift djembe, the smiles of the women as they danced around in circles, hands lifted to the Lord, indistinguishable yet perfectly in rhythm they clapped, and sang, and danced. I was surrounded in diverse languages, engulfed in praise, and drowning in joy. It was a worship service I had so easily forgotten, so quickly become accustomed to and was completely blown away by. If ever there was a glimpse of heaven, this was it.

I was once again, powerfully, reminded of the diversity of our God, the beauty of praise, and the freedom that is found in Him. There was no restraint when it came to praise, no hesitation in belting out the depths of their souls, and no fear of a on-lookers pressure. It was pure, holy, alive, and unrestrained.

I needed this moment, one the Lord knew all too well, to once again cherish the place I am in, to wake up to the reality of this dream and to re-capture my heart in a moment that it had felt so far gone. We serve an almighty, all knowing, all powerful, and all loving God, who is worshipped by the nations, in every language, and tonuge, by every means; dance, song, and the clapping of hands. Oh and what an honor it is to be caught in the middle of it all.

A dream called Life

October has been a month full of surprises, laughs, trials, heat, and joy. As I was riding the bus from Bobo to Ouaga I was thinking to myself, is this life that I am living even real? It so often feels like a dream, and in reality so much of what I am doing really is. Thinking back to 2 years ago I never would have imagined that I would be doing the things I am and when that reality hits I and humbly overwhelmed with the great and divine providential hand of God. Everyday I am realizing that apart from Him this would only be another day, but because of Him it's another adventure.

This month has not quite concluded but up to this point has held so many moments that will forever be engraved upon my heart and so many encounters that will forever leave me changed. I recently had the honor of watching the girl who works at our house, my very dear friend Virginie offically be married

After 10 years of living with this Muslim man whose mother said he would never ever legally marry her I saw satan be defeated, and watched overwhelming joy pour of Virginie as something she never dreamed would happen came true. (Continue to pray for his salvation)

This is her and her beautiful family!

Sarah and I at the Groom's reception, here in Africa matching fabric is a traditional custom for weddings, this is the fabric Virginie had chosen.

On top of my very first African Wedding this month has been filled to the max with other activities.

Every other friday we host something we call "English Cafe" at our house. It's a time for the students to come and practice their english while playing games, drinking coffee, tea, and eating cake.

And of course I have still been up to distributing toothbrushes, I have become known as the 'toothbrush girl,' I even told one girl, "well my name is Jess" and her response was, "Well I will only know you as toothbrush girl." This was taken at my dear friend Debora's church in Sector 30.

And this is my very dear friend Debora, she has been so incredilbe to take me places, show me things, and to lean African wisdom from. This is her and a little girl she helps support to go to school. We visited her house and what a shock it was to her when she walked in and saw a Nasara, white person, sitting in her court yard.

Visiting with some of the neighboorhood children in the area.

Now don't think that I haven't had some very much needed down times. This is what I like to call the Best Vacation in Ouaga weekend. Steve and Amy Nehlsen, missionaries here went to Bobo and I stayed with their WONDERFUL daughter Kari, who has become one of my ver closest friends. This is us all packed up and ready to moto on over.

It was a wonderful weekend where we literally had no plans, we made american cookies, watched movie after movie, and got massages! Yes Burkina does have some very nice perks! An hours worth of a massage for about $12, you literally can't go wrong! Let's just say this weekend was desperately needed and greatly appreciated.

There have also been many nights spent with close friends, playing games, eating dinner, and fellowshipping. (Wonder why sarah is wearing a bib? It's a little, new favorite game, called Quelf, if only the camera could have caught Matt snorting like a pig everytime he laughed).

More Quelf action at Matt's house with tyler and Michael.

I also have had the amazing adventure of going to Bobo. Bobo is the second largest city in Burkina and is located east of the capital. The bus hour is roughly 4-5 hours, depending on the driver but thankfully it was on an air conditioned bus! (What a luxury, it is most definatly worth the 6,000 cfa, $12). The plan for my visit was to see my compassion child, Suzane, who lives there. So though my trip was short it was life changing.

The first thing we did when I arrived there was visit an orphanage that is run by a french lady. This orphange is a refuge for the children until they reach the age of 2, where their parents have the chance to come back and get them and if not they are put up for adoption. In february Sue, a missionary working in Bobo was at the hospital when she was informed a woman had gone into labor and had twins but could not take care of them because she had seizures. This is one of the little girls, her name is Fati. She is 8 months old and this tiny. She also has alot of heart problems and they are weary as to how long she has to live. But our God has perfect timing and divinely appointed that we visit on this morning when whe had just come down with something that was making her horribly sick. She had tubes attatched to her head and looked oh so very pale. It ripped my heart out to see her little heart racing and her beautiful little eyes hardly strong enough to stay open. We were there to pray over her and God honored those prayers by healing her little body that evening.

Then we went to the Compassion site, they were very excited to have a sponosor visit. The director there wanted me to have my picture taken with all of the children at the site, so what better time to distribue toothbrushes!

Suzane and I then had some time to play on the swings before heading to her house.

This is her little home, which she shares with some other families.

Her family and I. Her father is blind.

In Africa gifts are a high priority. The highest gift you can give someone is to give them something living, as you can see I recieved a very plump chicken. It is a humbling moment when you realize someone who has nothing is giving you the best of what they can afford to give.

My precious little girl!

Overall Octoer has been a very full month, with moments that will forever leave me changed, and yet how exciting it is to think it's not over yet. As the end draws near I feel both anxious to be with the ones I love and heartbroken to leave those who have come to mean the world to me.

Misconceptions

I often find that many people think my life here is quite extreneous, adventerous, or completely out there so I thought I would take short post to clear the air on some common misconceptions.

1.) I do not live in a mud hut.
-in fact I live in a very nice house, with a bed, a fridge, a washing machine, and a fan. (granted some people in this house of a.c. I do not, it as if I sleep everynight on heating blanket, as well as in a sauna.

2.) I do not eat african food everyday.
-in fact I rarely eat african food, rice or to with sauce is served everywhere and I would rather treat it as a treat than an everyday occurrence ;-) I do however love, passionately, going to the market to pick up my fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs. I have become quit the 'Rachel Ray', the things Africa forces you to do.

3.) Not all africans like white people.
-in fact they tell alot of the children that white people will eat them so I often find myself going over to a child only to watch them run away screaming as the mothers all stand around and laugh.

4.) Being a white person does not always give you advantages.
-in fact, I often find myself being taken advantage of when shopping. The other day I went to the largest market in Ouaga with my Burkinabe friend Debora and she asked the price for a necklace she thought was nice, he said 'for you 500cfa but for her 3,000 cfa. Obviously being a white person gives very little help in situations like this.

5.) Not everyday life in Africa is an Adventure.
-in fact I often find myself wondering what to do with the rest of my afternoon.

6.) I do not always feel clean or comfortable.
-in fact the only feeling good (physically) I do is covered in sweat, I cannot walk from the shower to my room (5 ft.) without being covered in sweat once again.

7.) I am NOT fluent in french.
-in fact I face days where I wonder if I ever even took a french class.


So there are just a few of the realities of life here, everyday indeed has a gift of it's own and everyday I find myself falling more and more in love with this place, everyday it becomes more and more of 'home' to me but the realities of life don't just leave because you move to another country, and that is a lesson I have been figuring out since the moment I stepped on this soil.

When 2 Worlds Collide!

Today I woke up, put on a pretty dress and went to Ouaga 2000 for church.

This morning this little girl woke up, put on the only dress she had and went to work.

Today I looked around at the vast riches stocked in homes that surrounded me, and marveled at their splendor.

Today I also looked into the eyes of children who were estatic that a white person had come to visit their small brick hut they call 'home'

Today I watched as a baby slept soundly in the comforting arms of protection and a future.

And today I held the hands of children whose future was tomorrow, hoping they would make it that long.







Today was a collision, a place where 2 worlds met, and I was the common thread. I lived today on each end of the spectrum, a place where there is no fear of losing, and a place where there is no guarantee of living.

Today I watched as my dear friend Debora, a burkinabe herself, was heart broken over the poor conditions in which these children live. To hear the words come from her mouth that how they survive is unimaginable and to watch her eyes fill with compassion over the little girl she supports from church broke my heart in two. She told me that for them, it is not possible to bathe every week (not to mention eat, we just happened to see a filthy little boy come running in), it isn't even possible for them to buy enough water to last them that long (25 cfa, the equivalent of .50).

It broke my heart and opened my eyes once again to the realities of where I am. Yes, this is Africa, the place so many dream of coming, but to those who live here this is home, the only place they will ever know. I have, with a very heavy heart realized that I cannot help every single person I see (though I have tried, just ask my roommates about the people who come to the door selling stuff), but to help just one here and one there makes all the difference in the world. To sit and share time with these belovedly beautiful people forever changes them and me as well. Katdafame (Deboras 'little sister') will always remember the day a 'Nasara' (white person, also my name in any outskirt area of town) came to visit her home, sat on her makeshift chair and took pictures of her and her friends. Even if I am here to only make a difference in little ways like that I know that I am being used by God.