Mam Photo Ramba

(Just means "my pictures")
I have some time before I catch my bus to download photos for you all. Sadly I don't have any of my birthday fete in village (we ate a whole sheep!) because my camera died and I couldn't find the cord to charge it. Here are some of the best of the last few months (Tabaski, mid-service conference, and thanksgiving).

Feli carrying arround her baby sister

Somira and Talato (her aunt) preparing food for Tabaski 

Dressed up in his best clothes for the fete

A Good Cause

A group called From Daniel's Tears is partnering with Eternal Threads to bring you "Burkina Bracelets". These awesome green bracelets are made by girls in Nepal rescued from trafficking and all the proceeds from selling the bracelets goes to the orphans in Burkina.

$1 to provide income to the girls in Nepal

$2 goes to two different orphanages here in Burkina

Quite possibly, the BEST THREE DOLLARS you ever spent! 

You can buy one for yourself or a hundred for your friends, church, or group to sell. (From Daniel's Tears is working on a video that will aid in advocating for Burkina's orphans.)

To order send an email at yakorphans@gmail.com or send an email to Cami at camiwarning@gmail.com. 

(Taken from http://burkinaorphanage.blogspot.com)


I haven't been to the orphanage in Yako myself yet, but I hear awesome things about it from other volunteers. If you're looking for a little way you can help Burkina (and Nepal) this is an option. 

Thinkin bout things

When you live alone, are the only one around that speaks your native language and have no electricity you tend to have a lot of time to just, well, think. About everything.

If it doesn't fit, change it

Today was an incredible reminder of how undeniably blessed I am. In fact, I've found that I can't think too much about all of my blessings because I feel so undeserving it gets overwhelming. But it's not because I am comparing myself with those around me-- Dear God, thank you that I have food to eat tomorrow-- or making a list of things I like at all.

A poem in progress

Nearly everything

Formerly known;

believed in, once

I saw the world.

Not anymore

white. Or black.

All just reflected

shades of gray. (Or

grey, depending

how you see it.)

I saw,

momentarily, sideways

in your eyes,

death reflecting upon 
the living

and I knew you

had seen

the world is not:

not round— not even oblong—

and certainly not flat.
Any way you look at it.

All the time

it changes shape.

And it is no wonder

anymore, 

why. So many
don't care to look
in the first place.

A month ago

Issiak and Alimata's family