Training and things

Ne ye zabre (Good evening), Or I guess Ne ye windyga (Good afternoon/day) in your neck of the woods!

I'm currently in a village in western Burkina for a few days of training. Yes, more training (and there will be more after this).  It's interesting to be in a totally new place. (They don't even speak Moore here; it's all Jula and a different local language, Sahn. I know NO Jula and obviously no Sahn. Not even one thing!) Though I'd rather be at site -- gosh do I miss it! I am safe and happy and getting in some down time with other volunteers. I'm excited that it's almost Easter, and I will be attempting to go to mass (entirely in sahn, of course!) Trying to see this all as yet another adventure. Please continue praying for Burkina and my work.

On the way in the back of a truck (and very dirty)

Somewhere in between

Dear people:
There seems to be some kind of misconception in Americaland that I am "saving africa". I am not, for the record, saving anything or anybody let alone a whole continent. (I also wish to express clearly to those who insist on calling me one: I am not a missionary. At least, not in the common conotation of the word.) From my conversations and letters, it has occured to me that some of you "over there" seem to think living here-- for just two years by the way-- makes me some kind of a hero. And Im having a hard time figuring out why.

At night chickens have no livers

When you're new to a language everyone laughs at you. You just can not figure out why they're so mean. And sometimes you yell mean words in english back at them and storm back to your house and blast christmas music while you viciously attack your courtyard with a broom. Or maybe thats just me.

More pictures

 

My entire stage (people I went through training with)

 

Women in the maternity

 

 The end of handing out over 2000 mosquito nets

A Day in the Life

19 February 2010

The first thing I remember thinking is: I’m gonna shoot those damn pintads. The pintad  (just say it like you’re from Boston: “pin-tahd”) is an extremely dumb, loud, tasty bird my neighbor happens to own. I am becoming more and more confident pintards are headed for extinction like their friends the dodo.

Pictures

This is me (and you all didn't really think I was in Africa...) in my "bedroom" before I painted it.

This is my house and part of my courtyard. (Probably not like you pictured, right?)

 The depot of my CSPS (ie where I work sort of)