The journey continues…

Do you remember Grace? The 2 pound premature infant who I played nanny to the first weeks of her life, needing to use a dropper because she didn’t have the strength to nurse from a bottle? After we tried our best at the orphanage, she was blessed with a place in a neonatal hospital for two months. Well, the only educated woman from her village, actually the person who reached out for our help, came by to see her this past week. She didn’t even recognize Grace because of how big and healthy she is now. Tears welled up in her eyes. (Tears are absolutely not allowed in this culture…but the joy was too intense for her to pretend.)


Another baby, Issa, who we received at death’s door in January and immediately brought him to the pediatric clinic in Ouahigouya, is 18 months old now. He literally screamed at least 15 hours each day the first months that he was at the orphanage. We prayed for him and for his caretakers; I don’t know how they could handle it. I couldn’t have. Mark and I were living in another courtyard at the time and could hear his constant screaming even that far away! Plus he continued to baffle us and Dr. Zala, the pediatrician, as to why he spiked fevers so continually. We finally guessed he was infected with the AIDS virus as it appeared that this is what his mother died from. Today I am excited to report, although he still has no strength in his legs, he is happy and as healthy as possible for him. He laughs often and easily. And this Friday he returns to his village. We are thrilled and his family is exceptionally grateful. We will send him home with a baby stroller that came on the container because he is getting too big to carry around all the time. They couldn’t believe it; they thought they just won the lottery!

The new school on the orphanage grounds is full of activity in final preparations. The building itself is wonderful and the teachers are eager to instruct with love and creativity…so foreign to Burkinabes! Lynn has done an amazing job although she would be quick to give God the glory for it as so many “coincidences” have happened for its success. The other children are returning from their vacations and all are showing anticipation of the new school year approaching.

As life changes for so many here, so it does also for Mark and me. When we heard “the call” to Africa, we stated that we thought we were coming to build a clinic, but we’ll see what God thinks as life unfolds. As much as we hate to say good-bye to all the children, after much prayer and discernment, it is time for our return to the U.S. We still believe we will be working in the mission field, but we will be taking a leave of absence for now. This has been an amazing year of growth in many ways. You all have been our strength and encouragement so many, many times. For this we thank you from the depths of our hearts. Also we are grateful for your financial support, but please refrain from sending us any further monetary support at this time as we will be returning mid-October; however, your prayers will always be needed and welcomed!

We have vowed to live more simple lives, concentrating on the gifts of people, not things. Our desire is be employed in low-pressured jobs and continue to study French so that we will have better language skills when we return to work in Africa and/or Haiti.

My blogging is now finished for this chapter of my life. Thank you for reading and sending your encouragement and comments throughout these 52 weeks. May you be blessed as you have blessed me!

In love,
Connie

What can we say?

What can we say to Timonte, age 6, when his mother comes to visit, carrying his baby brother, staying over 36 hours and then leaves him once again? He followed her through the courtyard and almost out the gate until we had to forcibly retain him at the orphanage. He sobbed for twenty minutes afterwards and has had such a temper ever since. He even smacked Jean in anger. Yep, Jean who is 20 years his senior and at least 5 times his height! Timonte’s mom asked us to take him because his late husband’s family will not allow her to live in her mud hut in their courtyard with so many children, four. I guess three is acceptable, but not four. They told her all would be fine if she married one of her husband’s brothers, but she doesn’t want to do so. I’m sure she has seen how they treat their wives and has no desire to be abused as well. We are hoping to find a solution for her. She has no education so she cannot support her children on her own. Our desire is to have families together!

We have come to understand the underlying problem of most every problem concerning the development and health of this country is a basic lack of creative problem solving. Very few have learned cause-and-effect. It blows my mind! Things that a three year old in the states could figure out, baffles even the adults here because no one has trained them to think beyond this moment. They have not been trained that way, so how can they pass it on? The idea of preventing disease is near impossible to get across. Seeing signs of malnourishment or dehydration go undetected until the child is near death. In fact, Lynn was at the hospital with one of our sponsored boys at 2 am yesterday. The boy was able to receive a blood transfusion from Boris, Lynn’s guard. However, in the 30 minutes that the transfusion took, in the same emergency room two babies died from dehydration!

Similarly, a pastor-friend of ours who lives at least an hour away by motorbike, came with his wife and 14 month old daughter. The little girl was quite lethargic; he told me this is the problem: she hasn’t nursed in five days. No other signs or symptoms, just not nursing. Hmmm. Have you offered her any food, similar to cream of wheat or rice? No. Have you offered her anything else to drink? No. So, I gave them some vitamins and powdered milk and explained it is time for her to eat what everyone else eats. Especially get some liquid into her before she dehydrates. Come back if things don’t improve in the next day or two. We prayed for her and off they went, so very grateful. What confounded me even more was that our employee, who has gone through high school, was so amazed by my “wisdom” in the situation. Ugh! I understand why the Lord said we would have the poor with us always…

On a not so serious side of the same lack of creative thinking: I have shown the children several different games they can play: dominoes, hopscotch, jump rope games, Frisbee, simple catch with balls, and even how to make a race track with chalk lines down a cement ramp, using the little matchbox cars. If I play with them, they have a blast. But do they use the knowledge and play on their own? No way. They sit around and are bored. I guess I need to encourage them to reproduce the fun without me…

Fortunately, my French has gotten to the point where I understand and am understood most of the time by those who know me well. My grammar sucks still, but at least I can get a point made when I need to. However, when the kids speak Moore they know I can’t understand them, so I’ll just speak English rapidly which makes them all laugh since they are not so proficient in my native tongue. Payback time!

Each day I get closer to going home brings smiles. I think of you all often; and pray for you daily.

Love to you and yours,
Connie

Lots of smiles lately…

Many projects are finishing up: all the children have mosquito netting around their beds and each room has a screen door and screens on the windows. The outdoor kitchen has a tin roof now and is protected from the rains, helping out the cook considerably which in turn makes everyone’s tummies happy as well.

The rains have caused the temperatures to drop significantly. Most mornings some of the children and workers are in sweaters or light jackets. Even I use a light cover at night! Brr…it must be in the low 70’s. On the days it does not rain, which are few now, the temperatures can still climb into the high 90’s; however, it’s still cool enough to sleep at night…and rain is always just a day away. Plus, hallelujah big time, the plagues of insects have diminished to an acceptable amount. Some of these creatures are a bit weird in my book, mainly because of their enormity, but they’re easy enough for the boys or Mark to dispose of.

Mark and I are smiling also because we can say, “Next month we go home!”

In love,
Connie

School will be here soon!

As the children start preparations for school, so many need the same supplies and uniforms as the children in the U.S.; however, here every single older child has to have their uniform sewn by a tailor; the primary children don’t have uniforms. But, just like any family, everyone wants what the other receives and jealousy and tears follow.

Entrance papers, birth certificates, and other forms must be found and advanced to the next school. It’s hard for us to understand how frighteningly easy the schools lose formal documents and birth certificates! Obtaining duplicate copies from the government isn’t possible since most of the children have no knowledge of their exact birth date. On top of which, Valentine have gone to the schools at least once/twice each day, but the office personnel are never there to even try to find the papers. Alas…

Exceedingly grateful are we and the three young men who will be able to continue their studies due to the generosity of several people in the U.S. They are committed to earning their degrees and then helping others to do the same. This is what we wanted to see happen! All along, our desires have been to make it possible for the Burkinabe to help themselves. Hopefully in the near future, this project will not need Americans at all!!

We’ve said our good-byes to Sara, a two year old who went to her village a few weeks ago, and next week Bourema’s family will come to get him. But, as the good book says, “the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away”: We have received three new infants, two under 2 weeks old and the other not yet 5 months old. We had to turn away a pair of 10 month old twins whose father needed some time to set up a home and get a job. Unfortunately, we can’t accommodate more than 7 children per nanny…which is plenty!
Yesterday we finished having all the males circumcised and all the immunizations administered to eleven babies. Although it was some loud “singing”, it’s better to get it all over with at once!

Because Lynn is in Ouaga for French studies, many people with children in the sponsorship program have been coming for care. I am grateful that the meds for malaria and colds/coughs are on our shelves and we have Ernest, Jean and Valentine to tell them in Moore, the native tongue, on how to use them. If the children take the meds as prescribed, there is virtually no threat of severe complications. If not, the reality may be death. And, by the grace of God, we are all staying healthy!!!

Hope you and yours are staying healthy as well. Enjoy your upcoming three day weekend!

In love,
Connie

I used to love roller coasters…

But now it seems every day I am on an emotional ride, and they aren’t quite so fun.

The ride: UP: My heart was full. I witnessed the first visitation of the father of the first baby whom I personally received into the orphanage. Aminata came to us early in May when she was already 2 ½ months old and only 6 pounds; she was dehydrated from persistent diarrhea. Her dad had been trying to keep her alive by feeding her cow’s milk after his wife died in childbirth. In desperation, he came here after traveling two days on public transports. Aminata was one of the infants who needed to be hospitalized during May and June; however, since then, she has been healthy, strong and happy. Her father brought another woman from his family with him and the two were ecstatic to see their little one who was so near death now healthy and full of smiles. We all gave the glory for her recovery to the One who loves her more than we do. I let them know how wonderful it was for them to travel so far to visit her. Maintaining the relationship is important for the transition back into the family when she is 18 months old and can return home with them.

DOWN: The last few days have been hard as the rains have come often and hard, keeping the children out of school and at my feet. (No big difference in the states on snow days, only that there are 14 kids to demand attention.) But, much more than that, we have had many situations with the older children’s education that we have needed to advocate for. Only one has had a positive outcome so far. To see the disappointment of each of the seven we are working with is heartbreaking. I am learning again and again that God’s timing is perfect; therefore, I must, and they must, accept what is—trusting that if it is a mistake, He will make good come of it somehow.

UP: I’ve been able to help several ladies continue breastfeeding their infants just by encouraging them to do so while increasing the volume of liquids they take in. We may have dropped the formula program for infants, but I am glad they are willing to work at what’s best, and free, for the babies.

UP AGAIN: last night I woke up when the electricity went off as I usually do each night. But, somehow my mind wandered to thinking about coming home in October. My excitement wouldn’t let me fall back asleep for quite sometime. Crazy. It’s still two months away and I can almost feel my grandsons in my lap, jabbering non-stop. I’d better snap out of this one, or I’ll be a walking zombie soon!

DOWN: When I did get out of bed for the day, my Bible held not only words, but a few scorpion spiders. No, it wasn’t because I hadn’t opened it in days! Bugs, bugs, bugs! I rewash and bleach most everything before we eat from it. More than anything I dislike is the bed fellows we’ve all become. It’s quite creepy.

UP: I now am writing to all of you, knowing how much I truly care for each of you. I can see your smiles in my mind’s eye. Your love sustains me.

Connie

Sending out an SOS…


Today I am not writing a blog per se, but to make you aware that three of our older boys, ages 18+, who are unable to go to the one university in the entire country of Burkina Faso, want to attend technical schools. One wants to be an electrician, one an accountant, and I am not sure of the third. Their schooling runs around $175 per year and is three years long, a total education fee of approximately $525. Room and board will be about $40/month. Mark and I just found out about this need last night and school registration is next month. If you would get the word out to see if we could get each boy a sponsored at least for this first year, it would change their lives. For them to find a job without the technical school education will be very, very difficult. They all are very impressive young men who will truly contribute to the betterment of Burkina.

We know you who read our blogs already are mainly the same persons who support the work here financially. If you feel you’d like to contribute more, great. But that is not what I am asking. I would hope for you to talk about it to others who might make a one time contribution, tax-deductible of course. If we can get their first year paid for, then we can work on the following years in the months to follow.

Our e-mail is burkinaclinic@gmail.com for questions/solutions. Thanks so much for your help with this!

Connie

I don’t have malaria, but….

I think most of the people here have experienced it at least once in the last few weeks. What a pitiful first day when it hits! High fevers, killer headaches, diarrhea and vomiting. Of course, this is in addition to the itching from all the mosquito bites. We are grateful for how quickly the treatment works. In 18-24 hours, one is pretty much over the symptoms. The scary part of malaria is that if it is not diagnosed as soon as the symptoms begin, there is a great possibility of dehydration, especially for the infants. Because we have extremely limited access to lab testing, when a child presents a fever with any of the other symptoms, malaria treatment begins. Here, diagnosis is in no way an exact science; I believe it must be God’s doing that so many recover with the meds we dispense.

Because of cooler temperatures, our bull, Brochette, is feeling a little too frisky. A couple of days ago he found a mound of soil that he toyed with, using his horns to toss up the rocks and dirt. After several moments of that fun, it was time to dance and buck. Whoa! Brochette wanted all the kids to join in and ran over to invite them. EEK! The ladies all grabbed the babies, running inside and slamming the doors. Without thought, my protective mothering instincts took control, and I ran outside armed with a mop handle. Now this was no ordinary mop handle, I was prepared with an industrial mop handle. I’d like to report that the bull was afraid of me, but unfortunately I heard him chuckle. Alas. However, the result was the same. It caused him to settle down enough for an older child, Achille, to grab his rope and tie him to a tree. (Note to family: No. I am not thinking of trying to ride Brochette---in the near future, anyway.)

Today is the birthday of Jason’s wife, Chris. I love to remember how she came into his life and soon after, ours. She seems willing to be her “real” self with me, which not only honors me, but encourages me to be more open as well. I want to take this moment to give her a huge hug with our warmest wishes for a perfect day, whatever that means to her.

Hoping your week is not full of bull!
Connie