MY FATHER'S EYES

2006-09-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

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

2006-09-06T00:47:00.000-07:00

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

2006-09-02T00:41:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-25T23:52:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-10T23:40:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-01T03:44:00.000-07:00

Kids never cease to amaze me.

Having been here almost a year, even the babies know my name. Most have adopted calling me “Connie bon-bon”, which means “Connie candy” since I give them little treats, maybe one piece of hard candy, a few times/week.

This past Sunday we started a children’s church. Up until now, all these little ones had to sit still during a three hour service each Sunday, getting scolded if they got fidgety! So, the 3-7 year olds participate in the 40 minutes of singing with the church and then we go to the Pastor’s neighboring courtyard for the remainder of the time. Taking a head count in the weeks before, I figured 15-20 children. I wasn’t quite prepared for the 30 that came! All went better than expected, mainly due to the fact that I had two young men, Etienne, (Steven), and David, assist me to the max. Okay they did it all; I merely explained to them what story to tell and what activities to get the kiddos to do. It was fantastic! I think David and Etienne had as much fun as the little ones. It was David’s idea to teach the children a simple English song…and to hear them sing it is soooo cute!

Another incident happened yesterday that took me by surprise: We have many, many “red can” boys. These street children are usually between 7-14 years old and carry old red tomato cans that they use to beg for money or food. Yesterday there was a group of four who came up to the truck window where I was sitting, asking for some money. Usually I try to have some kind of food I can give them since often times the money the boys receive does not benefit them, but goes to some man who sends them out. For fun, I will tease them and ask them if they would give me money instead. Usually they laugh, but this time one little guy reached in his pocket and offered me several coins. Oh my…. I gave a warm smile and declined, but then produced a banana for each of them.

"Unless you become like one of these little children, you may not enter the kingdom of God." Jesus said some smart things, eh?

Connie

2006-07-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

Adjustments in attitude can be challenging!

I want to appreciate all God’s creations, but when I get “there”, I’m going to ask what was He thinking when He made some of these nasty bugs! The rains have brought about a new set of life forms, none pleasant in my book. Besides the millions of termites, which by the way, make US termites’ size a joke, now we have an invasion of scorpion spiders with pinchers--and attitudes. We are told they are not poisonous, but the bite does hurt quite a bit. As I write, there are hundreds living in our staff house since we still do not have screens on it. Ruth is staying there, but Mark and I are too chicken---or smart?!! Ruth said she was awakened by some spider tiptoe-ing across her pillow…EEK! Of course, there is a myriad of other critters of multiple sizes, colors and shapes that give me more goose bumps than a scary movie. However, the top of the list is one I’m sure you are familiar with: the mosquito. Millions of them come to rest here during rainy season and carry malaria with them. This year so far, our preventative has kept us from getting malaria. It’s not 100% guaranteed, so we try to stay covered in deet as soon as the sun begins to set.

Most of the older kids have gone back to their villages for the summer. Fourteen must stay at the orphanage as there is no aunt/uncle/person who will allow them to come and live in the village. These children we send to summer school which is all the better for them since the education system here SUCKS! I could write a book about how tough it is for anyone to get ahead. It seems insurmountable. A number of our children didn’t pass to the next grade, and most of those who will continue on, barely passed…which means they don’t have a good foundation to receive more education. Our prayer is to be able to afford to employ another person who will oversee the school-aged children and provide some tutoring on a daily basis as well. It will cost us about $75.00/month, but it would be so worthwhile.

Before we came here, we read a book on living the missionary life which stated that, if like most missionaries, the first time we attend the church service we will be delighted. The second, we will be warmed. The third, we’ll start to get bored and agitated. After that, it’s pretty much a drag. That’s so true! Three hours every Sunday in foreign languages …. It reminds me of a time when my son, Aaron, saw a movie that was about the same length of time. Upon his return home, he expressed his displeasure by stating, “I never can get those three hours of my life back!” Although our presence makes a statement to the people that we care, it’s a royal pain. So, God heard us. (Like that’s news?) Mark was stating how sorry he felt for all the little ones who get so bored and fidgety during the service. How can we ask 2-6 year olds to act 18? He said that they needed a children’s church. We then offered to start a children’s church which thrilled Pastor Salou. Apparently, he has wanted someone to take the kids outside so that they don’t disturb the speaker as well as the congregation. Ha! Then we don’t have to sit through the three hours! I’m excited about bringing the Bible stories to these little ones and giving them a bit of fun with games, treats and songs. We will be using “helpers” as most of the children speak Moore, the tribal language. Through their assistance, they will also be in training to take over the children’s church themselves.

Other great news: Looks like we have been promised enough money for a deep well that will service the entire compound and never run dry! This is amazing, such a wonderful blessing for everyone. Currently we have to purchase water from the city, guarding the amounts used for bathing and washing clothes. Most of our crops failed last year because of the lack of water. This will be such a great help in every area!

Ruth will be leaving for two months on July 30th. That leaves Mark and me “in charge”…kinda scary, isn’t it?! Not really. I’m excited. These little darlings get cuter by the day. They are so forgiving of our language skills, or lack thereof. The employees are patient and help us in so many ways; I’m certain it will be quite smooth. God is good, keeping His humor alive in our lives during any situation. Mark’s silliness and jokes continually bring a smile to my face. Even if he is an old man of 50 now!

Love to you and yours,
Connie

2006-07-19T05:08:00.000-07:00

(Our phone lines have been down, so I haven’t been able to post this blog which I had written on 07/12/06.)

What a wonderful, wonderful day!

Our first adoptive parents have been with their new son, Jacques, for about a week. They had scheduled two weeks here in Burkina to finish up the passport and visa paperwork. Of course, there were several scary denials…one on the Burkina side, one caused by France. However, moments ago we received the news that all is in order and Jacques can officially go home! To watch this little 15 month old with his Maman & Papa is too precious for words. He clings to them as if he had never known anyone else. It’s apparent that he understands much of their French already, even giving little kisses on the cheek. (I received one too!)

Simultaneously, Paul’s new parents also from France arrived for the first time. For those of you who don’t know him, Paul was one of the first orphans we took in three years ago. He is probably around 3 ½ now, and has won many hearts of those who have visited here. Just prior to the big introduction, his nanny hurried and bathed him, dressing him in jeans and a golf shirt. We were hoping they wouldn’t notice that all his nails had polish on them because it was a fun thing to do this morning…but, oh well. As I held his hand, escorting him to the front of the orphanage, he was absolutely beaming. His was the look of little ones on Christmas morning: expectant, anxious, full of joy. His mother laughed and cried quite a bit; his dad had a smile that matched Paul’s. Years they had waited for this moment--and I was given the precious blessing of their introduction. We have been diligently trying to help Paulie understand French these last months, and he responded appropriately to their questions. His mom pointed out to Paul how she and he were similar: they had on matching nail polish. (Probably not something she had anticipated.) Jacques parents informed us that the town where Paul’s parents are from is one of the wealthiest in France, so his life will be changing dramatically in many ways. By the grace of God, Paulie came to us instead of being killed. His natural mother had conceived as a result of being raped and so she was expected to kill the baby on his arrival. Instead, she gave him to us. Now, a family has been born.

These adoptions remind me of Matthew 21:42, “The stone that the builders rejected became the corner stone.” I know that this verse truly applies to Jesus, but it also applies to these little ones. Having parents who once rejected them, now they are little corner stones, building a family where there was once simply a couple. Our deepest desire is that all of our adoptable babies will have homes with loving parents one day. I believe we will see it happen!

In joy,
Connie

07/17/06 Update: Mark has also updated his blog: http://www.burkinaboy.blogspot.com.
The babies are soooo attached to their parents; it is truly amazing. The parents of Jacque have already asked if they will be able to adopt another child from our orphanage!
The other crazy thing is that there has been an invasion of huge termites due to the rains. The kids collect these gross insects by the bucketful…and then deep fry them. They finally convinced me to eat a few. They didn’t taste all that bad, but my brain just couldn’t let me enjoy eating bugs…can you imagine?!

2006-07-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

The ants go marching one by one….

No, they don’t. They come in droves! The rains are bringing life to the ants, the termites, the beetles, the flies, the spiders, the wasps, and a million little 6 legged crawly things that no one knows the real names of. Ruth doesn’t quite understand how we might not want to stay in the staff house until there are screens on the windows. As I am sweeping up thousands (!) of termite wings, she says that by the bedtime the bugs settle down some. Sorry, but “some” isn’t quite settling to me!

The cabinet that I use to store my clothes has a hole where the lock is supposed to be. As I opened the door this afternoon, I inadvertently scared the life out of a wasp who was diligently building a home in that little hole. So, in turn, he caused me some distress as well. Okay, “some distress” was me jumping up and down and screaming at him, “What?! What?! Get the heck away from me!!!” with my arms flailing about. It felt like hours later, but I know only a few minutes past by, when I decided it was safer at the other end of the room until he quieted down. Just about that time one of our employees, Jean, came in and wondered what was going on. I pointed to the aggressor. Jean watched the wasp all of 10 seconds, snatched it out of the air with his bare hand, threw him on the ground and stepped on it! Voila! What’s the big deal? I keep replaying that scene in my mind. We Americans do things a little differently-- like use a bug spray made especially for wasps, then stand back a good 10 feet, spray and then run out of the room, slamming the door shut! Later, we might peek in to see if it had died…but still armed with the can of bug spray…just in case.

Yes, so the good news is that we have received 2 rains since last week. Fields that have already been planted several times are now finally starting to become green with small plants. The growing season needs to have rain 2-3 times/week for 4-5 months for a good harvest, so the weather will be on the forefront of everyone’s minds here for quite some time. I treasure all the wonderful gifts of food that were sent on the container now more than ever. We have more than enough to sustain us for a year. I feel guilty to have so much! But, the truth is that the people here won’t eat what’s not familiar to them. And they are not much on variety: rice, ground millet or ground corn is the basis for each meal 7 days/week. Usually the dinner includes a sauce of tomato flavored oil and a few veggies. Special Sunday dinners might include field peas or pasta with the tomato oil. Big holidays bring out the meat: chicken, pig or goat. We’ve tried sharing great northern beans and the recipients choked it down to be polite. Don’t even try to offer them cheese; but, on the other hand, don’t throw away those good chicken bones!

Mark and I have made plans to come to St. Louis for a month starting the 15th of October. Although he was in just a couple of months ago, it was pretty much work the whole time. I haven’t been back since early January, so the TLC of family and friends will do my heart good. (And I sure don’t want to be a stranger to our grandsons!)

Blessings for a wonderful week,
Connie

2006-07-02T00:35:00.000-07:00

Private lives of Burkinabe are usually kept secret…

However, since we were at the language school for 24 hours/week and in need to make conversation with our French, each day we talked about life’s events with our instructors. Of the many people we have met here, the director of the school seems to live a life parallel to ours in the states. He is not much younger than we, has gone to college, is Christian and has a small family with adult children who no longer live at home. Even his wardrobe resembles that which is worn in the states, “business casual”. His personality is fun-loving and gentle, a pleasure to know. But, the big difference between his life and ours is his dependence on rain and medical care.

Rain? Yes, everyone here, without exception, is dependent on the consistency of showers during the rainy season. Without it, the intense sun withers the crops and leaves little to eat the entire year. Of course, one would think the shipments of food from other countries would help tremendously. Unfortunately, most of that is stolen by employees of the government. There is a fear in the air already since many people, including us at the orphanage, have already had to replant their fields due to a lack of rain. If the rains don’t come soon, we will see many deaths from starvation and malnutrition in the 2007. There has been a real positive in this situation: there was a huge prayer meeting, with Muslims and Christians alike, begging God for rain. The very next day, it did rain--for hours! Hopefully, this is the beginning of the season.

Although we all know the healthcare here is far substandard to the US, to see a glimpse of those affected is mind blowing. The director, Mr. Fulgence, has had two situations arise that he shared with us in this past month:

The day after Mr. Fulgence was absent, he apologized and provided his excuse: he had to attend the funeral of his niece and her baby. She needed a cesarean section, but both she and the baby died on the operating table. She left behind two other children and a grieving husband. We have knowledge of several mothers who have died in this way, although many more die in childbirth.

One week after the deaths, Mr. Fulgence received the news that his wife needs a hysterectomy. She has many uterine fibroids and may have cancer. After the niece’s death during surgery, how can he trust that his wife will survive a similar operation? Before surgery in the states, we sign a form of consent, acknowledging that during the operation many adverse reactions are possible…including death. Seldom is that a reality.

I become more and more grateful for my US citizenship every day I am here. Wow, are we ever blessed! This Independence Day will mean more to me than ever before. Shoot off a bottle rocket for me, will you?!!

In His love,
Connie

2006-06-25T02:06:00.000-07:00

One of the best Bible passages reads, “…and it came to pass.”

Before we moved to Burkina Faso, God kept showing me the importance of understanding that emotions are fleeting. They are not reality, but just the immediate perception of the circumstances. After attending a meditation class a few summers ago, I began to understand the need to mentally pull myself out of the emotional picture and turn inward…to resume my place in the Father’s lap because there I find my peace.

Although I wrote my blog last Sunday, I did not mention the emotional struggles I was going through. Most of it can be attributed to culture shock: The home we have rented in Ouaga for these 4 weeks has 4-6 men running a yogurt business out of the garage, taking over the yard 6 days/week, all day long. So, the fishbowl we live in has included our own home, a home with large windows that must stay open because of the heat. I grow weary of all the eyes of those whom would judge my character by the clothes I wear; so I must not wear shorts, not even at home. Because there is a guard who also stays inside the yard, when I wake up at 5 am, I am still observed. I want American food, American roads, phones that work, English, church services I can understand and take part in, television, anonymity at times, and ever so much to see and hug my family. Mark held me; Ruth cried with me. But ultimately it was your prayers that got me through…again. My emotions are back in subject to my desire to follow the call God has on my life right now. Not that I am less homesick, but I am not giving into its ability to paralyze me.

During this time, I have read a book entitled, What’s so Amazing about Grace? By Philip Yancey. I am moved by its reality. Yancey is able to challenge our complete acceptance of grace. He questions our desire to love others whom we subconsciously deem not worthy, i.e, prostitutes, homosexuals, etc,---often a co-worker or family member who has hurt us. I encourage you to read, or reread, this book. It has caused me to be more patient and tenderhearted toward others as well as myself.

This is our last week of French school. Much like life itself, the more I know, the more I realize I need to learn. UGH! However, Mark and I are both looking forward to our Yako home and being with our “family” there again. Hopefully, they will see a difference in our language skills!

Grace upon grace,

Connie

2006-06-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

Today is a day to celebrate!

Today is Father’s Day and Mark and my wedding anniversary. The weather is cool, about 84 degrees, with nice breezes. We just need a barbeque pit and some pork steaks with a tangy-sweet sauce for the day to be perfect.

Our teachers at the French language school have been asking us so many of their curiosities about America: How do we celebrate holidays and anniversaries? Why do we have pets? Are there many churches in our home town? How many animists? (People who believe in the gods of nature that require sacrificial animal killings.) Before we came here, we understood that we would represent Christianity and the US. I have truly been feeling that responsibility during these kinds of conversations. It’s not easy to explain why we Americans choose to spend millions of dollars on our dogs and cats while many people here can only afford to eat one meal of rice each day. I tell them we are trying to send help and deliver as much as we can personally. How can I tell a Burkinabe that so much of the money, food and medicine sent here is stolen by their own government? The rich get richer without regard to those who have nothing.

Speaking of which, one of our co-missionaries, Lynn, had her home broken into allegedly by one of her employees. There were only two people who knew that Lynn and the guard, Boris, would be gone in the early hours of last Thursday. Lynn was with Boris. So, the only other person who knew the house was empty had to have had a major role in the theft. Although it could have been much worse, he stole her new laptop, a DVD player, a camera and $600 cash, hidden in a bag in the deepest part of her closet under some clothes. Because nothing else was disturbed, it was obvious that someone who knew exactly where the money was kept had taken it. That money was to be used the next day to purchase rice, fish, etc., for us to give to the sponsored children this coming weekend. It is disheartening to give someone a good paying job, and then have him steal the food out of others’ mouths. “‘Vengeance is mine,’ says the Lord.”…. Okay, go God!

Some sad news about our Friday baby program: we had to end it. Not enough money to keep up with the rising price of the formula. Unfortunately we had 11 babies dependent on that milk; may God somehow provide the food they need.

Yesterday we purchased all the fixtures for three bathrooms and also a double bowl kitchen sink for our staff house. So many designs and colors! Errr….not. One does not buy a shower surround or anything like that here, just the pipe and shower head. Of course the commode and sinks are white. Hopefully we’ll get a good year of use from them before any parts need to be replaced. Everything will be done in a nice gray concrete finish until we can afford some paint, and maybe even tile on the floors of the bathrooms. We have been talking about finding some broken tiles and doing kind of a mosaic thing. It would be easy for us to do and cheaper than real tiles. We are excited that we will have a home with some space from the orphanage. Hopefully we have figured out ways to protect our private space. Ruth and I can’t wait to be able to walk around in shorts!

Hope all you Dads are having an exceptional day; you are in my prayers. Your example and tenderness are vital to your family’s growth and contentment. Be glad you aren’t following the Muslim religion as do the majority here. The men have several wives and 20 or so kids!

In His love,
Connie

2006-06-11T03:40:00.000-07:00

Our first week staying in Ouagadougou

Being here in the big capitol city of Burkina Faso allows me to experience many aspects of the life I left behind in the states:
We have a backyard with a small patch of grass, flowers, and even a swing set.
We have electricity 24/7.
The house is equipped with a hot water heater, not that we use it…but it’s comforting to know it is available.
The furniture is American in style, which means we have chairs which are not only upholstered, but also a couple feet off of the floor, not a few inches as most African chairs. Plus, we actually have a table and chairs.
Talking about lavish: the house has curtains, decorations, ceiling fans, and, yahoo! an air conditioner in the bedroom.
We have use of their stereo, American magazines and books, and also a television, complete with DVDs of recorded television shows from last year. We have seen most of them, but that’s okay.
Because of gifts from the states, I am enjoying the finest of coffees and Dove chocolates. I even made tortellini one night!

The only major problem in our stay here, I discovered about 9 pm on our first night. I walked into the kitchen to discover hundreds, I mean hundreds, of roaches and ants! The woman had left me a note, saying that they had a “little bug problem.” YUCK! It freaked me out and I went crazy with the can of bug spray.

Of course, that first night of sleep was hardly that. If I wasn’t dreaming about the creepy crawly things, I was up and in the kitchen on the prowl for anything that moved. I left the carcasses on the counters and floor to be a sign to other invaders of their demise should they choose to stay.

The following day I emptied every cupboard and sprayed every nook and cranny, closing the room off for 24 hours. This produced another 60 deaths. Then I washed and bleached every dish and every surface before restocking. Word apparently has gotten out: I hear that I am being called “Dr. Murder” by the insect world. So be it. I stay on the alert, and shoot the insecticide at any sign of movement. (Mark stays out of my way when I get That Look in my eyes.) As of today, one week later, one roach has had the nerve to show up, but several ants. Ants think they are being courageous, I think they’re suicidal.

Oh, by the way, the French language classes are going well. ;)

Have a great week, full of unexpected blessings!
Connie

2006-06-05T04:26:00.000-07:00

Pinch me!

I barely made mention of the container’s arrival in my last blog….but, Hallelujah!

How can we express our gratitude to the hundreds and hundreds of people who sent expressions of their loving support? We are moved as we open boxes of items that were obviously hand-picked, chosen with us or our children/widows in mind. At times we recognize the handwriting and feel heart pangs, knowing it will be many months until we see them again. If you see Brenda Dantico or Lea York, please give them the biggest hug possible from all of us! The container is here because of their continued dedication and many, many hours of work: organizing, communicating with donors and shippers, finding manpower for loading, and a host of other aspects including purchasing some of our most prized items. May all involved be blessed a hundredfold!

After sorting thousands of clothing items, we have given all the orphanage children several newer outfits each, plus huge storage boxes leftover for the months to come. We then passed many of the adult items onto our staff to bring to their villages. Everyone had such big smiles, prancing around, modeling their new wardrobes.

Although we have only unloaded about one quarter of the container, the promises it holds are priceless. To name just a few of the items: jungle gym for the kiddos, water collection systems, bicycles, and the entire contents for a medical/dental clinic. We believe God will supply the funding for the clinic building itself as our original funding had to withdraw unexpectedly.

Other good news:
• Baby Grace is looking wonderful! She is almost 4 pounds now. At 4 lbs. 4 oz, she will be able to return to the orphanage.
• Three of the older boys are in the top three of their classes…the classes have 100+ students, so it is a huge accomplishment.
• Our 10 year old nephew, Ben Bruemmer, had a six hour open heart surgery on 5/31 and is already back at home! Please pray for his continued healing.
• A couple here have given us money to create a “baby gazebo”, a safe place for the little ones to play in, off of the dirt and shaded with an OSHA regulated fence around it.
• Mark and I are now in Ouagadougou for one month for French language school. We are staying at the house of missionaries who are now in the states for several months. The all night electricity and indoor plumbing are wonderful; we even have an air conditioner in the bedroom!

I would like to ask for your continued prayers for our infants. They had a little break of being healthy, but now several of them have high fevers, diarrhea and many skin lesions.

That’s about it from this side of the globe. Hope you and yours have a wonderful week!
Connie

2006-05-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

He’s back, she’s back, they’re back, so I’m back...!

I’m a little confused on what day of the week it is. Ruth and I left for Ouaga on Sunday so we could get the truck fixed during Monday morning, run errands during the day, and then pick Mark up from the airport on Monday evening, returning to Yako Tuesday morning. Or so we thought.

It seemed to work out fine according to our itinerary. However, Tuesday morning Ruth could barely move. All of her joints hurt to move, much less walk. We were grateful we were in Ouaga already and could bring her to the best doctor available in country. Wow, was that an experience! After Ruth told the doctor that her joints all hurt, he left the room. Without taking a medical history, temperature, blood pressure, etc., the nurse started an IV. After several attempts, she finally got it started and also took some blood samples. A medication was hung next to the IV hydrating solution, and we inquired as to what the medicaton was. Well, apparently it was a malaria medication that they just put everyone on, assuming everyone has malaria. Since it gives Ruth terrible hallucinations, she refused it. First, confirm if she has malaria, and then administer the medicine, please. Then they sent her off to the adjoining 2 room, 6 bed hospital, (having one toilet and no sinks.) Ruth’s being admitted and no one knows why? Not even the doc! Hmmm...

We waited for the test results for hours, thinking that she may just need some IV meds and we could return to Yako later that same day. Her room was shared by two men; at least privacy curtains surrounded her bed. The walls and curtains were dirty, but the sheets were clean and the needles sterile. At 4 pm, 6 hours later, the doctor said he knew that it was not malaria, but unsure of the results of the other tests. Mark and I decided to leave at 6 pm for Yako when we were told that Ruth would have to spend the night because the results were still not back.
Because we had inadvertently forgotten the plug adapter to recharge Ruth’s cell phone, we couldn’t call her to see what was going on. We spent the night and after taking care of minor troubles at the orphanage, including checking on sick babies again, we drove back to Ouaga. We found out that Ruth had a strept infection that settled in her joints, so she was given strong anti-inflammatories IM and antibiotic in the IV. She felt much, much better, ready to leave. The doctor needed to make sure her blood work would show a decrease of the infection first, so he ordered more tests, including a chest x-ray and sonogram (?!). When he has the results, he would release her. At 3 pm, the doctor said he would know the results and probably release her in one hour. Four o’clock, five o’clock, six o’clock. Tick, tick, tick.... Time doesn’t mean much here in Africa. We tried to be patient, but Mark and I didn’t really want to drive in the dark because too many motos and cars drive without lights. So, we went against the culture and requested that the doctor come in with the test results because he had indicated she would be able to leave. Oops! The doctor left and did not get the test results nor leave orders for her release.

Mark and I got a room at a guest house for the night. Since we had very little to eat that day, we were grateful that they had frozen pizza available to purchase for five dollars. The proprietor introduced us to a couple who had been there for weeks and that they would show us how to use the oven, etc. The man, Joe, said they love pizza and they found placing it right on the rack makes it bake up crispier. With that, he lit the oven, opened the package and threw the pizza on the rack. Fifteen minutes later, I thought I could smell cheese burning, so I went for a peek. Ugh!!! The dough of the pizza, along with all the toppings, was a gooey mess, seeping through the wires of the rack! I had smelled the cheese burning on the floor of the oven. I found the broiler pan, and even though it was dirty, I stuck it under the pizza. Moments later, the pizza was on our coffee table in all its gooey glory. Mark reasoned it was just like eating raw cookie dough. I couldn’t stomach it so I picked at a little cheese and sausage here and there while we watched "The Incredibles" on DVD... good times, eh?!

Mark got a little sick from the pizza, but it didn’t linger. Although I had floss, we had no toothbrushes and couldn’t brush our teeth, or climb into pajamas, much less have clean clothes in the morning since we were not prepared to spend the night. In spite of all that, we slept very well in the AIR CONDITIONED room. The next morning we went over to see if Ruth was able to be released. She was on the point of tears. Word was that the doctor never got the results of her tests and since the day was a national holiday, the lab would not be open, plus the doctor will not be in to give the orders for her release. Now understand, the hospital has no form of entertainment. The only thing one sees from the bed are dirty curtains and walls. (The very same walls Ruth was climbing by then.) So, Ruth showed her American side, and phoned the doctor at his home, saying she needed to get back to the orphanage—please release her! He grudgingly came in and released her. The whole staff wasn’t too happy. Oh well, we were on our way home!

Upon arriving back at the orphanage, we found out all the babies are healthy! (Not including the premature baby, Grace.) No other babies are at any other hospital. So, for the first time in months, everyone is home. Hallelujah! And what’s more amazing, is that this morning, the 23rd, the container arrived!!!! We are all smiling for many reasons. God is good!

I know this is a long blog, but it’s been a long week! The beginning was awesome with the arrival of Mark and all the heartwarming stories as well as the gifts he brought. And now, the end is so wonderful as well.

May you have a wonderful, grace-filled week.
Connie

2006-05-16T14:12:00.000-07:00

This is why I came....

I came to help those who can’t help themselves, the little ones who have been discarded by family. What rejection they have already faced, more than most of us will ever know. But now, for me, the tire hits the road. Literally. I have spent the vast part of this last week driving to three different cities to get five children hospitalized, including the premature infant I was keeping watch over. All five were dehydrated and had high fevers without any response to several medications we tried. Now, all have had to stay in the hospitals a minimum of five days. Two of the babies were released today, so I drove up to Ouahigouya to pay the bill, get the babies & their nannies who stayed night and day with them for seven days. The combined total bill for two infants’ 7 day stay with all meds and IVs, etc., was $48.00. No insurance papers to file, no other bills to pay, just a handwritten receipt by the doctor and a shake of hands.
When I sat down to write this blog, I thought I was going to tell you how rough it’s been on me this past week. So rough that I had a pity party for myself on the morning of Mother’s Day–poor Connie, no kids, no grandkids, my Mom died this past winter, and then, not even my husband was here. I was exhausted from all the work and only had more to do. Facing the heat and the lack of sleep I get because of it, makes the day longer than 24 hours. It was one of those, "Stop the world, I want to get off!" moments. However, as my fingers began to type just now, it caused me to realize this is exactly why I am here. If this is hard for me, how hard must it be for them? Did I want to share the compassion of God or not? If not here and now, when? Buck up, girlie!

When I write my next blog, I will have the company of my husband again. He is coming back Monday, the 22nd. The kiddos are all excited; it’s so cute. When I told them of his return date, Addi, a six year old said, "Hallelujah!", to which four year old Tine responded, "Amen!"

Have a great week,
Connie

2006-05-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

I realize this is much earlier than usual, but so much has happened these last three days!

My last entry was written on Sunday morning. Later that same day, Ruth and I went to visit a family who was asking us to take a newborn because they didn't want her...she was the product of rape. Ruth asked me to help her say "no" because we have no room at the orphanage and not enough money to hire more nannies. We have had to turn away three other infants just this week, so why would this one be so unique? We brought gifts for the new baby as an encouragement for them to keep her.

We learned the whole story: The nineteen year old mother was mentally handicapped as well as physically. When we arrived, she was in a hut far away from the others' because she was ostracized for having a child without being married. Sitting on the floor, drooling, Bibata was covered in flies and the infant lie next to her. She has no use her arms and legs. Because she cannot speak she cannot say who her attacker was, if she was even mentally aware. Or if it had been only one man. Bibata's mother said that she cares for the invalid Bibata by herself, feeding and bathing her, but had never noticed she was pregnant. (!) We took a peek at the newborn and it was obviously a premature delivery. The mother could not breastfeed and there was no pure water to mix with the powdered formula, so how could we leave her there? After consulting with the chief of the family, he agreed that he would sign papers allowing the baby to be adopted. He said they are animists and if this baby stayed in their courtyard, the bad spirits would come. He asked weren't they wonderful because they have not killed nor thrown out the girl and the baby?! (And, unfortunately, that is all too true.)

The infant had not been named, and the word "Grace" popped out of my mouth immediately: It was the grace of God we came because that baby would never have survived, and it will be His grace that brings her through these critical first weeks of life. We brought Grace to the hospital, found she weighs less than 3 pounds. At only 3 days old, the doctor thought she was probably one month early, but that Grace does not need an incubator, just take care of her at the orphanage. Hmmmm... The problem is we have an orphanage of sick babies! So, Grace now shares the room with Ruth and me. I get up with her through the night because I mainly awake anyway with the heat. Ruth sleeps through babies screaming, the heat, the electricity turning off, etc., etc. Poor little Gracie kept falling asleep after only a few swallows of formula. Then I got the idea of using an eye dropper, which works fantastic! She's up to THREE tablespoons at one time already, an increase of twice the amount she took just yesterday. She does have fevers often and is now jaudice, so we have a battle. But she is getting stronger by the hour. She is Graced.

Today is Tuesday, and Ruth just left with two other infants with two nannies for Ouahigouya again. Fevers, diarrhea, vomitting and refusing to eat. They won't last long, especially in this heat. Amed is three months old and has a fungal infection on his tongue, so it hurts to eat. I had considered placing a nasal-gastric tube in the both of the babies, but I wasn't too sure any food would stay down. So I thought I'd try force-feeding. As I pushed down the plunger of the large syringe which held formula, (no needle of course), Ruth held his arms and dabbed up excess formula that he would spit out. After he swallowed 2 ounces, he projectile vomitted most all of it. Moments later, he had an explosive bout of diarrhea, so much so, it made me jump and Ruth shot across the room like she was hit by a torpedo! Oh, we laughed so hard we had tears. Poor little Amed stopped crying to watch us. He had been crying for hours--but, two crazy white ladies think pooping is that funny?!

Also, today we heard some absolutely wonderful news: Our first adoption proceedings are going before the judge this Thursday. This means it will be finished and little Jacques' parents can come pick up their son! They will need to wait one more month to arrive due a law in France, but they have waited many, many months already. We are all so excited!!

I'm praying our babies get well soon and my life will sound boring in comparison to these last days. I hope you will join me in that prayer!

love from this side of the world,
Connie

2006-05-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

We’re finding silver linings...

This week has been insane with over half of our orphanage children ill. The older children have had problems with early signs of dehydration, i.e., headaches and urinary pain with decreased output. Their discomfort was simple to diagnose. The infants, not so easy.

All but one of the infants have severe diarrhea. We have made three separate trips to the pediatric clinic in Ouahigouya this week. Issa, the 14 month old who was 12 lbs in Jan and needed to be hospitalized for five weeks, has had a constant fever around 102 for over four weeks. We have tried treating him with two different malaria medications and also amoxicillan. No changes at all. Sometimes he seems sickly and doesn’t eat; other times he has a healthy appetite and plays. I couldn’t understand what else to do for him, so we brought him to the clinic. After lab work, and a thorough exam, Dr. Zala just gave him a prescription for another antibiotic. Issa has been on it for five days, and no changes. We recently found out his mother died last year from an illness and now his sickly father is close to death as well. Because of his age, an AIDS test would not prove valid, but his parents’ illnesses make us believe he, too, may not be here for too long.

Baby number two: Assia, a three month old girl, grabbed my heart . A nanny came to me, asking for help. She showed me Assia’s lower back and butt. My stomach turned when I saw several worm tracks in her cheeks; one had made an exit wound and was crawling out. All the books and worming meds available to me gave doses for children two years and older. I went on-line to search the subject so I would not overdose her. No help. Finally I just took a guess and a prayer....after a few days she didn’t show any more signs of worms, but gross skin infections with drainage of pus and blood. The nannies pushed and squeezed to force out the infection, but left her poor little bottom deeply bruised. We brought her to Dr. Zala who prescribed a different antibiotic by mouth and topical antibiotic ointment. She does seem better today!

Yesterday, we brought home our only overnight patient at the hospital. Aminata who is a whopping 6 ½ pounds dehydrated from sever diarrhea. Initially she was taken to the hospital here in Yako, but they didn’t even test her for dehydration and sent her home with a prescription for diarrhea. So, we left for Ouahigouya at 5 pm. Ruth phoned Dr. Zala on his cell phone three times and could not reach him. We prayed he would be at the clinic still even though he didn’t answer his phone. If he was unavailable, we worried that this little girl might not survive the night. Hallelujah! He was there! In a matter of seconds, Dr. Zala confirmed what we already knew: she needed an IV for the dehydration. The nurse was able to get an IV started in that tiny hand on the first try. It was awesome! When we picked her up the following day, she looked like a new person. Aminata had gained almost .07 lb overnight! She is on medicine for her diarrhea, and we will force fluids so she remains hydrated. We are so very grateful that Dr. Zala and his staff are available to us and our children. They have tender hearts toward the babies and skills unmatched here in Yako.

We had a visit from the directress of another infant orphanage in Yako who told us that all her babies have been so ill as well, mainly with fevers and diarrhea. Apparently these extremely high temperatures are killers, literally, for the babies’ bodies to deal with for long periods of time. Although it is stressful to be caring for such sick babies day in and day out, they are getting better little by little. Please keep praying for their complete and total healing. Rains may come early this year, as soon as the end of May or mid-June. Until then, the same challenges in health face us. Our hope and our joy is in Jesus. Our desire is to serve Him by bringing some comfort to these little ones.

In peace,
Connie

2006-04-30T06:53:00.000-07:00

What an exciting week!

We had three days that only got into the low 90's! It was soooo wonderful to be able to sleep well. And, May 1st is a holiday here, so that means we get electricity all night for two nights in a row! I have learned techniques of cooling down through the night, like having a large piece of material which is water-soaked by my bed to moisten my skin throughout the night.

There has been a rash, (pun intended), of kids with chicken pox, high fevers, infections, and malaria lately. Diagnosing and prescribing meds has been more of a challenge...thank God for the course Mark and I took on tropical medicine! The information has been on target with many of the signs and symptoms we’ve seen. It’s so rewarding when a child actually recovers health from the course of a prescribed medication.

As I become more aware of the knowledge, or lack there of, which the nannies possess on health issues, I can see there may be great value to holding monthly classes on child care. For instance, this week, I noticed all the workers were standing around discussing something with grave concern. The problem: one of the 18 month olds drank some bleach and no one knew what to do about it. Why bleach was accessible to him is problem #1; why no one had a clue what to do is even a bigger problem. After I shoved my finger down his throat, he immediately vomited, and the air was filled with the scent of bleach. I tried another time just to be sure it was all out, and so it seemed to be. Ruth mixed up 10 ounces of milk and Jaques gulped it down. I hugged on him for several minutes, hoping he wouldn’t just know me as the mean white lady who shoves her finger down your throat! Then came problem #3: Hours later, I noticed Jacques was wearing the same clothes he had on during the bleach episode. When I asked the worker to smell his clothes, she then noticed the bleach scent and asked if I thought she should change his clothes? Wow. Isn’t it amazing what knowledge we take for granted?!

Saturday, the 29th, the orphanage was invited to a outdoor fair to display information and sell products made on site. Ruth made some mango muffins and I made peanut candy, plus we had a good display of soap and the placemats that our weavers make. The food was a big hit, and many bars of soap sold. Hopefully, now that the community has been introduced to our products, we can teach our ladies can make a side business of making the muffins and candy and selling them in the village for a small enterprise.

I am learning the ins and outs of raising 45 children– even with my poor French. Most of the kids are patient with me, but a few are not. Alas....

Mark has been gone now four weeks, and one of the toddlers told me, "Mam data Mark," which means, "I want Mark." Later he asked if Mark will come back here. How sweet is that?! Mam data Mark too. Until next week....

Keep the faith,
Connie

2006-04-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

What a roller coaster of emotions!
I am trying hard to keep grounded, learning to take a step back and view life’s ups and downs with a larger perspective than merely day to day-to listen to my heart, the Spirit of truth, to gain proper perspectives in all situations. Easier said than done.
First understand that my darling husband has been gone for two weeks now, which is 10 days longer than we’ve ever been apart in over 7 years and that the temperatures barely fall below 95 during the night, it’s hard to sleep...especially when the electricity turns off from 2-7 am. The heat has caused me to get nauseous at times, and diarrhea often. One morning after an unusually hard night, I felt overwhelmed at being here. Language is so hard....and always in my face as to how little I speak French. I’m sick, I’m tired, I’m not sleeping...maybe I should leave. I just want to go home for awhile out of this desert land and into spring, life, love and my husband’s arms. And then we had prayer. I confessed my wimpiness, (is that a word?), and Valentin reminded me of a message Mark gave at church not too long ago: the bottom line being that if you really want to make a change, it will require sacrifice. That was exactly what I needed to hear! It resonated in my soul and gave me the courage to continue on this path. Knowing that it really isn’t up to me to make this work, it’s up to God through me.
Okay, back on top of the world. Errrr, until I hear the word that the real estate company we had our life savings invested in was fraudulent and absconded with our life savings that we were going to use to set up house when we would return to live in the states. Not only ours, but many others we know as well....millions of dollars. Well, that’s a blow. However, we are grateful that our bills are paid off and we don’t have to file bankruptcy. I finally resolved it in my head by a different perspective: If Mark or I needed an operation to regain use of a limb or eye, we would pay all we needed to make it happen. So, here we are healthy, but penniless. Okay, we can deal with that. God has always supplied our needs and we will trust Him to continue to do so now.
Ruth came back to the orphanage after purchasing some infant formula with the news that the price had increased by 40%! It seems the organization which was allowing us to buy from them wholesale, decided to charge us for their shipping and more. So, we now need to find another route for funding our 25 infants’ formula, or somehow cut back on who gets it....
Do I only have sad stories to write? May it never be! Read on:
We’ve been dreaming about all the medicine, equipment, and personal goodies we know to be on a 40 foot container that is due to arrive soon. The experience our colleague, Lynn Peters, had with a similar container 1.5 years ago forewarned us of the amount of headaches, stress, bribes, true fees and at least a two or three week stay in the capitol city to get it through customs.
Mark and I have been able to befriend a Burkinabe who lives in Wisconsin by the name of Hassimi Traore. He has been instrumental in obtaining contacts for us who have been amazingly helpful, and this time is no exception. Hassimi called his friend, Mr. Guillom, who just happens to be the top official for customs in Burkina. Yesterday, Ruth and I met with the agent Mr. Guillom hand-picked for us. Mme. Kafundo said that not only will she translate all the papers from English to French, make the documents fly through the channels, find the necessary equipment for transportation and set-up in Yako, but also take care of everything in Ouagadougou so we don’t even need to be present! Plus she is coming to Yako herself tomorrow to pick up some other forms from us and to find out exactly where we would like the container to be placed within the walls of the compound. As if that’s not enough, she has chosen to reduce her fees dramatically as her gift to us for the work we are doing for the Burkinabe children. Tears filled my eyes. I wanted to shout, "Are you kidding me?!!!" And then, "Hallelujah!!" This is totally miraculous!
So, even though it has been an emotional week, I can see that God is bigger than any problem. If He is able to accomplish all He has with the container, how easy it will be for Him to find formula for the babies and take care our personal finances! I don’t know how, but I do know He is faithful.
Peace,
Connie

2006-04-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

This week has been kind of slow...
Now that I’ve settled into the daily life of orphanage living, I have found that the heat drains the energy out of most everyone. Except the kids! It’s well over 125°, and no one would ever guess it. They run around playing and singing like it’s a comfortable spring day. I’m a wimp and stay indoors in the cool 106°, taking a nap every afternoon as the hot air blows on me from the fan. A favorite Bible verse keeps coming to my mind, "And this came to pass."
We’ve had visitors staying with us this week, four girls in 10th grade on their spring break. Three are from Ouaga, about 50 miles from here. One came from the US with her pastor. All decided to find out what orphanage life is like, so they live in the girls’ room, eat the basic foods we all eat and help watch and care for the babies. I am amazed at their attitudes and endurance.
Without a single complaint, they have given up air conditioning, inside plumbing, fruits, vegies and meats. Sleeping has been difficult, but still they haven’t had any negative attitudes. The girl from Philadelphia will leave for home when she is picked up from here tomorrow. She will not experience Africa in any other way than being here at the orphanage even though she had the choice to travel around with her group. Without realizing it, they have truly encouraged us and blessed us with their helping hands and sweet spirits.
The babies have been unusually sick with fevers. Although it’s not unusual for a body’s temperature to raise in the early evening, we usually have seven or eight babies with 101-103° every day. All other villages around our town of Yako have reported that they have a meningitis epidemic. Knowing that, we keep an exceptional eye out for the signs and symptoms, but it is difficult to determine the cause for these high temps. We have no way of testing for malaria, meningitis or infections so we give it our best guess with the help of several medical texts. If we suspect that it could be meningitis, we can bring the baby to the hospital for a spinal tap. We ask for your continued prayers for these little ones and our ability to provide the care they need.
Today Mark will be on the Channel 5 noon news in St. Louis, talking about the work here, complete with video we took. We are excited that Jennifer Blome has kindly taken us under her wing and is trying to help us get the word out. Of course I have been missing Mark, but it appears he is going to be able to speak to a number of groups while he is in the U.S. I pray God will bless him, as well as his health, and that people come to understand how they can be hope for us and for the people here in Burkina Faso.
If you want to write to me while Mark is in the states, (until 5/21), you can contact me at Ruth’s address, inserting "to Connie" in the subject line. Her address is yakorsphans@fasonet.bf.
Have a wonderful week; enjoy the glorious spring weather!
Connie

2006-04-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

So, I really didn’t know what I was talking about....
Last week, I expressed concerns of the challenges I would encounter living at the orphanage. Little did I realize that I was in for several more "initiation" experiences:
Since Mark and Lynn are now in the states, I needed to pick up Lynn’s truck in Ouaga with Ruth. So, I had my first solo flight in the ungodly traffic of the capitol city. To give you a concept of the motorists there, just consider downtown Boston and add 700 motor scooters zipping in and out of the traffic on every side. I find myself continually yelling at the oblivious drivers, "Do you WANT to die?!" Actually, I did pretty well. I ended up being the chauffeur for a 4 ½ pound, 5 week old little girl who needed a ride from Ouaga to her 16 year old momma in Yako who had abandoned her. (The government offices asked us to do this, but they lied. There was no momma to take the baby, so now little bitty Rosine is a newcomer at the orphanage. We’ve received promises that the momma will be found asap. I won’t hold my breath.)
When we arrived at the orphanage, I was exhausted. I couldn’t believe how sore my body was. I had determined it must have been from muscle fatigue since I had not driven a stick in months. As I lie in my bed, I felt hot, but it was 104 degrees inside the house! Someone had told me the kids’ thermometer was broken, so I thought I’d check my temp with it and another thermometer that I knew worked well. Ugh. They both said my temp was 100.4....oh, hmm. So, I had the flu. At least we knew the thermometers were fine. Thought I’d feel better if I took a bucket bath. Outside, of course. Having never done so, I didn’t bring a flashlight and I found it pretty creepy.
Afterwards, I flushed my system with fluids which gave me another first: a midnight stroll to the outdoor W.C., i.e., a hole in the ground for a toilet. Did I find it romantic under the light of the moon? Think about it. The smells, the darkness of the corners of the W.C. where who-knows-what is hanging out...mmmm, nope. Not crazy about it. Oh well.
Day two I felt much better. We had to run north to Ouahigouya for a number of errands, and had a salad there. On return, I found I shouldn’t have had the salad: another first! Diarrhea in the W.C.!! (Too much information?!)
Today is day three, anything new you ask? Well, of course! Ruth and I were whining to each other about the ridiculous heat when one of the workers yelled something to us. Ruth exclaimed, "Run; shut all the doors and windows!" And just that fast, a storm of dirt barreled through the orphanage grounds. The winds lasted maybe 30 seconds. We had to wait another few minutes to let the dirt settle before reopening the house; however, even though we had shut every possible opening, a layer of brown residue covered every surface. We haven’t had any rain since late September, so we know what the word "dry" means. But now, I understand why "dirt" is a four letter word.
Some other wonderful firsts have happened as well: by the grace of God, I’ve been able to diagnose and prescribe for several babies with previously unknown maladies. The meds given seem to be working, and we are so grateful. Another first I just experienced: a frappucino! YUM!
If any of you reading this sees my darling, please give him a hug for me and tell him I miss him.

In love,
Connie

2006-03-29T21:48:00.000-08:00

It’s funny the things one can appreciate…..

Now that I’m moving to the orphanage in a few days, I have been appreciating many things in our little rental home that beforehand I thought were a pain:

Like knocking on the toilet lid to let the resident frog know someone needs to use it. (I won’t have a toilet at the orphanage.)
Like using the water in the toilet tank, which is missing its lid, to wash my hands since the sink is broken. (I will have to walk through three doors to get to the sink in the rear of the orphanage.)
Like having a shower that trickles out. (I will take bucket baths at the orphanage.)
Like sharing a double bed with my 6’2” husband. (I’ll have my own single bed; but he will be in the states.)
Like having the roosters, guinea fowls and donkeys wake me at 5:30 am. (The morning crew likes to start banging pots around 4:30.)
Like walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night in the pitch black darkness because there is no electricity after 1:30 am. (I hope I will never have to walk outside to the hole-in-the-ground at that time!)
Like having 98 degrees inside the house during the daytime. (It's even hotter at the orphanage because there is no trees around for any shade.)

But even in knowing the challenges I’m facing, I’m excited to be on the grounds of the orphanage, 24/7. Each day, the kids will know I am there for them. When they have breakfast, I will eat with them. As they will go off to school, I will wave goodbye. Help with the babies and toddlers during the day. The afternoons and evenings I can freely spend talking and learning French as they learn English from me. Play games, sing songs, pray, help with homework. And I will get to know our staff much better, learn their culture, learn their hearts. What a precious gift and honor this is for me! May God direct me and all that I do be a reflection of His love.

Blessings to you and yours,
Connie

p.s. Happy Birthday to my baby boy, Andrew! (He's 24.) This will probably post on the 29th, but it's the 30th here!

2006-03-22T23:32:00.000-08:00

The good, the bad and the ugly…..

So, what do you want, the good news or the bad first? Okay, let’s end on a high note, so I’ll get the bad over first:
1) Yesterday we received a baby girl, Aminata, whose mother had died 5 weeks ago, just after she was born. The father tried his best with her, giving her cow’s milk; but of course, the baby kept loosing weight due to the constant diarrhea. When I took her from him, I had understood she was only a couple days old. I thought she must have been a premie because she was so very tiny, her arms barely as large as my finger. Later I was told she was five weeks! I am so glad she was brought to us; she eats well and the fortified formula will give her strength soon.
2) The children at the orphanage are beginning their spring break; so many have gone to their villages to be with aunts and uncles. Unfortunately, many of them are not welcomed and are sent back in a day or two. Yet sadder, there are those who cannot leave the orphanage at all because they are expelled from the family through no fault of their own. No one wants another mouth to feed, especially if the child was a product of rape or has some small birth defect. We are left to comfort them the best we can; playing with them and being the family they are desperate for.
3) Many of our kids are sick with colds, malaria, chicken pox, and unusual boils and eruptions. With their close living quarters, it is too easy to pass on the viruses. Please pray for their healing.

The ugly:
1) We had to refuse an infant yesterday as we are out of space, out of beds. The infants share beds as it is, two-three babies per each.
2) Although there is a police force, it seems to be inactive except for motor vehicle inspections… A first grade teacher in a nearby village beat one child to death and landed another in the hospital in critical condition. He was run out of town, but that’s it. No charges, no punishment. Just a path of destruction left behind.

The good:
1) The quarterly distribution for the many, (almost 300), children sponsored went so well. It takes quite a bit of time to call each child’s name, find the adult that the child is with and have them come forward to receive their soap, sack of grain, spices, and other gifts. This time the gifts were a small oil lantern and a new straw mat which is used as a bed. What a happy day! It gave us the ability to bless the people and introduce them to our Provider.
2) Our housing is finally about to begin construction! We have hired an overseer who is an independent building contractor who critiques all aspects of the work. He has already made a number of changes and upgrades just looking at the plans. I must say, even though he will add another two thousand dollars to our total price, he has already earned it!
3) We are excited by a new product line that we are offering to all for donations: scrub tops made with African hand-dyed materials, plus t-shirts and scrub tops with original oil artwork! They are beautiful. And inexpensive by American standards. ($10 for scrub tops and $25 for anything with original art.) Money that is received will be used for the orphanage’s many needs…and the buyer receives a tax deduction as well. Plus the purchase gives work to two local tailors and two artists to support their families. I am hoping to have photos of some of the work available on line soon. In the mean time, please let me know if you are interested as Mark will be bringing some home with him. (e-mail: burkinaclinic@gmail.com)
4) Lynn and Mark will be leaving stateside within the next week. They both are excited and their home itineraries are shaping up well.
5) Our precious little Jacques, about a year old, is being entertained by a couple from France…soon to be his parents. They will be here for three weeks so the connections will be remembered by the time they have him home. I captured their first introduction on film for them and I am so grateful I did! Jacques went right to them, smiling! After ten minutes or so, the soon-to-be papa told him to go to his mom. And he did! It was so precious. Throughout the years of operation, there have been thousands of prayers for these children. To witness this miracle is beyond words.

Thanks for reading and supporting our lives here. Your prayers and e-mails are precious to us!
With love,
Connie
p.s. Happy Birthday tomorrow, Jason!

2006-03-12T08:10:00.000-08:00

(After reading this entry, I realized it is quite long for a blog; nevertheless, it may bless you to read it. If it's too long, please forgive my babbling. I still enjoyed writing it!)

Now, the rest of the story….

Living within the tiny villages for a few days caused me to realize the depths of poverty the vast majority of Burkina experience. Although I frequent neighboring villages of Yako, I spend 15 minutes at the most at any one. To sit and observe for hours was a new experience for me. So many of the scenes echo in my mind:

As we pulled up to the mud huts in the truck, we were greeted with shouts and flailing arms which were attached to old and young alike, no less than 70 people. Some clothed, some not. Most all had at least one layer of dirt. We women and men were immediately separated and shown to our prospective gender groups. The eldest woman of the village vigorously shook our hands while the other women and children beamed. One of the men inadvertently had tagged along with us, not realizing there was the division of the sexes. This produced scores of laughter when he was retrieved by his colleague.

The men were invited to sit in the shade of a hut, using the few chairs the village owned. Made out of bamboo, they cost about four American dollars each. They also had a small wooden bench that would seat two, obviously whittled by hand. The only interpreter we had was male, so we women were left on our own.

Our hostesses rolled out their version of the red carpet for us: a bamboo mat which they made themselves. Taking off our shoes, we tried to remain ladylike in our descent onto the ground while dressed in our long skirts. Those of us who are used to this had little trouble. The women who had just arrived from the states managed with stifled groanings and forced smiles. As custom, we were given several bowls of water to share. How we take for granted our clean water! That which they drink daily was as brown as the depths of the Muddy Mississippi. Even this water is so precious. They have to walk for miles to retrieve it by donkey cart from a communal well. So, we politely pretended to drink. Did we fool anyone? I doubt it. But at least they know our intentions were to honor their giving.

As we sat there, I studied our new friends: their joyful expressions belied their physical condition. Most all of the children had eye infections; some so severe the eyelids appeared to be eaten away. Maybe leprosy? Whatever caused this, the worst cases hid behind the others, only looking up occasionally, too embarrassed to allow us to connect with them. All types of skin lesions and growths. Did that woman’s neck have a worm moving under the skin?! The babies were breastfed by the teens who had born them; girls really. At times I would play little games of spinning the kids around, and these mothers squealed with delight as if they were experiencing the same. My mind and heart ache for the childhood they missed; I hate to think of what they have come to know as the male/female relationship. Women are seen as a useful animal, not much more. As soon as a wife bears a couple of children, it is time for a new one because wife #1 isn’t as pretty as she once was.

At sunset, a goat was killed. We were quite the honored celebrities! Meat is usually eaten two-three times per year for big feasts such as weddings, funerals and major holidays. (For smaller celebrations, one might have a chicken, for which the word “scrawny” comes to mind.) As the men were preparing the goat for the fire, the children ran with great excitement to watch. I thought they had been chased off by the men, but there was no observing being done. The kids had received a piece of raw goat skin to suck on! Ugh!!

One of our group brought along a picture book of the Bible with an accompanying cassette tape that tells the story in the tribal language. We were in a Muslim village, but all the children, and some adults, came to look and listen as it was such amazing entertainment!

Dinner was served in typical African style: the men, served first, on their mat; women on theirs. We all used our fingers, grabbing what appeared to be a hunk of green clay and then dipping it into the sauce which was like a green-brown slime. I got full fast. Then the second course was served: barbequed goat. Kind of. The outside was cooked, anyway. Mmmmmmm, good. (Not.) The worse part was that no one else was allowed to eat until the chief, his wife and the guests ate all the food they could stuff in their bellies…so the entire village is watching everything we do with our food. No faking allowed this time. I just kept praying that God would protect our bodies from who-knows-what. We were encouraged time and again to eat, eat, eat! I’m full, okay?!!! Okay. Now it is time for after dinner tea. I politely refused as *ahem* I was full. So, we sit around and chit-chat, then lo and behold, here’s another big bowl of rice and boiled goat with gravy! My appetite returned. It was so very tasty! And I knew it was all well-cooked, so no parasitical fears.

With the moon high and illuminating the village. I was tickled to see the children spinning each other around the way I had done with them earlier. One of the men, (yes, a man!) joined in and was laughing as he was spinning the kiddos. Hallelujah! One never knows how such a seemingly insignificant act can accomplish so many smiles and bonding. No words needed.

Just as we were leaving, I could see many of the children had already lain down to sleep outside on the dirt. No beds, no pillows, no mats, nothing for their little bodies to use for comfort. Just dirt. The same dirt that was the receptor for urine and feces just a little while ago. The same dirt that houses a wide variety of insects and worms, waiting for their dinner of human flesh. Sleep well, little ones. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

We drive to our temporary living space having soft beds with pillows, a toilet and running water and water filter, and sweet electricity. I know I am blessed. And I know why God sent me here: for the little bit of love I can share; for the few smiles I can help create; for the hope to make a change.

With joy,
Connie

2006-03-09T22:25:00.000-08:00

You never know how God might supply funds, and this one could be one of the craziest!

Ruth and I have been on a three-day, two night adventure to a village near the Mali border with eleven middle-aged pastors from assorted locations in the U.S. It was awesome! Although each person seemed to be more hysterical than the next, the depths of their commitment to God and to people were inspiring. Most of these travelers were from the most densely populated cities in the U.S.: New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit, to name a few. To watch their eagerness and drive to experience all Africa held for them was truly inspiring. Coming in as the sophisticated and well-educated Americans, they learned the joy of being Burkinabe quickly by the open doors and hearts of the villagers. We were all made to feel like sisters and brothers immediately, even without language as the villagers did not even speak French, much less English. Because the tribe was different than those in Yako, we were unable to even say our usual greetings.

The second morning we were greeted with the opportunity to ride camels, one person on a camel; two camels going out together. Not all wanted to participate as one needed a little agility, stepping on a camel’s folded leg as a boost to catapult the other leg over the saddle atop the animal. All the while, he is making obscene sounds with his mouth, tongue, and teeth….and frothing at the same time. It’s a game to dodge the camel spit. (And I won’t even talk about the way those things can pass gas!) I thought my ride went exceedingly well. I rivaled the Queen of Sheba, minus the veils. I was allowed to guide my own camel and he obeyed well. We were a couple of nomads! (For 15 minutes, anyway…)

Now, Ruth didn’t want to ride the camel, not because of agility, but because of the immensity of the animal and the fear of falling off. We were able to apply enough peer pressure, and she surrendered. Just as her camel was rising to its feet, her traveling companion, Bob, was mounting his camel. As his camel stood, a strap broke, and Bob came crashing down, head first. (Of course, Ruth is now totally regretting her decision to ride!) Now Bob is not a small man; however, due to his quick response, he was able to crawl from underneath the frightened camel with great speed. Although his calf had been stepped on, Bob incurred no broken bones-just severe bruising of the body… and the pride. All the local villagers thought this was the funniest thing they had seen in ages, and were laughing unmercifully. I was thinking of poor Bob’s body and his embarrassment when one of the *ahem* compassionate pastors from North Carolina yelled out, “Bob, I caught the whole thing on video! I’m gonna send it into that Funniest Videos show and we’ll split the money!!” Well, Connie couldn’t pass up the opportunity and chimed in how this could be a God-send for the financing of the orphanage! So, they agreed. If it makes the show and they are paid for Bob’s “stunt”, some of the prize money will come back to Yako!

Bob not only remounted the camel and went for the complete ride, that evening he was one of five who chose to overnight at the most primitive of villages, sleeping outside on the ground. No running water, no lights, no language, no restrooms, no foods of known origin. But God rewarded him with a precious conversation with the chief of the tribe through an interpreter. The three men and two women were able to discuss openly the joys of marriage to one person for life. Of the dedication, trust and honor it takes and the rewarding relationship it brings about. A seed of a different life was planted. It shines a hope that maybe someday women here will know how it feels to be a person.

Until next week, I pray you hear the whisper of God.
Connie

2006-03-03T06:17:00.000-08:00

Looks like it’s time to put away my winter wardrobe…

Well, that would be the shirts with sleeves, my one sweater, and my one pair of pants. Temperatures are climbing past the 100 degree mark and cooling into the high 80’s at night. I’m told by all the Burkinabe that the months of April and May get so hot, talking becomes work. Oh, I can hardly wait!

I’ve been enjoying going on visits to see some of the sponsored children and widows who live in neighboring villages, or as we say here, “in the bush”. Many of the places are not accessible even by a four-wheeled truck, so we take the mini-bikes, i.e., motos. I am grateful for being the passenger because I don’t have near the collection of dirt on my person as does the driver. The dry fields kick up a storm of clay dust in which we have to travel. I return home looking as if I tanned; however, after a shower, I return to my white self.

The visits are precious. Of course every resident has to come out to visit with us, each shaking our hands, asking about our families, wishing us health and blessings. We inquire about the sponsored child or widow, making certain of their health and education status. If we find some problem, we try to address it as best we can when on the field. If it is something we cannot, then we might bring the person in town for treatment ourselves if he/she cannot get a ride. Mark, Jean and I needed to bring back an elderly widow this past Sat. who had a gaping, infected ulcer on her ankle. She said it had been there since she was a little girl, always oozing, and had never completely healed. Her belief was that someone put a curse on her. After treating the wound and giving her oral antibiotics, we prayed with her. She agreed with us that by using the medication and keeping the wound clean, that the good Lord would be able to heal her. Jean went for the next treatment while we were in Ouaga a couple of days ago. He reports her infection has disappeared and she’s quite the happy lady! We will continue to see her for several more treatments until she is completely healed and the wound is closed.

We had a wonderful time in the capitol city. Very productive, hitting all 23 places of business that we had on the list. The special treat was stopping by the home of the mayor of Yako, the village we live in. (Yes, he actually lives in Ouagadougou because all the meetings take place there.) After we visited for thirty minutes or so, we were about to leave, but he invited us for lunch. So we stayed. For an African feast! The mayor and his wife were quite animated as well as being the most gracious of hosts. The most amazing part, though, was at the end of dinner when the Mayor gave a prayer of gratitude. Can you imagine? In a country that has only 10% Christians, the mayor of our town is wholly devoted to the Lord Jesus! Unfortunately, his term will end in April; we are praying for a caring man to replace him, someone who will aid us in our work as this mayor has.

2006-02-22T06:51:00.000-08:00

Hallelujah! The school building is finished!

Another aspect of the orphanage compound has completed the building phase. We have a beautiful three-classroom school with an office and storage room. The colors we chose were such that many in Yako are talking about how outstanding it is! The next step is to hire a principal/teacher so that we can submit the necessary forms to the government to receive approval for its legal and certifiable use.

Our intention is to have the classes 1/3 the size of those in existence here now. Most hold over 100 children! We are praying for creative Christian teachers who will not use a stick while teaching to keep children from misbehaving. This will be a challenge to have enough money for the salaries, books, lunches, etc., for the school but we are excited about its potential!

A couple of very precious times stand out from this past week:
1. We were at our morning prayer time, and as we were praying, we could hear the ladies who care for the infants singing worship songs in harmony in the backyard of the orphanage. They were still singing when our prayer time was finished, and I was compelled to go out and hear them, and keep the beat with clapping. One thing led to another, and I started dancing. Then they all laughed and started dancing too. And we all grabbed a baby, dancing and singing with the little ones. The babies were giggling and so were we. It was such fun!
2. Most every day one-three kids bring their mending in for Ruth or me to sew. I knew that the children over 10 could easily learn to do their own mending, so I held a sewing class. About 16 attendees learned to sew a simple straight stitch and a reinforced stitch, as well as sew on a button, despite my poor French. They were great and so proud! That very afternoon many of them mended their own clothes. One little boy came the next day for needle and thread to sew up his torn mattress. Yeah! Success! The best part of the day was just love hanging out with them and learning their sweet personalities.

This last week has brought to light a number of disappointments in our finances as well as the orphanage’s. Because of this, Mark will be flying to the states in April to fundraise in the states. He will be shooting several videos to bring back with him for presentations to inspire others to become part of the work here. We hope people can sympathize with us as this is so humbling and hard to live without income and totally dependent on others for our daily needs. But we are not just seeking money for us, but the children are literally in need of food. We had to turn away six infants from receiving their weekly formula last Friday because the cupboard was bare. I have no other choice than to ask you who read this blog to please consider giving a monthly support. You can label it for exactly where you would like to see it applied: formula, rice/corn for the orphans, salaries for the “mamas”, medical aid, school salaries, orphan tuition, books, Bibles, or personal support for us, Ruth or Lynn. Mark and I always have disliked sending out piddly monthly bills that are $25.00 or less, so we would send in a year at a time for our support. However, Sheltering Wings is good at sending reminders for your payment if that is what you prefer. (See www.sheltering-wings.org for address info and phone number.)

Mark will need your help in obtaining speaking engagements. Not only will he be coming in April-May, but most likely he will return in the fall for another “tour”. So, if you know of contacts we can write/call anywhere in the U.S. who would be open to having him do a workshop, a booth, a talk, please forward that information to us. We have finally come to grips with understanding the needs here and how much money is required. Any donation will be a huge blessing.

Okay. That’s all I will say about that. You don’t have to worry that I will keep begging for money on this site. I do and will continue to ask for your prayers and your support via e-mail and letters, though! I just love hearing what’s going on “back home” no matter how insignificant it might seem. Thanks for listening and being part of my life.

In love,
Connie

2006-02-15T03:18:00.000-08:00

There’s an expression that missionaries of West Africa use from time to time: “WAWA”. It means “West Africa Wins Again”. That’s what we have been saying about the fact that our internet access and phone systems have been more down than up and running these last two weeks. Here, we have to pay for every time we call, even locally, so when the phone line works, but the internet doesn’t or it kicks us off, we have to pay and pay again. It’s frustrating. But I am trying to be a happy camper and just be glad I am able to transcontinental communicate most of the time for relatively little investment.

On with the story:

We never really know what each day will bring until it comes upon us. Mark and I have been doing bits and pieces of medical and dental care, but usually we are trying to learn the languages and getting into relationships with the Burkinabe and our American “sisters”, Ruth and Lynn. However, the last day the Ridderings and Jo Ann were here, we found ourselves all praying over a darling 15 year old girl, who apparently had an animistic curse put on her over the Christmas break. Her name is Mariam, a straight “A” student, who even speaks and understands English well. She was fine before she left for her village at Christmas, but on her return, possessed. Nothing else can explain her recent behavior. (Mark had worked quite awhile in child and adolescent psyche, and her actions were too sporadic and intense for any other diagnosis, physical or mental.) Her mother died when she was 11, three months later her father committed suicide. Mariam is no longer wanted by any of the family because she’s another mouth to feed in a courtyard where every stomach is growling most of the time. She was allowed to come to the orphanage as we had a place in the older girls’ room, so all was fine. Until she stopped sleeping at night, screaming, crying and kicking anyone who approached her. She was prayed with at that time and she settled down for a couple of days. Throughout the time, though, Mariam kept insisting she wanted to return to the village. At that time, the team was here. We found out that she locked her hands onto the springs of the underside of her mattress and wouldn’t release them for hours. Crying and screaming. We sent for some other pastors, and all of us prayed for her while she displayed three year old behaviors, if that old. At times she was kicking so violently, that five huge men, two bigger than Mark, couldn’t hold her still. (She may weigh all of 120 lbs.) She finally fell asleep after many tears & prayers. The next morning she awoke, not remembering any of it and resumed her sweet nature and command of studies. Mariam never admitted anything happened to her in the village during her vacation, but all agree something must have. The following day Mariam returned to school and we were all thrilled. She seemed to be on the road to recovery. However, in the late afternoon an uncle from her village came to pick her up, reporting that Mariam had called him. Mariam had packed her personal belongings and was ready to leave. UGH! As I entertained some new visitors from the states who had just arrived, Mark, Valentine and Ruth talked for 3 hours with the uncle and Mariam, trying to convince them it would be best for Mariam to stay at the orphanage. Mariam ended up having another episode of rage, trying to run away… Sadly, the next morning she did leave with the uncle while we were all at morning prayer. Valentine told us that he has witnessed girls who have had an animistic curse put on them that causes them to “belong” to a certain man,; and regardless of how much she hates him or what he does to her, she is compelled beyond all understanding to return to him. When she was in a healthy mind, she told us she just wanted to get well. Oh, Mariam, we want that for you so very much! We pray for your protection and freedom from this curse!

I struggled with writing this story for all to read. But, in my heart of hearts, I feel like God wants people to know the intense battles that take place here. We need your prayers more than anything! Mariam is one example of the type of demonic warfare that occurs daily, with or without our knowledge. However, we do believe that greater is He within us! Jesus has already won the battle; we just need to make the ignorant demons realize it!

SO, we have all that happen and then a few days later, we were called to come pick up our tiny 14 month old who weighed 12 lbs just 6 weeks ago. He was now of a healthy enough weight, 16 lbs! Mark, Valentine and I went to retrieve him. The bill for the hospital is usually $4/day, plus meds. We already had to pay $3/day for his caretaker. Our budget is tight, but we knew God would somehow provide. Yep. The doctor forgave the bill altogether! How awesome is that?! Little Issah wasn’t too excited about leaving his caretaker, but he is getting adjusted now. Keep him in your prayers also, so that he continues to gain weight and become healthy. At 14 months, he only has four teeth and cannot yet crawl. His needs still are great, but at least he has begun to heal!!

Another positive aspect of our lives here is that step-by-step several adoption proceedings are going forth! Yippie! These little darlings deserve a home with loving parents. (Doesn’t everyone?) It will still be months of paperwork and red tape; however, major strides have come about and we are grateful.

May your week bring you closer to those you love, and those you don’t.
Connie

2006-01-24T21:54:00.000-08:00

The dry season is here....

and has been since the 15th of October. But now dust is absolutely everywhere even though the dust storms haven't happened yet. While we were gone for two months, we had closed up the house as tightly as possible, yet there was layer upon layer of powdery dirt everywhere. Even on the tops of dishes tucked away in the cabinets! We still have some unwanted guests as well. Seems that there is never an end to the Daddy-long-legs population, but this other kind of spider is wicked! It's not quite a wolf spider, but it is thick, HUGE, so very fast and near impossible to kill. After spraying them several times with insecticide, they still jump up and run around like they're after me! One sat on the kitchen counter and raised its front legs at me as if to box! I then did the wisest move, and yelled for Mark. He, with his size 13 shoe, was able to kill the enemy...but even he had to smack it several times!

Our other visitors are geckos. They're not too scary at all. Just fast, but fun to catch and release outside. We've come to appreciate it as a game where everyone parts as a winner.

Our little one-year-old, Issah, is still at the pediatric hospital. He is gaining weight, up to 14 lbs now; however he's been spiking fevers, so he need to continue IVs with meds to heal before he can come home. I hope you see why your financial contributions are so important for us here. Without them, we would never be able to keep him receivng the care he needs to sustain his life. The fees are so cheap even for Burkina; however, we have a bill of over $100 already... and we have hundreds of other children to care for as well. I just want to tell you how very much we appreciate your supporting us in prayer and financial contribution; so little goes so far here!

Saturday night we gave a letter party. There was a small group of 7th graders whom we spoke with in Fenton while we were home. They wrote letters and packed up little trinkets of gifts so as to become penpals with a child at the orphanage. After translating all the letters into French, we resealed the envelopes and let each child grab one. Wow, were they thrilled! They spent the rest of the evening giggling and reading their letters, sharing their happiness with one another. Then they wrote letters back for us to translate into English so we can give them to a St. Louis pastoral team who is coming here this weekend. They will bring them to the states and then mail them in a much more timely fashion. Because the kids have no money to give gifts, just about all of them drew some kind of picture to bless their correspondent. For us, it was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday night!

Ruth and I went to Ouagadougou Sunday night so we could attend a women's Christian missionary prayer meeting. We had a wonderfully blessed time and felt the Lord's presence in a mighty way. While we were gone, things weren't so great at the orphanage: Mark was called upon to help with a young teen girl, Isabelle, who was feverish and completely incapable of walking. He and Lynn brought her to the Yako hospital where she was treated overnight for typhoid and malaria. The IV meds did their jobs and she already came home the following evening! Isabelle had just returned from a weekend of visiting with her mother who is dying of AIDS, only to be hit with all this sickness herself. Oh, what pain these children know! She is such a precious spirit. Please remember her in your prayers as she goes through this hard life that she is able to stay in school, stay healthy, and heal from the pain of watching her mother slowly, painfully decay.

During the night of Isabelle's hospital stay, someone climbed over the wall of the orphanage and stole all the dishes and the pans that were left out. Everything has such value here, so it was a bigger deal than it sounds. The boys who had been on schedule to do the dishes, didn't, and they were all left out. The night guard must have been asleep, but he says they were very quiet! Jean, one of our employees who oversees much of the work at the orphanage, told Mark he was going to call the boys to lunch and then not serve them any food because there weren't any dishes to cook it or serve it! Mark talked him out of it, but they still got a good scolding.

Dinner Monday found us at a reception at the Haute Commissaire's home. He's somewhat like the mayor of the town, but we have one of those also. Anyway, only the "elite" of Yako are invited--all men, but for us three white women and maybe four others. (We all hate being considered in this group.) We were served bottled soda and a buffet of grilled chicken that one eats with one's hands, no plates or napkins. Because we shook hands with absolutely every single person there, and I neglected to bring my Purell, I chose to eat with my left hand. Oops! Major faux pas! That is very rude as most people use the left hand to wipe with. (More information than you wanted?) So, I said a blessing to protect me from the germs, and finished my chicken, using my right hand. Of course, after eating, we threw the bones on the ground like everyone else.

This approaching weekend, our one pastor from Victory, Jeff Riddering, along with his wife, Tammy, and son, Michael will be staying at our home for 9-10 days. Another sweet lady, Joann, is coming with them, but living at Lynn's. The group is giving a three day workshop to the pastors around here on (Oh My!!) marriage. It's quite the opportunity to break an eternity of abuse, while learning the importance of honoring one's spouse, and loving her/him as oneself. Ruth recounts the sermon at a Christian wedding she attended here: the pastor encouraged the husband not to "beat his wife too hard." (!!!!) We are thrilled with the potential that these teachings have. If the pastors understand and accept them, they will bring them back to their own churches...that would be amazing! Please pray especially Feb. 1, 2, and 3 for God's blessings on every aspect of this endeavor. Thanks so very much!

Avoir pour maintenant,
Connie

2006-01-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

Sights, smells and sounds of home....

All went amazingly well for our flights back, even though it began with a 6 hour delay in St. Louis because there was a problem with the guidance system on the plane we were to board. Eventually we were rerouted on different airlines that sent us to Paris to catch our same originally scheduled flight to Burkina Faso, so we landed at the same time we had been expected. An angel of a flight clerk in St. Louis tagged our bags without weighing them and then sent them all the way through to Ouagadougou! (Unheard of!!) This would have been perfect; however, with our original flight cancelled, the bags didn't arrive until several days after us. The good ole US made sure none of our bags held any type of explosives, going through each and every little box, bag and bottle. Now that I think about it, maybe that's why it took so long to get our suitcases!

As the plane was decending to the Ouaga airport, in the blackness of the night, dots of yellow-orange flames were visible. Dinner was being prepared in many homes and villages. Light is needed for studies, plus the warmth of the fire pushes away the chill of the evening. Upon our exit of the airlplane, the deep, full scent of wood burning cried, "Welcome home!" A similar feeling of warmth and happiness that I knew as a kid when it was still legal to burn leaves in the street in the fall.

Can you imagine how precious it is to have been so missed by the orphans that teens and babies alike run and throw their arms around you?! Their eyes were dancing, and they all spoke at once...in More, the tribal language, and French. But the sound was wonderful. The hugs were amazing, even the ones with snotty noses. Those who are the guardians of our home, Lynn's home and the orphanage were all so sweet and consoliatory about Mom's death, truly warm and genuinely concerned that we were doing okay-as well as my siblings in America.

As Mark and I walked home from the orphanage after dinner, I looked up to see the sky I had so missed. I could have stayed in that position for hours, just awestruck at the full moon, hanging low in the sky surround by a billion stars. The goats bleeting and donkeys making their obnoxious sounds brought me back down to earth, but my heart was full.

The next morning we found ourselves on the way to Dr. Zala's pediatric clinic in another town an hour away. Ruth, Mark and I were having 4 year old Timothy examined there as his eyes had been yellow for a couple of weeks and the Yako hospital would not take a hepititis lab test. Timothy did have malaria for those two weeks as well and had gone through the two weeks of therapy; however, the jaundice remained. As expected he did, in fact, have hepititis, but it was the viral type so there is no treatment necessary. We trained the manager of the day-to-day child operations the techniques needed to prevent the disease from spreading it to the other children and workers. While there, we also were able to visit another of the orphans, Issah, who has been in Dr. Zala's hospital for a couple of weeks. He came to us at 12 months old, and weighing only 12 pounds. Apparently after his mother died, an eight year old sister became his caretaker. Fortunately word got out and the baby was brought to the orphanage. Since his hospitalization, he has gained a full pound and is so much stronger with bright eyes and smiles. Thank you dear God! He will stay at the hospital for a while until Dr. Zala feels that he is "out of the woods".

This evening I have been unpacking, finding all the goodies I had put in the luggage days, (or was it weeks?), ago. It's Christmas all over again...especially when I find little shreds and lint of newly laid carpet from our son and daughter-in-law's. We bring Burkina dirt to our US home and new carpeting to our Burkina home. Sounds about right.

In love,
Connie

2006-01-04T04:38:00.000-08:00

Going home soon!

I am like a child before his birthday in anticipation of returning to Yako! It's still 10 days away, but I keep waking up earlier and more excited with each passing day. (This morning I woke up at 4:30!) My skin is whiter than ever, but my heart is Burkinabe.

My momma waited for Mark and me to arrive before she lost her ability to communicate some understanding with her eyes and smile. The first day alone did Mom have acknowledgement in her responses; however, we were with her for the final week of life, and stroking her hair as we sent her into the Father's welcoming arms. We were blessed to have such an amazingly loving woman for our mother. She inspired many; her six children were just a sampling of those who loved her dearly.

The day after her passing onto her new life, Mark and I had to stop by her room at the nursing home to pick up photos to give to the funeral parlor for references. As I walked through the door, I saw her empty bed and burst into tears. Immediately I heard the words resound in my head: "Why do you seek the living among the dead? She is not here; she has been raised." Wow! Hallelujah! Yes!

I felt so consoled by that, I wanted to share it with my siblings of whom I was certain would be stopping by later that day to gather Mom's remaining personal items. I grabbed Mom's Bible to find the Scripture that was so quoted about Jesus, and of course, Luke's words opened to that exact passage. God is so good.

This time has allowed us to spend the holidays with family, (especially those grandbabies),which has been good. But actually in a deeper sense than just tradition. I have come to realize how little I really care for material things any longer. Maybe it is my age, the season of my life, or the understanding of what true happiness is dependent upon. As St. Francis wrote, "It is in giving that we receive." I cannot imagine being more content than growing in faith and love in the way God has brought about it.

So, my dear readers, next time I write, I will be HOME! My prayer is that each of you experience the Spirit of God in a profound way this year and that you recognize His call on your life.

In love,
Connie

2005-11-12T22:50:00.000-08:00

It is time for my momma to go home.

I learned just a few hours ago that my mother is close to death. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease for over a dozen years ago. We have been observing her steady decline; however, in these past six months rapid changes have come about. The last time Mark and I saw her before we moved to Africa, I felt in my heart of hearts it was a final goodbye. For that brief moment of our exit, Mom's dementia left her, her voice returned and she was able to echo back to me that she understood we were moving to Africa, saying that she knew Mark would take good care of me. A kiss, a hug, a smile. She had tears; I sobbed.

So now, my plans have changed so that after being here only 2 months, we need to return to the states. I want to be there to hug her one more time and whisper my love and devotion to the wonderful gift of love and life that she has been to me. I hope she can hang on until we arrive later this week. Even air travel isn't as fast as I'd like it at times like this, but, I am so grateful for the ability to return. I think of the earlier missionaries who could never return once they set foot here. We are blessed to live in this age of air travel and telephone, mail, and internet communication that allows us to stay connected with those we love.

Since we will be back in St. Louis, we will stay through the holidays. (That's a sweet silver lining!) But, I doubt if we will have the funds to come back again in the spring. God's timing is not our timing; it's all up to Him.

So, if you will excuse me, I will probably be taking a leave of absence in my blogging until after our return in late December. To you, my support, feel free to contact me through my gmail account, (burkinaclinic@gmail.com). If somehow we don't correspond, may your holidays be blessed!

In the peace of Jesus,
Connie

2005-11-11T05:55:00.000-08:00

BRR...winter is coming!

Oh my, how cold will it get here?! The temperatures already drop to the low 70's at night! Thank God we can still enjoy the warmth of the sun during the day, getting into the 90's. The lower temps make shower time extra exciting as we don't have any hot water. I have learned to stifle my immediate screams of shock when I get in. Mark feared people might think he was abusing me otherwise. But, the good news in it, is that I can vouche for the fact that cold water rinses really do make your hair shine!

This past week we were able to accomplish so much in several different areas:

Tuesday we met with the contractor for the staff housing and clinic, making final corrections. As soon as we are able to receive the funding from the states, the work will begin. (Side note: The money for the clinic was donated by one individual, with a really rough guesstimate as to the cost...not knowing our design, costs of all materials, etc. As God would have it, it is exactly the right amount! Does He provide for His kids or what!!)

Pastor Salou, Ruth, Mark and I went to visit the Mayor of Yako who actually resides in the capital city. He has been out of commission for several months already and looks like he will be indisposed for another 6 at least. (Hip surgeries in France.) I had made some peanut butter cookies to make him smile, as my conversational French still leaves much to be desired. We stayed for over an hour, and before we left, he told us to be sure to stake out a claim for some land for the community clinic we hope to build in a year or two. He told us he will approve the gift of the land as it will benefit all the town. Hallelujah!

The past two days have presented changes in our numbers of infants. Yesterday we received three! Twins whose mother died and the family doesn't want to care for them any longer. They will be with us until 18 months or so when they can eat the same foods as the family at large. We went to a town an hour away to pick them up. While we were there, Jenni called, saying that Social Action was dropping off another tiny baby boy who was left in a sack on the steps of the post office. How often this occurs, how heartbreaking! Most likely, the mother could either not afford to feed the baby, the mother died and no one would care for it, or it was the product of a rape or an affair. Usually the family applies much pressure on the mother to kill a baby who was conceived by either of the last situations. We may receive yet one more infant in the next couple days as we are still in process of finding out what happened with the baby of a woman who said she was raped. Understand, this is African time here. That would be the opposite of a New York minute... So, we must be patient with the system, no matter how concerned we are with the babies.

The updated info on Paulie: He received all the blood tests he needed and passed with flying colors. This information will be sent off to the prospective French couple who want to adopt him. Maybe Paul, and this couple, will have a most unforgettable Christmas!!

Mark is feeling emotionally better and we both are settling in quite well. Although we do some medical/dental work, we know this time before the clinic opens is a time for preparation and adjustment for us. We are working on our languages. We are learning the local diseases and techniques of medicine used. We are seeking to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit so we will sense His leadings in every day situations--whether in health needs or emotional/spiritual.

Your comments on this blog always lift my spirits. Thank you for taking the time to read and post a note! Have a great week--Connie

2005-11-05T06:48:00.000-08:00

Moving along....

This has been a good week. Although Halloween morning started out as quite exciting with a bat, (of course), in our bedroom. I tried catching it myself for 45 minutes before I woke up Mark. I'm suprised my stifled screams weren't loud enough to wake him earlier, but he sleeps deeply in the dawning hours. Poor little bat. He sure was glad to be freed from our captivity!

Ruth and I drove to Ouagadougou and back twice this week. We had many meetings with different offices, but all were closed two days this week for the national holidays of All Saints Day and Ramedon (?), which is a Muslim holy day. Crazy, two national holidays celebrating different religious holy days. Thursday, we picked up a Children's Medical Mission, CMM, short term missionary and brought him to Yako for the day. His name is Bill, but to us his name is Hope. He has already made 4 trips from the Boston area to Burkina Faso with 2-4 kids in tow. He is a person who helps transport the little ones needing the medical attention unavailable here. His heart is for God, the kids and Burkina, although CMM works with kiddos from all over. One child he carried over screamed bloody murder from Paris to Boston....the entire way!! And he still continues to choose to accompany these children. God bless him!

Bill has many contacts in the medical field and desires to work with us to set up short term medical missions at our orphanage. What great timing! This same week we met with the contractor to review our clinic plans. He will be able to have a team start working on it, as soon as we can get the money from the accounts in the states--so, maybe two or three weeks!

Ruth and I also met with the National Social Action rep in Ouaga about Paul, a terribly sweet 31/2 year old , concerning a French couple wanting to adopt him. It looks so promising! It has been harder than hard for the paperwork to be approved for American adoptions for some reason, so this possibility for Paulie looks wonderful.

Mark and I will be called upon to keep our newest "family" member soon, a shunned newborn is being dropped off as (s)he is the product of a rape and no one in the family wants him/her. Because we don't know if (s)he will come healthy, we have determined it is wiser for us to be with the baby the first day or two for medical observation. Our hope is to catch the illnesses asap, of course, so there will be a greater chance of survival. Please pray for the babies!

Our plans at this time are to return to the US during April & May next year. The heat is almost intolerable for the natives, so our Yankee blood may need a little more acclimation before submitting ourselves to it. So, please get the word out: If you know of any church/organization/school/group that would appreciate what we are doing and would like to help further the health and lives of the children here, we will have video available, plus be more than willing to give a presentation. (Anywhere in the US.) Plus, if not when we come in, any time someone needs a speaker, the "ground crew" of Sheltering Wings Organizaton in St. Louis will be happy to give a talk. The organization's website is www.sheltering-wings.org

Until next week, may you be blessed.

2005-10-28T08:54:00.000-07:00

Daily Life, Take Yesterday for Example:

Most of the time we aren't on much of a time schedule, except to attend prayer at 8:00 each morning. (Sounds good, doesn't it?) So most of the rest of the morning we spend studying the language(s), playing with the babies, or cleaning our own home. Laundry is done in a bucket and hung on the line to dry. We hired our friend's new wife to be our laundress. She comes over twice/week to wash our clothes. It sets us back two dollars/week! She gets our clothes so much cleaner than I ever could. She speaks no French or English, so we communicate mostly in sign language. But she is such a darling lady! I can't wait until I know the tribal language so we can chat. She gave me a handshake with a finger snap at the end yesterday. It thrilled me because one only does that snap-thing with a true friend!

Throughout every street we always hear echoes of "Nassara, Nassara", (meaning white person, white person), followed by children running to shake our hands or to wave to us. Often asking for candy by adding "bonbon" to our tribal titles. Sometimes we have a treat to offer them, but usually it is just a handshake. Needless to say, we are in a fish bowl. Everything we do isn't just watched by the kiddos, but absolutely the entire town. Whether it's a new skirt I'm wearing or if one of the missionaries is sick, the entire city of Yako seems to have the updated scoop on the Nassaras. That's why I'm sure I was the talk of the dinner hour at many a house yesterday:

Everyday, I have to be sure to run my new motorscooter around town for about 15 minutes to break it in. Yesterday was no exception. In fact, I drove it about 30 minutes, mainly on the only paved road, but also on a number of side streets. While I was trying to make my left turn onto one of the dirt roads, there were probably 10 motorbikes and bicycles all across the road, so I couldn't tell where my lane was. (One doesn't always see lanes here; traffic doesn't seem to have to follow the traffic laws.) Now, of course, this particular street had little old ladies sitting on the ground on either side of it, selling their produce. As I made my turn, a pile of onions were drawing my moto's attention and I almost ran into the poor lady and her entire shop! She could tell I was a novice rider, and bellowed in laughter. I just kept saying to everyone "Pardonez moi! Pardonez moi!" With an embarrassed smile, I regained my balance and was off.

The day's events didn't stop there. It was Jenni Fox's 20th birthday, so I made her a birthday cake. It needed to bake for 45 minutes, but this was a challenge as somehow we had neglected to ask the dealer if the oven we were purchasing had a thermostat. And it didn't. (I never had heard of an oven without a thermostat!) So I have to watch the oven and turn the flame higher or lower depending on the temperature inside of it. Sometimes I have to open the door to release the heat...but it worked! The cake came out fine!

The five of us missionaries went to dinner at the best restaurant in town for Jenni's favorite, french fries and garlic chicken. Then back to our house for dessert. The day was just about over but Jenni had one more surprise coming. When she went into the bathroom, she lifted the lid on the toilet to have a frog jump out at her! After we all laughed and flushed the poor little guy back down several times, we felt the toilet was once again safe.

So was that the end of our day? Nope. When we were getting ready for bed, I noticed a little movement on the floor. No bigger than an inch, I had found another intruder, a scorpion! We examined him and played with him a little, (ya gotta, ya know?!). We then put him out of his misery. What will today hold.....?

2005-10-21T06:46:00.000-07:00

Learning the Culture

The Mossi people are so tickled when we speak with them in their tribal language. One of our interpreters, Valentine, said that it is because then they know our hearts are for them. That we are not just dumping aid and running back to safe America. That we want to get to know them personally and what is important to them. That we want to share life with them on a daily basis. And it is so true! But occassionally I just shake my head and think, "I'm living in an African village, learning a tribal language...like part of a National Geographic story." The kiddos at the orphanage are really warming up to us now. Big hugs when we arrive. Especially from the toddlers and primary school aged. The teenagers are thrilled to try to speak to us in English as well as help us with our French and More,(pronounced "more-ay", the tribal language.)

This past week we were in Ouagadougou, sending off Kate Horrigan who has been living with us since we arrived, meeting with a contractor for the staff housing and clinic, and also purchasing little motos, motor bikes, for Mark and me to travel on. Mark got the closest thing he could to a motorcycle so when we go on road trips to the hospitals in other cities we won't have to putt-putt-putt our whole way there. The biggest we could find is a 125 Honda, which is laughable in the states. I think it will at least go 40 MPH...topping out at 60 if we're flying!

While we were in Ouaga, Ruth got a call from Jenni. Joshua had been home from the hospital for several days now, and was dehydrated again. She brought him back to the hospital where he had been previously, only to find out that the doctor had NOT released him earlier. The lady who was with the baby had lied and told the doctor Ruth had demanded that the baby be brought back to orphanage. Apparently she didn't realize the critical shape Joshua was in. After 24 hours of being attended to once again at that clinic, Joshua died yesterday. Too little, too late. May his sweet little soul rest in peace.

Another missionary and friend, Lynn Peters, who is starting the elementary school at the orphanage, was sick last week with bronchitis. Apparently her body was so run down, that yesterday she was diagnosed with malaria and typhoid fever! She was in the hospital here in Yako for one night and now is headed to Ouagadougou with Ruth to see what the doc there has to say. She had just told us last week that she's been here almost three years and has never had malaria...(oops.)

Tomorrow, Sat., should be an exciting day for us. First we will go to a nearby lake and watch over a hundred people be baptized. They have all gone through a class and have said they want to become Christian and know what that means. (Especially a difficult choice when one's family is Muslim.) Tomorrow evening I will host our first "formal" dinner party. I had four chickens killed and plucked today. The chickens are so tiny here; however, I believe the four will feed the seven people at dinner. We will have spaghetti noodles--a treat used at special occassions--and a fettucine sauce made with the finest instant milk money can buy. Green beans and watermelon will round out the meal, which will be served on our beautiful plastic plates. (It's all good...)

That's the scoop for now! Please keep us in your prayers. I'm sure you have more time now that you don't need to keep praying for the Cards to win! ;) While you start up the fires in the fireplaces and put on the chili and soup, think of our nice cool 100 degree temps!

In love, Connie

2005-10-13T07:24:00.000-07:00

Updates

Joshua is not good. He continued vomitting and so we had to bring him to the pediatric clinic where he has been for several days. But now he is actually losing weight. They can't seem to pinpoint the problem and the little guy is not even maintaining weight, much less gaining, because of continual vomitting. He is eating well, plus has an IV. I hope if he needs to leave us, he goes soon so his poor little body can rest. However, I really feel like he will survive.

Yesterday we, (Mark, Ruth and I), spent the day in the capital city of Ouagadougou. We met with a contractor about our staff housing building project, explaining that natural cooling system that Barry at MMI told us about. We will meet again with him next week to see his estimate for the building. He was the contractor who built the orphanage, so he knows we have tight funds. We'd like to get moving on it soon so we don't have to keep renting, plus we'd like to be on the orphanage's compound.

In Ouaga, we did a lot of shopping: for motos, food and household items. For the most part, I "held my own" in the French conversations. Not good, mind you, but the vendors understood me!

When we returned to Yako, our electricity had not yet come back on from being off early in the wee hours of the morning. Ah, then it came on--for ten minutes. It's still off. Phew! It was a warm one trying to sleep last night! I thought I had outsmarted the tempermental electic supply here by bringing a fan that requires batteries, 8 "D" cell batteries. I got 8 rechargable batteries and a solar battery recharger. Well, the plumbers apparently helped themselves to two of the batteries as they were being charged up in the sun. So, yesterday in Ouaga I bought regular batteries for now, so that at least we could still run the fan. I forgot that we had to give our night guard two of the batteries for his flashlight! So we still couldn't have a fan. We'll be hunting for more today!

2005-10-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

I hope the rest of the day goes better:

Today we had prayer and during it we discussed the fact that a new infant we have, Joshua, is dehydrated and has diarrhea with thrush mouth, not gaining weight. Stuck at around 5 lbs...not too great for a one month old! So, Mark and I said we would drop in a naso-gastric tube. We went back home to get some stuff and eat some breakfast. While we were home, we heard either kids playing, screaming their heads off, or pigs squealing in the field adjacent to our house. I looked out but couldn't see anything. I was in much more of hurry to get to the baby than was Mark; he started doing stuff on the computer and I'm thinking every moment counts in a little baby this weakened. I just kept praying God would honor his work with the baby regardless of exactly when he does it. Mark doesn't like mornings too much and to be hit with something that big first thing, was a little intense I think. We finally made it over about 10 minutes later, (which felt like ten hours to me), and did, in fact, place the tube and fed him his first feeding through it. Mark threaded it while I held the little one. Joshua was like a rag doll when I first picked him up. I kept telling him to stay alive at least until we try to get some food into him. I kept checking for his heartbeat.

After the feeding, I found out what the screeching was in the field. A young girl was raped. Kate actually witnessed it. The girl was around 13, barely in puberty. She screamed the whole time. After Kate had realized what was taking place,she walked into the field yelling and clapping her hands. He didn't leave until he actually saw Kate. He left quickly; the girl got up put her dress down and walked in the same direction as the boy. Kate thought the girl would have chosen the other path, but since she was in it, the girl may have not wanted to walk towards her. I went into the other room to tell Mark what the noise from the field was all about. Kate yelled for me to come back and Joshua was vomitting from his nose and mouth. I had a flash back because that was what happened to my late husband,Michael, just before he died... I called for Mark several times and he finally heard me and came on the third or fourth call. The baby struggled some more and pulled out the tubing part way, so we had to reinsert it. I just started crying. Too much sadness already today.

May God be my strength.

2005-10-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

Learning Adaptability

Although we had been at the church services here before, we never attended as new members! Pastor Salou had us sit up front, facing everyone the entire service. Ruth and Jenni did as well, translating much of the service to us and Kate H., who gave the message. (Kate is visiting from St. Louis.) The women's choir is a cd waiting to happen. Voices, strong and sure, tribal words that God understands and our hearts feel to be true and holy. A young elder, Valentine, and his new bride sang a duet. It was precious! The pastor had us say a few words and welcomed us to grow with their congregation. The entire congregation prayed aloud for us at the same time. Wow, can they ever pray! I think the windows would've shattered, if there were some! Don't let me misrepresent my true feelings: It was awesome!

The Sheltering Wings' missionaries all went to the local pastor's house for dinner on Sunday night. We were served some delicious, but pitifully skinny, chicken , rice and cabbage-tomato sauce, and what we fondly call "village bread"...baguettes made in clay ovens that are better than any we've had anywhere in the world. (Mark says with these baguettes, he will prove that man CAN live on bread alone!) Mark brought the "Coka" cola & I made a pumpkin cake with a quick bread mix I had gotten in the states at Sam's.

Our time was quite entertaining, and we were catching onto most of the French that was being spoken. Pastor was seated at the table with the Americans: Ruth, Lynn, Jenni, Mark, Connie & Kate. The other honored guests, pastors as well, sat on a bench behind Pastor Salou. Their wives sat on a bench on the other side of the room and of course, were always served last....after we were offered seconds. During dinner, the rain began. And winds howled. Lightening bolts stuck, some farther, some all too close. Conversations stopped. The electricity failed. And came back again. Several times. The winds forced the rain through a slit in the tin roof and poured upon the wife of one of the pastors. So, when do we leave? We only needed to walk a few blocks...but it was a river outside, everywhere., not to mention the darkness of the night and one pitiful flashlight amongst us all!

Pastor provided the women with fabric for us to wear on our heads for protection. I refused at first, thinking it was a silly notion. However, appreciating his concern, I donned the multicolor pagna and set out with the group, Pastor and Valentine being our guides. Ankle deep; knee deep. Mud sucked at our flip-flops so much so that we were thrown off balance every other step. Drumming rain on my head. Glad I had the pagna to soften the sting! After sliding several times on slick muddy spots, I pulled off my shoes and carried them. My toes did a better job of feeling the earth and stabilizing the rest of me. Great, we've made it the first block!

Of course, I was trying desperately to forget everything we had learned at our tropical medicine course as I was wading through these muddy waters containing all sorts of fecal matter, soil, reptiles, etc.. I really didn't want to be my own first patient! So, like whistling a happy tune whenever you're afraid, I decided to sing quietly to the Lord for all is His glory! We made it home, muddy creatures with our tails tucked in. (Errr, no, that was a branch that had taken hold of my waistband.) Although the shower was unmercifully cold, we were so grateful to get clean and dry! Ruth commented that such a challenge she has never faced in the five years before our arrival. A challenge, an adventure...whatever. I can wait another five years to experience it again!

The rest of this week has been much less "exciting" weather-wise...praise the Lord. Temps have risen into the 90's. We're keeping busy, getting reacquainted with the kiddos who have returned to go to school which has started this week. and learning French and the tribal language, More. Also, we are closely watching one little boy who is <4 weeks old who is malnourished and dehydrated. We may need to put him on an IV tomorrow...

In the mean time, I do want to acknowledge how God continues to bless us and look out for our needs and those of the children: Two nights ago, I had one of the worst sciatic pains I've had in a long time. The ibuprofen and ice weren't cutting it. Lynn Peters prayed for me with the others at our morning prayer. By the time I went home, it was gone and hasn't returned. Yeah, God! Also, yesterday we had prayed for one of the toddlers who was not sleeping through the night. He had been screaming for four nights in a row, with no apparent cause. Last night, ta-da!-he slept peacefully through the night. Thanks to the good Lord!

So, this is Connie signing off again, with this important thought: Go Cards!

2005-10-01T04:49:00.000-07:00

The next chapter…
Well, we’ve made it to Yako! We arrived several days ago and have been quite busy with “nesting”, i.e., cleaning and supplying our home with the essentials, arranging all furniture to be under the ceiling fans, (Hurray for ceiling fans!), and meeting our neighbors. We have been so blessed with a courtyard of trees which provide a much cooler residence than most have. The plumber has just finished repairing all six leaks and fixing the kitchen drain as well as the main sewer drain that leads to the already completely filled septic tank. (We are hoping to have someone empty it out next week.) Now we are waiting for the electrician to come and repair some minor things. Again, we are the most fortunate in town to have indoor plumbing and electricity with a ceiling fan in every room. We went ahead and spoiled ourselves further by purchasing a gas stove and small fridge with a freezer. Because the electric is off from midnight to 7 a.m., we can’t keep much in the fridge, but it’s great to have cold water and ICE! I mix the cold water with powdered milk to have cereal taste similar to what I’m used to in the states. Well, I’m sure it will be more palatable as my time here extends….
It’s been so precious rekindling relationships from last year and meeting others who have arrived since we were here last. Absolutely everyone asks how my family in America is and if my sisters and Ami will come again for a visit. “Bien sure!” I tell them! Our street is littered with the kiddos from a year old to about 12 or so. At least twenty of them run up to us each time we leave our courtyard to shake our hands and tell us “Bon Jour” & “Ce Va?” The tiny ones will grab our hands and just walk a little way with us. Although they are all partially dressed, and in rags at that, filthy and barefooted, their wide eyes and their beaming smiles are all we really notice. Somehow I feel like I’m Glenda, the Good Witch, in the Land of Oz… But these kiddos will have wishes I can’t fulfill; or maybe I can ---through Christ who lives in me!
Every morning our day starts with staff prayers and Bible reading at the orphanage from 8-9 am. Today is Saturday, and an eventful day for everyone as all the 260 sponsored children come to receive their uniforms and school supplies for the coming school year , which begins this Monday. Of course, it will be the extended families bringing these kids in, so the orphanage will be a hopping place! Also, today is the widow’s distribution. Jenni and Jean will be bringing the widows their monthly supply of rice and spices with a few vegetables to bring a little more flavor and nourishment. Mark and I will be waiting for our electrician and finishing the rest of the organizing and cleaning.
We had a meeting last night discussing the nuts and bolts of building the staff housing and clinic. We will be needing to obtain another $5,000 to get the housing finished and furnished to meet the our present needs as well as those of the near future when short termers come to stay with us. I think we whittled it down as far as we can go. I’m sure God has someone(s) in mind who will want to help us out. Please think and pray about this! And pass it along to others who might be interested. It could be a great project for a scout group, office, school or church group. ; )
Turns out that Pastor Salou’s cousin will be our day guard. He’s quite educated, but didn’t pass his last exam and will need a year of study before he can retake it. We’ve heard it’s crazy hard to receive a passing mark, but when you do…onto college! At any rate, his name is Ennis, and he speaks the tribal language of More’, French and English. He said he will teach us French and More’ and we can help him with his English. Perfectionnisme!
If you are wanting to get in touch with us via e-mail, please write to markandcon@fasonet.bf . We’d love to hear from you either by posting on this site or by e-mail.
Love to you and yours,
Con

2005-09-18T05:42:00.000-07:00

The big countdown...

The last few days have held many "lasts", i.e., the last time we have French lessons, the last of our household things to pack and sell, the many last hugs and exchanges of friends and families. Today will be our last time at Victory Fellowship...

I am an emotional rollercoaster, of course. The joys of this life here combined with the joys that lie ahead there, but the two are worlds apart. How blessed I am that I have such problems!

2005-08-28T06:13:00.000-07:00

I thought I would write my first post explaining the name of the blog site. If you have known my parents, Edward J. Bruemmer and Patricia D. Bruemmer, you'd wonder whose eyes I have because they are both blue-eyed. But that's not my thought here. I have an extremely deep desire for the eyes of my heart to be the eyes of God's love.

To see others with the eyes of compassion, forgiveness, tenderness and insight is my cry. And, more importantly, for His love to be flowing through me: through my hands, my arms, my speech, my ears, my eyes. I am humbled and honored to be part of this outreach to the precious people in Burkina Faso.

So many people have commented on what a wonderful thing it is that we are moving to Africa...blah, blah, blah. But truly understand this: it is Mark and I who are benefiting more from this than those we serve! Unless you go there personally you will probably never understand. (Yes, that's an invitation!!)

I have to say, as a fifty-year-old mom whose kids are grown and all wonderfully independent and self-motivated, my direction for life was getting a little confused. Not that I've been sad to see them not need me anymore. Not at all! It's such a joy to know that despite all my mistakes and their dad's early death they have grown to be such fine men with compassionate hearts. But I know that I am happiest in loving children. So how can I leave my sweet little grandbabies? The truth is that they don't really need me either. They have love from soooooo many people. They have perfect parents, errr...okay, perfect for humans anyway.... So it will be I who miss them, not so much the other way around. And, I will still be able to communicate by e-mail, phone calls, photos, home movies via DVD's, and visiting for weeks at a time annually. I know that it won't substitute for holding them, feeling their little arms around my neck and sweet laughter in my ear. However, I also know that I will have many, many "grandchildren" whose skin color may not match mine, yet my arms may be the only ones to ever hold them. How can I not go?

So ends my first official post. I will write on this site at least once a week to keep you updated. I'll probably give some highlights with my perceptions and feelings about them. (Guess this is a type of a diary that isn't hidden under my mattress.) Plus, feel free to comment on this site. Whether it's about what I have written or questions you might have or maybe even solutions I need! Most importantly, please remember us in your prayers--we want to have our Father's eyes.