Our team arrived back in the states yesterday and I made it back to Eau Claire today for a brief visit with my family before heading off for YWAM ,Oxford tomorrow.
I am still in awe that I just got back from Burkina Faso, Africa. I would like to say that it was more of a Kingdom trip than an emotional trip. Witnessing the quality of life in one of the poorest countries in the world takes a lot to wrap one's mind around.
Since the flooding that happened a couple weeks ago the people who were displaced were crammed into schools and churches to wait until tent villages were erected. In one school we visited, the courtyard about the size of a football feild there were over 3,000 people living, many of them children ( who were not allowed to use the outdoor toilets) prime condition for cholera and sickness to spread. In this particular school the Central church we were working with had bought out the entire countries stock of training potties and donated them to this refugee compound to prevent sickness from unsanitary living conditions. The day before we left the tents were up and people were starting to be moved. Just in time for school to start!
The conditions were hot and sticky becuase it was rainey season.
The two main projects we worked on while there were teaching the Dorcas House women how to crochet a hat and digging holes and welding poles for an awning with lights in the church parking lot for students to study at night.
The 15 girls 15-25 at Dorcas caught on to the technique of crocheting fast (faster then I did!) and were able to complete one hat before we left and are excited to make more!
The awning didn't get all done due to some natural occurnces of life, including the death of one of the founding ladies of the church, and a wedding.
My heart goes out to the Burkinabe' people but not in a sympathetic way and that is not meant to sound harsh. It takes an understanding that they are living with the resources they have, which is not many, and trying to see life from where they are at.
A significant lesson I learned is that it doesn't work for a white person to barge in and expect to fix all their problems becuase we can't even comprehend their problems. What they need is an ear to listen and hands to help them where they are at. They are working towards the basic means of survival, food, water, and health but they need systems that leave them independent of our help. Ideas hashed from their own minds and put into effect with thier own people working as doctors, nurses, pastors, missionaries, teachers, dentists, and entreprenuers.
I Love them, I love their country.
It is indescribable to have a street child come up and stick their sweaty hand into mine and stare up at me with a look of wonder and study my hand knowing we are different, and just being able to look down with love and not push that innocent child away even though they are dirty and untouchable to most people.
Pictures top to bottom: A decorative gate is all that is left of someones mud home and new bricks being made to rebuild; children at the school refugee; one of the little blue potties donated; the girls at Dorcas house with their finished hats on with Lacey and myself.
