Road Trip!
Ruth and her die-hard Mitsubishi took us on two excursions this past week, into the bush, and beyond the traffic and bustle of Ouagadougou.
We saw guinea fowl, chickens and roosters, goats, sheep, several skinny cows, a few pigs, and many weary looking donkeys on both of these long roads out of town. What struck me was the vast openness where all of these animals grazed. How do their owners know where to find them in the evenings? How do people know which goat they can eat or milk? These barnyard beasts cross roads and find new neighbors all day long. We saw, along the way, two shepherd boys, both about Nate's age who watched over and guided their small herds of cattle along the roadside, with a long staff. Otherwise, every animal seemed free to roam. We learned from Ruth that tails of sheep fall down their backside, while tails of goats flip up! Fun Fact from the field. I also learned, from Sylvain, that pigs in Burkina say, "kwonk, kwonk, kwonk...."
Ouagadougou, Koudougou, and Yako make a nearly equilateral triangle on a map-- Yako is furthest north, Ouaga in the center and Koudougou in the center, but farther west. Driving through and beyond the small town of Yako (with its one street light still pending), will take you to Mali. In a straight line from Ouaga through Koudougou, you'd also end up in Mali, but closer to Ivory Coast. Ruth and Linda live in a small and remote village called Kimini, just a few miles from the Ivory Coast border.
The scenery out the window for both of our road ventures was beautiful, in the harsh, difficult, and an "I can't take my eyes off of this" kind of way. We saw some amazing Baobab trees and although we wanted to take photos at several points, it felt as if we'd be so oddly conspicuous, stepping out to do this.....like we'd be stepping into someone's living room.
On this day to Koudougou, we visited Thomas' first orphanage, run by an African woman and several tanties. We sat in a circle on the large, covered patio while the children came ever closer, and Ruth translated French to English so patiently. The inside of the small, painted brick building had cement floors just like the patio, and hardly a stick of furniture. There were a couple of blankets on the floors and some tiny babies sleeping in the suffocating heat of the day. One tantie picked up a tiny one....so small, about 3 pounds as she slept, and we heard that this was how small our son was, when he arrived. How miraculous that they survive.
We wanted this visit to be short and sweet-- kind of a gratuitous visit, really-- where we give some small gifts-- cooking oil, a large bag of rice, soap and some donations we'd brought from home and acknowledge them as Sylvain's first "home" in gratitude. But as is African culture, and there is no such thing as short and sweet.... there are lingering moments and long stories and playing with the children. The Directrice of this little home was gracious but made many overt plugs for donations....she needs a computer, she needs her kids to be sponsored, she needs money for food for the children. Can you blame her for her bold requests? Our "plenty" was only there, sitting on her porch, for the afternoon-- how could the opportunity pass without us giving her all she needed? So she asked, and asked, and the day wore on.
But we couldn't give her all she needed, could we? We were in debt for this adoption-- financial hardship, really. We'd brought gifts....was that not enough? Of course it was not. In her view, she cared for our son for three years.....was she not owed more? The reality was, when we finally said our goodbyes, we'd be returning to a home with furniture and carpeted floors, and food in our refrigerator. She'd still be here, with babies that were too-tiny, 4 year olds with fungus infections on their heads, children needing sponsors to attend school, and not enough food for the children.
This is Nate and an absolutely beautiful boy named, "Innocent". Nate is teaching him to count in English. Innocent was so engaging and sat on my lap or near me the whole time. When we left, he cried and would not wave good bye. Joe and I wished that he could come home with us too. Nate and I cried too. We were broken hearted.
Kellen, as in all places we visited, was a baby-magnet. He always had a little one on his lap, and each time, the kids were relaxed and at ease in his arms. Innocent was teaching Sylvain an African children's song in the photo below.
Ruth and Linda, below-- completely in their element with a little one on their knees. This girl was so sweet and super sassy-- she clamored for lap space and jockeyed for the best slice of mango. She bossed the little ones and directed the traffic of small feet to her liking. I hope she grows up strong and confident, and keeps that feisty spark in her eye.
Amazingly, in the poverty of this place, all of our family members were given gifts. Sylvain was given this traditional African tunic and pants, Kellen and Nate were both given necklaces. I was received a head scarf and Joe, a farmer's hat.
This child sharing my lap with Innocent wore a hat to cover the white scalp of a fungal infection. Such as easy problem to solve here, but in Burkina Faso's orphanage, it is something that one lived with. I lost sleep regretting what we'd given.... why the donations we gave, with basic first aid supplies didn't contain fungal cream-- arrgghhh! To be able to do this over again....
A glimpse inside of this home, a beautiful face behind the green door.
The tall, strong, and beautiful directrice, with a tantie in the background is saying her goodbyes to Sylvain. We are struck with the fact that Sylvain rarely smiled, and that he was not entirely at ease here. It is hard to know what he remembered of this place, of this woman, or what he may have thought or feared here, with us all together. How confusing it must have been.
We are thankful for our time here. We are blessed to have been able to meet the woman who cared for our small son, at the start of his life.
Post Script:
Joe and I would like to plan ahead to visit this place when we go to Burkina Faso next time, when we adopt our new son. Koudougou is out of the way, but worth the trip. We'll bring rice, cooking oil, soap in greater quantities, and we'll bring fungal cream and mangoes for the children too. I wonder if Innocent will be there....
If you would like to donate to our adoption please click on the AdoptTogether link. We'd be so grateful for your support! Thanks for following our story~
Cris and Joe
Ouagadougou, Koudougou, and Yako make a nearly equilateral triangle on a map-- Yako is furthest north, Ouaga in the center and Koudougou in the center, but farther west. Driving through and beyond the small town of Yako (with its one street light still pending), will take you to Mali. In a straight line from Ouaga through Koudougou, you'd also end up in Mali, but closer to Ivory Coast. Ruth and Linda live in a small and remote village called Kimini, just a few miles from the Ivory Coast border.
The scenery out the window for both of our road ventures was beautiful, in the harsh, difficult, and an "I can't take my eyes off of this" kind of way. We saw some amazing Baobab trees and although we wanted to take photos at several points, it felt as if we'd be so oddly conspicuous, stepping out to do this.....like we'd be stepping into someone's living room.
On this day to Koudougou, we visited Thomas' first orphanage, run by an African woman and several tanties. We sat in a circle on the large, covered patio while the children came ever closer, and Ruth translated French to English so patiently. The inside of the small, painted brick building had cement floors just like the patio, and hardly a stick of furniture. There were a couple of blankets on the floors and some tiny babies sleeping in the suffocating heat of the day. One tantie picked up a tiny one....so small, about 3 pounds as she slept, and we heard that this was how small our son was, when he arrived. How miraculous that they survive.
We wanted this visit to be short and sweet-- kind of a gratuitous visit, really-- where we give some small gifts-- cooking oil, a large bag of rice, soap and some donations we'd brought from home and acknowledge them as Sylvain's first "home" in gratitude. But as is African culture, and there is no such thing as short and sweet.... there are lingering moments and long stories and playing with the children. The Directrice of this little home was gracious but made many overt plugs for donations....she needs a computer, she needs her kids to be sponsored, she needs money for food for the children. Can you blame her for her bold requests? Our "plenty" was only there, sitting on her porch, for the afternoon-- how could the opportunity pass without us giving her all she needed? So she asked, and asked, and the day wore on.
But we couldn't give her all she needed, could we? We were in debt for this adoption-- financial hardship, really. We'd brought gifts....was that not enough? Of course it was not. In her view, she cared for our son for three years.....was she not owed more? The reality was, when we finally said our goodbyes, we'd be returning to a home with furniture and carpeted floors, and food in our refrigerator. She'd still be here, with babies that were too-tiny, 4 year olds with fungus infections on their heads, children needing sponsors to attend school, and not enough food for the children.
Ruth and Linda, below-- completely in their element with a little one on their knees. This girl was so sweet and super sassy-- she clamored for lap space and jockeyed for the best slice of mango. She bossed the little ones and directed the traffic of small feet to her liking. I hope she grows up strong and confident, and keeps that feisty spark in her eye.
Amazingly, in the poverty of this place, all of our family members were given gifts. Sylvain was given this traditional African tunic and pants, Kellen and Nate were both given necklaces. I was received a head scarf and Joe, a farmer's hat.
This child sharing my lap with Innocent wore a hat to cover the white scalp of a fungal infection. Such as easy problem to solve here, but in Burkina Faso's orphanage, it is something that one lived with. I lost sleep regretting what we'd given.... why the donations we gave, with basic first aid supplies didn't contain fungal cream-- arrgghhh! To be able to do this over again....
Post Script:
Joe and I would like to plan ahead to visit this place when we go to Burkina Faso next time, when we adopt our new son. Koudougou is out of the way, but worth the trip. We'll bring rice, cooking oil, soap in greater quantities, and we'll bring fungal cream and mangoes for the children too. I wonder if Innocent will be there....
If you would like to donate to our adoption please click on the AdoptTogether link. We'd be so grateful for your support! Thanks for following our story~
Cris and Joe
