Patchwork

We have been very impressed with this young woman.  In a city where many are saying, there are no jobs.  She creates jobs for others.  She hires women to make crafts and sew clothing.  She is now beginning "incubator crafts"  where people come to learn how and then they can sell their work.  She is so successful that she just moved into a larger place.  She says "The cup is always half full for me."

 This unusual flower is everywhere.  Yes we bought two and planted them in our yard.

The first time these women tossed these  sewing machines on their heads and went down the stairs, I gasped.  But now it is "old hat." :) 

 

                                                            

When school is out, the streets are filled with young people in uniform.  All schools have uniforms, these are private school students.  Public school primary wear khaki, and Secondary wear blue and white. 

We love that these cute sisters will play Rummikub with us.  It is a game that crosses language barriers!  They also beat us!

People who came to the free screening of the diagnostic eye equipment complained of headaches and neck aches.  Dr. Hunsaker smiled when he asked if they carried heavy things on their heads.  After they said, "Yes", he would tell them "It's not your eyes causing the problem."


This makes my head  ache just to watch!

We love these beautiful bushes in our yard.

Put your hand on your heart!  See OLD GLORY flying!  This is the United States Embassy.  It is only a block from our house and it makes us happy every time we drive by.  It is one of the most beautiful buildings in Bujumbura.

 Can you see the huddles of people under the canopy of this service station?   The rain comes in torrents and then stops two or three times a day sometimes.  We love the rain because it cools things down from 89 to 82. :)  This climate is just so tough.  :)

 This may look like another huddle, but it is just a bunch of workers on top of a building under construction.  Workers everywhere work elbow to elbow with others even when using a pick or shovel.

 This bicyclist was working so hard.  When I zoomed in, it made me tired!

Here we are checking on desks.  Frida was translating for us as Claude and his son speak only Kirundi.  They are learning English, but they are beginners.  As far as Kirundi goes, we are not even beginners!

I was trying to tell Claude that the desks were not well finished, that they should be sanded more and painted a second time and.....and......, but Remy, the director of physical facilities of the school district came and said he needed the desks TODAY!  We tried to tell him, they didn't have the logo on them and we wanted them finished better, but he said, "If I don't deliver the desks today, they will hang me!"  Well, we really like Remy and wouldn't want such a thing to happen to him.  So, Aimable and David and I went to Claudes, quickly painted the logo with the help of his workers and 150 desks were loaded and delivered.  We went to the school and there realized WHY they wanted them NOW and no matter how they looked.  Their old desks, the ones they have, wouldn't be accepted in the worst school in America.  In comparison, these looked like Thomasville top of the line!
The students helped carry them into the classrooms.  It was like Christmas!

Once the truck was loaded with 25 desks, they had to push the truck to get it started.  They had one muzugu who wanted to help.  :)

  The branch had an Openhouse.  The primary children sang songs and recited Articles of Faith.
                                                            Each organization took part.

 This one surprised us.  The branch presidents and a counselor did a skit on church history.

This is the closest to the old west as they could get.  

 I am still in love with the African trees.  They just take such beautiful shapes and look so protective and graceful.  The lighting on this one in the park changes the color of it.

The one at the bottom is huge.  They call it the Marriage tree and take lots of pictures there on wedding days.

 

 Okay I have been wanting to try the side saddle bicycle ride.  We gave this rider 1000 BIF to take us each on a SHORT ride.  

 We visited our friends the Hippos again.   We didn't know what these balls on the tree were.  Later we learned that the birds who build these nest are called Weavers.  Sister Dow said that the male builds the nest and presents it to the female.  If she doesn't like it, she snips it off and it falls to the ground and he has to start over.  The birds are a bright yellow.

 Sister Petu is up on the patio and Remy is brushing his hair with a cleaning brush.  He hardly has hair as he cuts it off frequently.

Here is our first African funeral. We hope the last.  Emery from the Branch Presidency is giving a few words of comfort at the cemetary.  Frida and Aimable are just beyond him with white handkerchiefs around their necks. They lost a baby in childbirth.  Our hearts were broken for them.

 Jean Paul lead the singing and he really kept up the beat.  He did not allow anyone to sing a durge!

After this the whole crowd (two bus loads of people) met at a reception center for some more talks and the traditional Fanta, Coke, or water.

The family have people coming to the house for a week or so after.