Thinking about "Dad quotes" today. How about "Take time to smell the roses." These ladies were so happy just enjoying these roses. The bushes had been trimmed that day. I got some as well and they lasted 2 weeks!
"Everyone you meet is superior to you in some way" is a quote David got from his Dad. He was so good to visit with anyone he met because he really believed that.
Taller isn't superior, but we get a smile out of seeing Aloys with the Sister Missionaries and the Pres. of the third branch Dieudonne (which means "gift from God". Aloys is 6'8".
I love this little face. Bianca overcame her fears of "Muzungus" and now is my friend.
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Yes, I am trying to copy Angelique, but she still has to give me lessons on how to tie the head dress. Jacqueline and Wivine gave me the fabric for this dress, and I did the really African way. I had a tailor make it for me. He really put the design to good use. I was very curious how he would do that.
"Every day in every way, I am gaining in Health and Strength." Terrance is still helping him make this one come true.
If we have choices in food, which we usually do; we take Strawberries over FUFU any day. Yes, we tried it, but we save it for our Burundian friends. These girls had this big lump of fufu (foo foo) and were enjoying eating it with their hands. We didn't interfere. Maybe they could have said, "My sufficiency has been suffoncified and any more would be disastrous to my diabolical dissastitude."
Or should it be "couldn't get a meal this good at the Bellagio."
This is how we buy strawberries. They are stacked so beautifully. And they taste as good as they look! Not modified, they are sweet and flavorful! "Yummy to my tummy!"
Remember the quote from Paul "He that doth not work, shall not eat!" It is a true principle, but here many people who work very hard, don't eat very well. They can work this hard all day and make less than $3.00.
Mission Street is being worked on. Many of the workers with picks and shovels are women. It surprised me. One day, it seemed like more women than men. We are really happy they are improving this street. It has been a difficult one to navigate. This is also the street where we must go to buy sewing materials.
Now, THIS is work! One bunch is so heavy. The one with two bunches is suffering!
Working here requires creativity. These young men are walking Five and Dime stores. And the woman to the right is carrying Linga linga. It is the African answer to Spinach. They have Spinach, but Linga linga is easier to grow and is more prolific.
Sleeping babies don't stop mothers here from doing anything! I just love seeing the little faces smashed on their mommy's backs as they weed in the park, sweep the streets, or ride on the back of a bike!
100 desks lined up in front of Claude's place. They are ready to be labeled. A Muzungu is a side show painting the name of the church on each one.
And this is the pay off -- seeing students happily sitting in desks -- only two to a desk. They all said, "Thank you!" when their teacher told them that we were the ones who donated the desks. So it wasn't really us. It was all of you who give a few dollars to the Humanitarian efforts of the church.
These faces.......this is why we are building latrines and teaching hygiene.
And here are two of the pits in process of being dug. This is the African back hoe. These men are just happy to have work. And we are "as serious as a heart attack."
And speaking of monkeys (at least we used to call our kids "monkeys), we saw one on the road on the way to the waterfalls.
And at Mwaro, Judith and Charles took us to their market.
"Oh banana anna, Oh banana anna, when you gonna leave the bunch!"
Can you caption this one?
What does it take, Faith? Stupidity? Naivity? We trusted Charles and went for it.
"Going up country" means anywhere out of Bujumbura, North, South, East--not West, there's Lake Tanganyika there. But, everywhere else is higher in altitude than Bujumbura so it is "up country." Doesn't this look like "Color Country?"
Or is it more THIS that makes it colorful?
Now this is a beautiful sight! Twelve baptisms in one day! Four of these were Claude's children. He had the privilege of baptizing them. Now all of his children who are of age are members. They are expecting a baby this month. That makes eleven for them.
The future of Africa!
