A Bon Experience

Life in Burkina has been full of new and fun experiences. However, there is the occasionally one we could do without. Last week, the kids were sick so Pam decided to stay home with them. I was going to go on to language institute. However, instead of taking a taxi, I decided I would save the money and borrow Charlie Joyce’s mobylette.

Things turned down hill in a hurry. I made it about a ½ mile away from the house when it died. It ended up being out of gas so I had to push it a little ways to a gas station. I asked the attendant to fill it up. I didn’t realize they try to get all they can in the tank. The goal is accomplished by shaking the moped. As a result, gas started coming out the overflow. I didn’t realize he had shut the fuel switch off. I made it a few more blocks down the road and it died again. I finally figured out the problem.

Things went better for a couple of miles till I blew a tire. The good news is that there’s always someone to help just around the corner. I was able to get a new tire and tub and I made it the rest of the way. One added plus was that I provided a few laughs for all the teachers and students at the language institute.

Our Anniversary

Today is our 6^th Anniversary. My how time has flown! It seems like yesterday I was walking down the aisle to see my weeping groom. He says it was allergies. I know better now. So, tonight we’ll venture out for our second date in Ouagadougou. Mike is doing really good at driving in this city. The printed map we have is of very little help, but Charlie has hand drawn several maps for us to help us get around. There are few street signs around. So, everything is by points of interest. But so far we’ve not gotten lost.

Our search continues for a vehicle. We’ve seen many, but still no vehicle to our name. Pray that we’ll get a good vehicle for a reasonable price. We’re looking now at one, and have made an offer, but we’ll see what happens with it. We’ll let you know.

Monday we start language school. I’m excited about that! I look forward to having a schedule, though I know my body will complain when I have to get up and leave the air conditioning. But I am eager to study the language so I can understand more of what everyone is saying. Today I attended the ladies Bible study, while Mike went to the men’s. I could understand some of what was said. But I’m eager to see how fast we will learn being immersed in French.

Friday marked our first day of rain here in Burkina Faso. It smelled so good. We’re looking forward to seeing how green Ouaga really gets. Charlie says it gets pretty green. We look forward to that!

Well I must go for now. I’ll write again soon.

Aurevoir

Home Sweet Home

Monday was a profitable day, as we spoke with the landlord of the house we wanted to rent. We met at noon, and discussed details, then finally signed a contract. We have a house! I was so thrilled. We told Blake Monday night that we found his new house. He was so excited. For the past several months he’s been saying he “lost Blake’s house”. That’s pretty pitiful, and hard to swallow for us as parents. But we loved being able to tell him we found it, but now it has to be “cleaned”, so we can’t go in just yet.

We had to meet with her again on Tuesday to claim our keys to the house and pay her the deposit and two months rent. We also discussed some things we would like to have done to the place and she had no problem. Our laundry appliances will have to go in a separate building called a dependant, and immediately she told one of her guards to get water to that building for us. While we continued walking through we heard her in the back telling her guard to set up our clothes line. She’s already done so much to the house to make it a nice place to live, but she continues. We learned Tuesday night that no one had wanted to rent the place because the roof leaked (not an uncommon problem here). But on Wednesday, we saw the guys on the roof patching it up.

We’re so thankful things have worked out the way they have. God has really had His hand in all of this. We have seen so many answers to prayer already, and we know it’s because so many people are praying with us that God will work all these details out for us. It’s incredible to witness it. Thank you for your prayers.

Our first date in Ouagadougou

On Wednesday morning, Mike and I went out for our first date in Burkina Faso. We went to the American Rec center and had waffles and an omelette for breakfast. (Sounds like we’re really suffering, huh?) Then we decided to go down to the Sony shop and discuss prices for some of the appliances we need to purchase there. Mike had his first time of driving in Ouagadougou, and did a very good job. It was nice to be able to get out on our own, but after we got through at the Sony shop, we decided to walk to the library. That’s when we were swamped. So many people wanting to sell you this or that. It was almost tiring saying “No France, only Anglai”. For those of you who know French, keep in mind, we don’t yet. One girl got pretty excited when she found out we weren’t French. She evidently likes Americans, and gave me a high five. It was pretty interesting. They’re very sweet people, and every one wanted to try their English out on us. Most of them speak us much English as we do French. But all in all it was a good date – a profitable one. We were able to barter the prices of our appliances down to less than what we budgeted, and we got a map of Ouagadougou that will help us to figure this place out.