Celebration of Thanks: Part 3

November 15: Charity
Living in a third world country, I daily get to see charity in action. From orphanages to feeding programs to handicapped bicycles, everyday life in Burkina is made a little easier because of charity.  I was always the skeptic of "does the money really go to the people who need it?" and I now can say I have seen it on both ends. Yes, it does. Or at least from what I have seen.
One of my favorite things I've done in the past year was a TOM's shoe drop. I really loved getting to do this because it is an organization I supported in the US and got to participate on this end too. Life is cool that way.

November 16: Free Blessing
Another freebie day! I am thankful for my church family at Pinelake. Even being an ocean away, I still feel loved and poured into.  They are consistent and encouraging. It is easy for Ms to get on the field and feel forgotten. However, our church continues to invest time in us.  They also send us sermons on DVDs so we get good teaching and regularly Skype with us.  Being stateside last summer, some of my favorite times were going to church and being in community with them again. They're a huge blessing!

November 17: Health
I am very thankful for my health. Living in a world where the tiniest of insects can carry deadly diseases, I have yet to have malaria (*knock on wood*). This past week, I had my first bout of food poisoning and I would love to not ever have that again. We have definitely been taken care of!

November 18: A Daily Indulgence
My Ghiradelli chocolate squares. Or anything from America for that matter. In September, one of my friends from our church in MS brought me some goodies to our missionary care retreat. In this bag of goodies, she slipped in some Ghiradelli chocolate squares. I have had a "chocolate moment" almost every day since. Until they ran out last week. So now I have a popsicle.
Another daily indulgence would be my morning Coca Cola. I love bubbles in the morning.

November 19: A Trip
Instead of a trip, I'll go with a trip buddy. My friend Kelly and I have a standing annual vacation for the past four years. If you have followed my blog for the past four years, you know her well. We love a lot of the same things...mostly food. So we only go places with good food.  She is artistic, stylish, and packs relatively light (lighter than I do). She is a planner and we both appreciate the finer things. Our first trip was a backpacking adventure across Europe. 10 days, 8 cities. And we are still great friends! We packed backpacks, took trains, and experienced hostels. The next year, we spent 10 days in Paris with day trips to Giverny and the Loire Valley. Last year, we went to New Orleans for a day (I was about to leave for Burkina and we had to get our trip in!). We walked around the Garden District, had a picnic in Audubon Park, and went to Cafe du Monde. It was a sweet memory before I left for a while. This summer, we went to Charleston, NC to see our friend Ashley.  We stayed for 4 days (the only 4 free days Kelly had during the summer due to her busy life in med school) and had the best time. We ate so much good food, went to the beach, shopped, and spent some much needed quality time with Ashley.  I've missed those girls this past year, and the trip was a highlight of the summer.

2011: Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy (backpacking trip)

2012: Notre Dame in Paris

2013: Cafe du Monde in New Orleans

2014: Charleston, South Carolina with Ashley

November 20: A Project You Did
I immediately think of a Pinterest project. And none of those have ever been successful.
I would say my first apartment with Seth. As some of you know, we were dorm parents for our first 2 years of marriage. They were the best times and the worst of times, if you will. Beyond the fire alarms, tornado sirens, and cheerleader summer camps, there were the good moments. Long conversations with residents who became close friends and a community with other RDs that are also life-lasting friendships.  When we got married in March, I moved into Seth's apartment in Chrestman, the freshmen boys' dorm. The next year, we upgraded to New Men's, the upperclassmen dorm. It was fancy. I had my own washing machine and dishwasher. High class! Our New Men's apartment was quite interesting. Built half in the rotunda and half of a hallway, the shape was odd. The carpet was navy, the cabinets were plastic, and the toilet was industrial size.  But we made it home. When I think of our first home, I think of that 2-room, blue-carpeted palace.  We made it our own with paintings, books, wedding gifts, and our new love for IKEA.  We felt settled and comfortable. The first I saw the little nugget of an apartment, I thought "challenge accepted". It was the first time I "made a house a home" and it was a place of sweet memories.

November 21: Dessert
This is something I am thankful for in general. My mother makes the most amazing white chocolate bread pudding. I have made it twice since returning from our stateside and it tastes just like home. It is probably my favorite dessert. Second and third place go to peanut butter pie and brownies/ice cream.

Living Water

From Seth:
About a month ago I was blessed with the opportunity to go to the small town of Yako, north of Ouagadougou where we live, and participate in a well-drilling trip with Friends in Action and Envision Burkina.  Over the past year, we have made friends and close connections with missionaries from both of these organizations.  For six to seven months out of the year (October-April), these organizations join together and go to various villages throughout Burkina to give the gift of water, which, for the Burkinabe in the villages, is a gift of life.  

We have all heard the stories of those who have to walk miles each day to retrieve water for their families.  We don't really think about how much we use water until there isn't any.  When you use water to cook, clean, drink, wash clothes, and bath and there isn't an endless supply you really begin to notice how fast the water goes and how careful you have to be with it.

The week I went with Envision and FIA we were able to complete three wells.  You may have seen pictures of me with the task of jetting the well.  Essentially, each well is jetted before it is finalized to completely cleanse the dirt, mud, rocks, and other minerals that need to be removed from the construction of the well.  I walked away completely soaked, but I won't complain too much because after 10 hours of standing in the sun in West Africa it was a nice surprise.  

 Our first well was pretty straightforward with no hiccups or major difficulties.  We didn't even have a lot of mud to work through which was nice.  The next morning we woke up, packed up, and a couple of us stayed to mix and place the cement foundation for the water pump to be placed on.  A few Burkinabe gathered to help us and see the end product.  About this time the pastor of the village arrived and told us, almost in passing, that there were many people in the village who thought we would never see water.  They told him that many people had come before us to try and find water and had been unsuccessful.  He told them (prior to the well being drilled) that this time would be different.  This time, he said, these men drill in the name and with the power of Jesus Christ
This story completely blew me away.  It was one of those moments where nothing else matters and all you can think about is how wonderful Christ is to us.  

Not only did these people receive water, which will change their life and their daily routines, but it is already changing their hearts and souls.  

Water well drilling is dirty work! 

Seth and our friend Ben. This is possibly one of the most beautiful places in Burkina!

The story of the Woman at the Well is one most people are familiar with in Scripture.  A woman comes to the well to fetch water and Jesus talks to her about a different water, a living water.  He tells the woman that if she had this water she would never thirst again.  For the western world, this is a great story of life-change for a woman who needed a savior.  For the third world, there is another depth of meaning we can't understand.  For us, we are never without water so if we get thirsty we just find more water.  For the Burkinabe, water is everything.  Tell a western thinker that you can give him water, which will never run out, and he will tell you he already has that.  Tell someone who walks miles for water the same thing and he will ask you where he can get it.  

Two things that I loved about my trip: 

1.  It was covered in prayer.  It was nice digging wells with people I have built relationships with over the past year.  There is something to be said about manual labor with other men that fill your soul and build you up.  It was also a blessing to begin and end the day in prayer and to begin and end the work on each well in prayer.  It is a message to those watching that we don't do what do by our won strength, but we seek the strength of the One, True God.  

2. The smiles.  The work is hard, tiring, and tedious.  But the smiles on the villagers' faces when they see that clean water shooting into the sky so close to their homes is indescribable.  To see them rush in and fill their buckets and jugs with water and not have to walk far to do it.  To hear them bless you and bless you in the name of God and want to shake your hand and pat you on the back for doing the work of God.  That gratitude is irreplaceable.

The drilling rig 

Home for the week! The guys set up camp outside the local church at this particular site.

Celebration of Thanks: Part 2

And the journey continues... Week 2!

November 8: A Success
I honestly looked over to Seth and asked him what I have succeeded at. And his response: Cooking in Africa. Thanks, honey. In the past year and a half, I have made leaps and bounds in my cooking ability. This morning, I heated up some cinnamon rolls and made icing WITHOUT a recipe. It just sounded good. And it was. I know this sounds dumb, but our first year of marriage consisted of a lot of Pizza Hut party boxes (lasted us for days), spinach salads, and spaghetti. I now consider a "quick" meal making a pizza (yes, crust and all).  When a lot of cooking comforts are taken away, you learn to cook with the basics. The creations have been better lately than before. I think I'm acquiring my mother's instinct for natural cooking. Tossing in a little this, a pinch of a little that. It's working. The phrase "made from scratch" is not as impressive because most everything is from scratch. I am proud of my pies, fried chicken, and homemade mac&cheese. It's the little things, but I get tickled with pride when I make a real meal from scratch for my husband. Thanks Africa.

November 9: Food
I am thankful for food. Every day. I love to eat good food. Seriously, see the post above. I love being from a family of women who love to cook. My fondest memories include sitting around my grandmother's table on Sunday afternoons and eating amazing Southern cooking at its finest. Of course, there was always a dessert too. It was the highlight meal of the week. You never turn down an invitation to eat at Granny's. Friends would vie for an invitation to sit around Margaret's table. Over the years, I have picked up a thing or two from my mom, granny, and Aunt Linda.

November 10: Words of Wisdom
Here is a collection: "Chew good" (my granny), "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" (my granny and my mother and my father...I get the picture), "Sometimes, you just have to hug the bear and get over it" (Dr. Kucia, college professor),  "Actions speak louder than words" (my dad). These are just a few that come to mind off the bat. I'm sure if I sat for hours the list would never end.

November 11: A Photo
I am thankful there are places in creation that look like this.

Mount Snowden in Wales 

November 12:  Job
I am so very thankful for the opportunity to do what I do. I love my students and the opportunities I have to disciple them.  This year particularly, I have been blessed with multiple opportunities to spend time with them.  To describe them in one word, they are exceptional. I am convinced that no other youth leader learns as much from their students as I do from mine. They are drama-free and have an eagerness to grow more in their faith. Love them to pieces!
Additionally, this semester God has answered my prayer to put my schooling to use. I have gotten to teach adult ESL with SIM ministry English for Everyone.  My students are incredibly bright. They always have feedback and are critical thinkers. I am impressed by their hard work ethic. They are definitely spoiling me for my classes in the future. This entire semester, I have never had to tell a student to be quiet, fuss for being late, or discipline in any way.  Is this what it is like to teach adults? I like it. They are consistent and I know they are going to do great things in the future.

November 13:  Book(s)
I am of course most thankful for the Bible, God's Holy Word. Being an avid reader, there are other books I've learned a lot from too. Some are cheesy, others are meaningful. I have recently become a fan of female comedian autobiographies (is that a real genre?). Yes, like Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Bossypants. In addition, I love a good Christian fiction book. Anything by Francine Rivers will make my day. I love the Mark of the Lion series and Redeeming Love. I have gotten into "smart books" as I call them. When we were stateside, I read The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and got a lot from it. I am currently working on David and Goliath: Underdogs, misfits, and the art of battling giants. These "smart books" have given me a lot of perspective.  I love reading because it allows me to learn and see life in a different way.

November 14:  Free Day
I get to say something spontaneously that I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for this kid and his smile every time I see this picture.

Pictures of Burkina

A few weeks ago, Seth went on a water well trip. I have a hoop-lah of pictures from that week (to be posted at a later time when Seth sits down to write about it), but here are the ones that are my favorites:

(photos courtesy of Mike Riddering)

Celebration of Thanks: Part 1

In the spirit of the month of Thanksgiving (even though that should be a "daily bread" type of thing), I decided to participate in the trend. I intend to do it weekly and possibly include pictures. A little something different, but that's what I need right now. Here goes!

Week 1

November 1: A blessing

Well, my favorite hymn is "Count Your Blessings" so it is hard to pick one. At this current moment, it would be how God is growing my worldview. He is increasing my understanding of His people and their cultures all over the world. This is a blessing I do not take for granted. I have grown so much in the past year being outside of my normal. I see people differently.

November 2: A time when you were strong

A little over two years ago, my grandfather passed away. I count myself as blessed to have had all four of grandparents in my life until the age of 22. That is certainly a blessing. When my papaw passed away, I experienced the death of a loved one firsthand for the first time. Even in times of immense sadness, I found comfort knowing where he would spend eternity. To no longer have pain or suffer. While it was a difficult time, I feel like God gave me strength to encourage others and share this spirit of peace as well. It was nothing I did, but it was how God used me. 

November 3: A person that lifts you up

How can I pick?! I have so many. The person of today would be my BFF Reagan. We go way back, like when she and Rachel took dance classes and we all played hide and seek in church. She is one of the most consistent and thoughtful people I have ever known. In the words of Albus Dumbledore (and she knows I only know this quote from the movies), she is the epitome of a "fierce, fierce friend". She has texted me every day (whether or not I have responded) since I have been in Burkina. That daily communication has built a bond I cherish. She is always encouraging and has been gifted with wisdom. She is always supportive.  I am thankful to count her as a friend!

November 4: Family

This is a topic I can write on for days. I grew up with a loving, kind-hearted family. The focus was always God-centered and serving. My parents were committed to each other and to their children. They loved us and told us daily. I have two older sisters (yes, I'm the baby and the dictionary definition of one) who have spoiled me since day one. While bossy, they both looked out for me and modeled Godliness daily. Even when Rachel and I had fist fights and Michele had to break them up (pretty sure we might have been in high school), we still loved each other. Being closer in age, Rachel and I have a novel's worth of stories that exemplify what happens when you have two daughters with strong personalities. We have always been close. And for the record, we have not had a fist fight in at least 7 years (don't do the math). 

Another blessing is that I have two families! I got another family over two years ago, and they are a gift I am thankful for. The Brills have embraced me. They are opposite of my family and are often loud and rowdy. They are heartfelt people who love each other. I am so blessed to be a part of my big family!

 

November 5: Friends

Once again, a topic I can write on for days. Specifically, I am thankful for old friends and new. God blessed me with like-minded friends my whole life. Some of my closest friends are people I grew up with and continue to talk to daily. Other friends I met at the end of high school and was blessed to continue our friendship through college.  Sweet Kenzie, you taught me how to be friends with girls. Thank you. In college, I even had my first "friend group". How cool is that? God gave me loving roommates who put up with my weird self, such as "making my bed" (throwing sheets over the pillow), studying late at night, and only drinking organic milk (because it was good for a month). I'm thankful to call these ladies my friends today. I have been blessed with a loving "family" of women from my college days. Emilee, Reagan, Kelly, and Ashley are four of my greatest blessings. 

With my sweet Kenzie Ruth. 

ST Family (except for Ashley, I don't think she was in the family yet)

Last, I am incredibly thankful for my Burkina friends. My prayer in coming to BF was "God, this will be so much easier if I have friends". While "easy" may not be the right word, it has been far more edifying. The international community ebbs and flows and is constantly evolving. People come, people leave. It's life. However, I have had friends who are consistent. Friends who kept up via Facebook messages while we were stateside. They make life here more normal.  I love sitting on a couch and talking to Melissa for hours. I love baking cookies with Molly. I love going for walks in the park with Autumn. I love eating Southern food with Joanna. A few weeks ago, Seth was gone for an entire week on a water well drilling trip. I was so busy hanging out with these girls I was plum exhausted by the time he got back. I am the baby of the bunch, but they love me all the same. Even when they make '80s and sometimes '90s pop culture references and I have a confused look, they love me the same. 

Girls' Night Out in Ouaga. We went to eat at St. Matthieu before Joanna left for her stateside.
Left to right: myself, Joanna, Melissa, and Molly 

November 6: Your children (Pets are allowed)

Well, I don't have any actual children yet. So today I am thankful for my dog Maggie. What a sweet, cuddly 14-pound ball of energy! I never imagined having a little dog, but it is the best. She loves to cuddle, like all the time.  She sleeps about 16 hours a day, kind of like a cat. As I write this, she is wedged between me and the arm of the recliner. My parents brought her to us in Burkina last Christmas.  She loves to play. She is not the most teachable dog, but she is fairly well-behaved. We have been working on "shake" for almost a month, and she still tries to bite me every time I grab her hand. Sometimes ya win, sometimes ya lose. Due to our current political situation in Burkina and concerns for stability, we have decided to send her back to the States with my parents when they come for Thanksgiving. While Seth and I are sad to be without her for a few months, we would be even more sad to leave her if it ever came to that. We are soaking up these last few days before she leaves. Wish I could see her adjust to America, she's gonna be so cold!

November 7: A failure you have had

A failure. Hmmm... If by failure one can mean having a failing grade, then yes! My favorite story of failure reminds me of my old English major days at MC. I was taking British Romantic Poetry with Dr. Miller. Definitely not the easiest class, but geez did I learn a lot! I paid attention in class, read the material, and even studied outside of class (unheard of, I know). When the midterm came around, I was ready. Game face. I took the test and felt pretty good. Until I got it back. I made a D and was surprised. I went to meet with the teacher to help clear up some confusion. I ran in circles saying "This is my best work. This is all I can do. I did my best". Pretty sure I might have even shed a tear or two.  Then...he shattered my world. 

"Rebecca, I'm going to tell you this because it is likely no one has ever told you. Sometimes, your best isn't good enough". 

Um, untrue. It is. My parents always said "just do your best". Well, my best got me a D. The professor went on to explain that even though it was my best, it was not worthy of a higher grade. No one is the best at everything. You can't know everything every time and get a bright shiny A. Sometimes, you know what you know and you get a D. Your best isn't good enough, and you have to move on.

That being said, I finished the class with a B. It cost me nothing shy of blood, sweat, and tears. But I did it. And I have never been more proud of a B! I guess it wasn't a complete failure. It was a failure by definition of trying and not succeeding. But I learned a life lesson that I'll always remember.  

This Week in Burkina

I have put off posting for the better part of a week and I feel like I cannot avoid it anymore. This past week has hands-down been the most exciting of this journey yet. Beginning Monday, we stayed within the confines of our walls until about Saturday. We are blessed to have good friends who live directly across the street from us and we spent a lot of time together. Also, we had a dear friend Geoffrey who stayed with us from Monday to Saturday as well. He brought his family to the airport and ended up staying in Ouaga because leaving the city was difficult.

I could summarize for you the events of the week. However, I feel like I have talked it to death and will instead take the easy route and post several news articles from reliable sources that can say the same thing and have more validity:

Sunday night, the week was began by closing all public and private schools. Therefore, we saw it as a good move to cancel youth events until further notice.
Monday, Burkinabe women took to the streets for a scheduled protest. The women came prepared to make a statement--with their spatulas. In Burkinabe culture, it is considered defiance when a woman shakes her spatula at a man. Thus, there was demonstration involving thousands of angry women with spatulas. I stayed home.

Photo courtesy of BBC

Tuesday was the first day of scheduled protesting. Thousands of people (some say one million, but no number has been confirmed) gathered to show unity in their feelings about the president extending his  term. Regardless of exact number, I think enough people showed up to make a statement. The demonstration was peaceful.

Wednesday was a relatively mellow day. We ran to the local boutique to grab a few things and had dinner with our neighbors. Not a lot of people were out, but things were still operating.

Photo courtesy of BBC

Then Thursday. I went to sleep Wednesday night expecting a sit-in and maybe some shouting, and I woke up to the National Assembly in flames. BBC News - Burkina Faso parliament sets ablaze. The day continued to escalate--see the events listed here. Things got crazy--burning party members' homes in various neighborhoods, looting and burning a popular hotel (with my favorite pool in the city), and looting and burning the home of the president's brother. At the end of the day the president declared a state of emergency.

Photo courtesy of BBC. This is what parliament looked like at the end of the day.

Friday, confusion began over who was in charge. The government had been dissolved by the state of emergency. In the morning, Compaore officially resigned and left in a convoy out of the city. The country was left under the control of the military.

Saturday, more confusion continued over who was in charge. Two different military leaders claimed to be the new "chef d'etat". On the bright side, I got to go swimming at a friend's house and virtually attend my college roommate's wedding. So that was a plus! In addition (something that most likely did make as many headlines), the Burkinabe took to the streets again...but to clean up. They spent the day sweeping glass, moving burned cars, and putting things back in order. They take a lot of pride in their country.

News from Sunday, Burkina Faso crisis: Shots fired at TV station. The military tried to disperse a crowd and used what they had on hand--just some open gunfire. No one was injured, it was just to move the crowd.

Today is Monday and I am still unaware of an official head of a state.

So there you have it. A rundown.

All that to say, it has been eventful for sure. And I don't think the excitement is over. Another exhausting factor of the week has been rumors that create panic and confusion. So that's another reason I post articles. It has been hard to discern truth from propaganda, reality from gossip.

This week has been one of the most emotionally-draining weeks of my life. Probably the most. I haven't been sleeping well, had headaches, and an increased appetite for sweets (ok, so maybe the riots gave me a good excuse). I have experienced times of fear, anxiety, nervousness--you name it, I felt it. I wish I could say I had those calming moments where everything was warm and fuzzy, but that didn't really happen. Just being real. We knew this was a potential reality when we came here, but I did not expect things would escalate as they did. I don't know what I expected actually.
I spent most of my time sitting in front of my computer looking at news articles. Refreshing news feed, googling, and staring at BBC and Burkina24. We don't have a TV and the radio is all in French, so we tried to find news articles.

I have avoided blogging because I do not want to it out of emotion or be dramatic. Those two things cause the most panic. This is a big deal, and I don't want to make it even bigger in my head. Rather, I'd rather just give details. I've experienced frustrations of dramatic statements and calling this past week something it is not.

The people of Burkina love their country and see its future. As stressful as this past week has been, I am proud of the Burkinabe and their determination. They deserve their new freedom. They have earned it. With Compaore as president for 27 years (due to finagling the constitution in his favor), the desire of the people was for something new. They want a greater future. 

Thank you all for prayers this past week. Prayers for our family, friends, and country. It was so encouraging to have so many people praying for us. We love y'all!

October: Fall or Mini-hot season?

I love the stark contrast of the love for October in America vs. the love for October in Burkina. I miss the Mississippi days of crunchy leaves, long walks around Old Town in Clinton, football games, boots and scarves. This October, to illustrate the contrast, has included lots of dead leaves too (because the trees in our yard are diseased), long walks to the neighborhood market, Spades nights with friends, flip flops and ponytails. Not to mention a lot of water cuts (every Sunday, y'all) and power cuts. My favorite season has looked a little different.

And let's remember, October is a beautiful month to get married. Ah, I love a fall wedding. Seth and I slightly attended a wedding yesterday. Accidentally. Leaving the grocery store after stocking up on supplies, we somehow got caught in the middle of a wedding procession. In Burkina, the cars line up, honking, flashing lights. And here we are! Cruising up beside the bride and groom before we even realized what was happening. Oopsy!

October is known as "mini-hot season" here in BF. While the temperature lingers around 100F during the day, the heat is more stuffy than in March/April/May. I think that knowing "mini-hot season" only lasts a month makes it a little less miserable as well. Don't get me wrong, it is HOT. But I would rather have one October than one March/April/May.

When I think of fall memories, I have certain pictures that come to mind. These are kinda "oldies" but "goodies". Enjoy!

Mississippi State Fair

That time we had our picture made in a pile of leaves

Saturdays at the Howard farm

 Such sweet memories! I think of all my "firsts of fall". Like the time I carved a pumpkin start to finish as college freshman, homecoming, and fire pit evenings. I think of that time I was 10 and shut my finger in the car door at Papa's Pizza and didn't get to go trick or treating. I think of big bonfires and the time we did square dancing with friends. I think of taking my IEP students to the Mississippi State Fair and watching the pigs race. I remember crisp mornings when I decided to talk to work instead of drive, just to enjoy some lovely weather. I am big on memory association, as you can tell. Take a minute and think of a few of yours!