The weekend.

It was a busy weekend round here.

All day Friday I was busy making preparations for a baby shower that I was having here on Saturday.

Then in the evening we had some good friends Justin and Tara (one of the only other military families stationed at the embassy)...over one last time before they depart Burkina and head back to the States. It was a laid back night with pizza and a movie, final laughs and stories. This family has grown very dear to our hearts since we've moved here and we are going to miss them so much!

(hate that I didn't get a picture of us all together!)

After everyone left I was up till 1am making more food for the baby shower.....

...then I was up at 6:30am to go out with the youth group and photograph their group service day.

This youth group about two months ago participated in a 30 hour famine, and raised money far and wide in support of their project to abstain from food for over a day in order to get a better understanding of what it means to feel truly hungry. They raised over $13,000. Then they donated all the money to two local mission organizations. And on Saturday they visited those two organizations and spent the day serving them. The first part of the day was spent at the Baptist Mission's sight, helping them tear down multiple walls and carry off wheel barrels full of bricks to help clear the site to have a new wall built. This was back. breaking. labor. For the two hours that these kids worked pushing over walls, using big ole pick axes to chip apart cement, carrying off bricks and dumping barrel loads of rocks...there was not a single complaint. No one whined about wanting to go home. No one complained that the work was too hard. The girls worked in skirts right along side the guys. They were sweating bullets and using every muscle in their bodies....all for the name of Jesus.

Now ya see it.....now ya don't!

That's how you tear down a wall Burkina style.

After that we went to the Kids of Hope site where they then spent the rest of the morning hanging out with the Garibou children. Every Saturday Kate Royal, a missionary with Go To Nations, has a club where she presents the gospel in their local Fulfulde language, does a craft, and feeds the children lunch. She has a tire swing hanging from a tree in the courtyard, along with puzzles and games for the kids to use while they are there. Many of the kids now visit the site on more days than just Saturdays and some of the children sleep there as well. While the youth were there they organized a lively futball match and just spent time engaging with them as they would their own friends. Kids of Hope is very special....it is one place where these kids can come and simply be children. Not beggars. Not Garibou. Just kids. And Saturday they got to engage with other kids, just like them.

And the Burkinabé kids totally won the futball match. Even wearing no shoes these kids are great at futball! I'm pretty sure soccer skills are part of their DNA.

Super fun time. So proud of these kids for their willingness to serve and be flag bearers for Christ!

After I left the youth, I hurried home to keep working on setting up for the baby shower. Nathanja and Nicole came over and helped decorate and by 3pm I had a house full of ladies celebrating the upcoming arrivals of Julia's and Heather's newest babies. (Isaak got out of dodge and went with Matt to go race cars! Smart guys!)

We found a fun theme thanks to Pinterest, Mom to Bee, and decorated the house in all things Bee inspired.

We had a lively time filled with ridiculous games like Tinkle in the Pot where you have to walk with a balloon in your shirt and a quarter between your knees and then drop the quarter in a jar. We fashioned each other in toilet paper diapers, played baby charades and stuffed ourselves full of sugar.

We ended the evening praying over the mommies....something I've never done at a baby shower, what?! How is that possible?!? We should do this every time! New tradition, no matter where I live.

It was a great time. Love all the women God has placed in my life over here and for the opportunity to gather and support and bless each other. 

We wrapped up the night with dinner at our place with Matt and Megan and then made Sunday a total lazy day! After church I came home and napped, napped!! something I never do! Followed by a mommy and Marvi swimming date while Isaak and Syd went to ISO to play frisbee and play.

Fun. And full. And Monday came calling bright and early but hallelujah I woke up refreshed!

And hooray for a break mid week thanks to a local Burkina holiday....no school or work on Wednesday! Love living in a country where we get to celebrate so many holidays, both ours and theirs!