Yako visit-two weekends ago

Another Saturday, another visit up to Yako to spend time with some of our favorite missionaries, at one of our favorites spots away from home. This time, however; we brought some friends along too.

There is a family here with the embassy who we are acquainted with that has been wanting to donate a TON of items to a local ministry, and we pointed them to Mike and Amy because the work that they are doing in Yako and some neighboring villages is off the charts amazing and we look for every opportunity we can to support them and connect others to their ministry as well.

It took both of our cars to transport all the items they've been collecting because they had a lot to give!

In addition to bags and bags of clothes, diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, and boxes upon boxes of toys...they also brought a Little Tykes swing and slide set and a little kitchen for the kids, items that are impossible to find here. Isaak and Phil set to work straight away to put them all together.

No visit would be complete without Steve sitting in on lunch with his friends. Hilariously what transpired right before this picture was Steve refusing to eat without a spoon. The tantes kept telling him just to eat with his hands, like he used to, but he just stared at his hand, then his food, and back again, like "uh uh." When he finally complied he dug in with his left hand, which is the wrong hand (it's considered dirty here) and was promptly told to stop! by all the workers! Me and Amy were just laughing! Finally he gave up, and they gave him a spoon much to their amusement.

Another special reason for our trip was to see Guelil(loo) and make some pizzas with him as a special treat before he leaves the orphanage (his parents arrive in two days!!). But with the Air France strike that had been in effect cheese was non-existent in Burkina for a few weeks, but thankfully they resumed flights just days before this and we were able to buy some cheese and bring it up with us, making this little boy and Monica very happy! Amy bought some baguettes, set out the tomato sauce and cheese and let the kids do the rest. Voila, baguette pizzas.

*It is possible to find joy and be overwhelmingly content with simple things. Good life changing lessons I have gained from the Burkinabé since moving here. Content with less. Joy in simplicity. Not needing a gourmet pizza. Being satisfied with a baguette. I love it.

Guelil and Monica got to hang with us for a while forgoing their regular nap time so after eating lunch together, the kids all played hide and seek and chased the chics around the chicken coop.

Another life lesson gained these past 2+ years....language barriers are rarely an issue among kids. They will find a way to connect and engage with each other regardless of whether they can speak the same language. It's pretty cool. It fills me with a deep joy seeing my kids forsake the conveniences of a shared language to bond with other children.

Steven in his element. He requires no prompting, none whatsoever, to sit down and tenderly sooth and just offer the comfort of his presence to the younger babies. I'd say smaller, but even some of the babies are as big as he is. Amy tells us frequently that he used to spend a lot of time in the "baby cage" sitting with the little babies, rubbing their backs, looking at them. Even when he was just barely bigger than a baby himself. Despite everything that he has endured in his young life, he has this incredible God given ability and desire to nurture others. He is keenly aware and observant. And he responds to the hurt and vulnerability that he sees in others. At four years old. It leaves me speechless to see him display such tenderness and love.

*in the picture on the left he was very concerned b/c little Fatimata had her hands taped up. Steve didn't like the looks of this so he sat down straight away to be by her side. We tried to tell him that her hands were tied up to discourage her from sucking her thumbs....but he wasn't convinced. =) On the right he found a great discovery in that his belly button is the same as the baby's! "it da dame!"(he's still working out pronunciation) he kept saying over and over again. SO cute.

Great trip, as usual. Until next time....