Ready to go again

One reader of my blog commented that I had already started up my blog again and I hadn't even left the US!  Well I just want you to know that there is considerable preparation that goes into my trips to Burkina Faso!  It may take MONTHS of planning, and saving, and many pieces falling together!  Just like for my last trip, I have made several excursions to the local Dollar Tree gathering supplies to take with me for the Médiathèque Municipale [public library] in Ouagadougou.

While I'm in France, I'm hoping to stop by ScoLibris, a French NGO located in Paris. A writer from Mali has created a collection of children's books intended for distribution in the schools in his home country but the current political has made the project unsustainable.  As a result, the books are currently on sale.  I think they will work fine in Burkina Faso, so am hoping to take a sampling to the Médiathèque in Ouagadougou as well. . .

I've also added a few gifts for SIL staff, and will be possibly transporting a few additional items that various people have requested that I bring -- a Turbo Tax DVD, a voltage transformer, an iPod case and a microphone cable, wicks, a corporate credit card, etc., since the mail is not always reliable where I will be going and, what may take a few days in the US, can take several MONTHS getting to Burkina Faso.  This includes includes so-called USPS Priority Mail.  One reason I would like to see the SIL library's holdings on the Web is that I would be able to see what the library owns while I'm here in the US, just in case I want to pick up something before I leave! 


This past Sunday there was a nice send-off from members of my church, the National Presbyterian Church, in Washington, DC.  It is always wonderful feeling you have the support of such a great group of people, especially when you are far from home.

Group from NPC

  
For those of you who haven't been following my earlier blogs, below is a short video put together from Friends of Village Libraries [FAVL] on Burkina Faso which will give you an idea of life in the small villages.  Ouagadougou is a big city, but in many ways, big cities are never far from village life.
 http://www.favl.org/blog/archives/2014/01/great-short-video-introduction-to-burkina-faso.html

For those curious about the name, Ouagadougou is actually the French adaptation of the 15th century name of "Wagodogo" given to the city by a legendary warrior in Burkina Faso history, which means "where people get honor and respect."  As I have said before, Africa is a place of high aspirations.  And, if you watched the video, you will recall that the word Burkina [from the Mooré word "men of integrity"] and Faso [from the Diola word "fatherland"] give the country the lofty name of "Land of Upright Men."  Some of us tend to use this phrase somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I'm afraid. . .

I have lined up a housesitter/petsitter who I have used before, and will be giving him the keys Tuesday.  I am, however, going to be missing my sweet long-haired dachsies, Jacques and Noisette!  Here they are pictured below:

Jacques

Noisette