On to Obiré

We left for Obiré in the early morning, anticipating a long, possibly grueling 8-hour drive, never expecting that it would take twice that long!  Stuart had arranged a police escort with the gendarmerie [similiar, perhaps to our National Guard], which was to ensure not only our safe passage, but to speed us through the toll booths, and, in the aftermath of the violence in Ouagadougou at the beginning of the year at the Hotel Splendid and the Café Cappuccino, there were  additional police checkpoints along the route to be negotiated.  We were far from the hot zones to the west and north of the country [where travel is not advised], but these controls were precautionary measures, and, as someone commented, it was probably the safest time to travel. 

As a result, we flew though these small potential obstacles without a hitch, but two flat tires later, and failed electrical power and a/c, resulted in a replacement bus, which cost us well over 3 hours of additional time.  A few of our number took advantage of a local crocodile swamp along the way, and spent time visiting with the crocs, as the rest of us whiled away the time as best we could.

 

The bus arrives

 

loading up the bus

The NPC delegation

Gendarme protection while getting gas

Changing the tire

Waiting for a replacement bus at the gendarme station

A rest stop at the midway point of Boromo

We stopped at a buvette/café in Boromo, far from the usual bus station, where bus routes converged, so we weren't as harassed to buy food from street vendors as I recall in the past.  I also found Boromo and Gaoua had more banks, large gas stations, hotels, and eating places than I remembered--whether this was the result of the growing  gold-mining industry, I could only surmise.

By the time we reached our destination, however, it was very late.  A few of our number stayed at a small hotel at Loropéni near the Lobi ruins, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The stone walls there, some over a thousand years old, are what remain of several Lobi fortresses dating from that period. The area once served as a refuge for various ethnic groups migrating from the south, and later became a center for gold mining, serving as an important commercial trade route for goods as well as slaves between the 14th and 18th centuries, and, according to some sources, even as late as the 19th century.

The remainder of us continued on to the Obiré home of Stuart and Cathie Showalter where we had a very, very late dinner and, since there were so many of us, a dormitory was set up in their courtyard.

 Above you can see straw partitions to creates "rooms" below

The next morning came all too quickly.  The dedication ceremony for the New Testament and the French/Kaansa language dictionary was scheduled to start the next morning at 8 a.m.  Of course only a handful were there at that time and the dignitaries such as the governor and his security entourage, the Kaan King, and others didn't start arriving until after 9 a.m.  Two hours after the official start time, the program really got underway. To see a short video-clip of the setup just before the dignitaries arrived, click here.

And here is the National Presbyterian Church delegation

There speeches from various groups and dignitaries, including the director of SIL, gifts presented to the key translators, interspersed with music and dancing.

Sharyn Thomson of SIL speaks

Cathie Showalter and Gloria Scott receiving thanks for their work

Stuart introduces the Kaansa translation team

Here the men dance

 

Some people sat in the shade

Others sat in the sun

 

while others stood

Tee shirts were for sale for the occasion

SIL publications in the Kaansa language and, of course, the New Testament were also available for sale.

And there was much celebrating.  There is a very short video-clip of Stuart dancing above, after the official ceremony was over.  As you can see, photographers, particularly amateur ones like me were omnipresent.