Gal-yam Visit

Posted by Burkina Faso 2012 |

With an early morning and two teams heading to two different places, Angela went to a local bakery in the morning to get sweet bread and cereal for breakfast. The computing students then headed back to IMS to set up the security wires for the netbooks, along with some tweeks with the configuration of the network. While we were all away, Charlie, Jean, and Kate, ventured into the shops of Ouaga to purchase parts for the trike in Mahadaga.

Angela, Dani, Lauren and Katie headed to the outskirts of Ouaga where the Compassion center is located to meet Katie's Compassion child, Gal-yam. The center (located in a church) had 212 students enrolled in the program. These students meet every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for classes in hygeine, social/emotional development and Bible. Katie, Dani and Lauren were able to sit in on these classes and also taught the game "duck duck goose." Gal-yam was shy and seemed confused with the sponsor visit, however he was able to interact somewhat with Katie. She, and the others, then headed to a small boutique (aka a very small 7-11ish type store) to buy soap, oil, rice and cookies for Gal-yam's family. After buying these items, they headed to Gal-yam's house and Katie presented the gifts to Gal-yam's mother as well as privately purchased gifts for Gal-yam. She, in return, received authentic African/Burkinabe garb from his family. Overall, it was a great visit and very eye-opening to see the conditions in which people live in that are so different than our homes in the states.

Katie and her Compassion child, Gal-yam

Katie taught Gal-yam and his friends how to make fish faces!

Compassion children

The Education group with Gal-yam and his family

After lunch and a much needed sieste, the group had another lecture with a very deep and interesting discussion on salvation. Dinner was at local African restaurant, where most of us ate chicken or steak kabobs and peanut sauce over rice. Baobab juice (from baobab tree leaves) was the new drink of choice, however a few (Katie and Lauren especially) will never again try this African treat. Let's just say the wait was long, but the conversation was great. Once again, the rest of our evening consisted of card games and much laughter.

The students before our dinner at the African restaurant

Tomorrow many of us will go to Banfora and the Mahadaga group leaves on Saturday. While this is a bittersweet departure, we are all excited for our next adventures!