A Husband with Many Talents

One of my favorite things in the whole wide world is to watch Leron play with children. He gets such a sweet smile on his face and it just makes me go weak in my knees. That being said....I was delighted to enter his office this morning only to find him teaching a few of the boys how to juggle. Impressive, I know!! Love to see him having such fun and the kids loved it as well. Beware...these shots are HIGH energy. I had to include them all for various facial expressions……ranging from serious to surprised, in “awe…..silly…loved them all!

The CURE Niger School for Juggling Boys (and Men) VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Change

Delighted to spend a bit of time at CURE this morning. I just love all the little giggles and the way people's faces light up! Hama has been here about a month. I looked and found a picture of him from just one month ago. He has had his cleft surgery and looks very different. 

Hama before his surgery

Hama just smiled and smiled...think there is even a little dimple on his cheek?

Legoes....

        

It is not just his face that has changed though…….today he was smiling SO SO SO much. When I met him last month, he was the one who was very stand offish and even threw toys at me. A bit of a corker! I do love a kid with spunk but today, he was kind and gentle and oh so smiley. I just love these kids! 

Yosef (formerly known as Soufian) blowing bubbles

Yosef enjoys entertaining his friends

   Another funny thing happened today…Soufian, whom I worked very hard to get his name right, asked me to call him Yosef. Well, come to find out…he is Soufian on paper but likes to be called Yosef. Boys will be boys. Just when I think I am getting used to all the different names, more change. It is good though. It keeps me on my toes. I love Yosef’s smile and love of life and he is my friend……he introduced me to a few more friends too….Chibou, Attah and Aboubacar. Being here and all the change that it brings is so worth it! People need to know that they are worth something, don't they? What a better reason to undergo   change to about everything I know as "normal"! Life has been significantly altered and for that I am thankful. What a great day!!!

Check out Chibou's eyes.....what handsome boys!

 

Chameleon

Wonderful visitor to the yard today. I am sure that my niece, nephews and other lizard lovers will love these shots…..check out the claws, weird feet, curly tail, and black spots…. changed colors a few times and became dark when he was threatened. What an interesting little creature.  Can you find him in the picture with the bougainvillea??? He was so content to climb away and disappear until the next time we spot him.

		Wonderful Visitor VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Camels as BILLBOARDS??

I am just laughing my head off....... Orange, a French based cell provider, was launching a new plan today.  

The guys who sell phone cards (that EVERYONE needs to buy to load minutes on their phones) were out in force today. They had crisp new white T shirts on.........and well, apparently some of them got camels?? Ha ha ha...could not resist!

     

surprises

Pierre, our night guard, was all excited to share with us what happened to him yesterday. Well, he told us that he bought a new pair of pants for 1000 CFA (roughly 2 USD). He then started to explain that he had discovered some thing about these new pants......Leron and I stood wondered what it might be, a hole, a problem? No, he searched around in his pocket and pulled out $2.00. He asked how much that would convert to and we told him roughly 1000 CFA. So we traded him the USD for CFA and he was delighted! He got a FREE pair of pants. I just love to see people that are truly delighted by something, an he was! Simply wonderful!

Eureka!

Drilling is finished and CURE Niger is on it's way to having water from our very own well! Merci beaucoup, World Vision!!!! Spring UP, oh well.........

African Grand-mere

This is Madame DoDo. She refers to herself as African Grand-mere (grandma in French)……she is our landlord. She is a widow. She is a mother. She is of advanced age. She is a Muslim. She is quiet and kind.

Today, she came by because the rent  is due. We pay three months at a time. All in cash! She does not have a bank account. We call her when it is due and arrange a good time to meet. She is quite punctual and likes to sit for a short visit.  She always counts the money out. It takes a bit, as you can imagine…three months rent in increments of 10 000CFA (roughly 20 USD). 

She is very sweet and very complementary. We converse in French and usually have cookies and a drink, but not today as she is fasting. 

She is getting ready for the Islamic holiday of Tabaski. Tabaski is when the Muslims here in Niger commemorate when God (Allah) provided a ram so that Abraham did not have to sacrifice Ishmael (a bit different than what we know). She told us that her son, Abbas, would drop by n Monday to share some mutton with us. You see, they will prepare the meat on open spits on Sunday and through the night. Right now there are piles of wood for sale everywhere and lots and lots of sheep for the celebration. Monday, everyone feasts with family and friends. They are to give 1/3 to the poor, 1/3 to friends and neighbors and then eat the last 1/3. 

It is a bit humbling as she is so gracious, keeping our rent low, never raising it, usually coming with gifts of fruit and as when leaves she always hands Leron or I an envelope with money in it for our children! 

random life

Hard to decide what to write about today? Spent a wonderful morning at CURE…devotions, visiting (Harmani was back to his smiley self), lots of new families at the clinic, lots of bubbles, praying, and observing well drilling!

                                                                                                                

 

Then it was on to preschool…love the way they greet me! "Bonjour, Tanti"! Such energy and enthusiasm. I just can't resist their sweet smiles and giggles.

                                                        
So, I find myself back home with a carload of produce and thoughts of what to prepare for dinner. Shepherd's pie is Leron’s vote, but that is sure to make the natives restless! Oh well, shepherd's pie it is……now just a bit to sit and rest before fetching the kids at school…oh, there’s the cat…just hanging out on a hot afternoon…WAIT!



I don’t have a cat……she is in our yard all the time, I guess she can be as long as she leaves Nugget alone. So, full fun day……and a WONDERFUL pet that I don’t have to care for, she looks healthy, so someone else does the hard part. She can sit on our walk anytime.