I need a part time job...

So much to do and i never feel like i have time to keep up with the blog. i am 2 months behind. hard to believe our trip to Ghana was over Christmas.  lets see, to start with, i need to do a whole blog entry on Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan...that is my next post. but i am so busy trying to take in Burkina Faso, that i havent had the time to put something together. well, it will have to wait.

Since i last blogged we have visited out 'godparent' village Pousdoum which is about 40 minutes on a dirt road, in the middle of no where past a small town. Here is the information from the Embassy about our visit and the village:

Leslie and Otto visited their Godchild project in Pousdoum on January 25, 2012. Pousdoum is a small village of 315 people, located about 25 km North-West of Kaya, off the road to Kongoussi. There is no market or school in the village. The nearby school is five km away and so, children who cannot walk the distance hang around to take care of cattle and domestic chores. The village has one borehole with a feeble flow and women queue overnight to collect water for themselves and the cattle. Self-Help funded the construction of an additional borehole to provide the village with adequate supply of potable water.

A borehole company contracted for the job carried out the first attempt to find water and was unsuccessful. However, the village women sang, danced and danced happily for hours. They said they are so happy to be so lucky for, not only they have been selected for Self-Help funds, but also they have been blessed with a “woman Godparent”. They believe that this visit is a sign that water will flow with the next drilling. Speaking on the behalf of the village, Mrs. Martine Ouedraogo, the Second Councilor to the Mayor of Kaya said thank you to the Ambassador and to the American people for caring about a small village which is unknown to most Burkinabe

The important people in the village

Otto, currently not very happy about being here with me.

At the beginning of our visit, we sat here in front of the community and shared a cup of millet drink from this container with all the important village people. Otto was very brave and drank it when it was passed to him.

The site of the failed borehole

the current well/borehole

A view of the village.

One of the greatest things about this trip is that Otto really didnt want to go. he has this thing now where he gets a stomach ache if i take him to any place with the 'smell of Africa' or if it is obviously poor (like this small market in town). i had to drag him to this village. but half way through, he saw the kindness and generosity of the people and in the end, he was so happy he came and talked all the way home in the car about what wonderful people we met and what a great day it was.  of course getting his own chickens helped!

I also received this nearly 10lbs of peanuts from the women of the village.

The end of our visit with the villagers. Group photo!

On a daily basis, Otto and i talk about how lucky we are to be here. This village/project really teaches us the contentment (or maybe it is resignation??) and generosity of people who have very little. all we did was put our name on the project and drive out there. they gave us chickens, peanuts, dancing, a formal welcome, thanks and a wonderful meal. Truly humbling and makes one think about what we have been given in this world just by being born in the right place. but are we any happier? hard to say...  Their needs are overwhelming, but i hope to have taught Otto the importance of considering others that have so little (as he complains about being bored because i won't let him use his iPod or PSP 24/7). I think at this visit, he really got it, even if it was only for the afternoon.

Part of my blogging problems relate to the fact that my internet sucks and putting a post like this together takes forever!! but i will keep at it. i am headed to Bangkok in a few days for my annual medical conference - can't wait! hope to get another blog out while i am there, but most likely i will just have more photos stacking up.