One of his favorite things.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
It's Christmastime!
Time to bust out the Christmas music and decorations put up the tree!
Micah had fun playing with the decorations… 
…and playing in the empty boxes!
Did Hannah label that tin?
Me and my boy
Micah helped with the decorating.
I have video of him last year sitting under the tree in his carseat, he couldn’t reach the ornaments with his hands so he scooted down and was kicking at them with his feet. I wonder if he remembers that?
Micah's First Thanksgiving
This year for thanksgiving we were invited to spend it with some other M folks in Tahoua. Us, the Mannixes and Sarah’s friend April, and the two Southern Baptist couples that live there. Nine adults and three small children gathered ‘round the table made for a festive meal. We had most of the Thanksgiving essentials, excepts for cranberry sauce and my mama’s sweet potatoes—three small chickens stood in for the turkey, and of course there were mashed potatoes and gravy, Stovetop stuffing, and green bean casserole (onions and cream of mushroom sent from the states—great ideas for holdiday care packages!), plus yummy meatballs!
After lunch the kiddos played. Well, Caleb and Micah played, I think they were a little too much for the other little boy…those crazy bush kids! Then they watched a movie before settling in for their afternoon naps…
After lunch the kiddos played. Well, Caleb and Micah played, I think they were a little too much for the other little boy…those crazy bush kids! Then they watched a movie before settling in for their afternoon naps…
One of the few pictures I have where my son is actually wearing clothes!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Market Day
Alkassoum and Aboubacar. The ‘grocery store’ where I buy most of my Abalak staples.
Someone bought a new bed. And a sack of rice. Donkey carts are one of the main modes of transport around here.
Sometimes I buy fabric from this guy.
Need a broom?
Meat Market. They leave the tail on so you can tell if you’re buying sheep or goat. This one’s a sheep.
This one is for Erica Brim...This is how bush people charge their phones.
Tuareg leather tents. Much cooler than a plastic tarp!
Haussa woman cooking for the market day crowd.
Peanuts, tomatoes, and peppers.
Wow, those are big horns!
People bring grass from places that have it and sell it for about 50 cents a bag.
Monday, August 30, 2010
AFBC Food Distribution
Anyone who gets our newsletter or regular updates has heard about what a bad year it is here. After two years of little to no rains and the severe lack of pasture that goes along with it, we knew that we were facing another food crisis, worse than that of 2005 which received international media attention. By the end of the hot season, cows that would normally sell for $500 in market were going for $10. Driving through the region you would see dead animals everywhere. Thankfully the rainy season did start (and is still going) although it seemed to come a little late farther up north. With the first big rain up north came flash floods which took many people’s remaining stock that had survived the hot season. Without their animals they have no means to buy food to feed their families. So now there is pasture, but many people don’t have animals to eat it. Environmentally speaking, it’s probably a good thing as the zone is over grazed, but for those individuals who have lost everything it is catastrophic.
In the midst of this catastrophe Arcata First Baptist Church gave $7,000 to help us feed the poorest of the poor. With that money we were able to buy a sack of millet, a sack of rice, and a 5 liter jug of oil each for 70 families. This will feed each family for approximately two months. The beneficiaries were from seven different sites, both Wodaabe and Tamasheq. Each one was more than grateful.
Some of the food waiting to be distributed.
Micah waiting to go out to the bush.
For security reasons, just to be on the safe side, we took armed guards out with us. They were quite taken with Micah
One of the grateful recipients.
“Signing” for their grain with their thumb prints
Micah helping with the distribution
There doesn’t seem to be an abundance of aid coming in and really the crisis is just beginning, or I guess you could say it continues. We call it post-crisis. We made it through the hot season and the rains and the pasture have come, but now many people are left with nothing. Next we will do what we can to help people re-stock their herds so that they can hopefully become once again self-sufficient.
In the midst of this catastrophe Arcata First Baptist Church gave $7,000 to help us feed the poorest of the poor. With that money we were able to buy a sack of millet, a sack of rice, and a 5 liter jug of oil each for 70 families. This will feed each family for approximately two months. The beneficiaries were from seven different sites, both Wodaabe and Tamasheq. Each one was more than grateful.
Some of the food waiting to be distributed.
Micah waiting to go out to the bush.
For security reasons, just to be on the safe side, we took armed guards out with us. They were quite taken with Micah
One of the grateful recipients.
“Signing” for their grain with their thumb prints
Micah helping with the distribution
There doesn’t seem to be an abundance of aid coming in and really the crisis is just beginning, or I guess you could say it continues. We call it post-crisis. We made it through the hot season and the rains and the pasture have come, but now many people are left with nothing. Next we will do what we can to help people re-stock their herds so that they can hopefully become once again self-sufficient.
Marcel
One night while Donnie was in Niamey we were talking on the phone, “I have a surprise for Micah,” he says, “but I’m not telling you what it is.” Ok, whatever. The week continued and I forgot about Micah’s surprise. It wasn’t until after he had gotten home, the truck was almost unloaded and then out jumped this little guy…
And then I remembered the surprise.
Keep in mind this is the same man who wouldn’t let me keep a puppy I found in the street. Anyone else see the irony here?
He seems to really like us, especially Micah. Sometimes he gets really excited and jumps up and down when he sees him. I’m sure if Micah could, he would do the same thing. Rest assured we supervise these monkey/baby interactions very closely.
Marcel has made himself at home on our porch. I have mixed feelings about the little guy, he is rather cute and has grown on me but he poops everywhere and now I can’t just let Micah go out on the porch to play. We untied him thinking he might decide that freedom is a beautiful thing but now he just climbs trees and wants to come in the house. I guess he’s gotten a bit attached to us.
And then I remembered the surprise.
Keep in mind this is the same man who wouldn’t let me keep a puppy I found in the street. Anyone else see the irony here?
He seems to really like us, especially Micah. Sometimes he gets really excited and jumps up and down when he sees him. I’m sure if Micah could, he would do the same thing. Rest assured we supervise these monkey/baby interactions very closely.
Marcel has made himself at home on our porch. I have mixed feelings about the little guy, he is rather cute and has grown on me but he poops everywhere and now I can’t just let Micah go out on the porch to play. We untied him thinking he might decide that freedom is a beautiful thing but now he just climbs trees and wants to come in the house. I guess he’s gotten a bit attached to us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)