Thursday, September 03, 2009

Another trip out to our waterfall/lagoon with friends to enjoy a swim. We tried to get a picture of me actually jumping off this cliff into the water below, but it didn't come out.

We had some chocolate cake, 'toh'-style (aka everyone eat the section in front of you and work your way to the middle). what can i say, we are all bush girls. who needs manners. or your own plate...
another truck that got stuck on the road back from the waterfall. rainy season is not kind to the bush roads out here. so glad we have 4 wheel drive.


in Bamako you never know what odd things the boys will be selling in the street to the passing cars. we thought this was funny and worth the $1 just because.



me, Reaiah and Leah


the market in downtown Bamako. Its madness. You don't want to go there unless its absolutely necessary.

The women washing clothes in the river in Bamako. Now the water is so high from the rains in the last few weeks that all of this area is under water.


stuck in traffic in the city, becoming more and more of a problem for us coming in and out of town

dreadful ants near our house that are particularly fond of invading Reaiah's room in the house. You remember the ants, don't you, Mom.

enjoying a delicious African meal with our family. oh yeah, just reach in there and grab a handful of yellow/green rice and shove it in. It really tastes much better than it looks. I promise. Ask my brother.

Our friend Leah and the son of our friend, Kono, who had the really bad infection in her hand


this sad little faced one lives next door. she decided she really liked wearing the head wrap one day.

Pastor Samiel and our favorite little baby girl at his house.


the women coming in from working all day in the fields. they carry everything on their heads. except for their babies, who are tied securely on their backs.

Leah tried out wearing a baby on the back...
and this is what she got. We're told its a blessing to have a baby pee on you. It means God will bless you with lots of children. Way to go, Leah. Blessings from God right there...


The local grinder. They grind their grain into flour, the shea nuts into nasty black stuff they use to make oil, anything at all that you might want to grind. This is your man. Saves you hours of pounding it by hand.


Little girl who decided I needed help putting my head wrap on (after she had pushed it off my head in the first place). I don't think she ever figured it out.

the niger river in bamako
Mariama, Pastor's middle daughter decided to sack race her younger sister one day. it was quite funny.

the younger son making tea for us. one of MANY rounds we typically drink in a day.


Pastor Samiel, two of the kids, Reaiah and our friend Leah enjoying their new favorite game of 'Uno'

Leah got a special treat one day. Pastor and the kids spent a while one night collecting and chasing termites. The next morning they brought us a bowl of crispy fried termites. Tasted kinda like fried chicken skin... Leah was not a fan. haha.



common sights of living in the village

driving into town, the market sits right on the street. buses, motos, and people make it difficult to get through town



booths are set up and the women bring their vegetables and merchandise to sell from small tables
we don't have much fruit in our area once the mangos are gone, this is a fruit stand in Bamako on the side of the road



the goatboys chasing their goats down the road





donkey cart



A storm blowing into town...

some of the cliffs along the road, when it rains hard there is a nice waterfall here