Lee Ann Parsons writes:
Today has been another incredibly busy day but a wonderfully uplifting day. The staff here have thoughtfully planned our days and have shepherd us around the city. We started out at the market selecting material to make matching dresses for ourselves as well as our sponsored child. Of course, everyone nearby the store wanted us to stop and look and to sell us their wares. Believe me, it was hard to walk by and ignore their pleas.
The end of the afternoon was spent swimming at the U. S. Embassy which was a refreshing treat after these past 2 hot and humid days.
However, on a personal note, I got to go on a home visit with our child, Blandine (see photos here in a previously posted photo album). She is 16 and only has been in school since she was 13 ½. Her brother greeted us and invited me to sit with them in the living room . . which is their front yard. I was told that go inside the house would be like our asking someone to come into our bedroom. In other words, they primarily live outside.
They had set a small table with a cloth and had lawn chairs around the table. As it turns out, Blandine’s mother died 2 years ago and her father died 13 years ago. There are 7 people who live at her house but only Blandine and her brother, Armel, were there today. I had a wonderful visit with this amazing young lady.
Blandine has done well in school even though she got a very late start. Her first opportunity to go to school was when she was 13 years old and just entering PHC. She started first grade at that time, but today, three years later, she is in fifth grade. She wants to continue her education.
I’ll have another visit with her at school the day before we leave. We played a new game to her called Right, Left, and Center. Both she and her brother caught on quickly and we really had fun. At this time, there were at more than 50 beautiful children surrounding us in a circle. They were so curious! During our lunch prayer, Kirk Carver was praying and he said, “language has barriers but love has no barriers.” While this should be obvious, I certainly saw this in a very real way today!! God is so very good and so are the PHC folks in the U.S. and in Bangui. A big “thank you” to Margaret Hull for her skilled and careful translation and to Barb Wooler for being our GoTeam Leader thus making my visit with Blandine possible.
Carol Claes writes:
I was blessed to accompany Lee Ann on her home visit with Blandine, nothing but smiles and tears of joy. Barb chauffers us around Bangui like a pro! I’ve seen one traffic light so far, the norm is for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles all seem to have the right of way all the time. They treat us like queens here, good food and lots of it, same for the conversation.
I have the home visit with Abigail and her family tomorrow, hopefully be at the Lumiere
(girl’s group) meeting, and go to the market. It is very hot! But it is very wonderful to be here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment