Another day rolling by

Time is a very interesting thing here in Burkina. We've been here for four days now, and it is quite clear that the whole concept of time is very different from the one we are used to in the states. Something as simple as going to the ATM could be an hour long trip, or dinner which usually takes 2.5 hours. The hustle and bustle of sticking to the schedule and getting as many things done as possible, just doesn't happen that way here. The people take their time. They enjoy each moment, and no one's ever in a hurry. Who am I to say one way of life is better than the other, but if one thing is certain, Burkina has shown us how to be patient. This was also the case when trying to visit the orphanages. Their number changed, they moved locations, and the new number wasn't listed. So we patiently waited two days to get a hold of their number so we could visit, but at last we did.

Before going into details of the trip, I should mention that the term "orphan" is a little different here in Africa. They consider an orphan a child that was abandoned, but also a child whose parents don't have the means to support them, so they live at the orphanage and visit home once a year. It's almost like a boarding school for the children who have families, because once they reach a certain age (12 in this case) they go back to live with their families.

Going to the centers we weren't sure what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived. The first orphanage not only had a school system set up for the children, but they had their own farm, playground, farm life (cows, donkeys, and chickens). It was beautiful. Carefully being placed outside of the city lights, the center was in the country where it allowed more space for the kids to play and grow. We also learned that that specific orphanage has the number one schooling for orphans in the country. When it is time to take your exams to enter into middle school (Like the French system, all kids must pass a test to enter into the next level of education), they have a 100% success rate. Overall we were very impressed by the systems to aid the children that the orphanage offered.

The other orphanage was more in the city, but also tucked away from the traffic of people and cars. This one housed children from infancy to two years old. At first that doesn't seem like a long time, but that lady in charge informed us that the adoption rate was very good. Also, special needs children sometimes stay longer. We came a little late to that orphanage so there is not much to say, but tomorrow we will be back and I will update everyone!

NOW without further delay. The BIG BIG BIG NEWS of the day… The ambulance arrived to Ouagadougou! We were so excited for its arrival (in one piece) ! Now all we are waiting for are the supplies then it's off to Dedougou to deliver everything! With things being finalized we need prayers and good vibes being sent our way that the supplies arrive safely and promptly as well!

Thats all for now!

-Burkina Faso Travelers