5.15.09

My room suddenly feels like some sort of progressive Koranic school. Two talibe kids are sitting on my floor coloring, Mozart fills the air and I sit in a chair sipping coffee. I just handed them each a ripped out coloring book page and they stared at me like I was stupid. Their looks seemed to say, "This already has a drawing on it!" I said nothing. I watched for several minutes as the gears in their heads began to move. The creative side of their brain doesn't get used much here, so it took a bit to get it kick started. Finally one of them let out an "Ah!" and put the crayon to the paper. The elephant on the page began to turn brown. The other caught on quick, like he just discovered a secret, and began giving the rooster on his page a rainbow colored tail. Now they are really getting into it. The brown elephant just got neon green toe nails. This is my kind of art.

5.14.2009

This is a plea to all you back at home who want to be connected to the amazing work being done here in Senegal. My friend Chris has a great project going on in his village and I would like to tell you about it. Chris lives in a village called Louly Ngogom. It has roughly 600 men, women and children. A huge problem for his village is that there are no latrines. Basically everyone "relieves" themselves just outside of their compound walls which has lead to many health problems in the village. Chris has been working extremely hard to raise money to build 50 latrines in his village (roughly one per family compound). His village is contributing as much as they can but they still need so much more help. If ANY of you are interested in reading a short blurb about his project or possibly donating ANYTHING to the project, please visit the link below. I have been to Chris' village several times and its a great place with wonderful people. How cool to think you can be connected to them all too. 

Chris' Latrine Project 

You guys rock!

4.27.2009

"As you have done unto the least of these, so have you done unto me" 

-Matthew 25:40

I met Jesus today while I was sitting on the curb outside of the Post Office. He approached me short in stature, barefooted, holding an old tomato paste can. His ragged clothes a clear indication of the questions that would follow.

"Give me 100 CFA" Jesus asked.

"I don't have 100 CFA" I lied. He looked at me with sad eyes, but they weren't fooling me. When you get asked for money everyday it wears you down until you begin responding before seeing their need; their humanity. In my eyes a talibe just like every other talibe stood before me. This was not Jesus. He sat down next to me and continued to stare. My eyes wandered to his shoeless feet. They were calloused and ash colored from so much contact with the rough terrain. I imagined the pain he must feel as he walked across scalding black pavement or walked through trash piles littered with broken glass and old rusted metal. 

These thoughts aroused my dormant compassion and I asked the boy if he wanted a mango. He nodded his head and I reached in my bag to offer one. He took it but just held it carefully in his hands. 

"Where is your mom?" I asked.

"Guinea." he responded.

"And your dad?"

"Guinea."

This child was a talibe, separated from his family probably because they couldn't care for him. He spend his days walking the streets begging and his nights learning the Koran. The boy looked down at his feet, then at me.

"Can you buy me some shoes?" he asked. My compassion was still slowly awakening. It had remnants of sleep crusted on its eyes.

"No, I'm sorry I only have money for my bus ride home" I lied again. The guilt I felt was a sharp pinch that actually hurt. The 500CFA I had in my pocket for breakfast suddenly felt very heavy. How easily I could have skipped breakfast and spent the money on new sandals for this boy.

He looked at me without judgment, stood up and walked away, but not before turning his head back to say, "Ba beneen yoon" Until another time. I only hope that next time I will recognize Jesus in the eyes of that boy and freely give all that I can.