Wednesday, August 15

Well, we are on the home stretch now. Just two days left until we head home, or for me and Crystal to Paris. It doesn't quiet seem like we have been here for almost 2 weeks already. The pace of life here makes the days go by deceivingly slowly. If I didn't have my watch I'd have a hard time keeping track of the date.

I understand now why people fall in love with Africa and her people. Driving to Abomey and Ouidah, you see such beauty and richness here. There may be poverty, and a hard life, but the people are amazing! They live their lives so differently then we do. It is an open living: outdoors, with each other, very little is hidden away.The community supports its members, and works together.

One of the things we have noticed as Crystal and I have adventured into a bit of Porto-Novo is that the people we see will not initiate a hello with us Yovos (foreigners/whiteys). But when we great them with a bonjour, or a wave, or a smile, the reaction is almost always a huge smile or a greeting back! Though the people we have met in the town can be slow to trust, once you have earned it, the hospitality is amazing.

Crystal and I met a tailor just down the street from Songhai that we have seen numerous days- I think we are at 7 times now. She has done amazing work. She has made two, soon to be three, outfits for Crystal, and a bunch for her family, as well as a skirt and shirt for me that I can't wait to wear. Each day we came to her with more work brought not only a deepening friendship with her as we worked through the language barriers for measuring and ordering clothes, but with the women in the shop around her. We have even been back behind the shop to their home both by ourselves and with some classmates. It was such an honor for me to be welcomed into their home. Our taking the time to enter the shop once has led to some experiences like seeing the inside of a house that I didn't expect in Benin. Our frequent journeys to Elsibeth's have even led to the children that we pass on the street everyday getting brave enough to run up to us and give us high 5's. Yesterday, their moms let us take a picture of the kids, a little tricky because they were scared at first. We promised to bring them copies which we did today. The two mothers were so excited to have the pictures, as were the kids. It was clearly a treasure. We have learned here that a promise is so important. If you don't want to do something, don't promise something that you won't deliver. Keeping our word with the people we meet has built a trust that we would not have received through any other word or action.

This is all for now, since I'm almost out of Internet minutes, but I have added a link to some pictures that Dr. Streibig has taken (with some help from those of us who are brave enough to ask to use his camera). Follow the link to see some of what we've been up to. I will be creating a similar album when I get back stateside. Oh, and I know he's been updating soon. Love to you all!