Return to Toussiana

Before I left the States Mom allowed me to invite a bunch of friends over for a backyard party. People that I hadn't a chance to see before could get together. Of course it wasn't like seeing people one on one but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and each other. I knew that it would be hard to return to Burkina Faso and Toussiana the village where Wihelm and I had worked.

There were 6 people to meet me at the airport and Margaret seemed particulary keen to make sure I was well taken care of. Andre and Nicole Aguila our new branch director invited me in for a meal. We had meat fondue, that's meat you cook in oil not cheese. I was invited out 5 other times over the next few days. Margaret and I had also time to sit and talk with Wiesmann's before they left Burkina to return to Switzerland.

After a little over a week in Ouagadougou (Wagadoogoo) the capital city of Burkina Faso, Margaret and I headed out for Toussiana. We took the Rakeita bus for the 4 1\2 hr trip to Bobo (7:30 am to noon) where we had to change busses. We had to wait at Bobo for the 2 pm bus instead of the 1pm because there was more space for luggage - Mine! Friends of Wilhelm and mine met us at the stop half way between Ouagadougou and Toussiana at the 1\2 stop at Boromo and we had a chance to chat for a few minutes.

I had called one of our night guards to meet us at the bus stop in Toussiana with a donkey cart as I had a lot of luggage. Well, the whole team came to meet us. Three of our translators, literacy supervisor and my two house employees. See the big grins? I just taught them to say "cheese"! You can see that the corn is already getting big. Can you tell I had been sitting by the window on the bus?

I have been quite teary since I've been here and have to go through another stage of grief all over again. Tuesday was market day and while buying supplies like dried fish to make cat food, I greeted several of my market friends. Everyone seemed to know about Wilhelm's death ... that made it a bit easier actually.

Pastor Yampa came to greet me the first night I was here and to inform me that a group from the church would come the next day at 5 pm. They arrived at about 6 pm to welcome me back to show their sympathy. It seems most people here have gotten over Wilhelm's death while I am still in the middle of it. They allow me to cry though which is nice.

I have been able to sleep well here and that is nice. It is also much cooler here than in Ouaga. Thank you to all who have prayed for me, it has been so good to know there are people at home as well as here who care about me. I love hearing from each of you.

• May 2004, In Memory of Wilhelm
• July 2003, Wilhelm’s Parents 50th Wedding Anniversary
• Feb. 2003, New Office Building
• Nov 2002, Reading Contest
• July 2002, Toussian Translators
• March 2002 Literacy classes
• Jan 2002 Bissa New Testament dedication
• January 15, 2002
• Nov 2002  Language learning, Translation, Revision, Ladies day at church
• Oct 2001  Sunday school outing, Fonio harvest
• Aug 2001  Cobly Reunion
• May 31, 2001  Return to Burkina Faso
• May 5, 2001  Germany, Az, Oregon office work
• Jan 2001  Our time in Germany

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