As we pass from season to season, we often see patterns forming in our lives. I'm sure it is true in your life as it is in mine. Each year we start the school year. Before long the Christmas season arrives. Spring is just around the corner and soon after, school is out for the summer. Here, my seasons revolve around literacy classes; preparations, teacher training, beginning of classes, evaluation of classes, and end of literacy season reports. Literacy activities take place during the dry season while farming is done in the wet season.

In trying to find something "new" to put on the web page, I find that the pictures begin to look the same. Was Solomon right? There is nothing new under the sun? .Just as I think nothing new is happening, something "new" or at least different does happen. Yesterday, during teacher training, Awa came and said there was a goat that had fallen down a hole and asked could they use my ladder to get it out? Goat?!?! Hole?!!? Where?!!?

At the neighbor’s, of course. I guess the team working in the office had been listening to the goat cry all day.

The hole used to be a latrine but had been mostly filled in. The Goat and rescuer are doing fine.

Many of you heard that I have been sick. I am doing much better now. I am able to work several hours a day but still need to be careful to take breaks. During these breaks, I have been doing a lot of reading and some colleagues loaned me some DVD's of movies and TV shows they recorded in the States, which I watch on my computer. I have been treated for several sicknesses: Malaria, Typhoid fever, Bronchitis, and Hepatitis.
Papaya is supposed to be good for the liver which becomes damaged with hepatitis so fortunately my papaya tree is finally giving ripe fruit.

We recently welcomed a new team member. A lady named Natalie is replacing Madeline, who left last year. Natalie is learning to type and is perfecting her reading ability in Toussian. She will be working on village comprehension testing of Scriptures and on back translation into French for translation consultant sessions.

Natalie has two children: a daughter 14 and a son 9. She has been treasurer at the Catholic Church, for the women's development group and for the mango drying people.

Pastor Pierre has been quite sick this year. He had two hernia operations which have left him with irritable bowel syndrome. He has needed to make several trips to the local clinic because of dehydration. He needs to learn to eat differently and it has been hard to regulate when and what he eats.

Pierre’s illness has been hard on his wife Awa, who is now working full-time and is busy with teacher training. San Moussa and she are sharing the load, which is helpful.

Update: After a hospital stay in two different hospitals, Pierre passed away Tues Jan. 13, 2009.

His funeral was later that day with 200 in attendance. A delegation of pastors from as far as 75 miles came to honor him.

Pierre was a colleague and a friend.

I learned a lot in who to greet and when in this culture during and after a funeral.

A Christian Radio station has recently started operating in Banfora, a city located a half hour to the south of us. Since we already have recorded Bible stories with music, which were done for the Mega Voice solar powered players, it is easy to cut these into 20 minute segments and by adding a few segues and songs, a radio broadcast is ready. Toussian language programs are now being broadcast twice a month. Joseph, the man standing, is the person of our team who prepares these broadcasts and delivers them to the station on a thumb drive.

Please let me know what you would like to see more of on this web page!

• September 2007, Transform Team
• October 2006, Furlough/Home Assignment
• September 2006, Dubbing the Luke Video
• April 2006, Recording Genesis in Toussiana
• January 2006, Toussian Churches
• August 2005, Christian Jr. Hi in Toussiana
• July 2005, Pastor Pierre Wedding
• June 2005, Locust Plague
• April 2005, Branch Conference
• February 2005, Literacy Classes
• September 2004, Market Pictures
• August 2004, Return to Toussiana
• 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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