Sunrise, sunset, swiftly flow the days......

 and so the song goes and so go the days..... This is the sunrise over the very nice house being built across the road.  Later you will see the sunset over the poorer (not the poorest) homes to the West.  What a mixture of relative abundance with poverty and need next door.  Here the poor and the upper middle class live together and even the rich are not far from those who live from day to day.

While waiting to pick  up what I thought was the last school supplies we needed (turned out we missed about eight children) I bought first a "FanIce Choco" and then from a little girl a Ginger drink in a plastic bag. The flavored ice is hermetically sealed and so is the water dispensed in little plastic bags from the street vendors.  As I bit into the corner of the bag and squirted the contents into my mouth, I noticed that there was a knot in the bottom of the bag.  This drink was "homemade".  The water may have come from "city" water or an open well, or a stream or...... the flavoring may be from ginger root or....... It certainly was in no way filtered or treated.  Oh well, once started there was no need to turn back and it did taste pretty good.  I think maybe I am going native.  I'm just saying.

This is the road to one of the villages we visited with the "Jesus Film" a couple of months ago.  Pastor Moussa's church people have been holding services regularly and we are on the way with some school supply bags for the children.

 I feel quite sure that the last four wheel vehicle down this "road" was us two months ago.  BTW "To the right" was not the right answer.  A "house" here consists of several structures in a small compound.  The sleeping building is separate from the kitchen or storage or other living areas.  What we wound up in would be considered their "living room".  OK we back up and try going down the other path.

 With Christophe walking ahead, we blazed a trail to the school area.  The last time we were here we left late at night and made the reverse trip in the D A R K .

There were about twenty five of the children that attended church regular and they were excited to get these school supplies.  While school for the littlest ones is free, it is the parents responsibility to get their notebooks, pens, pencils, etc.

 Did I mention that I love these people?  When you are driving down the road and wave to them, young and old alike, they usually wave back VERY enthusiastically. So many smiles from those who have so little and yet seem LIVE each day.

 Raining on the way out was not a problem.  Several hours of rain and I would have needed Jon's four wheel drive.

 One of my favorite places is the market in Kara.  The picture is going to be hap-hazard because some might find it a bit offensive for someone to be filming them.  Others would gladly "pose" for you.

Having the camera waist high and not looking at it gives a different perspective from eyelevel viewing.

 Sounds. Sights. Smells.  Sometime I will try to put into words the experience of "market".  Some of the old Bogart and Bacall films of the old Africa portray much of what still exists today.  The merchandise may be different and motos are everywhere that the camels and donkeys used to be.  The people are much the same.  If you take the first price offered, I guarantee that someone will be laughing at you after you leave.

 End of the day and I watch the sunset from my "upper room".  Dwell in the corner of the housetop takes on a completely different perspective when you actually have a corner of the housetop to dwell in

 Following afternoon everyone gathers to "skype" with Jon.  They are always excited and very animated to see and talk to him and Heidi.  Seeing and hearing the  girls is the high point, followed closely by talking to Jon.  It is so neat to see the love and respect they have for my youngest son.  I'm just saying.

Coming to the close of another day, we have our late afternoon rain.  Again, from my favorite room.

Will try to get this to upload before the batteries go dead as the electricity is out once more.  Did I mention that I love this place.