Love living life

Last week I mentioned the handicapped people at Niamtougou and their cooperative called Codhani.  This is the gift store where they retail their handiwork.

 Those of you who have shared their addresses via email will be receiving a note/card that was individually hand made by one of them.  I bought them with the idea of stimulating the Postal Service too.

 This is a view from the "upper room" at Jon's house.  The neighbor has not finished their second floor, hence the rebar etc.  When the storm approaches the winds coming down the mountain pick up pretty strong.  We close the shutters and "batten the hatches", like any good sailing ship, and then ride it out.

 Heidi, you asked what I eat.  This is dough and sauce from Tiffany Shanks with cheese I got while in Lome.  The first one I made was barely edible.  This one turned out much better.  I liked the Shank family from the start (even before Tiffany started with her English Muffins, bread and now pizza) and once again I take credit for being an excellent judge of people.

People gathering for church.  Notice how they have worked to clear the area of weeds so that the house of God looks well kept.

 Of special interest to members of Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL would be the t-shirt the young lady in the foreground is wearing.  Any and all gifts are received with thanksgiving and nothing goes to waste.

 The sound of music calls everyone in.

 You may have heard how the women carry heavy burdens on their heads.  (Not unusual to see a woman with a fifty or even one hundred pound bag on their head while their husband walks alongside).  These kids carry the benches from the church building to the "old" church building for their Sunday School which is during second service.  Even very young boys and girls are excited to show how strong they are.  Some even carry two at a time.

 I said nothing goes to waste.  Let me amend that.  A breakfast like this and

 a salad like this will go to waist...... my waist.  Doing my part to stimulate the local economy by buying locally grown veggies and eggs and bread and ........

Remember my birds?  Now instead of just singing, they tap on my window as the sun comes up.  Did I mention that I love being in Togo?