African clothes

We went to our first "formal" event in Niamey this morning: a baptism/naming ceremony for an 8-day-old baby. This gave us an excuse to wear our new formal African outfits. We took advantage of the opportunity to take some pictures in our front yard when we got home.

Of course, Tajoua couldn't stand to be left out: she posed (well, maybe "posed" is not quite the right word) for this picture of her own initiative.

Ten days in Bodoli

Our time in the village of Bodoli was wonderfully refreshing. Without electricity or Internet access, we were able to "unplug," spend some time alone and together, and do some reading that never seems to fit into our city schedule.

We were also thankful to be able to participate in village life a bit. Our host invited us to sit in on various village meetings, so we were able to meet lots of new people.

One day, Beth shadowed our host's family to learn what a day in the life of an African woman looks like. Wow, they work hard! Everything from hauling water from the well, pounding millet, washing clothes by hand, working in the fields, and, yes, plucking the chicken before it goes into the pot.

Off to the bush

After a few weeks of work in the office, we are now heading out for our village stay. We'll be away from modern technology for a while. Stay tuned...