Thursday Apr 3

Thursday was a very busy day.  We started 9am and travelled to Mbour (about 2 hours) to visit the women's skills center there and talk with pastor Jean-Pierre about his proposal for a new church building.  Judy, Deb and Sarah presented the women with a scaled-down version of the business training from Wednesday.  Chloe taught the women how to weave bracelets - Ella helped and held children who wanted comforting.  Karl, Mike and Nancy talked with Jean-Pierre about the church plan.  Catherine taught students to make peace cranes, and chatted with students in French.  Carol and Bonnie took pictures, and Tom kibitzed.

We then went to the Bandia animal reserve for a tour (90 minutes) and then had lunch.  All of the first-timer participants felt that Bandia was exciting.  As we traveled in our safari van (open-air) we came within about 15 yards of white rhinos and giraffes. We also saw antelope, warthogs, and many crocodiles.

After lunch, we headed to Thiadaiye and the feeding center at Mbassis.  After 2 hours, we arrived about 4:30pm and the 40 children were waiting for us.  After mutual greetings from the chief and pastors, and a song led by Catherine, Bonnie, Chloe and Ella taught about tooth brushing.  There was much laughter.  The children then ate.  After eating, Bonnie took a video of the children singing - which they then watched as Bonnie held her iPad over her head for all of them to see.  This engendered more singing and videos, and then dancing broke out.  For the next 20 minutes, just about everyone took turns dancing in the middle of the circle of singing, clapping and laughing.  After passing out the toothbrushes and toothpaste, we said many goodbyes and left for Dakar.  Around 3 hours later, we arrived back in Dakar around 9:30 and had dinner.  Many of us washed and went to bed shortly thereafter.  Others, still excited from an entire day of activity, were up until after 11pm.

Today, the 4th, is Senegal Independence Day.  There will be parades that will disrupt traffic.  Our intention today is to stay in the neighborhood, work at the church, and begin to collect photos together.  The TV here in the church is already offering coverage of the upcoming parade - with images of the empty streets near the presidential palace and talking heads interpreting the moment.  Freedom is celebrated everywhere.

-- Tom