Arriving
May 1,2001 -- The students arrived well, and are making great efforts to adjust to the time change, cope with the heat, and build friendships with their host families. Today was Fete du Travail, Labor Day. In Mali it is celebrated as in the US -- some people get a day off and others have to do their usual work.
Host families are teaching students to ride the public transportation, SOTRAMA (mini-buses), and each one was to have been brought to our regular meeting place, Palais de la Culture by SOTRAMA this morning at 10am. Some came early, some on time, only a few were late. Some families have cars and don't enjoy riding the SOTRAMA -- they dropped off their student at the door. Jesse Miller was invited to his family's church picnic, so he didn't join us.
We
piled the group into a SOTRAMA rented just for us and took a scenic
drive along the Niger River a few km's from Bamako center to
the Timbuctou Hotel, where the group could swim in a pool for a few
hours and drink bissap (hibiscus + ginger flavor) in the shade.
They then rode back to our home for an ice-cold Coke, group meal, discussion
time and worship. We again rode the public transportation to the Palais
where families met the students to guide them home.
At
left, Sylvia Shirk-Charles talks with students on the veranda in back
of the house where Robert and Sylvia are living while leading the Mali
SST unit. Students came to their house for a meal and time of worship.
Today's reasonably hot temperature was a welcome change after 3 days & nights of bake-oven weather when those who had the chance slept outside in the yard or on the roof under their mosquito nets. Monday some looked a bit wilted but today they were all looking good! Wednesday will be French class and a lecture on the ancient history of Mali. We appreciate your prayers and hope for your letters.
-Sylvia Shirk Charles
Host families
Each
student's evening is different, including activities such as helping
to fill bags with water to be sold from the fridge, being coached in
French and Bambara, visits from a family member who has been in the
US, learning to do laundry by hand, bucket showers, eating new foods
at mealtimes ranging from 4 pm to 10 pm, prayer time and watching TV
with the family.
Students
met their host families at a ceremony on April 29. At the ceremony,
Sylvia was surprised with a birthday cake on her (50th) birthday.
- Jeremy with his Mali host parents Yacouba and Rachel Dembele. Yacouba is one of the local coordinators of the Mali SST unit and works with World Vision. He later gave an introductory lecture to the group on April 30.
- Jesse with a brother in his Mali host family. Jesse's Mali host parents are Rev. Kassoum Keita and his wife Koutam Keita. Rev. Keita is the lead pastor in the main Evangelical Protestant Church in Bamako.
- Alyssa with members of her Mali host family. She is living with Job and Rose Tessougue and their children.
- Annie with a brother in her Mali host family. She is staying with General and Mrs. (Rachel) Sire Traore in Bamako.
- Also.... cutting mangos, and Hadley practicing.
More snapshots with families....
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