I (Joyce) recently returned from taking Justine (13), Alexis (16) & our friend, David (16) to Senegal.

Senegal is a third world country - so this was less of a vacation & more of a "field trip of a lifetime" that afforded us an up close and personal understanding of what real life is like in Senegal ... a culture & climate as far away as it is far different from what we're used to in America.

We stayed w/ my brother (Uncle Jimmy), who teaches elementary students in Dakar, & his wife, Aunt Ramona. We visited The Door of No Return (former slave house) on Goree Island, capital city of Dakar, the school where my brother teaches, outdoor marketplaces, the beach, a wild game park... and Justine finally met her pen-pal!

In the days leading up to our departure I posted here what I knew & was learning about where we were headed. Once we arrived in Senegal, I had the kids post some things as well. Justine was our main photographer.

We're back now & still trying to record our experience as it was hard to keep up while we were there.

Friday, April 23, 2010

fast friends

This little guy was lives in one of the poorest areas of Dakar ( at least I assume he does) . He was not from the center we visited but he came over when the kids were playing soccer. He really liked Justine. If you saw his surroundings ...trash all over, very dirty/polluted puddles of water here & there... you'd wonder how he could possibly be so happy. But he IS happy .... genuinely. He used a little tin can for a drum and he ran around laughing and playing w/ another little friend of his. He kept coming back to Justine tho' as if they'd been friends forever. Again, I'm impressed w/ his appearance despite his surroundings.
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1 comment:

  1. UnknownApril 23, 2010 at 8:17 AM

    Luke 10: 29…he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." Looks like Justine feels the joy of the servent.

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