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December 30, 2008
In a one horse open sleigh
Charlie's December newsletter is now up, and if you missed the November one, that's there as well.
Posted by sahelsteve at 10:13 PM
December 29, 2008
Happy Christmas Djibo
I hope you all had a happy and peaceful Christmas, wherever you celebrated it. Here in Djibo, we had a really good time, throwing a Christmas Eve feast at church for about three hundred Muslim friends and acquaintances. Those present included one truck-load of Tuareg refugees, three truckloads of men and women from our immediate neighbourhood, herders, tailors, donkey-cart makers, rich men, poor men, magicians and thiefs - even our grouchy landlord Belko Sambo turned up to hear the Christmas message. Before the feast got underway, I talked a bit about the coming of the wise-men. Fulani people reckon they can tell from the stars if a king has died, but have never heard of a star portending the birth of a king. Now they have :-) Of course, it's one thing to see the star, it's another to make the journey. And quite another to prostrate yourself before the king, as the Magi did. Please continue to pray for our Fulani friends here, that God would give them the imagination and courage to respond to Jesus for themselves.
On Christmas morning we had a party for our neighbours' children. Charlie organized an around-the-yard hunt for milk-flavoured boiled sweets and then we showed them the first part of the film Magdalena. It's made by the same people who made the Jesus film and focusses mostly on telling Mary's story.
We went and had Christmas lunch with our friends Mark and Cheryl, who are English SIM missionaries from Rugby. No turkey, of course, but the chicken and roast potatoes went down a treat - they even shared their Christmas pudding with us, bless em.
Talking of turkey, Turkish Sophie is now in shops, and the books have a new range of covers and chapter illustrations. Sophie now sports a fashionable sunhat and her blonde hair tumbles all the way down to her knees. Chobbal is tuftier and smugger than ever and has taken on a pinkish hue - obviously been washed with the reds by mistake. Moussa ag-Litni is as round and menancing as any Ali Baba villain, and Crepe-Sombo is repulsive. Thanks are due to Gokce Akgul for his zany and eyecatching rendering of the Gorom-Gorom set.
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Posted by sahelsteve at 04:37 PM
December 28, 2008
A pat on the back for Christian missionaries
I have always enjoyed Matthew Parris's articles in the London Times and admired his honesty and good sense. And just yesterday, writing in the Times, Mr Parris admits to having changed his mind about the presence of Christian evangelists in Africa. It seems he now thinks they're doing an okay job. There's a snippet below, but really it's worth reading the whole article: As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God
'Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.'
Posted by sahelsteve at 11:47 AM
December 13, 2008
Djibo parade
Here are a couple more photos from Thursday's festival. By the way, independence day in Burkina is on 5 August, but in August everyone is tired from cultivating their fields and not in the mood to party.
The Djibo parade was a fascinating cross-section of different castes and unions - 'Fishermen of Djibo', 'Hunters of Djibo', 'Butchers of Djibo', 'Metal-workers of Djibo' and pictured below, beekeepers of Djibo!
And pictured below, horse-riders of Djibo :-)
Posted by sahelsteve at 07:15 PM
December 12, 2008
Hacking Timbuktu draft cover
This is the first draft of the Hacking Timbuktu cover - a parkour/hacking fest set in London and Africa. Since this cover is still in the process of development, your honest comments would be appreciated. Especially if you are a twelve year-old boy!
Posted by sahelsteve at 08:54 AM
Independence Day
Thousands of people turned out yesterday for the independence day celebrations in Djibo - a parade, speeches and races. Charlie took part in the last event of the day - a five furlong horse-race through the market! Her horse Silale was ahead at three furlongs but then ran out of steam! They finished a very creditable fourth.
Here are the horses approaching the finish line:
And here is the ugliest camel in Djibo:
We'll put some more photos online as soon as our internet connection permits.
Posted by sahelsteve at 08:22 AM
December 03, 2008
Djibo Radio Opens its Gates
Several antennas loom vast over the Djibo landscape, including this one:
Yes, Djibo FM is up and running, and not because of us! And as it turns out, no thanks to Walfadjiri either - the station is in fact called 'Radio Lutte Contre La Désertification et Changement Climatique' (Struggle against Desertification and Climate Change), which isn't the snappiest name for a station but espouses worthy goals I suppose.
The station is being funded by SOS Sahel - an active development agency with branches all over the Sahel.
This morning was the opening ceremony, which unfolded as follows:
1. a couple hours sitting around awaiting the arrival of a busload of sixty 'invités illustres' (VIPs)
2. speeches by four of the invités illustres - the mayor of Djibo, the President of SOS Sahel in Burkina Faso, the Secretary General of Soum and the Vice-President of the Superior Committee of Communication. The Secretary General said that loads of lost animals and lost ID cards had already been found thanks to Radio Lutte Contre La Désertification et Changement Climatique. Cheers from the crowd.
3. musical interlude - drums and shuffly dancing. One enthusiastic griot prostrated himself in the dust to play his tamtam - more cheers.
4. Grand Unveiling of the Plaque. Cheers.
5. Opening of the Gates for everyone to go into the station and have a nosey round.
We are hoping to be able to broadcast programmes on the station - more on that next week. In the meantime, here are some pics of the morning's festivities.
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Cheers.