Christmas at the Orphelinat Teega-Wende (Jan. 23 2010)

Christmas at the orphanage took place today, Saturday January 23rd. All the orphans and vulnerable children who live in and around Yako with their extended families came to the orphanage for food, gifts, and good company.

We started preparing the food the day before. A full fifty kilo sack of rice was emptied into an enormous cauldron over an outdoor log fire. Beef cubes sizzled in six inched of oil, eggplants and tomatoes were chopped, and untold cabbages gave their heads to make riz gras. I chopped the tomatoes over a bucket with the tomato in my left hand and the dull knife in my right, as one does in Burkina Faso, and managed not to cut myself. Five chickens were slaughtered in front of me that evening. Because I was there, I helped carry two of them over to the block. Their feet were warm in my hand, which for some reason I had not expected. Vegetarian that I am, I apologized silently over and over as I carried them, and thanked them for giving their lives that we might party.

Between 60 and 75 people came to the orphanage today, and each family left with a bag full of clothes, toys, and soap, 5 pounds of dried beans and a 50 kilo bag of rice or sorghum. We were there from 8:30 until nearly 3 pm, right through the heat of the day. It went really well, even if it was somewhat subdued because there had been a death in the SEMUS, the orphanage's local partner organization. Normally there would have been beer and dolo for all.

My job was to run around and take pictures, we'll see if any of them turned out. It was great seeing all the kids who have "graduated" from the orphanage and are back with their extended families or in foster families. For me, the best part of the day was when I learned that one of my favourites from 6 years ago, who was very sickly, has grown into a healthy 8 year old.

It really is amazing to see the transformation of the orphanage from how it was 6 years ago. It used to be a small, barren place that sucked the hope out of me each time I approached the gate. Now, thanks to funding from CARO, the Canadian charity I volunteer with, the orphanage has a new building on a new site. It's full of sunshine and trees and there's lots of room for the kids to play. They stay at the building until they're 2 or 3, at which point they go back to their extended families or into foster care. The orphanage pays for all their schooling until the end of primary, which is more education than many Burkinabes ever get. Now when I go through the front gate, I know that Mama Zida's superb work and our funding means that these kids have a good chance in life.