The Gibsons online blog

Christmas is but a distant memory now and it seems a little futile to be writing about our Christmas in Djibo.  So I won't.  Instead I'll fill you in on the events surrounding our New Year, but to do this I'm going to need to take you back in time to New Year 2002 when we first visited some missionary friends from the UK down in the south east of Burkina.  A couple of years later they were very kind in reciprocating the visit when they came to Djibo where a bit of an infrequent tradition began.  Consequentially we found ourselves back in village of Legmouin just 5 km away from the Ghanaian border.  It was quite a trek from Djibo (600km) but we had a great time visiting again with the Nash family.

Following a few days with our friends we headed back to Ouagadougou where we stayed for a few days before heading off to the SIM Burkina Spiritual Life Conference (SLC).  Whilst in Ouaga I had the delights of visiting the dentist for the first time in Burkina.  It really is something one tries to avoid, especially as I'm not that keen on the whole pain thing.  However, needs must as one of my crowns came away and it's a little difficult chewing on a gnarled stump rather than a finely honed piece of porcelain.  During our short stay in Ouaga all of us but Cheryl fell sick.  Sam threw up whilst on the swings at the SIL centre.  Cheryl said it was quite spectacular. I only smelled the after effects!

We finally headed off to Fada N 'Gourma on the Wednesday where our SLC was being held.  Joshua for one was a little more subdued than usual and I for one needed to stay pretty close to the loo the first couple of days.  Despite our ailments we had a great time and enjoyed catching up with SIM missionary colleagues.  Most of the conference was in French this year and it was quite a challenge for me leading the worship in French, but no one threw anything at me so I assume it went okay.

We are now back in Djibo and Sam for one appears to be very glad to be home, and if I'm honest I think we all are.  In the space of just over one month we have each slept in 11 different beds.  I know we work with nomads, but we never imagined it would be a contagious lifestyle.

Well, I guess all there is left to say is, HAPPY NEW YEAR to one and all.