Ouagadougou, Africa, Day One.

We landed in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Africa around 6:30pm on July 5^th. This was no ordinary airport. We actually landed on a runway and were able to walk right off the plane, just like you see in the movies. That was really surreal to me. Then we took a bus to customs and met up with Joel Hayslip (our missionary friend) who helped us get our luggage and head off to his house. 

Immediately, as we got on the road, I noticed an extreme difference between Africa and America. The roads were made of red dirt and I don’t know if potholes could even begin to describe the muddled streets.  There were masses of motor scooters and bicyclers everywhere. I saw up to four people on one motor bike! Women have their babies strapped to their backs while they’re driving and they don’t seem to worry about the heavy, severe, traffic surrounding them. That made me very nervous to watch due to my love for babies.

During the drive to Joel and Heidi’s house I just wanted to take in everything surrounding me, the sounds, the smells, the complete environment.  I watched Muslims on the streets turn toward Mecca in unison and pray. I saw children walk from person to person and plead for a sale. I saw women carrying all sorts of belongings on their heads.  This was all very fascinating to me. With every breath I took--a new memory came with it. My eyes had been opened SO wide already. 

 Tonight as I was seeing the beauty in the littlest of things it made me realize that we have the world so much in our hearts, and are so taken up with thoughts and cares of worldly things, that we don’t have time nor spirit to see God's hand in them. Our life is short and uncertain and we shouldn’t take that lightly. I encourage you to see the positive in things that are happening around you. Enjoy the beauty in the simple things, don’t take one single breath for granted, and remember to thank God daily for His goodness and mercy.

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boastings of what he has and does comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." -1 JOHN 2:15-17

 My favorite memory of the day: The cutest little boy, around 10-11 years old, came up to our window to sell us a phone card and we all just went crazy.  Although we didn’t speak the same language he could sense our excitement and he had a smile on his face that was too big to measure! He was just giggling as we carried on about how handsome he was. I just wanted to pinch his little cheeks off and take them home with me. 

Taylor’s favorite memory of the day: He loved the crazy driving and seeing so many people out and about on the streets. It was full of life and adventure.