Funeral

     Last week was a difficult time.  There is a family here with whom we are very close who had a family member commit suicide.  It was devastating to the family and those of us who are close to all of them.  Travis and Kim were quite involved with the family and helping with all the arrangements.  In this culture, when a person dies, family members from all over will come to see the family.  It is the family's responsibility to provide food for everyone, accomodate them, and sometimes even pay for their transport.  Due to the amount of family, Kim had around 20 or so people staying at her house.  With all that added work, I took care of the classroom every day.  I was able to go visit the mother the afternoon of the funeral.  There was not much I could say so I just hugged her and sat and held her hand for a while.  My tears let her know how sorry I was and that I was feeling her loss.

   
    There were still a good many family members around on the day following the funeral.  Amy and Kaitlin went to the home on that day to help with cleaning and preparing a large meal for all the family to eat that afternoon.  I came over after we finished school and was able to enjoy the fellowship with the family as well as eat a wonderful Senegalese meal.
     A group of Talibe boys came to the gate begging for food.  These boys are given to a marabou (M*sl*m leader) to be trained in the K*ran.  They get up early, before daylight, every morning for their teaching.  Then they are sent out to go around town and beg.  The money that they receive is brought back to their marabou.  However, they are allowed to eat any food that people may give to them.  When these boys showed up at the family's gate, they were given a bowl of rice that they quickly consumed.

     My heart breaks for these boys.  I can't imagine a mother and father giving their child to be raised by a marabou.  Some of these boys may be as young as four years old.  They may be poorly dressed, wear no shoes, and get little to eat.  Though that is important, I pray mostly that they will come to know the love of their true Father.