Jody Kline is in Africa

Jody Kline via

Airport Security Camera

Jody joined Connie, Taylor and Craig in Senegal arriving at Dakar International Airport on time with all luggage intact. Taylor, Craig, Dr. Adamson, Josiah and Merilyn all packed into a dilapidated 7 passenger Peugeot to make the trip. Elizabeth, Adamson's wife arrived within minutes of Jody. After a freaky 2.5 hour taxi ride back to Thies, Jody was greeted by Connie, DeeAnn and Edd, who just returned from Mali / Saint Louis (not Missouri). Jody was up bright and early this morning (4:00 AM) ready to begin her adventures.

More Pictures of Jody's Arrival

At the request of Connie and Taylor, Jody brought a Teddy Bear for Lordienne (Thanks to the Larson's). She had been asking about sleeping with some of Taylor's animals, so they decided to surprise her. She was overjoyed.

Taylor was happy to see her sister.

Jody also brought food from family and friends. We pigged out (no picture available) Mercie (thanks) to all of you that contributed to our nourishment / sweet tooths.

Christmas Under a Mosquito Net

Connie, Taylor and Craig - Our home for Christmas 2006

As Connie Mentioned in her newsletter this week, we decorated our room for Christmas. Here you see the completed product. Our Africa drum holding the Pine Cone Christmas Tree (thanks Edna Fund for the second international Christmas Tree). On the tree you will see 3 ornaments. Our decorations also included, the Cindy Larson knitted scarf, serving as our Cedar trimmings, the I SPY family book, A cloth Nativity Book, created by Joyce Cornell, the movie, Polar Express for Christmas day, and "Fingers" (behind the Tree).

It's Snowing in Thies

If you look closely you will see snowflakes in our room. No - it's not really snowing in Thies. But we did create a white Christmas by cutting out paper snowflakes and hanging them from the ceiling and ropes that hold our mosquito net. I received the prize for the most beautiful snowflake, an extra finger. The fan, which is rotating in this picture, keep the snowflakes continually moving, creating a lifelike snow blizzard.

God is so creative! If you want to view very cool photos of snow crystals. Follow this link:

http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/photos.htm

Christmas Open House

Kenny G Christmas music, decorations, fingers, and now friends. Can life get any better than this? We held our home open and had many visitors. In the picture above, Lin, Dana and Tim, live it up in the mock snowstorm while eating Fingers. You may wonder what the heck Fingers are. They are a popular cookie, distributed by walk-by vendors while you pass the time in Dakar rush hour traffic, (and sold locally in stores). Tim discovered these delightful cookies and I have thanked him every since. (I'm not sure how they came up with the name)

Thursday, December 12th

Jody Arrives Today -

Developing....

Peanuts - Not the Cartoon

Roasted Peanuts for Sale

Peanuts are the major crop in Senegal. When you go into a restaurant, you begin your meal with a bowl of peanuts. Peanuts are offered while you are waiting in line at the petrol station and while you are stuck in Dakar rush hour traffic. Peanuts are also roasted and sold on the street. Today (Saturday), we were walking back from the Tapestry Museum and we came across a Senegalese lady roasting peanuts in sand. We asked if we could take a picture and she agreed. Dana (a great photographer) took the picture of Craig, Connie and Jean Baptiste. We bought peanuts and took them home where Tacky prepared them and everyone participated in eating them.

Speaking of food - Friday night, Craig, Heather and Dana braved the dark streets of Thies and negotiated a 10 minute walk to a hotel that serves pizza. After an exchange of Wolof, French and English, we ordered 3 pizzas to go. While we waited, we drank cold diet cokes and listened to Lionel Ritchie on the boom box. Dana described it as a "Twilight Zone Experience". 30 minutes later, with 3 boxes of pizza, we walked home though bustling neighborhoods and dark streets to hungry friends that enjoyed Friday night pizza. We had Rhine and Vegetarian. Equally good.

Needles and Blood

Connie Teaching IV in
Advanced Primary Health Care School

Connie shared her knowledge of IV therapy this last week. Her class included a practical application of sticking each other with needles and making blood come out. Tim and I decided to be the official photographers rather than participants (victims). Following you will see photographs of the day. Most students perfered being the "stickor", rather than the "Stickee" .

Tacky (Senegal) - Stickor Ami (Togo) Stickee

Lordienne (Cameroon) with Lin (Amed Fahll's wife) - Big Needle!

Connie, Marie Cecile, Lin and Lordienne

Ouch!

Left - Heather (Australia) Alisha (Canada) - Right - Steven (S. Africa) Foong Shung (Malysia)

What a day! Fun was had by all!

This Weeks Speaker - Dr Brian Steele

Left to right, Dr. Adamson and Merilyn, Tacky, Mary Ellen, Ami, Taylor and Connie, Mary Cecile, Dr. Brian (in the blue and green Senegalese outfit), Alisha and Jean Baptiste.

Dr Brian spent the week with The Advanced Primary Health Care class teaching on The World Health Organization's (WHO) list of essential drugs. Drug treatment from Malaria to worms was covered in detail. Dr. Brian lives in Dakar Senegal, where he runs a YWAM medical clinic that meets the medical needs of Senegalese people. He is an American Doctor, from Tennessee and lives in Dakar with his wife and two young children. He has been in Senegal for 13 years. He will be returning later in the course to teach on physical exams. Along with many other people I have met here, Dr. Brian and his family clearly exemplifies the life of Christ. A living sacrifice. He also loves Starbucks coffee. Jody, bring a couple of extra pounds.

Ago the Dentist and the Goat Head on a Platter

Introducing Dr Agoustou Gomis

Dr. Agoustou, a local celebrity and Dental Surgeon resigned his dentistry position to:

• Oversee building of the facilities we are living in.
• Wire the internet to this building so that you can follow our lives.
• Teach general dentistry at The Advanced Primary Health Care Class - (This weeks evening speaker)
• Deliver goat heads on a platter. (Looks like another goat head feast is on the menu)

Dr. Ago, as he is affectionately called, has set his career aside to work on behalf of this school. He is a man of many talents and is loved by all. Tonight he added "goat head room service" to his long list of creditionals. Well Dr. Ash....

Find Waldo - "Two Bob"

There is a "two bob" in this picture. Can you find her?

Taylor, Dana, Andre and I went to Iles De La Madeleine, an uninhabited island that is home to thousands of sea birds. A 20 minute boat trip through rough seas and then paradise. We happened to be the only visitors to the island and so enjoyed the whole place to ourselves.. The above picture was taken when we returned and a class of students were at the beach swimming. Their teacher, on left, called them all out of the water and asked if he could take our picture with his class. (He wanted them to meet "two bobs") Of course we agreed and decided to take a picture for ourselves. Dana and I are taking pictures. If you look closely, you'll see a smiling "Two Bob" in the middle of the class. We shook all their hands and they scurried back to the ocean.

Other Pictures from our Island Trip

Dana hates bugs of any kind. However, a certain breed of large island beetle seemed to love her. I think they actually loved the flavor of her sun screen. Above you will see her doing the beetle dance. It was supposed to scare the beetles away. It didn't seem to work. She washed off her sunscreen preferring a sunburn to beetle attacks.

The good photos compliments of Dana Smith

The Goat Head Feast

Parents - Please Review these Explicit Photos

before Allowing Children to View

Goat Head Buffet - (Actual Photo)

The above and following photos document the eating of a goat head. Apparently a delicacy of Senegal by the way the locals were tearing into this meal. Dad and Rose, do you think this is anything like head cheese?

Of course we participated, maybe

with not quite the same enthusiasm.

Thies Senegal at Dusk

Soccer Under Full Moon

If you look closely, you will see a group of kids playing soccer just after sunset. This picture was taken from the roof. Every evening there is a wonderful cool breeze that refreshes the land. It is winter here now, and the temperature drops to around 70 degrees at night. Many local people are wearing sweaters and long sleeve shirts to keep warm. For some reason, that has not been an issue with the Kline family.

Taylor and the Ringmaker

Jean Baptiste, Taylor and I went to the cultural center in Thies Friday and Taylor negotiated the purchase of a silver ring. Even Greg Murphy would have been proud of her negotiating skills.

The Ringmaker Demonstrating his Craft to Taylor

A group of "Too-Bobs" (foreigners in Senegal) are returning to the cultural center today. Developing....