Am Home from HAU

Dear Friends and Family,

Am thanking the Lord for answers to your prayers for my safe arrival back to Spring Arbor. The plane landed Sunday night about 5:50 p.m., and I arrived back home about8:30 p.m.

I'm back to work today (Tuesday), having left part of my heart at HAU again. The jet lag is still present somewhat, but over all I'm feeling quite good.

The flights went well. I was a bit fatigued on the leg from Addis Ababa to Rome, but leg was in the middle of the night. There were some nervous minutes at London Heathrow as to whether I would make the flight, but it all worked out with a bit of time to spare.

The trip was rewarding. The 10 hours of teaching cataloging and classification to the 3 staff members was very well received, and I'm confident will make a big difference in the quality of their work.

In a couple days I hope to add some pictures to this blog. So, don't forget to come back in the next few days to see a few photos, and read more details.

Again, thanks so very much for your support - financially and/or in prayer.

Back from Burundi,

Karen

from HAU to SAU

Greetings to friends and family,

Well, on Saturday I'll be heading (somewhat reluctantly) back to Spring Arbor. Next Tuesday I plan to be back at work at SAU, having left HAU. Quite the culture contrast.

It has been a good week . Teaching of cataloging has gone well. Will do two more sessions this week. Am thankful for the willng response from the three I am teaching. They are catching on. I'm enjoying the teaching too.

Linnet and I have a number of things to try to finish up.

The container seems to be stuck in the port at Oman, so probably at least 2 1/2 weeks before it arrives here. There is a lot of equipment in it that is needed for progress on the radio station.

Linnet's children have been quite ill. They are now on antibiotic. Please pray their full recoverly.

Please pray for my travel home. There are several legs to the journey. Supposed to arrive at Metro at 6:00 p.m. Sunday night. A 36 hour journey home.

Ok, blessings on each of you.

Back in Burundi, and feeling like I belong here. I've sensed that I can be quite helpful here. Hope to continue helping with reference questions and books needs when I return.

Karen

Comments on "Creature Comforts"

It has been a week since I've been able to write in the blog.  Sorry to you all for the delay.  

The last few days have provided opportunity to think about the great divide in medical care and other "creature comforts" that many of us are so accustomed to in the West.  The children of my colleague Linnet have been ill this week.  Brave had a high fever yesterday a.m. so Sylvain took him to the hospital.  They gave him an injection, which lowered the fever, but it was going back up in the evening.  Daniella ( 9 months) have been having congestion, coughing, fever for a month.  the other day they prescribed something for her after a trip to the hospital, but they couldn't afford the $16 for the medication.  I helped them with that.  They don't  really have medical insurance ( at least it doesn't seem it is at the level we are used to).   The level of medical equipment, level of testing, types of medications, etc. seem for most to be at a level we would typically find sorely lacking.

Some visits this issue doesn't force me to stop and ponder, but this time it is.  Many of you reading this have traveled to developing countries, and know of what I speak.  

Yesterday I spend the afternoon at the home of my colleage Linnet.  Sylvain and I were talking about the church and the differences between here in Africa and in the States.   Temptations and struggles exist on the continent of Africa, and in the country of the U.S. but are so vastly different.  

 _ __ _ 

Notes of activites of last week:

Was able to have new legs put on my glasses for $5.  Somehow the spring in one leg broke a week ago, and made my glasses be crooked.  Was VERY annoying.  We found a place in town that put good nice looking legs on the glasses.  I think the price and the very fact that I have glasses, and that I was SO annoyed by their crookedness gave me pause and has made me think.  I imagine many here can't afford glasses, or their prescription is not quite right.  Here I am, being glad I only have to spend $5 for new legs... when $5 is a likely a large amount to many.  

Ok, yes, the activities... taught cataloging to three library staff here a bit over an hour each day.  It is going well, and overall well received.  I started talking about subject cataloging last Friday and will do more this week.   They are not excited about this because it is slow, taxing details work.  Please pray that I can explain it well for them, and that they will understand why they must do it correctly! The two assistants have not been doing it correctly , so it is crucial that I teach them well, and they will incorporate it. 

also, please continue to pray that I can get the software loaded.  By using that, they can look up the subject headings and dewey numbers, and it will make the cataloging go faster. 

The container should arrive in about 3 weeks.  It was slowed up in a couple ports.

Ok, I'd write more, but sleep calls.

Will try to write again before I leave to come back Saturday.  

Happy Labor day.

Blessings,

Karen 

Creature Sightings this Weekend!

Of course their is an abundance of wildlife in Africa.  I've not been on a safari, but there are still interesting things to see.  Here is a report of "curious creatures" for the weekend:

This afternoon in the parking lot at the restaurant (more about this below) one of the group spotted a chameleon on the ground.  Of course several people held it, and we all took pictures.  They are cute little guys.  It was about 4 inches long, plus its tail.  I think this was the weekend for critters because when I went to take a bath last night, their was a huge - (probably 2 inches long) cockroach near the faucets for the bathtub.  I tried to kill it, but it ws pretty fast.  so Laurie hear me making noises, and she came and killed it with the bottom of her flip flop.  It is not usual to see cockroaches in the house.  Usually if they get in, it is because one of the cats has carried it in to play with!  

The other critter of the weekend appeared yesterday morning as I was walking on the path to the  library.  I looked ahad, and I thought "hmm, what is that??  I realized it was some type of small lizard.  It was about 6 inches long.  The tail was blue, the head was light orange, and the body sort of dark.  I wished I had had my camera.  I went to get Laurie from the library, but by then we couldn't get as good a look at it  because it was crawling up a wall to hide.  

There are always other creatures such as the occasional mosquito to deal with.   Also, Bob and Laurie have about 6 chickens.  There are some mourning doves that like the chicken feed, along with some small birds with sort of red heads and breasts that also join the feast.  Bob and Laurie's cas often try to lay in wait in the grass to nab one of the birds, but haven't been successful.  

Ok, away from the animal kingdom to today's events:  Well, had quite a full day today.  16 people came yesterday.  They are the group for "sister connection".

 We went and picked up most of them at the hotel for church this morning.  This is Rohero F.M. church - downtown in Bujumbura - not the church right by campus.  Church service lacked only about 10 minutes of being 3 hours.  Thankfully it has lots of open space, and there are big ceiling fans.  They had Walter Silver and I come up and bring greetings, then the whole sister connection group.  But not each of them talked. 

We went back to the hotel for the some of the people to change their clothes.  Then there was a delay because they didn't want us to use a vehicle that needed a tune-up.  Finally we got to the restaurant at the north end of Lake Taganyika that I had gone to 1 1/2 weeks ago.  But this time, a number of us waded in the lake.  I took some pictures.  With so many of us, and quite a lot of waves today, we didn't think any crocodiles would be wanting lunch in that area.  It was great!  I enjoyed it a lot!  First dip even in Lake Tangayika!  Now I've been in one of the other "Great Lakes".  

After lunch we just sat around for a little white, and din't leave until about.  It was a bit before 6 when we finally got back to campus, after dropping them off at the hotel, and getting a couple suitecases, and chatting.  Mind you,  you can't zip around here and there as fast in in most of the U.S. due to a number of pot holes, some cobble stone streets, weird intersections, and a fair number of vehicles - cars, bicycles. trucks, and other unique vehicles. 

I had been home just a bit when the power went out.  Thankfully bob and Lauri come home shorly from an English language service and lit ther kerosene lamps.  Thankfully the power came back on very soon after.  time Kirkpatrick and his wife Pat came over a bit later to check their e-mail.  We had a nice chat.  

Tomorrow it is back to work.  We began inventory on Friday morning.  I'm sure we will continue.  When doing it we find a number of errors - and those take time to fix.  No lack of work!  I tried to solve some of them Saturday a.m., but all 3 of the computers chose not to cooperate with me in one way or another!  I was also some some things, but I finally gave up and went back to the house for lunch.   Please pray that we can make very good progress on the inventory, and that we can have cooperation from the computers and floppy disks in correcting the mistakes that we find.  We are doing inventory because it is an important step towards beginning to have an on-line catalog.  

Also this week Linnet and I hope to work on planning the arrangement of the book stacks, circulation desk, periodicals, reservcs, etc. in the new library.  If I'm not able to come back to help with the actual move, at least they have had my input on the layout.

Regarding the container:  We have heard that it is in Dar es Salam.  Please pray that it would not sit on the dock for long, and that the trip overland by truck would be safe and quick, that it would get through customs quickly, and to campus quickly.  We hope that it arrives soon! 

Thank you for your support and prayers.   If you want to e-mail, you can write me at: libladysau@yahoo.com  

Blessings!

Karen

Here at HAU

Hi folks! 

Hmm, did you think I disappeared up country?  Maybe went to Rwanda?  Nope, not me.  Still here at HAU keeping a low profile.  I say that people several folks have arrived since Monday, so the dorm area is hopping with activity.  Walter Silver from Ontario came Monday.  Then Tuesday afternoon, Tim and Pat K.  arrived, along with another couple and their 13 month old girl.  Nora is such a cutie pie.  Also Murrell from Witchita Kansas.  I believe they are all here to help with the radio tower and station.  some will be here 5 weeks, others until January.  

Linnet (my colleague here) and I had a tour of the new building on campus yesterday a.m.  Wow!!!!  They are already holding classes in some parts.  I saw where the library will be.  Soon Linnet and I will take some measurements and provide a suggested layout.  That will be an acitivity that I've not done for a library of this size.  Linnet told me that between the library books, and the textbooks for students,   they have received about 28,000 books since the library opened!!!!  When Ruth and I went in 2001, there were about 300 books!   

Back to the new building:  the classrooms are very nice sized, with nice chairs and attached writing area.  We saw where the medical school will be, the communication department, the radio station, a couple computer labs, etc.    

Today Linnet and I found the web site that a friend showed me.  It contains a catalog of scholarly books in various disciplines translated into French.  We plan to select several, and have them sent to a local bookstore where we can purchase them.  We know this will be a huge asset to the university library since there are few boos in French, yet many of the students speak and read French better than English.

We've watch a bit of Olympics.  Not much is broadcast here, bet we've enjoyed the bit we've seen.  The commentary is in French, so we often opt for the picture only.  With the internet, though we've kept up on the main highlights of the games. 

Next week I'll be teaching a couple hours each day.  That will be cataloging and classification - how to prepare the information for the catalog card, assign the Dewey Decimal Number, and subject headings, then how to enter it into our software.  It will be review for one person, and teaching an African (a recent HAU grad).    

I hope to hear back from the software company soon about installing some software that would be a hugh asset in the cataloging process.  You could pray that they would respond quickly, provide the info I need, and that I'll be successful  in installing the software.  

We've been working on other projects,  but don't think would be really exciting for you all to read about!  ;0

The weather has still been ok.  Not too hot, and a nice breeze, with it cooling down at night.  Bob said that he thinks it will begin heating up soon.  In September there are about 2 weeks when it is in the mid 90's, and no breeze.  I hope I'm back in SA by that time!!!  

Ok, I think that wraps up this blog entry.   Hope you are each doing well.  I'm so appreciative of your prayer support.  Please know that I do sense your prayers and am quite content here and doing well.  My desire is to have ears to hear and an obedient heart to be used of Him.

Blessed to be Back in Burundi,

Karen

This week at HAU

Hi to each of you. Hope it has been a good week.

We didn't work today because it is a holiday. something about an appearance of the Virign Mary in the 1950's. I remember the holiday from 2005, but don't understand it any better this time!

Am having a bit harder time adjusting to time difference, but it usually takes a day per time zone! So, you can pray that my body will soon figure out that it is supposed to go to sleep before 4 a.m. (that is 9 pm Michigan time)

Wednesday Wayne and Barb and I went to a restaurant at the north end of Lake Tanganyika! I had been missing water so very very much- so it was delightful . Pretty white beach. We sat under a canopy at the edge of the beach. They had signs saying that they are not responsible for people who go swimmming.... alligators have been know to have lunch at or near the beach. So, I thought it wise to pass up the opportunity to put my toes in the lake. I do recall that Bishop Elie said he used to swim in the lake as a boy.

Also saw some chimps there peeling and eating tangerines. Interesting. Also, saw two of the national bird of Burundi. Neat.

Have seem some olympics. They only broadcast what has already happened, and for the most part, only events in which France participates. Saw some of team handballl yesterday. I played that in gym class in high school.

Hasn't been too dreadfully hot - did get up to 90 yesterday, but it cools down in the evening.

The cats don't remember me, so I am trying to win them over -- slowly.

More people from the U.S. are arriving next week in intervals... so things will start to happen.
There is no work being done on the building because they are out of funds..

I actualy haven't done too much in the library yet but hopefully next week. The time zone adjustment and a bit of a cold are causing me to take it easier these last couple of days. However, I have helped with a couple cataloging questions, and Linnet ( my colleague here) and I have had a strategy meeting for what we hope to accomplish this tgime while I'l here.

Also, a student came asking for the husband of the couple I'm staying with about some research for a topic. I suggested that perhaps I could help him... being a librarian.... we sort of do that kind of thing. So, in just a couple minutes, I'll see what I can find for him from the SAU Library

Ok, all for now.

Back in Burundi,

Karen

Safe Arrival

Hello to each of you, 

 

I arrived here in Bujumbura right on schedule, even a few minutes early.  So, am fine, except for needing more sleep.  Had a cat nap on flight from Addis Ababa this morning, and one this afternoon after arriving.  I am staying with Bob and Laurie on campus, as I had assumed I would.   Wayne and Bar are fine too.  The four of them, plus 2 HAU students picked me up from the airport. 

 

When I was sitting in the airport at Addis Ababa this morning, I was knitting on my sock.  A guy came over and sat next to me, and showed me that some of his friends wanted to take a picture of the two of us, with me working on the socks.  They were all quite friendly, and it was rather funny. 

 

The new administrative building is coming along well.  The main part is being finished up and very nice looking.  The other part is there as part as the cement structure up to the 2nd floor.

 

So, another good sleep tonight, and I should be on my way to getting over jet lag.

Thank you for your prayers!  

 Back in Burundi.