Soccer tournament

It is 8 AM in Apatkame now, and we are finishing getting ready for the day, and will have breakfast soon. Wayne is already off, on his bicycle, to see if he can get another card to get on the email. Our time ran out over the weekend, so weren’t able to send any more email. If he gets it, we will be sending this when he returns. He downloaded a couple more pictures to send to you from our yesterday adventures. We had our “Now the Feast” celebration service right around the table here, with a great altar, sermon from Erik G (which Wayne read with the same enthusiasm with which Erik would have delivered it), and communion. Was it good to have been prayed for by the time you woke up yesterday?

Over the weekend, Julianna and Dustin went to a place where there are lots of kids, filling up their bowls, pans, other containers with water. Actually, I believe it is the only place it is free, and it is part of a park that was a gift a number of years ago, from the Rotary Club of Northfield, MN. J and D asked them if they could put the water on their heads, and it was fun and funny to watch that. I believe that one of the pictures is of them doing that. Both of them spilled some of the water, but it was really heavy, and they did hold it there for a while.

Yesterday we also went to a big soccer/football tournament. Erik, it reminded me of your 4 on 4 tourney at the Staples Center. Evidently there were 12 teams to start on Wednesday. By the time yesterday came there were four remaining. They played each other, and then there were consolation games, and the championship game. This tournament was started last year by the two PC volunteers that preceded C & W. The Cup has their name on it, and we could hear them talking about those two, and about Cate and Wayne, and Peace Corps, and also, as part of the funding agreement, about Aids and prevention, and testing, etc. Not sure, but it sounded like the PC got their money’s worth in terms of time. Actually, it wasn’t funded by the PC, but mostly by the volunteers who are now back in the states. We were seated right in the middle above the tunnel into the stadium, sitting on plastic patio chairs, while all the others were sitting on cement benches, like the stadium at Occidental. We sat next to the “man in charge” and there was NO question as to who that was. George is his name, and every once in a while, he would hiss (a way to get someone’s attention) or yell out, and people knew when he wanted something. He controlled who was on the microphone, whether or not a player who got a red card stayed in or left the stadium, who sat where, took us (all of us) down on the field before the championship game and had Wayne kick the ball between the teams ceremoniously—in other words controlled everything. The other picture is of the championship team—obviously purple and gold—thus dubbed “the Togolese Kingsmen.” I had a new shirt on, purple and gold, which Cate and Wayne had made for me here. Before the final game, when we were shaking the hands of all the players, I brought attention to the fact that I had their colors on, and they responded well. Then, after they won, I wanted my picture taken with them, and thus... the picture. Fun day at the stadium. Can’t wait for you to see the pictures of the field. Not quite like Staples, Erik. Part dirt, part grass, part very long weeds. They were great athletes and seemed to be well coached, and it is the only sport I have seen anyone playing. The kids use anything for a ball, as any real ball wouldn’t last more than a few minutes/hours here due to the rocks everywhere they can play (read... the street... but don’t get YOUR picture of a street).

We also met with a tailor yesterday, at C & W’s home, who is making some dresses, or whatever, for Julianna, and a shirt for Dustin. He was quite professional and obviously had fun with Julianna and Cate. Drawing pictures, translating not very common words, etc. While we were doing that, Wayne was meeting with a man who is trying to develop a solar panel business. Both Cate and Wayne are dealing with the small business area now, and this man had received an invitation to a special conference in New York, and was quite excited to go. They said that they would pay him, and another to go, but wanted Wayne to check out, through websites, etc to see if he could tell if it’s legit. What Wayne was able to determine was that it was VERY likely a scam, where they required them to send in some of the money as a downpayment, and then they’d pay the rest. Probably not so. After their money would come in, that would probably be the end of it. Too bad. I guess that is everywhere. We also met a man and his daughter. He has been waiting for us to come, particularly to see how D and J could maybe help his daughter get to the US and get into a school like UW. That is certainly a big deal here, and they love to have/know a Yovo, so we get noticed. We have only seen 5 other yovo’s here, and two of them were other PC volunteers. It’s interesting to be the minority, but no where near the same as being a lower class, lower income, not respected, held down, minority. We are definitely help UP, not down. We feel very safe walking down the street, day or night, here. Know that we won’t be accosted, etc. We say bonjour as we go, and literally everyone responds with a like greeting. VERY friendly.

Just had an interruption here, as we went out to watch Akpene, the domestique, “do” the chickens that she brought today. Two skinny little chickens that she brought in a cement bag, We took some pictures, and watched her cut their necks, bleed them, take feathers out, and she will cook them for us today. Cate says that there isn’t much meat on them, and they are expensive, and they don’t do this very often, but it is special for us. Breakfast is ready, and then a French lesson, so good-bye for now. Love you all.