Bogota vs. Bamako

I started this post last year and forgot about it. Did some updating of pictures so here you go!

Over the past few months people have asked the question “how is Bogota different than Bamako?”. This is a great question- and one that leads to a lot of thoughts and comparisons. I decided that rather than use words, it would be good to make picture comparisons. As you will see some things are very different, while others are quite similar. The pictures to the left are in Bogotá (or surrounding area) and the right in Bamako. Hope you enjoy!.

Landscapes

     

Down my street

Cityscape

Iced treats

 

Theme parks

 

  

Soccer

 

Service trip 2013

One of the joys of a theme of service is not just using our words, but leading our students in action. As a pre-kinder class we visit a nursing home 2 times a year to share a time of singing, coloring and sharing a snack.

I was so excited to see my students embrace this time whole-heartedly. One student’s mother told me she woke up at 4am so excited to visit the grandparents. Another student who has difficulty focusing worked hard to color a picture for his “abuelito”. Plus all the students spent 45 minutes cutting fruit for fruit salad without being crazy or wanting to stop. Their prayers for the grandparents (in English!) were genuine and sweet- asking God to care for them and for them to show God’s love! What a blessing to share this special day with my students.

Cutting fruit for the fruit salad (they all wore masks to catch the sneezes)

Greeting the ‘grandparents’

Singing songs to the ‘grandparents’

Coloring pictures with the grandparents

Christian Character Day

Every year October is a month dedicated to learning about people. The library hosts a contest to see who can read the most biographies. Classes learn about historical figures and many write biographies. And to end the celebration, elementary hosts “Christian Character Day”.

This is a chance for elementary students to dress up as a famous Christian Character. Pre-Kinder and kinder are Bible characters and 1-4th grades are post-Bible characters (missionaries, pastors, people of faith, etc.). Each class has a time to share with parents, then all the students across grade levels join together and share. It is a great time for my students to practice English- plus the love dressing up! Check out the cute pictures:

Many of my girls were Queen Esther

Classroom activity with parents (and grandparents, aunts and uncles)

As close to an all class picture as we could get!

Elementary small groups sharing about their character

That’s about right kiddos  

22 four year olds looking in the same direction=impossible!