The West Africa Team Meeting, Part 2

I was away from the family for seven days to meet the WAMT and participate it its regular meeting-- this time outside of Dakar, Senegal. I must say, the environment and climate we delightful. Sometimes, it felt like I was on a very nice vacation. Mostly though, it was a priviledge to meet the members of the team. They have been on the front lines for years fighting against hunger, poverty, and the systems of that perpetuate hunger and poverty.

Senegal was a very comfortable place for me. It was mostly dusty and arrid, but I will take the desert conditions over Liberia's humidity anytime. It was remarkable feeling the difference. In the evenings, the air was actually cool and dry-- a sensation I have not felt for eight months.

Enjoy the images. And thanks for paying attention. You would be surprised if you knew how much it matters.

On my way to Senegal. Overlooking Liberia, not far from our home.

My hotel room. The ocean beyond. Climate cool and dry. I could think of worse places to be.

Another view from outside my hotel room, Early morning. Fishermen in the bay.

On the road from the hotel to the retreat center. Horse and carts were everywhere,

On top of a taxi. Notice anything unusual in the baggage net? (Hint: Baaaa! Baaaaa!)

Almost at the retreat center. Typical of the beautiful architecture in Dakar.

There were some great birds on the retreat compound. This, I believe is a Rueppell's glossy starling, but not sure.

This is a red billed hornbill.

During the workshop: Mary Crickmore, Team Leader(Mali), facilitates.

During our supper break: Fishermen on their way home.

Early moring at the retreat center-- enjoying a quiet moment in the dry and cool air.

Most of the Team: representing Mali, Sierra Leone, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Liberia.

The West Africa Ministry team Meeting, Part 1

Hello folks, the Blogger Bot that post pictures acting up, so I will write more and post some more images from Senegal, including the WAMT members, when it calms down. Here are a few I could post.

By the way, for those of you who have asked, there will soon be a link to a place where you can make contributions to our work. Coming soon-- as soon as we get the blogger kinks worked out.

After the workshop, some of us left for Goree' Island. This is the infamous slave house, where so many Africans said goodbye forever to their homeland.

The sign reads, "Here, they embarked on a trip of no return, to a place of eternal suffering." Hundreds of thousands of slaves passed through this door to the US or to death on the trip.

John from Nigeria, and me from the United Staes, at the Door. We have made progress toward reconciliation and justice. But we have a long way to go.

A little shot o' Yers Trooly, on a high point at Goree' Island, overlooking the ocean. I loved the climate. Cool and dry.

Here is an example of the dust storms that come to Senegal. This is our first morning, looking west toward Dakar. It was our only clear day...

...and here is the same view a couple days later after the Sahara dust came.