Beggars: The Silly & The Serious

Seeing beggars is an everyday part of our life here.  It's one of the things that took a lot of getting used to.  Well, maybe it is better to say it is one of the things we will never get used to.

We typically do not give beggars money (for several reasons, one of which I will explain later), but try to keep some food in the truck to hand out to them.

This morning, while we were out running errands, Mr. Sojourner gave a handicap beggar money and afterwards this conversation insued between him and Little:

Little: Daddy, why did you give that man money?
Mr.: Because he only had one arm.
Little: Will he buy another arm with the money?

It is amazing how litteral of a thinker Little is (or any kid at her age for that matter).  Leave it to Little to lighten up a serious issue. :)

Handicap beggar.  Picture credits.

"Tomato Can Boys."  Picture Credits.

While looking up some pictures to share I came across this really great (in the informative sense) article about Tomato Can Boys and I thought it does a good job of giving the truth, seriousness, and sadness of it.  If you get a chance please check it out.  The article shares the reason behind why we don't give these boys money, but instead give them food they can eat right away like bread, bananas, etc.

Kind regards,

Funny Signs & T-shirts

Often as we are going about our normal life here in Africa we come across funny signs or people wearing shirts with English writing that have no idea what it says- which often makes it extra comical.  Usually we don't have our camera handy.  (Like the time we saw a skinny teenage boy wearing a 2X pastel pink shirt that said "I'm too sexy to be 80.")  I hope to try and have my camera handy more often and share a few of these comical signs and t-shirts with you.  This weekend this one gave us a little chuckle:

He looks like part of a fun family with that smile, huh?

Which way is home?

You know you have absolutely, positively, no sense of direction when you are trying to make your way home in a taxi (which consequently is falling apart, so you are hoping it stays together long enough to get home) and things look familiar, but you still have no idea which direction home is.  Then, your four year old (who got her father's sense of direction; thank goodness!) tells you, "Mommy, we just passed it!"

You tell the taxi driver to stop.  You get out and you're still, for the most part, lost.  You ask your four year old which direction home is.  She points and leads you.  She takes you the several blocks delivering you directly to your gate.

When you get home you write a blog about it so the whole world knows your shame: a four year old is smarter then you.

A really cute four year old, though.

Needs a map and compass,

A Money Mystery

This morning I found a check book with a check written to "Munky Tyyer" for $2,000.00. The writing was erased, but still visible. Was it for a frivolous purchase that they decided against? Is it ransom money? Who is Munky Tyyer??? I wonder which Sojourner did this...

Was it Little Sojourner??? I did not find any mango juice on the check so I find it very unlikely...

Was it Middle Sojourner??? She does like to climb like a monkey, so maybe she was in cahoots with "Munky"...

Was it Ms. Sojourner??? If it was she has got some serious splaning to do about her spelling... You would think she was home schooled by someone who couldn't spell! Oh yeah, she was. Me.

Or was it Mr. Sojourner??? That outfit is highly suspicious.

Who do you think the culprit is?