The "Haves" And The "Have Nots"

Take a walk with me through a village in Burkina Faso; a small country located inland near the western coast of Africa. This particular village lacked a simple well to provide fresh water for the basic daily needs of drinking, washing, and the irrigation of crops to grow food.

The Helen Keller Foundation gifted this village with a well and a film crew travelled from Massachusetts to Faso to document village life. I have been privileged to be a recipient of some of the photos from that journey and found the pictures fascinating enough to share with you.

I hope you will enjoy this pictorial journey just as much as I did; and as you look though this photo journal realize just how much you have materialistically and give thanks for what you have access to.

There are millions and millions who wake each day into a world extremely simple, sparse, and bleak. Life has never been easy for many of our fellow human beings. Before you leave the planet, please give tremendous consideration to helping someone live a more harmonious life. Even if all you can do is to make someone smile; it is a moment of harmony they would not have had prior to that day. Be generous of heart enough to create more joy and harmony in the world. When you do, all of us will benefit.

Enjoy the journey to Burkina Faso and afterwards, think about what you can do to make life a little better for another. You don't have to travel half way around the world, you can start in your own town, your own neighborhood, your own household... but try.

The photos are extensive, therefore I am presenting them in three segments: Villagers, Village Life, and City Life. Enjoy!!!

A gathering of Women

Mothers and their Children

Isn't he beautiful?

An Elder.... Note the Tatoo on her face

Another mother and child

I love the brilliant colors!

I wish these fabrics were readily available here the U.S.

It's amazing how these women transport their young

This might be the only dress this young lady owns....

More beautiful, colorful fabric wrapped around the little one!

I am envious of these wonderfully high cheekbones!

Another little one...

More tribal marks on the face....

You can see this little one likes to 'study' whatever is in front of her......

Beautiful face in black and white

Father and Sons........

Mother and children

Making music!

Feeding the Baby......

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Defiant pride and beauty!

More village children.......

If you look at the eyes of these children, they all look "old", older than their years. You can see that life is not carefree and easy for them. It never has been. You can see the "struggle" upon their faces.

Now we step into Village Life. Enjoy!!

Time for School

Crops Are Growing......

Village Cattle

Here is the Well that was so badly needed in this Village.

These students are blind. Not only do they play instruments, they also play soccer!

Typical Housing

More Housing

Sharing the food

Water is scarce in this village. So scarce that it must be measured out for the most simple of tasks.

The next time you turn on your faucet and water flows freely for as long as you desire, give a moment of Thanks for such a luxury. Many around the world do not share your wealth.......

Another classroom scene

More affluent visitors from a nearby town

A Termite Mound..... Something I can do without!

Here is another example of housing in Burkina Faso

The long, dry, road into Town

This next and final segment of photos will show scenes of City Life.

Here is the original mode of travel in Africa; still being used as you can see

Here is the second most popular mode of travel.

I remember the old donkey cart from Egyptian days......

Here is a more affluent means of travel........

It is truly amazing how these people manage to balance so much on their bodies...

Street Vendors trying to make a days' living

A local restaurant

Sidewalks are covered in dusty dirt. It doesn't rain often in most parts of Africa.

These men are dressed for walking on the desert for long periods of time.

This merchant makes his daily money selling water to passerbyes....

In closing, I would like to thank Jazmine Donaldson for these photographs. Jaz travelled to Burkina Faso as a member of the film crew documenting life in this village. And another Thank You to Jaz's father, Bobby who thought I would be interested in seeing these pictures and sharing them with me! I hope you have enjoyed the journey, and again; please seriously consider doing a tiny bit more to brighten the world where you live. Goodness knows, we certainly need it!!