African transport

So, Emily and I got adventurous last week preparing for her parents arrival. We decided to go to Louis’ house the way she goes back and forth to ours. (Louis is our house helper.) Now, Louis takes three different kinds of transportation to get from her house to ours and three kinds to get back.

The first is a Woro-Woro or a set route taxi. It is about 200cfa or 40 cents to get it at her house and take it to the next mode of transport a bateaubus or a boat taxi for 150cfa about 25-30 cents. This takes us across the lagoon from the other side of the downtown area to our little island.

Then another Woro-Woro (100 cfa, 15 cents) to our neighborhood, where she gets out and walks about 30 minutes to our home, or sometimes a red taxi (more expensive at over a dollar) all they way to the house, works all day then repeats the trip in reverse.

It's a two hour round trip.

Wednesday, we braved the bad weather to go with her. It didn’t start really raining until we got to the other side of downtown. And then it poured. We were soaked by the time we got to her tiny house. The road in front was already bad, but the day before the rain washed it away even more.

We visited with her kids, her sister and her sister’s kids, all who live in a tiny two room apartment. That’s not two bedrooms, it’s just two rooms.

As the rain poured outside we sat crowded together talking about life and God. It was a great time and even though they are so cramped they are all full of joy and happiness. If only we could all be so content in life.