Here is a Foulani boy who is watching the families herd of cattle. Marlboro has given many of the Foulani herdsmen hats like this one being worn by the boy. [NIKON D2X, AF Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8D, ISO 100, ƒ/5.6, 1/125, Focal Length = 225]
In October last year, I had the rare opportunity to go to West Africa for three weeks. The people of West Africa were so kind and wonderful.
This little girl was startled by the white photographer’s presence in her village of Konadouga, Burkina Faso. She quickly ran away after this photo was taken. (Photo By: Stanley Leary) [NIKON D2X, AF Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8D, ISO 100, Ä/2.8, 1/640, Focal Length = 300]
Earlier the children learn to carry things on their heads. The posture of the people is incredible.
Cesare Bambaro (male Lay Leader) is the lay leader of 1st Baptist Garango. Jay Shafto helps with the translation from Bissa language into English. (Photo by: Stanley Leary) [NIKON D2X, AF Zoom 70-200mm f/2.8D, ISO 400, ƒ/2.8, 1/250, Focal Length = 270]
Since they do not have sugar in their diets like Americans, their teeth are in better condition.
This is the season of weddings. Weddings are one of the highlight events of our time here on earth. Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding, and he used the wedding as a metaphor in his parables.
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
John 3:29
Few people can interrupt whatever I am doing and have my full attention. Each of these people is what I call my closest friend.
You can even know when someone else is interacting with a close friend. The mood changes and you see a glimpse of the joy in their hearts when interacting with their friend.
Jesus talked about what friends will do for one another.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
1 John 3:16
Kimberly Gleason & Will Thompson Wedding
What is so special about friendships that we stop what we are doing and give our full attention to these relationships?
Forgiveness is at the core of friendship. Tom Peters says corporations should reward people for failure because failure means risk; without risk, there can be no success. In Laura Beth Jones’s book, Jesus CEO, she relates a story:
I was once in a self-discovery group where people were not mincing words. One man, sitting very stiffly and quietly, was a candidate for promotion within his organization. His body language was a picture of caution and fear. Finally, a woman gave him this sound advice: “You need to fail a few times. Then you will understand that people will love you even when you are not perfect.”
We have all taken risks with people in the past and have been sorely disappointed by many of them. We found out who wasn’t our friend for sure. Most of us then learned to take fewer risks so we would not feel the pain of disappointment.
God did not rest until he created humanity in the Garden of Eden. He wanted relationships. His artistry created us in his likeness to desire relationships as well.
Kimberly Gleason & Will Thompson Wedding
Reading the Bible, each story centers on the character’s relationship with others and God. God allowed Job to be tested because he knew how strong the association was, to begin with.
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[a] and he was called God’s friend.
James 2:23
The footnote in my Bible for “God’s friend” says, “This designation (see 2Ch 20:7) further describes Abraham’s relationship to God as one of complete acceptance.
It has been said to have a friend; you must be a friend.
