It's hot! / Monday, Nov. 17

Very nice and cool this morning but quite hot (97 degrees) by late morning. Today we visited Codhani, a Goodwill-type organization that employs handicapped people to do handmade textile work. No "re-treads" like Goodwill though. These people are truly artists who create linens and other material the traditional way -- by hand. The designs are beautiful and unique. Joy bought several yards of material for a shirt and bag for us and for other gifts to take home. Tomorrow a tailor will come by the house to measure for my shirt. Afterwards we stopped by an ironworks artisan who is making wrought iron curtain rods for B and A. His name is Nestor and Brett has developed a strong relationship with him.
Internet is still down so we can't email our family and friends. I uploaded pictures from my camera to Brett's laptop while everyone else napped.
Dinner: April fixed nachos -- most of it from scratch. She has become quite a cook! After the kids went to to bed we map out plans for the rest of our trip -- several visits to villages for Brett and me . Tomorrow we go to the market.
Impressions
* Joy has found the poverty and living conditions to be much worse than she expected; however, I have seen about what I expected -- just more extensive than I imagined.
* Many Togolese dress very nicely despite their apparent poverty. Vehicles and homes are ramshackle at best. Yet they strive for cleanliness (Brett says they bathe regularly despite crude facilities) and decent attire. Western influence is evident. A trip down any road will reveal Togolese in both traditional tribal clothes or odd combinations of Western-style attire.
Did I mention it is hot?!! I've worked up quite a sweat writing in my journal. I look forward to a cool morning again tomorrow.
Good night.

This tapestry was created at Codani. It represents the idea that the weight of Africa is carried on the backs of the women.

Both of these men create works of art even though they are blind.

The material for my shirt was made at Codhani.

Rarely do houses have glass windows or screens.