It's that time again, The New Year

I wish you all a very
Happy New Year!


At the beginning of the new year,
tradition is that people burn away the old year, bad memories and evil with effigies. 

Vendors can be found along the streets.
Wow, That one on the left sure seems life like! 

 

 

Guess who's coming to dinner!

 

 

 

We're just waiting for a home and maybe a face!

 

 

This one appears to be quite personal!... Ouch.

 

New Years Eve is filled with antics. 

Traffic is stopped by a rope and the boys come out to beg money for passage..

 Occasionally I have seen girls dressed as clowns.

 

 

 

I notice that the police are more active at these road blocks and the scene below

was common this year.  I think maybe they will be restricting the practice somehow. 

 

A comical though unhappy mix!

 

 

Some more very confused young men!

 

As the New Year approaches the effigies are set ablaze with all manner of fireworks exploding all around the city.  No limits!

 

 

I watched this all from my open windows, six floors up.  It sounded like a war zone and I wondered if a stray rocket would find itself on my kitchen table!

Finally I had to close the windows for all the smoke.

 

 

So ends the year of 2012 as I pray for all my family and friends back home. I pray for the new friends and family in this country

and wisdom and direction for all those laboring towards the

Great Commission where ever you may be at this time.