Saturday, May 3, 2014

May Day

One thing that abounds in Togo is holidays!  It can be quite humorous the frequency of holidays.  And then, at any time the government can just up and deicide, "Tomorrow is going to be a national holiday!".  So then businesses and schools all close at the drop of a hat.   This last Thursday though was a regular annual holiday, May 1st, or May Day.  It is very much like our Labor Day and celebrates different occupations and businesses. 

Part of the festivities included a village parade and a meal that each business provides for their employees.  Now when I say parade, don't think "American" parade.  The parade here consisted of groups of people walking together with their co-workers, a few cars and a small band.  There were no floats, no clowns, no horses and no candy throwing!  Although, there was a lady carrying a large plant on her head!

The kids were very excited to go, so we took a short break from school and drove to Adeta, the next largest village.
 One of the other missionaries let us borrow her car so we were able to drive to Adeta.
 Main Street in Adeta. 
 The kids waiting for the "big" parade to start.  They were so excited!
 Here it comes!!! 
 This is the group of teachers from the girls' school in Tsiko.  All the teachers were so funny when they saw the girls on the side of the road.  They were all waving at us and calling the girls' names.  I think they were as excited to see us as we were to see them in the parade!
 Some of the other groups of workers were the local seamstresses and tailors, the rice farm workers, and the bank workers.
 And of course, the taxi drivers where there in full force.  Some were in their taxi cars ....
 ...and some were on their taxi motos.
 

 Then came the hospital employees on some of their motos....
 

 and our missionary hospital administrator in her car...
 and the good ole red hospital van that is used for everything from picking visitors up in Lome, to transporting sick patients, to mobile medical clinics...
..and some of the hospital maintenance guys in the shop truck!  Everyone was excited to have something to celebrate!

And these guys were just as happy as could be to be there and wave at everyone we knew who was celebrating May 1st!

No comments:

Post a Comment

My family

My family