Back in the north

Well I've now been back at post over a week, and things are right back as normal, as before I left, except with so much more green, and beautiful rain every few days. It has been wonderful seeing people in village, but the past week has been pretty busy trying to catch up with things, and deal with some issues I found out about coming back, which I'll detail in the next post.
This time of year is really lovely, and I wish all of you could be here to see it. Its full on farming season, and half of my demonstration field was plowed yesterday with cows so that I can plant soy, if I can find someone else to do it with me!, this next week. I will also be replacing the trees in the demo field that died at the end of the dry season, and I'm excited about that.

We're getting ready now for a celebration on Tuesday for the tree nursery that my Foulbe Ladde started this year, and I'm a little nervous about it. I'm less nervous about it getting back now, and visiting it and seeing that it is fine (so far), but for the past month I've had nightmares that a goat or cow would get in and ruin all the trees right before all the officials come. And its still not too late for that to happen! I would love your prayers about this event for certain things in particular:
1) that the officials we invited would come; we invited maybe 10 different people, mayors, government people, ngos such as WWF and APESS (livestock), and most people were interested but that doesnt mean that they will actually show up. I'm praying that they will show up because that will give such an honor to the village, and the men who have worked so hard for this
2) that the village will prepare well enough for the celebration! It's up to them to buy sodas for the officials, and they say the women will prepare milk and dakare *(a sort of cooked grain meal, that is crumbly, that you put into yoghurt. It's really good and the two together become more a full meal), and rice. That they will have enough mats out and chairs for people to sit down. I worry about all the officials coming will show up and feel like there's not enough for them, that they're not well enough taken care of.
3) that the other foulbe ladde chiefs and family members from neighboring villages would come as well and see the nursery, because I really believe it's by spreading the work themselves, that we can have a big affect on tree planting in this region
4) that everyone will enjoy themselves, have fun, that the officials will really appreciate what the nursery men and village have done, and that this year, this event will be a stepping stone forward to a bigger pepiniere next year, alternative income, support from officials in other areas (wells for the village, education), and the integration of tree planting as an activity for this culture
5) that I also will enjoy myself, not be too worried about things, and not be too worried about if I have to speak in front of people in Fulfulde

Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers in this direction and I will certainly post photos and descriptions of the event afterwards!