African Adventure 6

12-26-07 The Day I go to my Village, Sala!

After assuring my packing was done, I went to the Peace Corps Bureau and there in the lobby was Bintou smiling and chatting with Pierre, another language teacher. Idrissa, a PC transporter told me he was set to drive Bintou, me and my stuff, whenever I was ready. After a couple errands, drawing francs from la Poste, getting two royal blue plastic chairs from the corner boutique, and retrieving the last of my things from the Transit House, we were on our way south. The SUV was crammed, ie my foam mattress, my bike, and all the baggage, lipico and small table. I mentioned my propane tank before we were very far down the road, which resulted in stops in three places to complete the purchase. Turns out you have to have a used tank to trade in, when you want to buy one full of gas. Also I needed the connectors, so I could hook it all up to my gas stove top. I was happy to know I would be cooking soon.

We drove two hours south of the capitol to Sabou and stopped at a restaurant, “Zood Neere”, of a friend of Bintou's for a meal of spaghetti, barbecued chicken, and French bread with drinks. He wouldn't accept payment for the meal. Bintou referred to him as her brother, Lassane', because he lived with her family part of his youth. He was now a successful businessman, and had started several schools for educating local youth, improving lives where he could. Nearby were some interesting monkeys tied under trees. (See pictures.)

At Sala, we met the major's son, Zachariah, who showed us the path to Minata's house, my host land lady. Minata has 3 grown children, and 2 children at home, plus some grandchildren staying. She was very welcoming and happy to meet us. The infirmier (RN) Gansonre joined us presently, meanwhile many children were gathered out front, watching the unfolding activity. Everyone helped unload the SUV. My cute little place had a twin metal bed frame, and that was it! But for that I was thankful. Zachariah and Gansonre set about skinning 4 poles to make the bedposts latched on with rubber straps for the mosquito net. Then they put my tank and gas stove together. Voila!

My half of the duplex stucco house has a large room with a corner enclosed douche (shower) and a small adjoining room that was somewhat cooler, so I requested that the bed go in there under the window. The big room has three windows on the outside walls, so that a breeze comes through. The front porch/patio is cement and has a waist high wall surrounding it. (See picture.) We sat there afterwards talking to Abdulaye, Minata's 13 year old son, who speaks French, and is learning English from the PCV Garrett, in his school. He showed me to the boutique in Sala, and after Bintou borrowed a lantern from Minata, we played Crazy 8's until bedtime.

The next morning we texted Gansonre, who called back, saying he and the major (the head of the health clinic) were coming over in an hour. I showered and was showing Bintou my curtain material when we heard the car arrive. I ran into the bedroom to finish combing my hair. The major and RN had entered and Minata brought more chairs, soon we were meeting. Other visitors came by. The major says he likes either name, El Hadj (meaning he's been to Mecca). He sent someone over to see if we could meet the chief of the village, Ouedraogo, Adama. We all four walked across the field to some trees near the chef's compound, where benches were lined up for us. We waited a bit for him. I learned that he had accepted his position as cultural leader and chef, after his father died. When the chef (naaba) came he welcomed me and I recited my prepared statement to him. I was grateful that JZ had suggested I prepare it for meeting the chef. The chef assured me he was ready to aid me in any way possible. People came by to greet us.

In the afternoon the major drove Bintou and I to the next village Thyou, 2K away to their boutique and we were able to get many staples, foods and other items for setting up my home. The shopkeeper, Adama, was helpful as we made our purchases.(See picture.)

After I inquired about the location of the Catholic church, the major drove us to a huge hangar in a field, next to a place where the foundation for a new church had been poured. A Mass had just begun at that time and a woman came forward welcoming us to join as she led me to the front benches. Bintou and the major sat in the back area through the rest of the Mass. The priest greeted me warmly, as did some of the other parishioners. An older gentleman approached graciously as the major came and greeted him and the priest. Later Bintou remarked how much she respected the major for waiting while mass was on. She said that showed a respect and tolerance for other religions.

12-28-07

On Friday after we got ready for the day, we called about a ride to the Thyou marche' (market) and the major sent his son, Zachi' to drive us. He dropped us off for an hour to wander around the huge marche'. One hour because the major takes elder men to the mosque on Fridays by noon. I loaded up on plastics, a bucket, bowls, cups, and plates etc. We also found some vegetables. When we returned home, I took a nap while Bintou made us Riz Gras. A neighbor boy went to the local garden after tomatoes for us. I rode to the Sala boutique for tomato sauce. There I spoke to Kadre' (he was next door at the restaurant) about needing a tutor. After my nap we ate delicious Riz Gras. I studied several French lessons while Bintou napped. Then Bintou helped me correct my lesson.

We had planned that in the later afternoon Minata would show us to the garden. She was already there working, so Abdoulaye led me there. He and I rode our bikes, while Bintou and his friend walked. We went far on a rough path when we came to the barrage, a sort of lake. We walked past rows of tomatoes and squash before coming to where a man was working. After exchanging greetings, he showed me egg plants, and I bought 6 and then he gave me 6 more. On the return trip we saw two huge camion (trucks) pass by, loaded with wood poles headed for Ouaga for cooking fires.

I passed out candy (bonbons) to the children and mothers in the courtyard. They numbered in the dozens. In the evening we played cards, and Bintou showed me a game called “Witchcraft”. Pretty soon there was a knock at the door and there was Gansonre and Simpore', the education inspector to talk to me about my need for a tutor. It was a long conversation. He offered to find one who can attend meetings with me and tutor in conversation and pronunciation daily, etc. We made plans for visiting the CSPS clinic in the morning to meet everyone. I feel somewhat frustrated at the communication gap, and I'm sure the RN is impatient with it. Bintou asked them to speak slowly and be patient with me. We agreed to write things down and Gansonre agreed to help me. He wants Bintou to stay one month.

12-29-07

After a power bar breakfast, I was doing my exercises when Garrett (my closest PCV) knocked on the door. He was so welcome, and Bintou invited him to go with us to tour the clinic where I will be hanging out to learn the medical protocol here in Sala. We walked across a field to CSPS (clinic) and found the nurse dressing a small girl's leg wound, after which her father rode her back home on his bike. Gansonre, the nurse, gave us a tour of the clinic and the Maternite' in a separate building and the pharmacy, which has 60 drugs on hand. In this culture that is a lot. Gansonre mentioned the great need for sensibilization on health issues with the community, ie. immunization, malaria, and family planning. Those are things PC has trained us on doing. He told us that a woman delivered a baby last night in the Maternite' and there is another in labor now. We noted that the rooms for labor, delivery and recovery are pretty simple, without amenities.

We walked back to my house for lunch, and Garrett and I visited about my village and his, Thyou. He is in the secondary school there, teaching classes in mathematics and English. He said the education inspector advised him to use more English than French in his class to challenge the students more. Expectations of students are very high in this culture.

After an afternoon lesson of French pronouns, Bintou and I were invited to a welcoming and traditional dinner with the chef, the major, his elder brother, Gansonre, and other fonctionaires at the local Buvette, where they hold social functions. The meal consisted of cous cous and sauce, chicken and drinks. The major left at sundown for prayer, and Gansonre got called for the delivery at Maternite'. We hung out for a while chatting with those left.

12-30-07

Today I will remember as my first faux pas. We had some leftover rice that was going bad, so I threw it outside in the field for the chickens. Minata was hollering at me “Give it to the children!” Bintou added that one can't insult the children by feeding the chickens. Minata took the pan and scooped handfuls and gave to each child watching. She told me if it is on the ground the children will pick it up and eat it. She softened that by saying “The previous PCV did the same thing.” But I started worrying that the children would get sick, which to my knowledge did not occur.

The major transported me to church that Sunday morning and I was directed up front to a bench and between some older gentlemen. The outside hangar where this congregation gathers makes a strong first impression. The children were sitting on pole benches in front of us and facing the left side of the altar. The mass was done in the local Moore' language, the priest had written his sermon in Moore' as well. The vestments, chalices and holy books were removed from a nearby trunk. The lay minister had an active role in the service as did his wife, a lead vocalist together with the choral director, who led two choral groups from the right front of the church. Young men were drumming on their instruments accompanying the singing.

Near the end of mass, the lay minister was speaking to the people in Moore' when I heard “Nasaara” (white person). He was welcoming me to the church community. Soon he called the tall, handsome choral director up front to repeat the words in French for me. After which he asked if I wanted to say something and I expressed my thanks and that my language is pretty limited. I asked him to share with the people that I am here with the Peace Corps and hope to work with and for the people here. They heard him translate that to Moore' and applauded. I think I was turning a little pink by then. After mass many people warmly greeted me. I asked the choral director if he would write down what he said so I could share it with my French teacher, Bintou. As he was doing that I told him of my need for a French and Moore' tutor. He told me that he is a language teacher for both, so I asked him to consider it. He told me his name, Kiemtore', Georges.

When the major came back to pick me up from church, he said he knew Georges and that he is a good man. I was so excited about the prospect of finding a language teacher, that it felt like a gift from God. I came home to share my find with Bintou, who said Gansonre is also working on this. And she was wondering how this would all go.

In the afternoon Bintou started making Riz Gras again for dinner that evening as we had invited a number of people over. Garrett brought local made French bread from his village and he and I went down to the barrage gardens to get tomatoes for the sauce. About this time, Gerard stopped by. He is Minata's brother and a carpenter. He measured for my counter top and for my bookcase. Bintou was negotiating with him to make sure I got what I wanted. And he was teasing her about me giving her to him for a second wife. He said to her “the mother of the house can give away her children”. By the time Gerard was done, Gansonre arrived with two men, one was Isodore, PCV Garrett's Moore' teacher and the other was the choral director from church. Isadore said Georges has more time and can teach both French and Moore'. The people present started bartering the price and it went from 2 mil to 1 mil an hour for five days a week. The plan was to start tomorrow, which I then found out is when Bintou is leaving. She was pleased that everything worked out to everyone's satisfaction and my language tutor was selected before her departure.

By 6pm we were all eating the wonderful Riz Gras meal by lamplight. (See pictures.) I had her write me the recipe for later. After the guests left Bintou, Garrett and I reviewed the evening's events and were satisfied. Bintou and I played Crazy 8's and talked about how welcoming the people of Sala are. Bintou said “I would like to live in Sala, especially with the Muslim major being so tolerant of the Catholic religion.

The next morning Gerard came with sketches of the bookcase that he will make for me at the end of the month, as the cupboard is all I can afford for this month. Minata came over to visit at the same time. She was very encouraging, saying she will do everything for me for the asking. She offered her son, Abdulaye to help she and I communicate, as he is taking English in school and already knows French and Moore' (her language). Minata said not to worry about my things when I leave my house as she will watch over me and my things.

Bintou got a message from the Peace Corps to return to the capitol, Ouaga, on the taxi brousse the next day. She made arrangements for Gansonre to take her via his moto to Sabou in the late afternoon. We spent a couple hours shopping at the marche' in Thyou,where we met up with Garrett and he showed us where to get the good local French bread. One of the sellers was Marie, who I had met at the church and she was selling “dolo” made by the church women. The marche has a series of small hangars where the people sit on logs and chat while having “local biere”. It tasted very good, not bitter, and comes from millet that the women pulverize in the mortier (mortar). We enjoyed the local brew with a few others there.

When it was time for Bintou to leave later in the afternoon, we both got a bit teary and said how fun our week together had been. Gansonre showed up and away they went (see picture).

My new French teacher arrived at the same time and we began our lesson. He brought a French primer and the alphabet written out for me. He also articulated sounds for me and drew pictures. By the end of the hour lesson, the daylight had faded and it became difficult for me to see. We lit the kerosene lamp and agreed to switch our time to earlier for visibility. Then I sat outside awhile as the sky filled with stars. The neighbor kids came over and hung out too. Minata brought over rice and to', a staple of the BF diet, made from millet too.

Although I retired early on this New Year's Eve, the video going on full blast in Sala and some activity in Thyou, kept waking me up. Burkinabe' celebrate too on this date, although I only heard one firework!

The next morning I rode my bike to church for the service and greeted many of my new found friends there, the pretre (priest), the catechiste Jean Baptiste, his wife, Marie, and of course the choral director, (and my new language teacher) Georges. On my way back home, I found Garrett's house and paid him a visit. He was working on lesson plans for his class, which resumes Friday after the holiday break. He showed me several carpentry items he had built since he came to Thyou. As I continued my bike ride home, the RN came by on his moto and invited me to his home for dinner. We set a time and he pointed out his maison as the one with the antennae. When Abdulaye and I arrived we were served refreshments, drinks and hors-d'oeuvres, then a salad and the main meal, chicken with rice. We talked about family and work. Naturally I met his wife, Mimouna and little girl, Sheri. Gansonre asked to observe my French lesson. So in fact my teacher had stopped by while I was gone to dinner, but returned later with several friends, and we all went inside for my lesson. The visitors chuckled at my accent. Georges helped with my pronunciation and after a brief time everyone left. We set a time to go to the clinic the following morning.

I got a call from my family and learned about their recent time at the coast for the holiday gathering during a winter storm. The grandchildren enjoyed extended time together, and sharing the new baby in the family, Cash Patrick Landis. Heather recapped her trip to Cancun for Xmas.

02-01-08

After a morning Fr lesson, my tutor and I went to the CSPS village clinic, where the major was seeing patients. We observed briefly, when the nurse told me the midwife was returning tomorrow from her holiday break. In the afternoon I sat outside where the women were conversing in Moore' and the girls were working on each other's hair. They were taking braids out, combing hair in preparation for washing it. They use small bands and long strands of plastic cording to augment their plaits.

Abdulaye's older brother, Madi, was home on a visit and came over after dinner and we all worked on my French. Madi reviewed my written work and we practiced a few sentences together. It was fun. Their uncle Issaka came over for tea and conversation.

The next morning Minata and I walked to the maison behind ours to greet her sister-in-law. We also watched a young man pour clay into brick forms nearby. Youngsters were stacking dried bricks, others were carrying water to the mound where he was making the clay consistency to his liking. Interesting process and everyone helps out.

At my French lesson, I learned from my teacher that his wife and nine month old baby have been sick since Christmas and are staying in Koudougou with relatives for proximity to medical care. The baby has had diarrhea. He said his two daughters are in primary and secondary school and home with him in the next village. He bikes the 40 K to visit the wife and baby on the weekends. I told him that I plan to go there for the internet also on the weekend, but I will get transport from the main road, at Sabou,15 K away.

On Friday when I went to the CSPS in the morning, I copied the Sala map indicating the nine satellite villages also served by this clinic. Mostly the outlying people come in to the clinic, but there is also outreach, where medical staff go to the small villages for vaccinations, etc. Always when I arrive at the clinic the major stops what he is doing to greet me. The nurse showed me the population statistics and other data he collects for the clinic as part of the health ministry for BF. The accoucheuse had returned but was gone to a small village to give prenatal care.

My afternoons are generally at home, market or visiting. This day I joined a group of women outside talking. Salimata engaged me with names of everyone and some Moore' words. It is obvious they want me to know their language. While a number of men speak French, the women only speak Moore', a very tonal language with nasal and rhythmic sounds abounding. Again the neighbor girls were doing hair. Salimata did mine. The African females use extensions in the hair and all kinds of decoration. I have noticed all variations of black, brown and weaves done, plus all designs of rows of braids (some extremely artistic on the head). Like in America there are a few people who sport unusual colors, red, orange, purple extensions too.

After my French lesson this day, I invited my teacher to accompany me to meet the accoucheuse. Part of the deal I made when we hired him, was that he would go to meetings and other things where I could use some help communicating. The RN came with us to her house. Pierrette has magnificent dimples and a ready smile. It is delightful to know there is a female presence amongst the medical staff. Gansonre told me he is beginning to understand my accent, as we spent time articulating some French words.

On Saturday I strapped my overnight bag onto my bike and took off for Sabou, where I would catch a taxi brousse over to Koudougou, the main town in my region. It was quiet as the sun came up and the birds flew around. The landscape is dry ground with deciduous trees in a thin forest. There was an occasional biker, moto or truck on the road, but mostly it was me and the African morning.

The older guy that drove the mini truck across the 40K was careful. I noted the drop off point in town so I could find it in two days for the return trip. I made my way to the mission, got a room and took a nap. I text my friend, Achille and we met for dinner at a conference center. We agreed to meet the next morning for mass at the cathedral in town.

When we arrived at church the first mass was still going, so we waited outside for it to finish. My French teacher exited the church, and came over to chat with us. We discovered that the next mass was in an hour, so Georges invited us to come meet his wife and baby about 1K away from church. It was obvious they had been sick. I noticed the baby had difficulty breathing and had weeping behind the ears, much like my son did as a baby.

After the French mass with singing that was awesome, esp the trilling that women occasionally do during a hymn, we rode over to the Achille's family home to meet them. His father, Maxime is old and has a disease of the nerve and muscle system, which is wasting his body away. His legs are like toothpicks as he lay on the chaise during our visit. We went next door where his older brother's family lives, and visited. Seraphin does silk screening on tee shirts, using the computer to generate the picture, and this is how he advertises his sign company business. Achille works for him. When we returned to Achille's family home, his mother, Cecile had made rice and sauce for us. It was an enjoyable time together, and we planned that Achille would come to Sala in a month and visit me.

I worked on my blog that night and the next morning. At the dining room, I met a French couple who had ferried across from Gibraltar on the Mediterranean, and drove across West Africa (French) on their way to Ghana. They patiently listened to me and my French. They told me Obama won in Iowa, and that they like Hiliary. They were "comme ci, comme ca" about their new president..

Finally I went to the internet to post my blog and head for the return transport home to Sala, a memorable ride to be sure! The young driver hot wired the car for starters, then stopped a short distance out of town I assumed to pick up a passenger (a man with an obvious flat bike tire wanting a lift), but-- no the driver got out, took off the radiator cap, fetched the water can to fill the radiator, threw the cap onto the dash, and away we went, leaving the hitchhiker in the dust. He repeated this exercise a couple more times too. He drove so fast over the washboard road that we were only a big ball of red dust moving along and got there in 30 minutes. I was glad I had my book in my backpack, as it served as a diversion because I couldn't bear to look out the front window. I biked back from Sabou to Sala.

On return from an errand to the boutique in village, I noticed the chef sitting at the cabaret out back of the buvette. I sat and chatted with him a bit, as we drank a beer. He called his son and granddaughter to interpret a time or two, but he speaks a few words of English and a fair amount of French, so it was not bad. A happy, thin man I guess to be 60ish.

09-01-08

This morning I went to the clinic early, and the major had me sit in on a couple consultations. He took blood pressure readings and temperatures of a several people, then spoke to them in Moore' getting their first hand account of the problem, then he wrote out a prescription to be filled by the pharmacist, Adama. The patients return with Rx in hand as their medical practitioner explains how they are to take it. I could understand the Moore' beoogo (morning) windga (afternoon) and zaabre (evening) as he said it, meaning 3x day. The major had me take notes for the schedule of monthly vaccination visits to the satellite villages, where I can ride my bike to the nearer ones four of the days next week.

In the maternite' building was a mother, new baby and her family. Meanwhile at the clinic Gansonre started an IV drip on a little thin boy. He added vitamins and nutrients along with antibiotics to the IV. The child's father cleaned him up when he vomited. The drip takes a couple hours.

I asked to visit the primary school in Sala, and Gansonre accompanied me there to meet the headmaster and the six teachers. One class, a large first grade was sitting outside under a hangar. The teacher has a branch in hand, more as a threat I suppose to control the over sized class just beginning their formal education. Garrett told me later that they are not allowed to do that after the first couple grades. The other outdoor class was the second grade and I was happy to see they use the same French primer I have. As we visited each class, I spoke in my limited way. The class and I practiced “Bonjour classe! Ca va? Bien.” (Good morning, how are you? I am fine.) The director had my neighbor kids raise their hands, so I could pick them out easier. I promised to return in a few weeks with some supplies from America.

That day when my language teacher came, he expressed that he really wants me to learn Moore', which I have resisted until I get better at French. We went over the sentences I wrote, and I read two lessons from my primer. We laughed about my return taxi brousse ride from Kdg, and I told him about the vaccination schedule. He wanted to accompany me, but I told him I couldn't pay for the travel time, and would defer that question to my supervisor, Dr. Claude. He kept saying “Pas de proble'me!” Georges told me he saw the accoucheuse in Kdg, and called her the matron of CSPS. Georges said he hopes to go back to Koudougou in two weeks to bring his family home.

The major was seeing patients the next morning, which is when I typically hang out at the clinic. There was a child on an IV drip, and an older woman came in mentally out of it. The major told me that the malaria (palu) does that to some people. Next he saw a woman who had her face covered with her pagne, because the sunlight hurt her eyes. The major got out a book about medical problems and treatment and confirmed “Lesion Ouverte” (eye) and wrote her a Rx. Next a young girl and her dad followed the major over to the maternite' where the gas run refrigerator is located, to get her a tetanus shot, because her foot injury was caused when she had stepped on something.

In the spirit of continuing to meet the local important people, Gansonre and I walked over and met the Forestry Coordinator, Mohammed and later the permit supervisor, Urbain. When we returned the midwife was doing 2007 stats, and let me know that the baby weighing happens every Thursday. I assured her I would be here tomorrow for that.

On this marche' day, I bought barbecued pork and sat down on a log to make my sandwich with my small leatherman knife to slice the French bread and remove fat from the meat. A crowd started gathering interested in watching me make a sandwich. After this self initiated demo, I got up, sandwich in hand and ate on the move. After a few produce purchases, I found Marie and we went for a calabasse of dolo. In BF the socializing happens all the time, catching up on the news etc, but one of the main social venues is the marche' and the locals gather to chat over the local beer.

After my lesson, Abdulaye came over to play cards until it was dark. When a bat flew in through my front door, he knew immediately what it was. That proved helpful later that night when one flew in through the rafters. I had my screen door to my bedroom open, so in it came. Bats flutter and fly fast. I knew that it had perfect vision in the dark and that I didn't, so I decided to cover up until the bat found it's way back out. It wasn't long and silence reigned. A good reminder to close my bedroom screen door at night.

11-01-08

I spent most of the morning with the accoucheuse Pierrette weighing babies. She sent one baby over to the clinic to be checked by Gansonre, who said the four month old baby has pneumonia. They live 8 K away in the petite village Salo, so the mom would return tomorrow with the money for the prescription. The RN said that is the reality here. There was another child on IV for malaria, all others from yesterday had gone home after their drips finished.

In the afternoon I went home and hemmed my kitchen curtain. Becky text me that I have a lot of mail at the bureau. I am so waiting for batteries, I'm nearly out. Then I heard that they may be removed as an item on the Haz Met security list by Customs.

12-01-08

The major had gone to the district health office, so Gansonre was very busy caring for patients. He was treating two people with malaria in the lobby area where five cots serve as hospital beds. He had several more walk ins. The nurse told me the chef of the village was very sick. Gansonre said he went to his home last night to care for him. He took me with him at noon to go look in on the chef again. He changed his IV, adding a number of meds to it, antibiotics, vitamins, and hydrocortisone. The next day the chef was at the clinic for a booster IV. This is the time of year for the more serious illnesses for everyone.

On Saturday I went to the clinic to see how busy they are on the weekends there. Two people were on IV drips. A family was there with food eating and chatting with their older patient. A small boy returned for a checkup with bumps all over his skin, dermatitis rash from the medicine he received in the IV drip earlier that week perhaps. He checked a woman who was in danger of miscarriage and gave her an injection. Another couple came in for pregnancy test that proved positive. I don't know what that conversation was like, due to my language. It was a busy morning at the clinic.

Soon a group of us from the CSPS went to the home of the treasurer of the COGES (health board) to pay condolences because his wife died Thursday. All the houses/huts had many men sitting together at this important family time. There are typical Moore' words to express sympathy that were said.

In the late afternoon, I sat out front of the boutique in Thyou and chatted with a young nurse, who is from a petite village 7K west of there. He expressed his philosophy of the difficulty the people of Burkina Faso experience rising above poverty. He likened the cycle of the big old tree across the road there, to that of the animals and the people. Everything struggles and the influences are sometimes unseen and unpredictable. Interesting!

That day Abdolaye washed my dirt red bike and the white and turquoise reappeared. Belle velo! I finished my second book, “Looking for Lovedu” by Ann Jones, a gifted witty writer. She describes a road trip across the length and breadth of Africa from Morocco to Capetown.

On Sunday I learned first hand how the congregation at church manages when there is no priest. Church leaders surface and lead the people in prayer, song, readings, the rosary, etc. On my bike ride home from there, I came upon two girls who didn't hear me behind them due to the oncoming transport. I hit the brakes and went down, scraping one knee. That took the wind out of my sails for awhile, but wasn't serious. There is a Moore' greeting “Laafi Bala”, everything is OK, things could always be worse.

That day I decided to map out my compound (quartier) so I could get a handle on where all my neighbors live and organize a way of remembering names and faces. Abdoulaye walked with me in the two big quartiers, each with 8-10 huts/dwellings. There are many children per compound. And we have a rough draft now.

When Chris and Shelly called me that evening, Tabor talked to gramma for a couple minutes on the phone, and “showed me his box” in his hand. I remember this stage in the two year old's life. My sisters phoned the same day, having figured out how to make a phone card work all the way to Africa. What a treat to hear from loved ones!

Vaccination Week 14-01-08 to 20-01-08

Every month a nurse and second person go to the smaller, surrounding villages to give immunizations. I made a dry run to Zao on Monday, because I was confused by the configuration of the African calendar, which leads with Monday. I was met by some friendly local villagers, who said I was 3 days early. We chuckled about that. They took me over to the primary school to meet the staff and children, so the trip was productive. On Wednesday I went to Salo (8K away) with with my French teacher and Gilbert, the nurse for the vaccinations to be given out. It all took place under a big tree near the marche'. The RN commenced TB injections with the pregnant women, and then onto the infant immunizations in the premiere year. I saw the young mom and 4 month old infant with pneumonia I had seen at the clinic last week. The baby was recovering nicely. She had let others know I was coming there.

On this trip we also visited the school, whose headmaster was a friend of Georges. Again I spoke to the classes of students in my own way and promised to return.

On the correct date, I with my language teacher returned to Zao for their vaccination day. The same friendly people found us right away. (See picture.) Soon the major, his head wrapped in his checkered scarf, arrived on his moto, happy to see us there. Then the women started arriving, some pregnant for shots and some with babies for shots. This lasted through late morning and again in the early afternoon. Two local villagers typically help the major with the process. We had lunch at the marche'.

On the return trip home as we neared my village, we heard chanting and dancing. There was a marriage feast going on. We stopped to watch for awhile, and the people are always excited when we show interest in their activities.

On Friday I biked 15K to Dana and another 2K to Dayolo, and repeated the same vaccination program as in the other villages. Gilbert was the RN today set up at a table in the simple marche' there. Again two local villagers helped out. The young woman Delphine liked my Timex watch. I let her know the young man at the station where I charge my cellular phone wants it too, and I told him he has to wait two years.

After an hour we traveled back to Dana where the bigger population is and spent several hours there. Pregnant women, babies all got attention. But some folks were told they were either too early or too late, after their paperwork was checked. The two helpers chatted with me over lunch that day.

Usually in the evening Abdulaye comes over to play cards, and he often trounces me, then laughs wildly. This night after we played awhile, I received a visit from Georges' younger brother who was in town briefly from the seminary where he is in training to become a priest. He lives in Fara now on assignment until he goes to Bobo for two years of theology and philosophy. He also is extremely polite, friendly and handsome. Plus he speaks English, Dutch, Moore' and French well. It is obvious his brother has told him about his new American language student. As Maxime leaves he wishes me “Wend na Kond Nidaare!” God be with you until next time.

On Sunday I was to go to a village Bolo, on an ill-defined dirt path behind the barrage 8K away. I realized that I could easily get lost so I asked locals some questions, but they spoke yet another tribal language and we weren't having any luck. Except to say that one old man was demonstrating his aching back, and I can get the language for arthritis! So I turned around to head back to my house to get Abdulaye for a guide, but about that time a man who did understand sent a 10 year old boy to lead me to Bolo. En route we passed a field of huge boulders that were thousands of years old. Trees grow up out of some of the crevices. (See picture.)

The major had gone to a smaller village beyond Bolo, and soon after I arrived he came motoing in with his checkered scarf and sunglasses on. He carried the cooler of immunization meds and his briefcase with the medical logs too. We set up under a hangar, me sitting in a reed chair the villagers brought, and the major on an antler shaped old section of a tree, shiny from wear, which made a great perch. The people came for an hour or so for injections. After we ate some fried arachide (peanut) dough balls, I asked the major for another guide. An older gentleman was going my way and my speed, so I was pleased to follow him.

That concluded my first week doing the vaccination program.

01-21-08

I went to the maternite' this morning to see if the women who were given prenatal slips at the satellite villages would show up there today for prenatal visits. Sure enough a couple young women from Salo came, including the young mother who had her baby in for pneumonia last week. Now her baby has diarrhea. The grandmother was along too and they wanted me to try their clabbered milk, which tasted like yogurt. I hung out at the prenatal visits a couple hours while the women waited their turn to be seen by the accoucheuse, take their prescription to the pharmacy, and return so the midwife could explain the dosage and schedule for taking Rx, and then they were on their way back home.

It was market day, so I went there to get vegetables, bread and barbecued pork for sandwiches. After several other errands and visiting with friends from church, I headed home. The neighbor kid and I listened to the African Soccer game on the radio and Cote d'Ivoire won 1-0 over Nigeria. It was exciting and even tho the Burkinabe' aren't playing, they have a keen interest in who wins. Many of the men from the village go to Cote d'Ivoire, where there is work.

The next day I straightened my home as I was expecting company, Stephanie S. from Gao. She was riding up to my maison when I was ready to go over to the clinic. We visited a bit, then went to CSPS to renew her friendship with the major, who was so glad to see her. Gansonre and the major started talking about the Meningitis Campaign that was starting Wednesday to Sunday for this disease. They will have three teams to vaccinate. They put me on the Sala team for Wed and Thursday. Midday they had a meeting with all the helpers. After that Stephanie met Garrett at my house and we made lunch, tuna sandwiches and marinated cucumbers. We sat around the house in the afternoon, visiting. At 4pm my tutor came for my lesson, and Stephanie chatted with Georges in Moore'. At 5pm she went down to the roadside to wait for taxi brousse, which didn't come for several more hours. After my lesson, we joined Stephanie as she waited for her ride. We talked about her trip home for the holidays and Marcos's Early Termination,because his gramma is ill.

Stephanie, who is a second year PCV suggested that I let the COGES know what I want and to keep trying French with them and to have them write things down. She noted that understanding will come as I am practiced with using the proper words to convey my intent to my listener.

We finished the day off with listening to a soccer game between Egypt and Cameroon. played cards and it was so hard for Abdulaye to loose. He can give the evil eye to me, then we laugh.

01-23-08

The Meningitis Campaign starts this day, and when I arrived at CSPS in village, they were set up under the big tree in front. The major, the accoucheuse, two women marking the tally and opening the needle pkgs, two men for crowd control, plus there was the primary teachers with their classes in lines. Both lines were almost out to the street. (See pictures.) I sat down to help record, but soon decided I would rather help at the front of the lines with securing arms and sleeves, etc. The target population was ages two to thirty, so we questioned ages and pregnancy of people. Some folks had their WHO health cards, which would show us their ages. The major and accoucheuse mixed the 3 strand meningitis vaccine with sterile water and then gave a quick shot per person. This assembly line worked well. National officials came by during the day briefly to check the status of the campaign.

One of the nurses returned from a small village where he gave the meningitis vaccinations. He was making a chart to outline the day's data. I shared with him that when I read the meningitis information brochure, I comprehended most of it, but when he talked to all of us helping the day before, I did not understand. So written French is a good option for me at this time. I only had a short list of medical vocabulary words to look up. By early afternoon (2pm) the first campaign day was over and it was satisfying to think of how many people would be protected from the disease that had taken three local lives last year.

01-24-08

My propane tank is empty! So Minata boiled my coffee water on her open fire in her cuisine. I wore my athletic shoes for my foot comfort today. When I got to the clinic at 8am they were already starting the meningitis vaccinations with the few people in line, but they kept streaming in steadily, many from the next village Thyou. I talked with the major about my propane, and he said “Pas de probleme!” and sent his son later that day to pick up my tank, drive the moto to Sabou and get me a full one. All of those were things I would be hard pressed to do on my own.

When I went to the marche' in the afternoon, I found people from my church there, Marie and her husband Basile, who will come to my house tomorrow for a visit, my French teacher who was talking to his brother, Cyrille, and Gerard, my carpenter, who gave me an update on my bookshelf. Many people inquired about the meningitis vaccinations, as info travels amazingly fast by word of mouth in village. We moved to another dolo place, and there Georges introduced me to his father, Harry. I told him what a great language teacher his son is, and his broad smile told me he was proud.

After my French lesson that afternoon, we played cards with Abdulaye, and he won today!

01-25-08

This morning I decided to French braid my hair after my bath. I know it will take practice, so why not begin? I called the bureau to have my mail and prescriptions brought when Dr. Jean Luc comes for the medical visit next Monday. I talked with the country director who asked me how things were going at site and did I like it. She observed that if I am helping with vaccinations then I am doing well. Marily's term is over next month, so I thanked her for her help behind the scenes with my placement in Burkina Faso, which I know she had a hand in.

When I showed up at the CSPS,the major was seeing a few patients, and said I could watch. He said he was happy to look through the National Geographic with the stories on open heart surgery, even though it wasn't in French. One old crippled woman arrived on the back of the bicycle of her two grandchildren. She had a bad cough and the major wanted her to come to the injection room for an antibiotic shot. I took her hand and guided her into the room. She walked on two very distorted legs. That made her seem very short, about to my waist. She exited the same way.

There was young man about 30 sitting in the waiting room with his hand swollen twice its normal size, and he was in severe pain. The two puncture wounds in his thumb suggested to me something had penetrated it. The major said “No, It is Panaris, infection du ponce.” He put on sterile gloves and injected lidocaine into the thumb area, as the man moaned in agony. The injection fluid oozed out of the punctures, and then the major took a razor and cut between the two points, splaying the thumb. He put the ruby benodine on gauze to dress the wound and then wrapped the entire hand. The man got a big shot of antibiotic and some pain pills, before his friend rode him home on a moto.

After my French lesson, we listened to the soccer game on the radio (Cote d' Ivoire-4, Togo-1) and ate sandwiches. Georges asked for an advance for his Koudougou trip to see his wife and baby on the weekend. Abdulaye and I played his card game twice and I went to bed early as my knee hurt, and besides tomorrow my friend Achille comes and I want to be rested.

I did my knee exercises in the morning to strengthen them. Achille texted me that he was en route, but he didn't arrive until afternoon because his motobike broke down and he got parts at the ville on the way. Then he texted again when he got to Sala, and I went to meet him at the boutique, a point of reference in all the small villages. He was happy to have arrived after his 40K trip from Koudougou, evidenced by his smiling face. We went to my place, and I introduced him to everyone, before we went on a tour of the barrage and gardens, with Abdulaye as our guide. He hung out with us all day. We visited a lower area of the reservoire filled with crocodiles and birds, before getting to the far side and Minata's garden. There were many crates of bright red tomatoes harvested for transport to Cote d'Ivoire. (See pictures.)

I took Achille to the clinic to meet the major and Gansonre. The major talked to him about the mosque in KDG next to where Achille works. And he checked out the family name, Nana, for common friends, etc. Gansonre invited us to his home to watch football, Egypt vs Sudan tonight. This soccer competition is a national obsession, esp as it nears the finals.

After practicing the Riz Gras recipe Bintou left me, we had dinner. C'est Bon! We walked to Gansonre's house and there were three of the major's sons there too watching the match, Zacharias, Abdulaye and Saidou, who runs a boutique in Thyou. It was fun, and Egypt won. With no moon out, we walked home in the pitch black darkness. There is a phenomenon about how the Africans see in this blackness, which my western eyes don't come close to. Achille slept in the main room on the lipico, with a pagne and small pillow, which he was fine with. It was so good to spend time with him. His family had asked after me, and were happy for him to visit me. Everyone he met in Sala loved talking to Achille, he is so respectful. He observed that the health job in Africa is very important, and he too wanted a meningitis vaccination if possible.

27-01-08

I rallied around 7am, made coffee and introduced Achille to peanut butter and banana sandwiches for breakfast. We visited the clinic this morning where many people were and also the maternite', where Gansonre was making another village map. He needed green color to highlight the barrages, and I was able to give him crayons from my resource box. After awhile we went home to play “Uno” with four of us. This game works so well here, as there is no language involved, it's all symbols. Since it was marche' day in Thyou, we visited that before Achille filled his moto with gas and headed back to Koudougou.

I found my friends Marie and Basile at the marche'. They are coming for lunch later this week and to play Uno. After I got home and relaxed, the major came by with a man, who is the husband of Mariam, the schoolteacher in Zao. While we visited some, I showed the major my foulard that I bought to cover my head when I go to mosque with him Friday midday. I also got out the Koran I am reading, and the major read the cover which is in Arabic straight away. He inquired about the PC doctor visit I am scheduled for tomorrow in village. I assured him I would bring Dr. Luc to the clinic.

I spoke to my kids in Seattle, with news they were sick this winter and the baby ended up needing oxygen, so they all spent a few days at the Children's Hospital. Jodi says Cash weighs 15 lbs and is in 90% for height. I would be far more lonesome without cell phones and email!

28-01-08

The major sent Adama, the pharmacist to fetch me to watch as another patient with a swollen hand was there for treatment. Gilbert, the RN was redressing the man's wound with benodine and advised him to return in 3 days to remove his stitches. It was exciting that I was invited over.

The driver brought PC Dr. Jean Luc around 10 that morning for my medical site visit and we had tea and sat and chatted while he completed a questionnaire. He asked me questions about my health both physical and mental, about my diet and safety, about available resources, water, latrine, and douche. He inquired about how I liked my placement and how it was going here. He had moved his family here from Cameroon and they too have faced adjustment challenges. When I surfaced the issue about not getting batteries from America, he pondered whether batteries were on a Hazmet list at the customs point. He offered to get some in Ouaga and send them to me by bush taxi.

Soon we went to the CSPS and met with the major. They got along famously. Dr. Luc was very impressed with the pharmacy there, which has over 60 medications on hand, compared to his 12 when he was in Cameroon. Dr. Luc agreed with me that language is an issue, but my major says I will speak it well soon.

Later in the day I had no language lesson, so I invited Zanabou,10, over to read some French from my primer. She is so ripe for learning. Zanabou is a granddaughter to Minata and there is no money to send her to school. Then Abdulaye and I listened to a football game- Ghana 2- Morocco-0.

29-01-08

The clinic was slow this morning, so I walked across the dirt road out front to the boutique for a couple things. Then I visited the two ladies who sell food in little places on the opposite side of the road. La femme let me taste “kor” (potatoe), I liked it, so got one, added oil and salt. It was tasty. Next to her the other woman was preparing vegetables and meat in a broth over the open fire in a big round kettle.

When I returned to my house to study, Garrett came over and we enjoyed some stories his students had written. One was titled “Who killed the teacher?” and the other was “Who stole the chef's crown?” They were witty and fun. I can tell his class enjoys his teaching style and ideas for them. Garrett says he will go to Ouaga next Monday so he took my language bills to turn in, plus he will get my boxes. that came in the mail. Angie called me in the afternoon and we talked about lots of things, Cash being in the hospital a few days with his parents by his side, the boxes Lorraine and Sally are getting ready, my diet, esp protein, and I had received a small check from consignment furniture store.

Today I started reading “Kite Runner”. Later in the afternoon my language teacher Georges arrived and we studied French and Moore'. As I boiled cabbage, carrots, onions and potatoe with a little Lipton's soup mix, we also listened to the football game, Nigeria-2 , Benin-0. Abdulaye came over and ate too, then we three played a very long game of Uno.

30-01-08

My upset stomach of two days showed itself, I ran out to the latrine. When I got to the clinic this morning it was not very busy. However the major El Hadj was treating my neighbor, Issaka, who was home from Cote d'Ivoire, for palu and he was on an IV. I was so surprised by that, esp since he was back home noon and looking fine. When I was chatting with the major he told me that the fruit at the marche' goes very quickly in the morning. That sure explains why by the time I usually go it is afternoon and there is no fruit I visited with Gansonre who was still busy doing statistics for his upcoming meeting at the district

That afternoon when I got to the marche', Marie found me and took me around to buy bread, potatoe and lettuce and pork. Because the pork was sold out at the churches booth, I looked for another source, which wasn't as good, but at least we could make a sandwich for lunch. We wandered over to the churches dolo bar and Mary, Jean Baptiste's wife, bought me local beer. Georges was there and soon a vendor selling guinea birds was convincing him he needed two of them. They are stiff and skinned, ready to cook.

I had my French lesson in the late afternoon and fried the guinea bird after George cut it up. I made Alfredo pasta to go with the bird. Again we played Uno with Abdulaye. He is getting so good at the game, he is starting to cheat. We all laugh a lot together. I paid Georges 20 mil for my first month of lessons.

31-01-08

On this day when I got to the CSPS the accoucheuse was gone to KDG, so no baby weighing today. The major was consulting with a woman who had a temperature and a cough. He listened to her lungs and treated her for pneumonia. Gilbert, an assistant prepared the IV drip, setting aside his perusal of the newsheet I suspect regarding the soccer games. More women tried to talk with me and it makes it clear there is a place for me here, if only I could speak Moore'..

I prepared some food ahead of time for my company today, Basile and Marie, who are coming for lunch and to play Uno. They arrived around 1:30pm and then I discovered Basile has a sister, Sampoko, in my quartier. Basile and I read my French primer for a bit, as he is encouraging my learning of the language. Then I finished preparing the tomato sandwiches and we ate lunch. As we waited for their friend and mine, Georges to arrive, Abdulaye came from next door to play his card game with us. Soon I heard a moto pull up and there was Georges and his brother, Maxime, who entered with apologies for lateness. Maxime was home from seminary for a brief family visit.

The six of us started playing Uno, which lasted for two hours and they all loved it. Basile became savvy enough to try to sneak a peak at my hand and we all had a big laugh over that. This Uno game works well here because it is all symbols and no language.

At 4pm and after the guests departed my French lesson happened as usual. I turned in early that night after getting things together for a weekend in Koudougou at the mission and to visit the internet.