African Adventure 14

01 September 08

Travel days are always challenging! I worked on my blog and essay this morning sans coffee. I looked for omelette sandwich on way to PC Bureau, but settled for a meat brouchette and cucumber sandwich. I waited half an hour for one of the three volunteer internet computers, then transferred my writings to blogspot.com and edited them too.

When I returned to the Transit House it was time to go, and Rob helped me tie my bags onto my bike. I had phoned Omar for a taxi ride, but his car is in the shop, so I went to the main street and haled one. When I arrived at the taxi gare for Thyou, the major was there waiting for the ride home too. I learned that the taxi brousse was in shop for repairs so we all waited another 3-4 hours for it to come back. I read my book, walked down the street to find coffee, and waited around. The dump next to the gare had several fires burning in it and the drifting smoke was another good reason to go elsewhere.

Because this was the period of Ramadan, and the driver is Muslim, we stopped for afternoon prayer enroute, with everyone deboarding and most joining in the prayer time. We also had a delay at Nabadogo for a flat tire repair along side the road. It still took us 3 hours to reach Thyou, which is 100K away from Ouaga. Because it was dark out most people were met by someone to help them get home. Georges was there to tie my bags onto my bike assisting me to get home. Madi was at home when I got there, waiting to go to bed, as he has been staying on my lipicot since his father came for a visit and is using his room. I ate a sandwich for supper and retired by 11pm after a long day!

02 September 08

Many people were gathered outside when I got up, and some came in for coffee. Mostly my neighbors and Minata, who was fasting during Ramadan, which means no food or drink during daylight. We looked at the Moringa trees, including some new ones that are sprouting up. Looks good!

Enroute to CSPS a moto approached me and to my surprise it was Kimtore' brothers coming to tell me they may go to Nabadogo today to visit their sister Martine and family. CSPS was not very busy, one woman on a IV drip. When the major arrived on moto we chatted a bit and then I noticed Salamata going to the well next to clinic with her daughters. I greeted her as she returned home on the path east behind the CSPS. The major mentioned that Salamata's husband suffers from dermititis, severe enough he can't work. She runs the restaurant which is their livelihood. I had been wanting to visit her at home, so I biked the same direction, but had no luck finding them. However I did have luck getting fairly lost. I went far enough that the path dropped down to the main road, but I had to traverse puddles and swampy areas to get there. I stopped by Mimouna's benga place for lunch.

In the afternoon I went to the marche' for vegetables and fruits I needed. I met Gerard who showed me where the tailor with the industrial machine was, so I got my leather fanny pack stitched. At dinnertime Sonata brought over rice and aubergine sauce to which I added roasted pork I had brought from marche' and ate my dinner.

The next day I spoke to the major about my plan to ask the chef for permission to have causerie in my quartier about paludisme (malaria) the main health problem identified. I also want to ask to do two VIH sensibilisations in Sala. I will ask Karim to assist me in my efforts.

While at CSPS I visited a young mother whose baby was on IV drip for palu and she had brought the baby bouillie (broth) for nourishment. She offered some to me and it was good. I asked her to show me how to make it. She lives under the rezo tower in Thyou and her father is Boukare', a prominent person there. I went home for a balloon and other toy for her infant, and she and grandmother thanked me profusely.

When Georges came back in the evening after their trip to KDG, he said that Maxime and he were successful in talking with the director of the school where Edithe will go, and they got George's former tutor to agreed to house her for the school year. The total cost of school for the year is 100,000F so the scholarship will certainly help.

Since it was so late in the evening we deferred my lesson until morning before I go to CSPS to weigh babies. I want to learn to say the weights in Moore' to the mother of each baby. There were two new babies in the recovery room and a new one in the maternite' with its mother too. I found out that the assistant nurse said there were too few women came today for baby weighing so it is postponed until next week.

In the afternoon Karim came and we walked down the hill to the chef's compound. There are always lots of people there and today was no exception. He readily gave permission for the Palu causerie for next Friday and two VIH-AIDS talks. Next I asked him about his preference for my translator and he said either Karim or Saidou. I told him that I definitely need a translator from my French into Moore' for the villagers, sans communications problems. So I hope this all works out! As we were leaving the chef asked me again for the goose neck flashlight he wants. It was in jest and I answered when my son gets here!

On Friday I went to CSPS where 3 babies and 5 adults were all on IV drip medication. The nurse was trying to get an IV into another baby with little luck. Their veins are so tiny. The major assisted, but still no luck. There was another new baby at the maternite' this morning with mother and grandmother. I went home for balloons for the babies on drips. The families are so grateful. I watched one mother's baby while she went out to the well for water.

In the afternoon I went to the marche', found Minata there and we went together for legumes and fruit. She took it home for me. She showed me three skirts she got at marche' for Zanabou for starting school. They were very cute. When I met Georges at the church hangar we chatted with friends and the catechists' family. One friend Koala Jean joined us as we went for pork sandwich and then took us to where his wife, Juliette is serving.their family's dolo. Their son's BAC graduation party is the event I attended earlier this season. Laurentine was getting supplies for the workday at their field tomorrow. She searched for pima (hot pepper) to serve with the meal, plus dolo. On the way back we all went to George's parents and Veronique served haricot-riz, which was excellent.

On Saturday I went to the Thyou barrage to join George and his family in the group effort to cultivate their fields today. I photoed some children who came by all excited to be in a picture. Soon George came with his charrette carrying water, pulled by their donkey. There were 10-15 people there to help, and it took all morning for the group of us to get one big field weeded. Presently Laurentine brought bengado for everyone else and beans and rice for me. What a treat! When we ate, I noticed the Burkinabe' sit on their dabas, so I tried to photo that balancing act.

Later on George walked me around their property. One part has a rise with trees and old rocks in places. He rotates the crops and hopes to clear another field to plant next year. We returned to cultivate a while longer before disbanding. The work is hard but fulfilling, esp in a group. I returned home before dark. I expressed to my neighbors that I wanted to go to the mosque to attend prayer service at 7:15 this evening. When I had queried the major he said it was open to all. Sonata offered to go with me. She brought the prayer rug we used. I did not kneel, and observed several others who could not either. The prayers are led by one chanter and everyone responds. It seems quite reverent. The service lasted 30 minutes. We walked home together in the dark.

07 September 08

This Sunday morning Zanabou and I went to church at the Catholic hangar. She had on a new outfit, and her hair was done up beautifully. There were lots of people on foot and bikes enroute to church today. A collection for an ill person was taken up following the regular collection. After service we greeted everyone and rode back to Thyou to the boulangerie (bakery) first, then to find a soda for Zanabou.

We returned home and Garrett came for a visit. He told me about his trip to OHG, Dibou and Tougan. We also talked about our VIH presentations planned. He has more time now than after school starts up again. He has three classes to teach this coming year.

I offered to cook spaghetti dinner for the neighbor kids tonight and they are all happy about that. About 7pm the kids all came over and I served them. The big kids sat at the table and all the little ones lined up on the lipicot. They especially liked the French bread. I sent over food for their parents, Minata and Ousmane too.

Connie called me in the evening, and I was so happy to hear how successful her surgery went. We chatted about their visit here in the early Springtime. It was fun to hear from her. I packed for Ouaga and went to bed.

08 September 08

At the Shell station we loaded up on the taxi brousse and one mother with four little children got on. One child clearly had car sickness, and kept vomiting into his mother's pagne. It lasted the whole trip! When I got to Ouaga I promptly got a cab to PCB and went to med office to get weighed and Silvie and I talked about my diet and how to increase calories. I also worked on internet 4 hours. I ran other errands. Back at Transit House the PCV were ordering in food and I got a chef's salad which was very good. We watched a pretty good movie on video, TNT detective series with Kara ?. I boxed up a pkg for Lance and Tammi and boys, which Linda will take to USA on Sept 15 for me.

In the meantime my dental appointment got cancelled. On Tuesday I went to PCB to work on internet some more, and that was productive. I called Omar the taxi driver who came to take me to taxi gare at 1pm so I could go back home, it being a quick trip. The return trip was packed also and interesting in the assortment of passengers. Another woman with 4 children got on, and as I had beanie babies with me I gave them to the younger ones, the teen having outgrown such a toy. A woman by the window was suffering from the ever present dust. At the junction to my village, some people got off and others got on. Three men boarded, one in handcuffs. Once at Thyou, I observed them leave on bicycles, with the prisoner riding behind one guard. Perhaps going back to village. Jean from my church was also on transport home.

I planned to go to the fields the next day, but it rained so hard all morning that didn't happen. Instead the neighbor kids and their friend Issa came over to play Uno which we all like. When I got to the clinic this morning there were lots of patients, 3 babies about one year old were on drip IV for malaria, two men were also ill with malaria and on IVs. Coincidentally that day at my lesson time, Karim and I were practicing our Malaria presentation for my quartier. We read the flip chart the health district supplied for the talk on malaria. I read the French and Karim read the Moore' conveniently located on the backside of the flip the audience sees. Tomorrow we'll practice again with a villager Saidou, who will translate my French comments into Moore' and assist with questions and answers as needed. The high point for the disease is this time of year.

On Thursday by 8am the maternite' waiting room is full of mothers and babies waiting for baby weighing. Gansonre comes over to say he will be at the main clinic seeing patients there, while Gilbert, the assistant RN will handle this part. He has me weigh the babies, and he records all the information that is pertinent in both the main register book and on the individual health books the mothers bring in. I report the weight to the mothers in kilograms in Moore'. Some babies cry at the sight of a white woman, but most are OK with my presence. Babies who need immunizations wait for the nurse to return and give injections or drops (polio).

Today they are distributing moustiquaires to the mothers with babies as they finish the process, so that draws lots of attendance. There are over 60 women this morning, some who have not been in for months, come for the mosquito net supplied by the health district. We work straight through to the end which is 2pm. Later on we had another practice session for our malaria presentation tomorrow with Karim, Saidou and myself.

In the evening I had to go to the cell tell place and was talking to Seni, a young man from Koudougou. He thanked me for my volunteer work here and said our country is poor and dirty and the people aren't very educated. Many die of malaria. He practiced his English some as we struggled talking to each other in French and English.

12 September 08

The day for the follow up causerie on malaria is here and we are doing it for my two quartiers. Rain threatened beforehand and also afterwards. The two family chefs and the village chef came. Many people attended also, approx 55. Karim and Saidou arrived and around 9:30 enough people were there to begin. Saidou translated my French and assisted Karim with his reading the Moore'. People were slow to respond to questions, but the village chef spoke up and then others chimed in. They complained there are no moustiquaires for most people and they are too poor to buy them. We encouraged the people to use a pagne (cloth) to sleep under.

13 September 08 Saturday

I am excited to go to the field of Minata today. Madi and I biked through mud puddles the long distance to their field. Minata was there building fire for roasting maize and boiling karite' butter. Madi walked me to the fields where the children were harvesting benga (beans). Abdoulaye proudly showed off two of his fields, where he grew benga and haricot and two of mille. See photos.

We walked further and visited Hamado and Yvette and she had bengado with melted karite' for us to eat, also Hamado gave us dolo. A group of workers were having their lunch there and we joined them. When we returned to Minata's place, the children were grilling maize, and we topped off our lunch with some warm off the fire. The day was fun.

14 September 08

The priest from Sabou came to say Mass, and Maxime, Georges brother assisted him. He was very friendly and teased the people there asking if the season of livernage was over, and the people said No very clearly. Maxime answered the priests question about the theme the bishop of BF has. After service we biked back to Henri and Veronique's home, and watched as Maxime and Edythe got ready to take her to KDG where she will attend school this year.

When we got to the marche' we saw Gilbert the assistant nurse, who said we actually weighed 96 babies on Thursday. I was able to talk to the tailor about my material, Jour de Femme 2008, and she will make me a skirt and top. I will get trim in Ouaga next time I go there.

I had a long conversation with Angie this evening. Her family had driven to baby Cash's first birthday party in Seattle. He is a to-head and walking now. They had a fun time there. Shawn has built them a deck coming out of the kitchen, and they also have outside shower and sauna. Lots of young families enjoyed the barbecue outdoors. They will post pictures.

I read my newest book “They Poured Fire on us from the Sky” about three boys from Sudan and how they survived the war and hunger there and made their long journey to America. It was a miracle they survived and many didn't.

15 September 08

Many patients with malaria were at the clinic this morning. I brought back a balloon for a 3-4 year old boy. A friend of Minata was also on drip and was hungry. I went to little restaurant by road to buy her lunch of rice and soup for 100 francs. I stopped by benga place and Garrett was there, so we ate benga together. In the afternoon I studied the Moringa information a long time as the rains went on for hours outside.

The focus of the next week was doing the VIH-AIDS sensibilisation at the Ipala quartier. I had asked the nurses if they would review our presentation, because the major has been gone to Ouaga. Gansonre did look it over and only made a couple suggestions, which I included. Then Garrett and I practiced with both Karim and Saidou, until we felt comfortable with it.

Three little kids were sick in clinic with malaria, so I gave them those bouncy balloons and the parents liked that. When I was at the market this week a young man spoke pretty good English with me. He told me his friend is on the radio at Sabou at 97.4 on the dial. In Burkina Faso radio is a big thing, everyone listens to it, much like everyone in the USA watches television. Radio is a good medium to get health issues discussed with the public, so PC encourages volunteers to consider doing spots on local stations whenever possible.

Oussmane, Minata and family wants a group photo of themselves. We made plans to take them in the morning when the light outside is very good. So early one morning we spent time doing that. I will make some enlarged ones because lots of homes have pictures of people hanging on their walls. They will enjoy it more in the coming years too.

On 18 October 08 we trekked over to Ipala qt for our sensibilisation on VIH-AIDS with about 30 people. It went OK and there weren't many questions, but we covered it pretty well. The villagers are always attentive when the condom demonstrations takes place.

That day of baby weighing at the clinic, there were 40 plus women, and Gansonre, the major and I worked until 1330 in the afternoon to finish them all. Gansonre used the floor scales to speed things up. So the mother gets on with the baby then by herself and the difference is an approximation of the child's weight. The major wrote the totals in the clinic book. While at the maternite' we harvested some Moringa leaves for my meeting at PC bureau with other volunteers this weekend when I will make Kopto for them. It is a good dip with tortilla chips. We also cropped the tree at two meters in the interior garden for easier access by the women, who do most of the cooking at home.

Later that evening I came to the major's home for dinner and his girls and wife fed me bouillie (broth), gillette (pancake), and ginger drink. When he returned from prayer at the mosque, he gave me grilled chicken to eat. We had a pleasant conversation and he is interested in my plan to talk with the students about dental care.

I spent the next four days in Ouaga. Dan Rooney director of the SED program and our adviser had the core group from the Moringa conference over to his house for dinner. His wife,Tanya fixed fajitas with chocolate cake for dessert. We felt pampered. The Moringa meeting the next day was good and the Kopto snack went over well.

While in Ouaga, I also had my new crown put in by the Brazilian dentist with strong hands. That was important for removing the old one. I also got some shopping done and checked in with the nurse about my diet. She said the protein intake is sufficient, but I need to increase the calories. I will also snack whenever I can during the day. The taxi brousse was broken so we had to take another transport home to Sabou then bike to Thyou, getting there after dark. Garrett came to meet me and help me and my stuff get home. What a relief!

24 September 08

The wind was up a bit and it sprinkled out. Madi is getting packed to move to Bobo, 300K away to the south for school this coming year. He goes to Sabou Thursday to catch the bus there. I gave him school supplies and a pkg of spaghetti sauce, which he loves. Also hooked him up with my great nephew for a pen pal in the states.

At midday my neighbor family was sitting under the hangar husking corn (maize). I joined in and of course took photos. It is the season for harvest coming on, and there are many things to do to dry and preserve staples of the diet for the coming dry season. See the piles of beans, white and yellow corn and gumbo drying in the courtyard.

25 September 08

Four of us biked to Gansin quartier this morning for VIH (AIDS) sensibilisation. They had found two under ripe ears of corn in the field as we headed out. There was dew on the grasses and crops. Fall is here! We also pedaled through two big puddles enroute. Some Gansin women who had been waiting for us were now walking to CSPS for baby weighing. We arrived and waited for more people to gather, and by 9am we began our talk with the villagers, 12 men, 26 women, 30-40 children. They seemed pleased we had come to speak with them. When Garrett and Saidou demonstrated proper condom use, a few giggles could be heard. Definite interest. See photos.

Issaka motoed Ousmane to Sabou in the evening to catch a bus back to Cote d'Ivoire.

I text the major that I'm not coming over to clinic this week because I don't want to give my cold to the patients there. Or to babies at baby weighing, which is my favorite activity.

26 September 08

Friday marche' is always a big one, with lots of people selling and buying. Lizetta is going to market with new potable towel I gave her for baby Julie. See photo. At marche' I was able to visit many friends and give them the photos I had gotten printed for them. I also got Karite' butter in Ouaga for a couple of the women, who were thrilled. I brought my blue lace to the tailor who is going to trim my Jour des Femme 2008 (Women's Day) dress she is making.

27 September 08

My friend, Achille is coming from Koudougou for a visit today. Garrett comes by to discuss numbers of people attending our VIH sensibilisation. We were doing that when Christina called with same question. There is a form on the computer for this. We also discuss what foods are in market and when. This is important information for talks on diet enrichment. We were eating lunch when Achille motoed up from KDG. He and I walk over to CSPS and the place is packed with patients on IVs etc. They have put moustiquaires on every bed there. There is a new baby in the maternite' too. See photo.

As we walk to the barrage we hear many warbling birds in a vibrant shade of red. They fly away before I can focus my camera on them. On the path home there is a man carving a big bowl out of a red wood. The women crush grains and nuts in these for sauce and millet for dolo, etc. We get home in the late afternoon and I prepare dinner and we play Uno to round out the day.

The next day Achille and I went to the 9am service at church and got to visit with Georges, who had led the choir We stopped by the bakery and the boutique to get lunch supplies. I prepared a sack of things for him to take home. Achille left for home at midday. Sonata was outside braiding Zanabou's hair with yarn. See photo. When the wind came up we moved to my porch. Abdoulaye put on a foulard for a joke.

30 September 08 Ramadan

I opened my door to the usual bunch who come in the morning for coffee or tea. Issa told me that the prayer at the mosque is early, so we all got ready and gathered in front of my place. Minata carried the prayer rug, and Zanabou carried a little bench for me. Everyone put on their new clothes for the feast day. They were looking pristine. All the women, including me, had on new pagnes and foulards (head wraps). The children had on new clothes too and some families had matched outfits. We all walked the path to CSPS and met the major at the clinic pump. See photo. We all sat under a big tree there until the people were starting to gather in the soccer field.

It is impressive to witness Ramadan prayer service. All the men sit in the front in long lines. The boys sit behind them. The women sit aways in the back also in long lines. The rest of the children sit with them. The service opened with a respected elder singing verses of the Koran in chant. The congregation knelt, sat and stood, at times with their hands open to the east. They always face east when praying, even at home.

Next, ten or so men formed a circle up front and they recited verses from the Koran. Some held up a cloth to shield them from the sun. Then one man spoke to the crowd followed by an elder. Meanwhile the collection occurred. The service closed with another prayer. See photos.

We walked back home visiting people all the way. At home preparations for the feast of Ramadan were happening. Little girls were pounding the arachide (peanuts) until they were ready for Minata to mash them against an ancient rock with another object resembling a rolling pin. Sonata did most of the cooking. The menu was some of their best foods: pate d' arachide with beef and aubergine, over rice, spaghetti pasta with meat, and finally riz gras, rice with sauce made from fish and aubergine. As I watched this whole thing Minata passed out bissap to drink. The importance of holy days for all the religions practiced in Burkina Faso is demonstrated by social gathering to visit and eat together. I must have eaten four meals that day after noon. And the people are so willing to share what little they have.

African Adventure 13

01 August 2008

This morning I went to the clinic and chatted with the major about the Gansin quartier. He clarified that it is 2-3K west of my house towards the Thyou barrage. The Gansin quartier near his home is that of the little brother to the main quartier. I shared with him the debate I was having with Karim over this information in view of where we do our next sensibilisation, and asked him to mention all this to Karim. I also said to the major that we are planning to start the Moringa Project next Saturday.

After the major left for Fri prayer service at the mosque, the accoucheuse came to chat with me and we spoke in English and French for awhile, then went to the maternite'. We talked with Awa (who has 6 children) from Bolo, who was there to support the younger wife of her husband who had a premature baby yesterday. Awa wants to come to America with me. Awa cooks for the marche' in Bolo and I had my first taste of rabbit there once. I took a photo of her cooking soup/sauce over the fire which she wants a copy of.

In the afternoon Garrett invited me to the celebration of the work of the Swiss volunteers, who had constructed a chicken coup in Thyou. We toured that and then proceeded on to the school where the closing ceremony took place. Many of the older men of Thyou and our church were there. Kabore' Sailif emceed the event. The volunteers had also donated a lot of things to the bibliography (library) they helped set up last year. After the functionaires recognized the efforts of the volunteers, one of the Swiss accepted their thanks and spoke briefly about the inter cultural exchange. One of the female volunteers requested Garrett take photos of the chickens when they arrive and email them so that the volunteer can show the project to their supporters back home. Apparently the Swiss went to Ouagadougou for the chickens, which had been inadvertently exposed to chickens in quarantine and therefore had to stay longer. Sailif had drinks served followed by grilled beef, then Riz Gras.

When we left that event, we proceeded to Alphonse's house where friends and neighbors were gathered for his birthday celebration. Another round of drinks and Riz Gras with many of the same people at both events. One of the older guys led grace after meals and then broke into a chanting of the Kyrie', which reminded me of all the Latin we learned in Catholic School and sang at Mass. Deja Vous!

During my language lesson we studied the new French dictionary for children, then I practiced Moore' numbers, so I can use them to speak with the mothers at baby weighing to tell them the baby's weight and whether there was an increase or decrease.

02 August 08

Abdoulaye brought over a letter for Lindsay from Sakinata with a picture she made. I biked to the Sabou marche' today to visit friends and see if I could find a casserole set reasonably priced. After finding that we found pork sandwiches and had lunch. In the afternoon I went to St. Luc's for Reconciliation service. Father Marc and I spoke part in English, but several times he lapsed into French for lack of words. I think we had a common understanding when all was said and done.

There were a number of altar boys in the church practicing for Mass. We went to the parish house and visited Father Jacques who recently returned from Italy and was quite sociable as he talked about his time there. The priests gave us a bag of millet grain to bring back to Thyou for Jean Baptiste, the catechist. As we were pedaling back, storm clouds were gathering for rain. By the time we reached Thyou, it started sprinkling. I continued on to my house, where Issaka was waiting for the soccer ball I had for him. Issaka is president of young men's soccer team in Sala. He pumped up the ball, then Abdoulaye did too. But too much, and the burst in my house sounded like a sonic boom. Zanabou came over to color while she soaked her foot because she had a pique (sliver) in it. Madi and his friends were up all night listening to music in front of my place, so I put my earplugs in and slept soundly through all that.

03 August 08

At the Mass in Thyou a priest with a lot of personality taught the congregation a song they can sing at home. He had each section repeat it and it was clear the children learned it best. The regular choral singing and drumming were beautiful. Besides having my swear in dress altered, I visited many friends at the marche' in Thyou this Sunday. I heard that one friend of mine, Sylvie is home with a swollen leg. I will go to her home soon to visit her.

Little Claude came and sat with me at market awhile as we ate fried dough balls. He asked for a soccer ball. I told him one will come from America for him. I got my fruits and vegetables next.

In the afternoon George and Laurentine invited me to go with them to visit all the quartiers in Bagre. Because the rainy season makes some roads impassable, we waded through a pond of water pooled into the road. The path was muddy from recent rains and after several kilometers, we arrived at the first quartier to visit an old family chef. Then we visited at a second one with a younger chef who gave me a bag of rice and gave us all dolo. We went on to a third quartier when a heavy rain commenced and lasted for an hour, so we sat in an outbuilding visiting and waiting. The head of this family was a man like a lot of other Burkinabe' who works in Cote d'Ivoire to make money, then returns home to family and farming.

Another little ole' man was jesting with me. He wants me to give him one of my daughters, who in turn would give him a daughter. I asked him if he likes cats and dogs. He perseverated though, as he wants a girl baby. I responded that he could ask for himself when my daughter visits here in Nov. We visited one more quartier before heading home. The rainfall made riding bikes nearly impossible on a path of mud and puddles. The two seasons are intense: the dry season is soo dry and hot, and the rainy season is sudden and long downpours with water pooled everywhere.

I picked up my produce from the marche' to take to my house. When I got home, Karim was there to tell me the sensibilisation for tomorrow has to be rescheduled to Wednesday because a man from Bobo is coming to work on the barrage pump system with the young men of the village. Being flexible is key to working here.

04 August 08

Soon after I got up Karim arrived from the direction of the CSPS with Alphonse my teacher friend I met at recent marche'. I invited them in for coffee. We got settled at the table and my neighbor family came over to check out the new visitor. They listened as Alphonse said how grateful he was Peace Corps is in Burkina Faso. He was so enthusiastic about our Moringa project that he offered to take leave of teaching job in Sabou to work for PC. I explained that he could participate in the community project as a volunteer. He said he'd return Wed for the rescheduled sensibilisation. I read more of my current book, “Power of One” after my company left. Then I conjugated verbs to prepare for my language lesson today.


05 August 08

I worked on an essay about the Air/Wind this morning, after braiding my hair. I then went to the clinic and talked with the major about our sensibilisation at the Gansin quartier by the school, which will be delayed due to Karim being involved in a project at the barrage when all the young men are available. As I walked through the waiting room, I visited with 4 people on drip feeds for malaria. The med staff was all there talking and when they finished I asked Lea, the accoucheuse if she wanted to go for benga (beans and rice) with me. So we walked across the street to the little restaurant. We visited in French and English. It is so nice but rare to chat in English with villagers, that it was a treat.

Many villagers were in fields today and as I passed by, I took pictures of them cultivating the haricot (beans) and arachide (peanuts). In one field a row of a dozen women were weeding the field together, moving forward in a line, while they visited catching up on the day's news. I was home studying, when Minata came over telling me she had sent all her prepared food to the field with her children. Hunger on my doorstep. With that hint I made her a peanut butter with banana sandwich. She was very grateful. She said she is raising 6-8 children with little outside help. It is very difficult.

During my language lesson I practiced writing reflexive French verbs and my Moringa presentation that we will do tomorrow. Karim, my Moringa counterpart, came by and we made plans for the next morning. I let him know that Alphonse, a teacher from Sabou and very interested in our project, will be attending. Alphonse wants to do a similar project in Sabou, so I gave him some seeds along with handouts to get started. He asked for my sons names and addresses to share with them how mom is doing things for the Burkinabe' and the people here like it.

Wednesday morning was spectacular, blue sky, sunny and very green trees and plants abounded. We walked to the Gansin quartier (compound) where our talk lasted an hour and the dozen or so people there seemed happy to learn the benefits of Moringa. We walked back by the CSPS to debrief with the major, who chastised Karim for not going to the main Gansin compound 3K east of Sala, which is traditionally the one to recognize first. Later that week we were able to rectify this by going out there and speaking to a large group of people at the main Gansin qt. about Moringa.

On market day, we went to visit my friend Sylvie, who is bedridden with a swollen leg. Her husband Bazile told us last week about her problem. Sylvie was sitting on two mats, sweating with her swollen leg wrapped up in a pagne. She unwrapped it and showed me a drainage hole in her shin. She takes traditional medicine, which was sitting beside her. It was a dark paste which she applies as a compress. This has been going on two weeks now. She believes someone came and put thorns near her front door, where she would step on them, and she doesn't know who. She was fairly discouraged. She is slowly recovering though.

07 August 08

Today was a work party at Kiemtore' Henri's field. I followed Georges and his charette full of bidons of water led by a donkey to the field 2K away. Many people including Henri were already there working and weeding. I observed how they used the daba tool for whacking at the weeds and followed suit. The trick is knowing good plants from bad, and that takes practice. The group of workers went down several rows at a time, clearing the weeds. We finished one section and then sharpened our dabas and got a drink of water before continuing. We moved to another field of millet and benga and cleared it, all the time the workers were talking and laughing as they went. They were enjoying their time together. We worked together this way until Laurentine came with lunch. We stopped for bengdo balls and dolo. The men sat in a circle, supported by their dabas. I tried to take a photo of this balancing. See photos.

My PCV neighbor Garrett stopped by my house after I got home in the afternoon and we did an outline on HIV/AIDS for a presentation later for my villages.

The next day we got our plan for the Moringa Project organized for Saturday when the men from village will convene and work together on it.

09 August 08 Moringa Project at Sala

By 8am four of us (Karim, Garrett, Georges and I) gathered at my house to walk to CSPS and clear out the interior garden at the maternite', where we would set the Moringa plants, protected from animals, etc. We sat under the tree in front of the accoucheuse house to mix the dirt, manure, and sand. The village chef had sent over two loads of dirt rich in chicken manure, and we walked over to the forester's bureau to request a wagon full of sand from his driveway. Then we had all the components to start mixing. The 20 young men from each of the three main quartiers of Sala who showed up to help with this project completely turned the mixture two times.

The village elders numbering ten men sat on a bench under the same tree and oversaw the activities. Madi, my neighbor and Alphonse, my friend also helped out. We had a good group of people there. Everyone gathered around the mixture and started filling the 550 sacks. This process went on several hours, then the sacks were organized for watering. After that each sachet received a Moringa seed. We broke for lunch, when Minata brought over Riz Gras for 25-30 people. When we resumed we loaded the sacks into the charrette for easy transport to the back door of the maternite' near the interior garden spot. By early afternoon we were out of mixture and for the most part finished with the project. However Karim, George and I went over to the chef's place and got more rich dirt, to finish filling 40 or so sacks. It was a satisfying day of work as a community with over 500 Moringa sacks as evidence.

10 August 08

This morning I planned to attend the service at Assembly of God church in Thyou. I arrived early, parked my bike by pastor's house and waited on the church steps for the bell to ring signaling the start of church service. I sat on the left side of the church and was quickly invited to the women's section on the right. The elders were in the front left, much like the Catholic Mass, with the young men behind them. The choral groups filed in to sit on the far right and the children filled the front rows of the church. Ministers were on the raised platform in front. The assistant minister spoke the first hour. Then the children came in and sat on the left in back. The various age groups were led in song by their music directors. These groups sang most of the second hour accompanied by drummers and tambourine players. (See photos.) In the third hour two ministers took turns singing and preaching scripture. A man came and sat me with a French teacher who translated the Moore' sermon into French for me. I got the jest of the message in Luc and Jacques gospels, “Pick up his cross to follow Jesus.” Several times the congregation got on their feet and prayed aloud, which had the effect of speaking in tongues on me. Even the pastor roamed the stage in loud prayer with eyes closed. They welcomed me.

11 August 08

I ran out of propane gas yesterday, so I requested hot water from the neighbor, who heats it on open fire cuisine. I listened to BBC news regarding the Olympics, etc. And there is power sharing going on in South Africa....regarding the elections last month. The runner up is going to be Prime Minister they say.

After a couple visitors in the morning I got my bath and went to the clinic, where there were lots of malaria patients today. I also went to look at our Moringa project, which was impressive. I ate rice and sauce at Fati's restaurant and visited with her and another woman with baby in tow. As I rode back home, it was very hot and sticky. I organized my paperwork for going to Ouaga, so I could turn in reimbursement forms, etc. When it was time for my language lesson, we sat behind my house in the shade of the house and the maize, which is very tall now. We came back inside my warm house after the lesson as the clouds were gathering for rain and lightening started up all around us. Georges left for home before the big storm broke. It stormed all evening, and I sat on my veranda and wrote the essay on Storms in Burkina Faso.

12 August 08

Gansonre is sick with malaria (palu) he said from going to Sapuy 4 days with no moustiquaire. The major is in Sapuy today, so Gilbert is treating all the patients, lots of whom have palu. I talked with Lea, the accoucheuse who was finishing up with the last prenatal visit patient. When I went down to the road where the two restaurants are, Salimata had returned with her new baby. She handed her to me and I held her for over an hour, while Salimata prepared the chicken for her marmite, a pot which cooks over the open fire.

In the afternoon I went to the marche' for food. I visited Veronique at the hangar, and friends from Villa were there asking about the pictures of the baptism. We had pork sandwiches and left for home and lesson, when we were stopped by the director of the school in Salou, who thanked me for school supplies. A teacher from Bolo also greeted us and I assured him we were coming back there soon. Before we got home a rain storm broke out. We pedaled fast!

13 August 08

One of the people who visited me for coffee this morning is a petite woman from Salam's quartier, next to me. Mariam shared with me in Moore' that she isn't feeling well. She felt hot and ached all over, and the whites of her eyes were yellow. I suggested the clinic, to which she responded she didn't have any money. When Madi, my neighbor returned I had him go with me to ask Mariam at her home how long she had been sick to which she replied two days. We also found out that her children and husband are in Cote d'Ivoire and she has no medical card nor source of income. I invited her to walk over to the CSPS with me for consultation. The nurse assistant checked her over and said it was her blood, diminishing due to past malaria. He wrote her 3 Rx, 2 she could get filled in Sala for 300 francs and Quinine to be filled in next village for 900 francs. When we got back home Mariam proceeded to take two big pills at once and I drew her a picture of the sun and the moon indicating one in the morning and one at night. It is very difficult to see effects of malaria on one's own doorstep.

Salam came with Mariam in the afternoon back to my house to thank me for the help.

Madi had a fellow student, Mimoni visiting from the University in Ouaga and brought him over to speak English with me. We got into a discussion on the availability of texts books, which both students told me are not affordable to them. Their formal English ends with middle school (lycee) and they need encouragement to continue learning and practice.

I had my language lesson in the afternoon. We snapped 20” long green beans for dinner with jerky and some onions it was yummy!

The next day I left for Ouaga on transport. It rained hard, and there were no wipers to see through the cracked front window of the taxi brousse. In the thick of the storm and after I arrived in town, I pedaled to PC bureau as I had to turn in forms and check on some things before it closed at noon for repose. Some emergency was happening with both Sylvie RN and Dr. Luc preparing to travel in response to. The med receptionist said all the drivers were also involved in the emergency and I needed to take a taxi to my dental appt at 3pm. The Burkinabe' dentist rebuilt my front tooth filling layer by layer this time, using an ultra violet light and hoping it would last longer. The other dentist came in to check my recent crown and gum repair he had done, and was very pleased with results, as was I.

15 August 08

I ate my leftovers from last night, rice with peanut sauce, and prepared to go to church for Assumption, which is a big feast day here. The church was packed inside and out. As I stood in the doorway a man gave me a chair to sit on. Turns out we had met before, Laurent is the drummer at Planete Music down de Gaulle Avenue. He invited me to come there again. The Mass was long and beautiful with a full student choir led by the director. Many people had clothing made from the pink pagnes made for Mary's Assumption. The service ended in Benediction with such enthusiasm. The congregation was so into it, they spontaneously started dancing around the altar. (See pictures.) An older gentleman approached me afterwards and was happy I was enjoying and reacting to the music. He also seemed happy my name was Mary.

I caught a taxi to go to the Artisan Village to get some gifts to send home. Later I returned to the PC bureau and stopped by the medical unit to visit Ryan and Sonia, who had been in a taxi brousse accident yesterday and both suffered fractures. They described the chaos during the accident as the bus slid off the road and hit a tree. Sonia said all the seats came unbolted from the floor and many people were injured. They will fly out for surgery soon.

That evening was the Close of Service party for the volunteers who came a year before our group. The Transit House was cleaned up inside and out for the occasion, and people arrived in festive dress to celebrate the night. We had fruit punch to drink and chips with dip before leaving for downtown for dinner, bowling and dancing. The COS group had gathered a slide show of their time in BF. I got the first taxi home at midnight and chatted with Ana about the influence of religion on the lives in Burkina.

The next day Peter, Kevin and I met at the American Embassy over lunch for our Moringa meeting. We were able to discuss how to proceed to gather the necessary information and invite other volunteers to help form a support group. Some volunteers were at the Embassy to watch the Olympics on the television, which showed sports of trampoline and beach volleyball. First TV I have seen since coming.

When I returned to the transit house, Chris was calling me on Skype, and I could see and hear him but he could not hear me, so we ended up texting each other online.

On Sunday Ana and I walked to St. Francis for Mass. Again it was packed and people motioned for us to sit near them on a bench on the side of the altar, so we did. The priests spoke slowly and I could understand some of the French. We visited the marche' after for used clothing and vegetables. By noon the core Moringa group met with SED director Dan Rooney for advise on how to proceed forming our support group. He encouraged us to expand Moringa to the global issue of food security. It was a good discussion for our planning. The next day I sent emails to other volunteers requesting their experiences with nutrition in the clinics esp on the days that mothers bring their babies in for weight checks. The collective experience!

A driver took me to my physical therapy appt which I try to schedule each time I'm in town. Gradually the feeling in my muscles hurt during the bike accident in April is returning. The driver also took me to buy 3 Mango trees for my neighbors in village. With his help, I was able to get the trees, my bike and all my baggage to the taxi brousse for returning home by mid afternoon. It rained buckets on the way home and in Sabou we waited 30 minutes for the storm to pass. I held up a sachet and filled it with leaky water three times while we sat there. The road 15K to Sala was flooded in spots, with the rainwater running fast on both sides of the road. (See photos.)

I had help getting everything to my house, where my friends had prepared rice and sauce with pintade meat in celebration of l'anniversaire of Mary's Assumption, a big fete in Africa!

On Tuesday I checked in with the major about my Ouaga trip for medical appointments and Moringa meetings. I looked at the project and about 40 seeds had come up. Garrett and I met in the afternoon to lay out our AIDS presentation we will do together in village in the coming months.

It was an interesting experience sending a 85th birthday card to Aunt Helen at home. I tried to meet with the taxi brousse driver to ask him to mail it in Ouaga. Other men were in the boutique and helped me explain in French what I needed. The envelope had gotten wet so we transferred the card into a dry one and taped the stamps on. The driver put it in a clear plastic bag for transport. A little thing takes a lot of effort by several people.

After we finished reviewing my French HIV-AIDS presentation in language class today, we had a long discussion about democracy and the history of Burkina. The Burkinabe' are very passionate about it.

21 Aug 08

Isakka's baby has palu, and is very uncomfortable. They took her to CSPS for meds. I tried to find Mariame to give her the rest of the quinine pills I had from her Rx, but she wasn't home. Soon someone sent her to my house. I went to maternite' today to help weigh babies, and there were lots of women and babies there because they were passing out moustiquaires again. Women came from small villages for it too. It was a lot of work and Lea had to record all of the information too. Lea invited me to a meal at her house on Saturday but I told her we would be in Zao doing an HIV presentation.

In the afternoon I went to the market in Thyou for veggies and also to boutique for staples. When I got home I had French lesson and practiced Moore'. Lea came on her moto with a dish of to and sauce. Karim came by for visit and to get units for his phone off mine. I mentioned that I hadn't eaten dinner yet and I was tired too, so everyone left and I made pork sandwich for dinner and retired early.

22 Aug 08

Madi came over for tea in the morning and to study out of the French dictionary, while I studied my French-Moore' reader. I read Newsweek about Obama's faith. Minata said Zanabou has temp and needs aspirin. I gave her non-aspirin, which is better for children. We talked about her entering school and made a plan to go talk to the director in the afternoon with Madi's help. That talk went well and Zanabou is registered to enter school for her first time at age 8. Thanks to Angie's family who gave three mille ($6) for a year's tuition. There will be smaller fees for school supplies too when school starts up mid-September.

I went to the health clinic in the morning to talk with the major about visual aides for AIDS presentation, and they (Philippe and Lea) looked around but no luck finding anything, so we will make do. The major was quite complimentary about the Moringa project. The forester came by and said we need to move the Moringa out of the interior garden, so they can dry out and the air can circulate on them. I walked down the path to Fati's restaurant and watched her prepare lunch, rice with sauce in a big marmite over the open fire. The sauce had oil and chives sauteed, tomato powder, salt, water, gumbo, peanut paste from crushed nuts, black bengado, pima and maggi. The sauce became thicker as it cooked. I ate lunch there when it was ready. It is fun to watch Burkinabe' cook. Fati's son came along with his slingshot, which is a staple for young boys as they often see birds or other creatures to aim at.

At my language class that day Garrett and I had Georges review the Moringa presentation we'd written and he made a number of suggestions. We practiced it once and discussed the condom demonstration we'll do with our talk. Our prop will be an ear of corn (maise). We made our departure to Zao plans for tomorrow.

23 August 08

My usual coffee/tea drinkers came for a cup this morning. Soon it was time to gather things together for our talk with villagers in Zao, 15K away. We stopped by the CSPS to check in with them about our activities today, and left off dishes belonging to the accoucheuse. I texted Patrice, the ASC in Zao to remind him we were coming for causerie as we left. The road was thick with mud from all the rains and riding was more difficult because of that, but the cool air of the morning was perfect riding conditions, and we continued on for an hour and a half. We were resting at the marche' when Patrice found us. He had spread the word and a few folks were gathering. The other ASC, Beli was in the field, so didn't come, but my friend Atia came and we were very excited to reunite after several months. She said she was by my place to visit and the major told her I was in Ouaga then.

Atia took me for benga (beans) at a food stand at the marche' before we walked a short distance to her house, where I met her mother and children. Atia is well liked in her compound, probably the heart of it, as she chatters and laughs constantly and other people do too. She wanted to take me to the field to see Beli, but I needed to get back so we could start the HIV presentation. By the time we started there were 25 adults and that many children gathered. More usually come as we proceed.

Garrett discussed with Patrice the appropriateness of condom demo with children there, and his response was they may not fully understand but others there would and we could proceed. Garrett and I alternated talking and Georges translated what we said into Moore' for the villagers. When we did the condom demo there were a few giggles and one lady shushed the others by saying “Don't laugh, this is important information we need to hear.” We were satisfied with our premiere talk on AIDS. On the way home the rains started and we ended up pretty wet, but felt lucky to have completed our mission today.

24 August 08

We are going to Nabatogo for St Louis fete today in the new church there. It is my first visit to this village, where Georges' sister and family live. We biked to Sabou, where we left our bikes and Father Casmir was picking up passengers in his mini-truck for the 25K ride to Nabatogo. The ride was amazing. I sat on a bench in the bed of the truck with my outer shirt over my head to keep the wind and dust out of my face. Father drove fast and we were there in 20 minutes flat. Some friends gave us a small bench, which all the congregation brings with them to sit on in church. All the people worked together to ready the altar for Mass. By 9:20 the church was crammed with people and the singing and drumming signaled the start of Mass with 3 priests to celebrate the first Mass in the new church on it's feast day. Service lasted 2 hrs with 3 babies baptized in the middle of the service and toward the end there were gifts given to the church from neighboring parishes, some as far away as the capitol. In a clearing beside the church there was a lot of festivities after mass, such as dances by groups, acrobats, and of course more music.

Today was the market day at Nabatogo so everyone was in good spirits. After we spent time there, we walked to Georges' sister, Martine and Marcel's house, where she made Riz Gras for dinner and many visitors came to join in that. Since Martine makes dolo for marche' her cuisine area is set up for that. There is a hearth with three vats built into it with the firebox under it. She has three or four vats underground for the fermenting stage which takes three days. I saw the leavening nearby in a huge pan.

Their daughter Edith is about Luke's age and wants an American pen pal, so she wrote him a letter, which I will mail. There was dancing happening that evening in a clearing by where the old church used to be and the teenagers were having a good time with that. We returned to Sabou on a taxi brousse tired but content with the day.

Minata's husband, Ousmane had come from Cote d'Ivoire earlier and was waiting for taxi brousse to Thyou. The rains had flooded the road in some parts and it was slow going. Ousmane had a lot of luggage and borrowed Georges bike to take it home. He loaded my bike with stuff too. We walked up the hill to our houses with help from the youth.

The next morning Karim and I asked the chef to borrow his charrette to move all the Moringa trees to my verandah. It took us several hours and three trips. Madi and Issa helped us with it.

I had invited Lea for lunch of tuna sandwiches today, as she is leaving Friday for visit of family in Ouaga and then onto KDG where she will continue her schooling. She arrived on her moto and we had a good visit. The major invited me to attend the Monitorage meeting Thursday with officials from the district office in Sapuy. He said the ASCs from our satellite villages will be in attendance too. It is annual talk with the village on the health status of the villages comparatively speaking.

27 August 08

Today my friend from Zao, Atia came for a visit. Issa translated for us as I showed her photos of my family and gave her some jewelry, toys, batteries and things for hers. I made spaghetti for lunch mid day and we have such a good time together in spite of the fact that we can't talk each others language. We spent the afternoon going to the marche' at Thyou. On her head Atia carried a bag of grain to sell, as I rode my bike next to her slowly. We spent the afternoon together there.

28 August 08

The Monitorage meeting that was scheduled to begin in the morning actually began in the late afternoon. The maternite' was full of mothers with infants for baby weighing so I went to help Lea with that. We worked straight through until 12:30. The number was large again because moustiquaires were being passed out too.

As the functionaires from the villages and a crowd gathered for the meeting so did the clouds overhead. Two doctors from the district office gave all the statistics on the health status of Sala and surrounding villages. They are concerned about the number of women who birth at home instead of coming to maternite'. Many complications arise from that fact. I had my tutor there to interpret for me.

Within an hour we all had to move inside the maternite' building as the downpour began. It lasted several hours, so being out of the weather felt good, even though it was crowded. We listened to the officials from Sapuy who talked intensely about the health problems. After dark a meal of Riz Gras with meat was served to all the attendees. The medical staff all went to the major's house for their meal. By the time I walked my bike home the puddles were filling the path there and I was wading and giggling in the dark about the experience.

29 August 08

This morning I packed for Ouaga and had to return to tree by CSPS to retrieve my hat I left there yesterday. I planted another round of Moringa seeds in the pots(sachets) where nothing had come up with the help of Issaka and Madi. When I got to the station in Thyou the taxi brousse had gone to Lea's house to pick her up along with her furnishings and luggage. By 11am I got to Transit House and discovered I wasn't signed in. I waited all day for a bed, and none was available—problem!

I shopped at the Artisan's Village for my grandkids and went to PC bureau to get mail and use the internet. I returned to the TH around 6pm to get ready for the Swear-In of the new volunteers. Sarah and I took a taxi to the Ambassador's house and watched the ceremony. It was impressive, and we saw all of our teachers from training, JZ,Vini, Theo, Patrice. We also saw Jeanine and Mark Jackson, and Dan and Tanya Rooney. It was relaxing be a spectator. After drinks and hors d'oeuvres a PC car took us in groups downtown to the Nameze hotel where the new volunteers were staying and we all walked several blocks to the Moulin Rouge restaurant where we would eat dinner. I was walking on the sidewalk talking to another volunteer.

Enroute two guys on a moto tried to snatch my fanny pack! The guy on the back grabbed it but it didn't pop off, and he dragged me. The driver of the moto took off with me in tow. My Women's Strength training kicked in and I screamed. The voice is a powerful weapon! It seemed like minutes, but was probably seconds that I was sidestepping into the street with them. Luckily I didn't lose my balance and tumble. The grabber finally let go and they sped away. It happened so fast I had no time to be frightened, nor could the 8 volunteers in my group intervene. Afterwards I was very disturbed by the whole event!

When we got the cab home at 11pm I slept on the couch at the transit house, then the guard decided at midnight to discuss my no reservation situation. Three guys, Peter, Caleb and Marty helped me talk with him to allow me to stay and we would settle the problem tomorrow with Dr. Claude. In view of the stress of the attempted theft, I believed we could convince him. They did.

30 August 08

In the morning I pedaled to PC director's home to have coffee with Marti, his wife. Doug Teschner interviewed me about the attempted theft, and is concerned for our safety after hours in Ouaga, as there has been a rash of these kind of incidents. Marti and I visited over coffee and fruit with yogurt while discussing the kids in the BF culture and their survival skills. We talked about the education system too. Interesting discussion. Marti gave me a box to mail my kids a pkg, and also offered to take a box to mail in October when she is flying to the states.

In the afternoon Peter, Kevin and I went with Peter, the pastor of a Ouaga church on a Moringa Tree field trip. He was raised in the Congo and has lived in Africa most of his life. He drove us to the edge of the city, where we went through miles of shantis and slums. It was an eyeopener. We toured the facility and saw Moringa trees, beans, bananas, pumps, and drying trays of Moringa leaves for making powder. We visited with him a long time. He has many stories about his work in Africa and his many contacts in America who donate to his work here. We drove back by dusk.

Jen's mother is at TH visiting from America with flight out tonight and she offered to take my box to mail. A bunch of us ( 2 Saras, Robert, Lauren, Becky and I) were going to dinner at the Italian restaurant Verdoyant for Becky's birthday. It was a pleasant evening.

African Adventure 12

01-July-08

I pedaled to the Sala boutique to buy bread, and stopped next door at Sonata's restaurant to visit her and her two little girls. Yes, they would like some hair things, barrettes for the girls, a comb for mom. This particular morning three women visited me for coffee, as the children played with toys on the floor. Still feeling social at midday, I went to Koutim's hut to visit with her and see the new baby in their environment. I greeted the father, Salam outside. The baby was on a mat to my left, and a small fire for cooking was by the wall on the right. I noted the new baby quilt already in use, was on the line outside drying.

The next morning we rode 15K to Sabou. This is the first chance I've had to visit Nodeere complex and pick up the bag (6 mill) the artisans made for me months ago. We watched another artist draw freehand a village woman carrying a large bowl on her head. We got an omelette sandwich while we waited for the bousse taxi going to KDG, but that taxi was broken so we waited until 10:30am when one came north from Fara. We wanted to attend the ordination of the five seminarians from this area of BF. I checked in at the mission, Notre Dame Petite Seminaire. While in KDG, I also intended to purchase the supplies for the Moringa Project: a pick, shovel, rake, watering can, as well as 500 planting bags (pots). We found all those things eventually and returned to the mission, which was packed for the weekend due to the upcoming ordination. George knew all four seminarians who were staying in the wing where I had a room. He went off to stay with his former mentor, Julien.

Other volunteers, Ryan and Sonia were also staying at the mission and we met them the next day at the post internet. We lunched across the street at Jackson's with them and Melissa, Kelly and Zach. We celebrated Sonia's birthday. She gave me Hearth model papers to copy for my project, while George and Ryan talked about Moringa over lunch.

After leaving the group we went to Achille's work to visit him. He had painted me a canvas drawing of “docteur traditionnel” in BF depicting local health problems. Achille was very happy to see me. I sat and watched him paint team numbers for soccer shirts. Interesting! After he got off work we bought pork to make sandwiches and stopped at the internet cafe to look at pictures I had posted. They rode down the hill to the mission with me to assure my safety, then headed for their own places.

04-July-08

By midmorning we three were biking to visit Achille's mother, Cecile who was cooking at the Lycee kitchen in KDG for the students from out of town, who were there to test for BAC. Two young women were assisting her with preparing vegetables and meat for the noon meal, which was readied on the open fire in a huge pot near the kitchen entrance. (See photo.) We offered her condolences for her recent loss, Achille's father.

We found Achille's brother, Seraphin at his home. We chatted about his recent month long trip to France and his timely return which allowed him to spend the evening with his father before he died. He showed us pictures of France on his hand held computer. Seraphin is very likable and interested in all conversations too. He invited us to lunch across town at a buvette near the Cathedral. He wanted us to moto together but I declined and we biked there instead. We talked about the Moringa Project in village that we are involved with. As we went back towards town, storm clouds were gathering. We spent the next two hours at the internet while it poured outside. Next I went back home for a nap, and Achille went to his house to shower. Later in the evening we ate a peanut butter and avocado sandwich and I found music discs on my computer we listened to. By 10pm I was in bed resting for the jour l'ordination the next morning.


05-July-08 L'ordination

Four of us rode our bikes to the Burkina Parish in KDG, where the ordination service was set up outside with the altar up on the porch and canopes overhead for the rains that threatened. The monsignor of Burkina Faso officiated and spoke in three languages, French, Moore' and Garounsi. Parents were on either side of the altar, and the front sections were reserved for choirs, musicians, and dancers. The procession began with dancers, the entourage surrounding the monsignor, then many seminarians, and finally the five expectant priests. During their vows they lay prostate in front of the altar. The celebration of priestly vows is a solemn and beautiful ceremony, lasting a long time but unique among the rituals of the Catholic Church. (See photos.)

Back at the Petite Seminaire Notre Dame there was a formal reception with a sit down meal for the new priests and their families, who were all lodged there for the weekend. In another building there was a potluck meal for all the visitors and friends of the new priests. As we entered that dining hall a huge pot of Riz Gras was brought in and we were able to partake of that among other quickly disappearing choices and some drinks. We took the taxi brousse back across to Sabou, where I was spending the night with the sisters at the CREN. By the time I biked the 2-3K to their convent it was dark except for the moonlight. I found the first gate, and the workers helped direct me to the second gate for entrance to the CREN and the convent in the back. The sisters were expecting me and had set out a dinner plate for me with the variety of foods they had for their dinner. After that we piled in the car and went back into Sabou to St. Luke's Parish, where the congregation was doing skits and dancing in anticipation of the premiere mass tomorrow of Father Achille, the first young man from their parish to become a priest.

06-July-08

After a quick breakfast, the sisters and I drove to church for the special occasion of the Premiere Mass for Father Achille. We sat together near the left side of the altar, where other medical nuns were already alongside some of the family members who came to this first Mass. As the new priest entered in the grand procession, it was evident that the parish was so proud and happy with this event. The dancers and singers repeating some of the same music of the preceding day, were exquisite. Sr. Margaret joined the French choir to sing. Sr. Mary lent me her French missile to follow along with the mass. The church was all tidied up and a fresh new painting of a chalice hung on the wall, compliments of Fr. Jacques. Georges' brother, Maxime also a seminarian organized the liturgy and timing of all the participants in his quiet, respectful manner. At the consecration the liturgy took on a fresh and personal meaning with Fr. Achille's first time changing the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus. Long lines formed for communion. After the final blessing many representatives from the community gave short speeches and donated gifts to the new priest. The highlight was when the parish presented him (by driving it into the church) with a new moto for his work. The finale' was everyone in procession dancing down the main aisle of the church and back up either side. As the nuns joined in, they took me along and we clapped and chanted our way around the church. (See photos.) Afterwards there were many photos taken and a lunch was served at the rectory. In the late afternoon I biked the 15K back to Sala and home, a welcome sight. Minata's adult children, Sonata and Madi were also home from their respective schools for the summer break.

This week Shawn called to say Cash is crawling on all fours and is trying to walk around things. They are packing for six weeks in Guatemala, and staying at a friend's hostel there. They are looking forward to some “family time”, just the three of them. Shawn sent me a copy of the July/August “Sculpture Magazine” with the cover picture and an eight page spread of his double negative art project. I am so proud of him.

Later in the week Wed. evening after my language lesson with Georges and when my village counterpart, Karim was over, we walked to the chef's compound and requested permission to do a sensibilisation on July 18, after planting season is over, if it doesn't rain. Chef Ouedraogo Adama wants us to do the three main quartiers of Sala; Weeg Yiri, Ipala, and Ganssen.

On Thursday Gansonre was just starting to weigh babies at the maternite' when I arrived to help out. (See photo.) There were many people because he is passing out mosquitaires to the mothers of babies and pregnant women, the two most vulnerable groups to get Malaria. Baby weighing is my favorite activity of the week. I spent considerable time working on the French translation of my Moringa sensibilisation during the week.

I spoke to Lorraine and Heather both on the phone during the week. Heather has begun her shots in order to come and visit me. She's had Indigo to a couple different vets to assess what's best for her, sounds like both knees are blown out. Arthritis in animals has to be pretty uncomfortable, just like for us humans. Lorraine's family has been traveling and she and Dave have been working around their place. She's wearing glasses exclusively now. Dave got on the phone to recap my life here and I was rolling in laughter, but it's obvious he follows my blogs.

On Sunday Kiemtore' Henri led the prayer service at church. Jean Baptiste had gone to Nabatogo. Marie led the choir because the new choral director, Matthias was not there. Turns out it is Henri's anniversaire this date, so there will be a party for him at the house this evening and Martine had come from Nabatogo to help celebrate her father's birthday.

I visited the Assembly of God church at noon only to discover that the service finishes at that time. So I made plans to return soon. Madame Kiemde' came up to me then and invited me to her home for a lunch of haricot leaf balls with oil and mango drink. Her girls and she and I sang English, French and Moore' hymns and had fun doing it.

At the agreed hour I met Georges to follow him to his parent's home for the birthday celebration. Friends and family were there. There was a boom box playing Moore' hymns on cassettes, as people danced around the fire, with the guys drumming to the beat of the music. Food and drink was plentiful as everyone was having a good time.

15 July 08

Today Fatimata and Ramata, sisters from my OHG host family arrived in the evening to visit me in Sala. This is a major trip in an unfamiliar part of the country for them. They are staying a week, so my neighbor Madi went on my bike to meet them at the taxi brousse place, after it had been raining all afternoon. As he is close to their ages and also a student, they all became fast friends. Amade' had told me his daughters will come for a visit after their BAC tests, so that is now!

It was a good visit, they enjoyed themselves in Sala, visiting everyone in my quartier, meeting the staff at CSPS, meeting the chef and seeing the sites: the elementary school, both barrages and the Thyou marche'. We visited a long time about the family in Somyaga, and looked at pictures of everyone. They shared that Orokia misses me, and she and Amade' hope to visit too before harvest is finished.

On Thursday I took Fatimata and Ramata to baby weighing with me at the maternite' and there came Salamata (from the restaurant) with her brand new baby girl. She was very happy to see me, as I was her. I had Gansonre tell her I have a baby quilt for her, and she came the next morning to get it. One woman who came in for prenatal visit had a condition where the baby was developing outside the uterus. Gansonre let me observe her belly as he confirmed the problem and gave her a referral to KDG for special care at the hospital there.

Early Friday was the first sensibilisation regarding Moringa Tree and it's nutritional benefits. The chef had said it would be held down by the main road in a hangar in Sala, so Karim, Georges and I along with Fatimata and Ramata took my flip chart describing the vitamins and nutrients in the leaves down there. We were set to do the presentation, Karim with a report on the Moringa conference we both attended and Georges to translate my French into Moore' for the villagers. We had a light turnout, but it was well received and a good practice for the next ones. Karim also described that we will start a project to grow Moringa trees to plant in and around Sala. The people seem to know Moringa but without all the details on the nutritional value. They were interested and want the chance to grow it. Luckily the rains held off until after the sensibilisation.

The three students, Madi, Fatimata, and Ramata got out their BAC study guides and were comparing notes on taking the test recently. It is a very involved process, and includes much detail regarding specific areas of study. Students here in Burkina Faso are very committed to education with the hope of furthering their choices in life. In the late afternoon Madi wanted to show Fatimata and Ramata more of the Sala barrage, so the four of us walked clear around it, stopping along the way to explore the gardens and the dike, etc. It took about two hours and we ended up in Thyou on the other end of the trek. Surprising how big it is! (See photos.) We finished that day up with a long game of Uno, which they really liked.

On Sunday while I was at church, I observed a young man nearby with holes in either flip-flop and afterwards I asked him to come by my house as I wanted to give him a new pair that my friends had sent from America. We stopped by the marche' to get some things and lunch before going home. Some folks from the church in Sabou were at the morning service, so we asked them to take some Moringa seeds back for the nuns there as a thank you for my lodging the past weekend. The sisters are leaving in a couple days for a month in Italy for the worldwide 25 year anniversary celebration of their order. I hoped they would plant them before leaving Burkina Faso.

In the afternoon I worked on translating student letters into English from the school in Zao. I want to mail them when I'm in Ouaga next week. Also in the afternoon we washed Moringa leaves donated by Pascaline, so I could prepare Kopto for dinner. It is made with peanut butter, tomatoes, onions, garlic, oil and seasoning. It is very tasty and nutritious too.

Monday morning early we three were packed and ready for the return trip to Ouaga, where the girls would catch a bus on to OHG and home. We had help getting to the Shell station to catch the ride. The girls and I talked a lot on the way to the capital. Fatimata wrote me a note saying, “Many African people like you. You need to stay in Africa. You give gifts to the children, women and men. It is good.” When we got to town and asked directions to the bus station, the girls shared with me that they were out of money. They were timid to say that, and borrowed 5 mille to return home. It was difficult to part, but joyous to have had the visit at the same time.

My trip into Ouaga included a Physical Therapy appt to work on strengthening my muscles since my accident in April. They use ultra sound and heat packs and it seems to work well. I shopped at the Artisan's Village for gifts to send home. I also got to visit with other volunteers in town and eat a couple meals out in nice restaurants. We had a taco feed one evening orchestrated by Courtney, an excellent cook and a volunteer from South Carolina. I also chatted with Josh, who recently became engaged, he asked what I thought was the secret to a good marriage. My answer: keep a sense of humor, and talk to each other lots, and be interested in your partners likes and activities. We all went to a good-bye luncheon for Helen, who has just finished her service and is returning to the US. She agreed to take a pkg to mail for me. Helen is going to start her Master's Program at Tuft's University in Boston soon after she gets back.

Lindsey was in town with her family from USA and we had a good visit. She recommends the bed and breakfast “Karite' Bleu”, down the street from the Transit House for out of towners. The country director asked me to dine with Annette, a new staggiere who is returning home to be with her mother during major surgery. She is sad to part. On Friday I packed up to return to village.

 
"Mefloquine-my antidote for malaria"

As I visit the health clinic in my village the number one health condition that brings people of all ages for help is malaria, both simple and grave. If villagers come in with early symptoms the IV drip with antibiotics, vitamins and blood boosters works well and rapidly. Time precludes waiting for test results in Africa. All people with symptoms are treated for malaria as a precaution.

If patients come in later, the symptoms are grave and harder to resolve. The fever and all over body aches progress in a short time to vomiting and delirium and kidney failure. It's faster with children.

The Peace Corps requires its volunteers to take regular prophylaxis-usually Mefloquine weekly. Even if the female mosquito, Anopheles, bites one, the antidote interrupts the venom traveling to one's liver. The reputation of Mefloquine is that it can make some people crazy, which I think is overstated. The drug is also known to make one's dreams very intense, which I inferred meant violent. Surprisingly, dreams are "vivid" and seem real, but are quite pleasant. The problem is they drift away quickly, so one can't remember, but the lingering sense is positive. "Pas de probleme".

***25 July 2008

Friday evening there was a big BAC feast in Thyou at the home of Jean honoring honoring their son's graduation from the university with a degree in public administration. There were lots of family and friends, many from our church, exquisite food, drinks, microphoned speeches in French and Moore', music and dancing. I was happy to experience this family event shared with the community.

Saturday

I had visitors for tea and coffee early next morning when I opened my door. Issaka, in his forty's and who is diabetic, shared his medical file with me and explained that he is able to handle that by diet at this point, and wondered if it will always be with him. He also takes pills. Issaka lives most of the time with his family in Cote D' Ivoire, and visits his family in Sala every few months. He always brings gifts, bikes, clothes etc. Abdoulaye blew up the soccer ball I had sent from USA and the neighbor boys love playing with it. I had time to read more of “Power of One”, set in Africa.

I got my house in order for company, Becky and Christina. In the afternoon Christina text me that the axle broke on their vehicle and they waited all day for another one to get there and installed. They arrived from KDG to Sabou right before dusk. I biked there to meet them. Linda was on the same transport heading south to Bobo area. They were having fun conversing with other guys on the transport, giving them fictitious info. It took 20 minutes for the workers to get her bike off the top of the vehicle and her bags attached to it. We left in the dark slowly making our way to village down a challenging road filled with ruts from the recent rains. No moon to guide us.

When we got past Thyou, George and Laurentine were waiting for us at the cell tell place and had brought dinner for our arrival. We all continued on to my house. The pate d'arachite sauce over rice was delicious! Exhausted we retired for the night.

The next day we went over to the clinic to meet the major and other med staff and take the tour. There were 4-5 patients with malaria getting treatment. There is a new accoucheuse, Leah. I showed Christina the little shops in Sala and we rode out to the barrage. I lost my sense of direction and soon we were heading for Bolo. I realized my mistake and it took a while to return, but the villagers we asked helped redirect us. We fixed tuna sandwiches, then pedaled to Thyou to meet with Becky who bike from Sabou that afternoon. We met up there and relaxed at the buvette for a drink. We visited Garrett while in Thyou, so the PCVs could see his surroundings. We met a man Saidou Kabre' who is a successful businessman in Ouaga, and is back here to thank the group of 6 Swiss youth volunteers who are building a bibliography and chicken coup near there.

Another tour of meeting the major and visiting the clinic happened for Becky's sake. The major had moved into his new home by the CSPS while I had been gone last week, and he visited with us out front. We stopped by the chef's compound on the way home. He was happy to meet my visitors and teased Christina about staying to be another wife for him. We arrived home to more company, who ate with us and we were all set to play Uno when a storm started brewing. So people went home and we readied for the night. It is so fun to have fellow PCVs visit me in Sala!

The following morning Christina took the taxi at Thyou back to Ouaga, and later Becky took one from Sala back there. It was a short but sweet visit and we all promised to make it happen again.

Karim showed me where the Ipala quartier is, which is a long way west of Sala on a path filled with last night's rain. We returned via the CSPS and weighed 3 babies at the maternite' with the new accoucheuse.

In the afternoon I made my usual trip to the marche' for vegetables and fruits, etc. Then I had my language lesson and practiced the Moringa presentation again. George told me there was a murder in Bolo last Friday night and a man was locked up in Sabou regarding that. He knew the victim's brother from our church.

29 July 2008

We gathered at my place to pedal to Ipala quartier for sensibilisation on benefits of Moringa Tree. We have visual aids including pruning a branch off the M tree at the maternite' to use for our talk. The sous-chef was Ouedraogo Boureima, Karim's father. Women gathered numbering 30-40 and the men numbered 20. A few children were present. The talk was well received and we spent some time on a question about insects and Moringa. We debriefed with the major afterwards.

30 July 2008

Garrett went to Ouaga today and brought back a big envelope from Shawn, his Double Negative project in southern Nevada was featured in the current issue of “Sculpture” magazine, with a great photo on the cover and 8 page article. Wow! I couldn't be prouder. Lorraine called to tell me how great the article was too.

I sat on the porch and watched a storm coming in the distance. Before the COGES meeting in the late afternoon, Georges came to review the summary of my activities in a report I prepared for it. I was allowed time at the end to give a short recap. At the end of the meeting, Gansonre passed out moustiquairres to all the members there. It is part of the big campaign going on now to distribute them to all pregnant women and mothers with babies.

The next day was Thursday, which means baby weighing in village. The turnout was tremendous because word had gotten around that the mosquitairres would be given out. So the maternite' was overflowing with women and babies, some who hadn't been in in a year for it, were there today. It was also a chance to update vaccinations that were overdue on some babies too. I would guess I weighed over 40 babies that morning, many from my own quartier. I want to ask my language teacher to help me learn how to tell the mothers in Moore' the weight of their babies.

I went to the marche' in the afternoon and returned home via the Thyou barrage, where George washed my bike in the rippling stream nearby. See photos.

Garrett texted me that the Swiss were having a celebration the next afternoon and we were invited to attend.


Fire

Before dawn Burkina women light a fire with small dry weeds and twigs. Gradually they add stems and sticks, progressing to large limbs and thick pieces of dry wood. Burkinabe' regulate the heat by the size of the fuel and the action of pulling branches in or out of the fire. Fires are made both outside and inside next to the walls of the house. Some houses have a separate building exclusively for cuisine preparation, somewhat of a luxury here.

Usually there are three big stones spaced in a triangle around the heat source, a tripod of sorts to balance the marmite (pot) on. This kettle has a rounded bottom. Depending on the cuisine the fire can be flaming, smoldering or white hot. Sometimes a woman has two fires of different size for cuisine side by side, much like two burners on a stove. I have seen peanuts in shells put in the fire, then removed by hand w/o burning the person.

Little kids light a pile of straw in the winter in the field and huddle around the heat to warm themselves. People carry burning embers to share and ignite other fires. When the villagers want to harvest honey from way up in the trunks of big trees, men climb into the trees with a blow torch and the fire sends the bees away while they harvest the honey.

African Adventure 11

“Le Vent” (wind)

The wind is welcome to cool the body and inform one about the weather changes coming. It can be quiet and uncannily calm, and then the wind rapidly converges near the earth to announce rain is imminent. And it comes, most often suddenly!

One day I was walking to the market and behind me dark clouds were gathering—the wind came and people nearby shouted, “La pluie!” (the rain) meaning take cover! I glanced over my shoulder to see the wind whipping up very fast. I stood next to a clay wall (insufficient cover), so I made a B-line for a hangar, about a block away. I asked the family who encouraged me to enter. But by then the rain was coming in horizontally. Two shopkeepers observing this activity ran to the hangar and invited me into their shop, protected on all sides. People gathered there visited and passed the time together under cover. In an hour the intense rains subsided, water running in streams on paths, roads, pooling in lower spots. Instinctively Burkinabe' know the storm is finished and commence their previous activities.

Another day I heard the wind nearby and went outside to see what was happening. The sound was a whirlwind, a spiral of dust and debris going across the field in front of my house and heading towards the chef's compound. It looked to be a 25' column that got diffused by a half dozen old trees in its path. In this area of farming one can see the effects of the wind from one side of the horizon to the other.

On a very still hot day (100 degrees) I get on my bike and as I gain speed I am reminded that the air flows around moving things in a most refreshing way. I close my eyes and make a mental note of this welcome brief relief from the heat.

After sundown, when the temperature is still high, I stand at the north edge of my veranda and leaning over to face west, I can catch the beginning of the evening breeze that cools the African land here. I thank God again for the air.

01 June 08

This Sunday we pedaled 6K west of Thyou to Mass in the small village of Goumogo. After riding uphill out of Thyou, the land levels out for a long distance. Lots of women were in the fields planting. Many people were on foot going to the petite hangar at Goumogo for the service. Following the mass, the priest blessed the vat of water, with the eucharist minister putting salt in the shape of a cross onto the water. People filled their containers with “holy water”. Then the priest and the congregation walked over to the new home of the eucharist minister and blessed the structure. The finale' was drumming and dancing to celebrate the beginning of planting season.

02 June 08

This day we biked into la brousse (the bush) 9K to Bolo to give a presentation to the people. The health liaison in village met us at the marche' and Babou said the people will come in from the fields at noon and there will be an audience for us. I spoke in French requesting the people to help determine their main health problem. My language teacher translated my words into Moore' for them. The headmaster from the elementary school came for the talk and when we divided the people into two large groups he took one and Georges and Babou took the other. Much discussion took place before the voting on the principal health problem in their village. Malaria (palu) was named the number one health concern. After the wrap up and passing out cookies and water, the liaisons got us wonderful pork to eat with pima (hot sauce). We stopped by the water pump to refill our water jugs before biking back. Then we rested at a picturesque spot near the million year old boulders and decades old trees growing in the crevices.

I researched for the causerie (talk) at Dana on Wednesday regarding “Maladie de L'eau” (sickness from bad water). I text Dr. Claude for ideas and illness information on the topic. She responded quickly and it helped me get ready. Before our conversation ended she let me know that following my letter of interest I will be the health volunteer going to the Moringa Tree Conference in OHG mid-June. I am happy.

04 June 08

We prepared for our presentation in Dana, stopped by the clinic and chatted with the major and head nurse about Maladie de L'eau and they agreed it was a good idea to link it to hygiene, a talk I have given before. An hour later Garrett, Georges and I arrived in Dana, where we visited the school first. The headmaster Maiga Ousseine and two teachers sat on the veranda with us as all the students looked on. I had a big bag of school supplies sent to me by Jan Myers and Dafna Margalit. The director said they would give them out as prizes at the end of the school year July 10. See pictures. They brought a crippled boy to us and asked if I would inquire about resources for him in the capitol next time I go there. Seni is 9 years old and has been handicapped since birth below his right knee. He can't walk on that leg, so he hops on one foot. The school was pleased with our visit and invited us back anytime.

When we got to the marche' in Dana and met with the health liaisons, Babou and Bitiou, they said they did not have enough notice to inform the people in time for the presentation. And the villagers are in the fields planting. So we agreed to come back in 9 days.

The next day was baby weighing and I helped the nurse Gansonre with this. He does a cursory health check on the babies between the weighing and vaccinations. He checked one baby who had air in the stomach from latching onto the nipple insufficiently. He asked me to help communicate with the mother about this issue, so I got out my La Leche book, copied the pictures showing how to stimulate the baby's mouth to open wide, put the nipple way into the mouth and position the baby close to the mother. This mom was grateful and took the pictures home with her.

Later I made a chart to explain to the COGES my activities for the last two months in village, esp. the presentations with the villages on health issues and what they said were their main problems, and the follow up talks that have happened and are planned to.

07 June 08

We got the taxi brousse to Nabadago to visit Georges’ sister Martine and husband Marcel and family. We will spend the day at the big marche' there too. It is on the main route to Ouaga, and a very busy place. We walked a distance from the town to their home and visited the family there. We saw the original homestead of the Kiemtore' family. The land here is flat, very green and with the blue sky, it is pleasant as far as the eye can see. We walked through several fields planted in millet and arachide and coming up nicely. Marcel was using his slingshot (lancefier) to scare goats out of the fields. Martine makes local beer for the marche' and had already taker her bidon there for the day. When she returned we all walked to the marche', strolled around, and after several hours we were famished. We found pork for sandwiches and the four of us picked a quiet place to eat them. In the late afternoon we caught the transport back home to Thyou. It was a fun day.

Sunday afternoon I rode to Thyou to charge my phone at the station, and chatted with the guy there, when Madame Kiemti came over to say hi. She invited me to her home and heated up to’ and sauce with fish in it. She cut up a large mango for dessert. Her daughters, Jedidiah and Alie were there engrossed in playing with their new puppy. We looked at the family photo album and discussed friends they have made in other countries, some of the French friends were in the album. Ms. Kiemti's husband runs the local Sodigaz store, selling propane. She sent me home with a dozen pintard eggs.

This week I spoke to the major and Ouedraogo Karim, my counterpart about the Moringa Conference in OHG mid-June and it is all set, and quite exciting to be connecting with an inspired group from five countries in West Africa as we try and tackle the malnutrition problem this way.

10 June 08

I had to go to the capitol for the dentist, Pablo Rojas, to set my new crown in place the next day. It was made in France and fit perfectly. They sent me home with antibiotics and care products.

I had a fun time at the Artisan's Village which houses many, many shops with handcrafted items by the local artists here in Ouaga. I could spend my whole living allowance on gifts and nice things to buy. Lucky I don't live in the capitol. I got boxes together for Lexi and Jodi who both had birthdays recently. Andrea will mail them when she goes to America next week.

While in town and next door to the PCB I visited Handicapped International Agency, who gave me a referral for the crippled boy from Dana, so I can take that info back to them. Apparently there won't be any fees for the service because it is provided by a government service.

The evening of June 11 twenty of us celebrated Keisha's birthday with her. We met at Vita's for dinner and Jimmy's for dancing. Keisha had made a birthday hat to wear, sort of a crown. It set the tone. Everyone had a good time. The next day I returned to village, happy with results of my trip to Ouaga.

13 June 08

We rode to Dana school with the resource info for the little boy Seni from “Centre D'appareillge Orthopeolique” de Burkina. They seemed happy with that. We got to the market place mid-morning and waited until midday for a crowd to gather for the causerie regarding Maladie de L'eau. I gave info in French, Georges translated into Moore' and Babou translated into Garoussi for the people. There was much discussion around the hygiene poster I had made regarding the issue of breastfeeding only, for one year, and the women saying they are pregnant by the time the baby is less than 6 months old. There's definitely room for a family planning talk here. The hand washing demo was also of interest to the villagers. I demonstrated it, then a woman volunteered to do it and finally a child of maybe 8 years and everyone had a chuckle with us. They seemed pleased with the presentation.
Late that day we were able to get to the marche' in Thyou before it closed and buy my vegetables.

On Saturday I wanted to clean my bedroom thoroughly because there had been mice in there. I gave it a spring cleaning. I was also leaving Sunday for OHG and the Moringa Conference for most of the week. I spent the better part of the day getting my house and packing in order. The major is driving Karim and I to Sabou in the morning to catch the bus to OHG. That is a relief because normally transportation on Sunday is minimal in village.


“L'eclair” (lightning)

The horizon is visible full circle here in the Africa village, no tall trees or buildings block the view. I look across the horizon in the distance above the canopied trees and notice lightning pulsating behind them, like a glorious climax to a Broadway musical. The entire breadth of the scene, maybe 180 degrees to 360 is spectacularly bright as it lights up the background at once.

Then the rains commence, a huge deluge but after an hour, a steady more gentle downpour. The symphony of lightning on the edges adds an excitement to every storm. My eye is drawn to the sky overhead where a jagged lightning bolt rips, followed in seconds by the roar of thunder. The extreme brightness of the lightning confuses my mind with daylight during this night storm.

Like headlights coming at you over a hill, sometimes the lightning courses across the sky horizontally in giant fingers extending their reach to the far corners. Spots of lightning silhouette the African grain huts in the foreground, as well as the grand old tees in the background.

The thunder turns to rumbles as the storm moves away and the wind inevitably pushes the clouds, thus the humidity escapes for now. And the cycle continues...

Continued

15 June 08

I found Salam in his quartier and explained what the major recommended for his eye problem, which is to go to KDG to the eye clinic at the hospital for antibiotic. He seemed to know that already. He offered us dolo and we met visitors, one of them his daughter. They were sitting near the place of sacrifice (chicken). I was later advised to stay a respectful distance from the sacrifice, which the men handle.

On Sunday the major drove Karim and I the 15K to Sabou where we caught the Staff bus at 10:30 and were in OUA within an hour. Rapid! As we hailed a cab, Babette, an experienced volunteer from the east coast came over and said she has a cab going to the transit house and would we like to join her. That was great!

We hung out a couple hours there until Doug Teschner, the PC country director for Burkina Faso came for us. Also traveling to OHG were his wife, Marty and the GEED director, Zallia. We had a good visit en route. Mr. Teschner was scheduled to greet the new stagierres who were in turn meeting their host families that day. The director asked me to say a few words to the new prospective volunteers. I told them that eight months ago I was doing what they are doing today, and the link to BF culture is smoothed so much by the host families for we Americans. I shared with them that my host family, whom I came to love, will arrive shortly to visit me and I am excited.

I talked about JFK being my inspiration some 40 plus years ago. I talked about our families back home supporting us, in my case it is my children. In their case it is their parents. I said “By being here, you are already giving to the people of Burkina Faso. It will only get better.”

That week Karim and I with the BF group spent three intense days with volunteers and counterparts from four other countries, Benin, Ghana, Niger and Togo. We learned that many things are going on in their countries with Moringa, as they have been involved with their projects up to ten years now and BF is really just getting started. The workshop was conducted in both French and English. There was a lot of energy and excitement about the value of Moringa tree for Africa. We all believe the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in its leaves, roots and trunk can change malnutrition in the world. Our hope is to develop a Moringa manual for volunteers and counterparts to use in country. Additionally we hope to come up with the ideal training model along with ideas for community involvement to aid all those people interested in Moringa development in West Africa. Niger made Moringa recipes that we all tasted on the last day. One countryman sold seeds, so we could get started back in village.

I had a chance to visit my host family, Amade' and Orokia during this conference, as well as two of the chidren, Fatimata and Ramata. The next day I was excited that Azita and Amade' were in town on the moto when I walked back to ECLA, so I got to see her too. The girls will come for a visit to Sala after they finish their BAC test later this month.

Back in village, Karim and I debriefed with the major regarding the Moringa Conference and discussed our hopes for a project in Sala. We have a list of things to get in KDG for the project. We also met with the village chief and the forestry director, Budha Mohammed to discuss our ideas amd information. We will look in the marche' Sunday in Thyou and start pricing items we need.

22 June 08 Sunday

The hangar at church was packed for the mass today. They nearly ran out of hosts at communion. Georges led the choral group and they had a practice session afterwards for the anniversary of Jean Baptiste which will be Tuesday morning. I was personally invited to come.

A bunch of us went to the marche' in Thyou. I shopped for vegetables and fruits, then took my l'ordination 2008 material to the tailor for a dress to be made. I met with Karim to look at the things we may need for the Moringa project, and then we ate sandwiches at the market. Later in the afternoon I received a call from Mdm Kiemde' who was at my house for a visit, so I scurried home. I served tea and teriyaki beef jerky to Mdm Kiemde' and Veronica, the teacher from Thyou who were both there. Veronica said there is a Moringa tree in the schoolyard, which I will visit tomorrow.

The next day we found the tree, which was bare at the moment. But we discovered that Ouedraogo Pascaline has a large fenced compound with lots of Moringa trees of various ages. She is willing to give us leaves and seedpods. She also shared a bucket of mangoes with us.

That evening the sky clouded up and soon lightning burst out overhead. It was a fantastic show!

24 June 08

There were two priests to say mass for Jean Baptiste's anniversary. The choral group did an outstanding job under Georges direction and he sang a solo, all a tribute to Jean Baptiste. After the service I was led over to the hangar where the dignitaries were being served a meal. Meanwhile the drumming and dancing began in the area behind the church hangar. It was a fun time for all.

In the late afternoon the causerie planned for my quartiers got cancelled when the chef came and said the people are still in the fields. Re-scheduling has been a regular visitor to my work lately. It rained all the next day.

26 June 08

I went to the maternite' for baby weighing this morning. I got to do one baby with Philippe, RN, who told me that twins were born overnight to a couple from Bolo. I visited them and gave them a baby quilt and showed the mother Ali the LLL book pictures on positions for holding twins for nursing. I managed to take a photo.

After my language lesson that day, two headmasters arrived at my house, one from Zao and the other from Salou. Kuba Bonaybi brought the letters from his school's students, and I gave both men supplies for their respective schools. Ky Simplice wants reading books for his school. I can send the letters after translating them into English, when I go to KDG next week.

On Friday I rode down to the barrage in Sala and watched two boys using nets they circled and threw into the water. The barrage is filling up again. See photo. The rains are also bringing out red velvet bugs that are scattered around the ground.

On Saturday I checked in with the tailor about my dress she is making. It is not finished, so I will come back another day before we go to KDG. Bazile and his wife were slated to come to my house.
to play Uno this day, but there is a big funeral in Thyou and they will reschedule.

29 June 08 Sunday

I was getting ready for church when Kotim carrying her new baby girl arrived for a visit. Minata had told her I had a gift for her, the "Wild Roses" quilt that Sally made. When I discoveed that this baby was Kotim's ninth child, I shared with her that the quilter, Sally also has nine children. Kotim was radiant and she looked in good health after three days having given birth. This was meant to be. She stayed for coffee and photos.

I pedaled to the mass celebrating the feast of St. Irene' the patron of our church in Thyou. George led the choral group and said the readings plus talked after mass, as did others about the new church under construction. After mass we went to the marche', then to the home of an older man, Irene', whose family had a feast for his anniversary. I had danced with Awa his femme at the feast for Jean Baptiste. I like her a lot, as she reminds me of my mother, in her zest for life. I took a picture of the couple too and the muscians preparing for the dance.

George went home to check on his pintards, who were getting out somehow. We didn't stay at the birthday celebration long.

We went home to prepare our summary of the Moringa Conference to present at the COGES meeting tomorrow. Karim was there waiting and we all worked a couple hours on it. The guys want me to make Kopto (Moringa recipe) for the meeting tomorrow.

30 June 08

We went to Pascaline's house to harvest enough Moringa leaves to make Kopto in the afternoon. She had the Kiim tree, used for insect control. The meeting began when a quorum was there, plus Philippe. Karim said his part in Moore', I said my part in French with George translating it into Moore'. I also gave them a chart of my activities over the last month. We ate the Kopto until it was all gone. It was a big hit!

Cultivateur (farmer)

Burkina Faso is principally a farming country. In May the people start preparing the fields. Early in the mornings (6am) the villagers leave with a charret (wagon) full of manure and compost, dabas (diggers), rakes, water jugs, and supplies for the day. Wood and debris are removed from the fields and the work of turning the soil by hand begins.

In June (start of the rainy season) planting begins. Most farmers use a wide three tine rake to mark the rows to seed. Then everyone plants graine (seeds). A chop at the row with the daba (hoe) lifts enough soil for one to deposit a few seeds, i.e. 6 millet and 1 haricot (bean), or a couple arachide (peanuts) or a few gumbo (okra), maise (corn) and petit mill (rouge). Fields of rice are planted wherever there will be standing water.

Africans are bent over from the waist all day in the fields. Their hands toughen with callouses. They are barefoot. They work in family fields in family groups and sometimes in long lines, people working a field together to aid one another. This activity is also a social occasion, exhibited by voices calling out across the way to the next field. They laugh together, sing together and eat together in the fields. The villagers bring their food for a picnic and a small jug of local dolo for the adults at breaks, water for the children.

Every age works together day in and day out. I have heard no complaints. When I ask they respond "If you want to eat in the dry season (winter), you work the fields in the wet season (summer)." Because here in Burkina Faso there are only two seasons!