African Adventure 7

01-02-08

This morning I got ready to bike to Sabou to take a taxi brousse over to Koudougou. Georges had offered to accompany me on the bike ride and we met in Thyou at 6:30 to begin the 15K ride, which took just over an hour. After we checked for transport which wasn't leaving anytime soon, we found an omelette place in Sabou for breakfast. We had waited a long time for a bush taxi, when we saw that a camion was loading up and we considered that option, but I can't stand in the back. Georges struck a deal with the driver that for 1200 francs he would take all my stuff, bike and me (sitting up front). I bid my friend goodbye and it was nice to have a companion on the morning bike ride. The trip was uneventful across to KDG, for which I was thankful.

I stopped by the little store where I had left the brand new notepads on the counter, and after much explanation, they gave me two more. I loaded up on fruit, avocado and bread to make meals with and headed for the seminaire. The sister that handles the lodging was happy to see that I had returned after spending a week here in December. I tried to nap after a long hot shower (what a treat!) and then I biked to the cybercafe to use the internet. I had 57 msgs in my email, and spent a couple hours sorting through them. About that time the site crashed, so I returned to my chambre and typed on my laptop as long as my eyes lasted. There was a big conference with many people also at the petit seminaire, Notre Dame D' Afrique. I could hear them as I read my book into the evening, but things quieted down around 10, so I could easily sleep.

The next day Nakeisha texted me and we made a date to meet at the new marche' in the center of town to shop and from there go to lunch. When we did meet it was a warm reunion, Nakeisha is a wonderful young woman, so outgoing. Keisha and Melissa love to shop, and they showed me where to get the best (pate d' arachide) peanut butter. We found African gifts there, jewelry and carved animals to send home for gifts. Melissa was hunting for supplies for her home in KDG and Nakeisha wanted a CD player with a speaker. Of course the shopkeeper tried to sell her a big boom box, but with no luck. Nakeisha holds her own when it comes to bargaining in French!

We did lunch at a nearby conference center, where we enjoyed salads and trench fries in a private, outdoor setting under many big trees. We talked and talked to catch up on things since our training time together in OHG. We chatted about life in village. Keisha shared she has seen three babies born, and been to the primary school to meet the staff and students. She wants to start an English club after school. By chance her language tutor happened by, and he is the headmaster at her local school. Everyone in Peace Corps is encouraged to get a language tutor in village right away to help with their French, but also to learn the local tribal language. We are reimbursed up to 10 mil francs a month.

I met up with my friend Achille, who works at his brother's sign painting business downtown. He showed me around the shop. Then we biked a ways to his family compound because he said his father insists that I meet his grand soeur (big sister) and his grand frere again. Seraphin greeted me warmly and showed me his silk screening process he does on the computer. He was getting a big order of tee shirts ready and gave me a sample one with his logo on it.

At his parent's home, Achille carried his ailing father from his bed into the front room so we could visit. Maxime has a degenerating disease of the nerve system that wastes his muscles too. He enjoyed viewing the pictures I had on my camera showing what we did the previous weekend during Achille's visit with me at my village. He smiled proudly seeing his son in the photos. Cecile, his mother is also a sweet person and I insisted on a couple photos of Achille and her before I left. After that we spent some time at the internet, where he watched me post photos and answer emails.

03-02-08

I was outside this Sunday morning waiting for Achille, who came walking down the lane to the seminaire with his pedal in hand. We walked over to the church where the public was arriving and taking up pews, both front and center aisles were filled with the boys from the seminaire school. Soon 5 priests and 4 altar boys processed down the aisle and that wonderful singing led by their choral director commenced. Organ music and drumming was in the background. The mass was in French with a sermon that elicited laughter. The boys were neat and clean and sang beautifully. Much of mass was sung, very much like a high mass. After breakfast Achille and I went to the internet so I could post my blog, him walking and me riding my bike. Achille went off to fix his bike. When he returned I showed him the portfolio of Amade's relative, Haroun, who had an acrylic art display in Tuscon late February. When Haroun contacted my cousin Faye, they met for dinner and a mutual cultural experience. Several of my other cousins were there visiting too, and all thoroughly enjoyed his visit.

Achille accompanied me to the taxi brousse gare, for an transport that left 30 minutes ahead of schedule, so we waited two more hours for a car to Sabou. There I had to catch another transport to my village for an additional 750 francs. I was glad though that I hadn't tried to ride home in the dark. The driver left me off at the Sala boutique, and to my house then was a short way. Minata and family were glad to see me and she danced when I gave her the pommade de karite' for her skin. Turns out that this product is one of the top five exports from Burkina Faso. It sure works on my feet well!

04-02-08

When I went to the CSPS clinic this day the major told me about the semi-annual COGES meeting with the community which was at the school yesterday. He said it was well attended. Gansonre was working on the goals and objectives for the MicroPlan for Sala. He gave me the health plan to look at. I sat in the waiting room at the clinic as the five beds filled up with people sick with malaria and pneumonia. The major told me the maladies are often related. I watched as a small girl did not cry or even wince as Gansonre hooked up an IV to her right hand. Later I brought her a toy, ball and jacks, which I showed her big brother how to play. Her mother smiled approvingly as I motioned for permission for the child to take them with her free hand.

After my language class that day I went over to Gansonre's to watch the soccer match between Egypt and Cameroon (1-2) on black and white TV. There were others there very excited about the game too. Gansonre's wife, fixed dinner for all of us, spaghetti and salad. I got bread and drinks at the bavette to contribute to the meal. It was dark when we walked back home.

05-02-08

The major was already seeing many patients when I arrived at the clinic. He flushed out a little girl's ear until the debris came out with the water. They went outside for a better look into her canal as he showed her father and explained about the prescription for antibiotic and pain I think. (There is no electricity in village hence no indoor lighting either.) A listless baby was brought in, and checked for enlarged spleen/liver, then Gilbert carefully found a vein for the IV drip. Two Muslim women came in, one with obvious pain in the skeleton/muscle system. Another woman holding her infant came in with a young man. She uncovered an earlobe that hung below her jawbone, Elephantiasis is the name of this condition (not contagious, but no treatment the major told me). It was a very busy morning there.

For lunch, I went to the marche' and bought barbecued pork and bread for a sandwich. I found produce I needed, i.e. bananas, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, onions, and coconut. My neighbors led me to their hangar where one of the primary school teachers from Sala wondered why I was not at the COGES meeting last weekend. She brought over a man who could converse in English and translate for us. We walked over to the hangar my friends from church had and socialized with a variety of people I knew. I stopped by Garrett's place on the way home to see how his Ouaga trip had been to watch the Super Bowl Game on Sunday, at 11pm our time! He said it had an exciting finish.

After French lesson, we played a very long game of Uno with Abdoulaye. They love that game here. I text Shawn to wish him happy birthday before the day was done.

06-02-08 Ash Wednesday

I called the PC bureau in Ouaga about some of my medications and about my glasses this morning. I went to the little boutique in Sala to let the shopkeeper know Peace Corps would send those things there by transport today or tomorrow. When I went to the clinic I found Gilbert handling all the medical problems, as the major was gone to KDG and Gansonre was gone to the district for a meeting. Gilbert had a baby and two women on IV drips, with others waiting to be seen.

After an afternoon of French homework and my lesson, Minata told me my pkg had arrived at the boutique, so I went to get it. The morning was cooler, but then the hot wind began blowing and the day turned very hot, and it is only February. I was sweating! As darkness fell, the children in my compound were playing very hard and loving it, as it is too hot to sleep yet. Abdoulaye said my unit is cooler than theirs because of the windows and cross ventilation. They often sleep on mats in the yard.

I read in the evening, and I can hardly put the “Kite Runner” down, a story of an Afghanistan man with very deep emotions. I cry more often than not when I read this book. Across cultures the core things about family life have a similar ring to them.

07-02-08

Pierette, the accoucheuse had a total of 20 women with their infants at the Maternite' this morning as baby weighing began. She let me help. I weighed over half of the babies there. A scale suspends from the doorway frame and the baby sits in a soft plastic seat, registering their weight. I recorded the numbers in the register where she tracks it. This baby weighing is a fun task.

I practiced in a new reader, in both Moore and French today. Then we listened to two soccer games back to back on the radio; Ghana and Egypt, also Cote d'Ivoire and Cameroun. Abdoulaye borrowed scissors and tape to work on his model while we sat listening to the games. Zanabou came too, and we read her French primer. Shawn called and told me on his birthday Jodi surprised him with dinner at his favorite Indian restaurant with a few friends. I'm sure it was fun to have their new baby son at the party.

08-02-08

I woke up reading the Kite Runner, so many things in life are bittersweet! Come to Africa and face memories in America!

Grilled cheese sandwich is one of my favorite breakfasts here: slice the baguette, spread “Laughing Cow” cheese on the crust side, butter the fresh bread side, and put it in the fry pan. With a piece of fruit and a cup of coffee, I start my day! I was in the waiting room, when the major invited me to observe. He tested a man for high blood pressure and gave him Lasilix. Next he saw a 5 month old baby for Palu, with no weight record to be found. He said “Rate Gross”- pneumonia, and prescribed oral medication. Then he saw a man around 30, with Ancien Malade (old injury) for which he gets an antibiotic shot and pills.

I had my French lesson before noon today due to my teacher leading Stations of the Cross at church every Friday during lent at 4pm, the usual time of my lesson. Georges had conjugated avoir and etre in four tenses with the rules governing them for me to study. He also wrote out a dialogue about a fire in the field for us to practice in both French and Moore'. It proved interesting.

During this time, one of the PC program directors called to invite me to participate in a diversity workshop for managers, under the direction of Andrea, an Eng speaking Senegalese with the Western African PC Program. Six-eight recent volunteers were invited it turns out, from different ethnic backgrounds. I fit into that category being the only senior volunteer in the West Africa area. I agreed that on February 20 I would come to the capitol to join the group.

In the afternoon and before the service at church “Chemin de Croix”, we went to the marche' in Thyou. It was very slow, as during lent (Careme) there is no dolo on Fridays, hence the lack of business. I shopped for my veggies, and we got bread and fried fish to make a sandwich. As we sat on a log and made our lunch, we were visited by several beggars, which still catches me by surprise, as they are persistent. The carpenter, Gerard came by too, and promised to bring my bookcase on Sunday to my house. He bikes it on top of his head he tells me.

We also stopped at Garrett's place was on the way to church. We stopped there for water refill and short visit. The crowd gathered in the hangar at church, and processed along the dirt driveway stopping ever so often for prayers and chanting at one X on the ground symbolizing a station of the cross. Georges led the group in the songs, one particularly beautiful Moore' chant “Jesus ya Toogo” he taught me on our bike ride back. He text his brother Maxime and called his femme in KDG, where he is going tomorrow for the weekend to visit his wife and baby.

On Saturday I thought I might check out the clinic on the weekend to see how busy they are. First I went to buy more cellular units. On the way I stopped at a quartier across from the school and chatted with everyone there. One young woman, Zanabou, said her teacher Garrett was having his students do an exercise on AIDS, and advised those living in Sala to talk to me for more health info. She spoke fair English, as she is taking that class from Garrett. She wrote down her question so I could talk with Garrett next time I saw him to get the details. Eventually I loaned her some written materials in French that she could use in her assignment.

At the CSPS was Gilbert working with a handful of people. Not too much action, plus it was very hot. Every day this month has reached 100 degrees, and luckily cools off at night. I must be getting acclimated as last October when I arrived in BF that temp bothered me. Not so much now. I went home and began studying my “Etude de Mileau”, but it is hard to concentrate in the heat. I sat outside with Minata under the hangar, and hand stitched my pintard valances for the two windows in my big room.


On Sunday I got ready early and pedaled 3 K to the church, where Jean Baptiste led the service (no priest again). Songs and prayers, but no Mass. On the way home I decided to find the cabaret so I could return bottles, but I was not in the right section of Thyou. As I wandered around the area, suddenly a woman came by and said Marie and Besile are over here, as she led me to their home. Sure enough there she was along with four of their children, her mother, and numerous neighbor kids. Marie was one of the first friends I had made at church, and obviously she shared that info with her friends and neighbors. Marie offered me water and as I took a couple photos, all the children wanted in them too. It was great fun!

Soon I left there and as I passed the community center in Thyou, I could hear what sounded like a revival going on. My curiosity took me inside, where the youth were dancing. The young boys were on the stage moving rhythmically to the boom box music. The many teen girls were stage right and also dancing to the sounds. I managed to get a good picture of the boys, but when I tried for the girls, kids swarmed in front of my camera. (See photos.) I so enjoyed seeing the good fun the youth were engaged in.

Late in the afternoon after sitting outside with the women of my compound, Abdoulaye and I walked around inside the area of the quartiers and corrected my map. There are about two dozen living units therein and I listed the inhabitants so I can get the names and faces linked in my mind. Then we listened to a playoff game on the radio, until I got a call from Angie. I talked with Lindsay about her recent birthday. It is so good to talk to family at home. This generation of PCVs have it so good in respect to modern communication, cell phone and email.

11-02-08

When I arrived at CSPS the major was training a nurse, named Philippe, He is a new addition allocated due to the work volume. I was happy to hear some pretty good English from him, which he said he learned in school. He is a big, well built man with a gentle nature. Gilbert was doing IV and injections and consulting as well.

Today I wanted to get to the marche' early as the major told me that's when there is still fruit. I also had better directions to find the cabaret, so in fact I did that first. Marie and Besile found me at the marche', and also my friend Atia from Zoa tried to take me away for dolo, but that had to wait. We got cooked pork for sandwiches and were sitting there eating in the dolo hangar, when a blind man named Victor began singing and playing his stringed instrument. (See photo.)

I found two small canaries with chips which I got for a good price, and want to plant flowers in for my porch. My neighbor children got wound up playing outside after dark, as all children everywhere do. It was too hot to be inside. I took a brief walk on the moonlit path by my house and then sat on the wall encasing the compost bin. Abdoulaye and I visited until Georges rode up on his bike just back from KDG and apologized for no lesson today. He said his baby is sick with pneumonia and is on two antibiotics, so Georges said he will return to KDG on Saturday. He said he visited his brother Maxime, at the seminaire in KDG. He is working on formation services for another town nearby.

When I went to the clinic the next morning, Gansonre was there with the new nurse looking on, so was Gilbert. I sat in the waiting room playing with a baby, as two other babies were on IVs. (See photo) I watched as the new nurse changed a dressing on a man with bad leg and arm scrapes from a moto accident. These kind of injuries are all too often in Burkina Faso, as moto is the leading vehicle after bicycles here. I visited the construction workers, who are building the major's new house by the CSPS. Then I went home to get two magazines to share with them about Sports and cities in America. The workers will return to Ouaga when their job is done, but everyone has questions about America. Luckily a friend sent me magazines I could loan them.

I texted Bintou in Bobo, a green large city in southern BF, where she is teaching businessmen French. She extended greetings to Minata, the major and Gansonre and me here in Sala. Often people ask after her.

13-02-08 PCV Robert visits from 90K south..

I met Rob getting off the taxi brousse at Sala's boutique, and after we got his flat bike tire repaired, we walked over to the CSPS, and met all the staff. We talked a long time to the new nurse about how poor Burkina Faso is and what our work here will be. He seemed intrigued at our choice to be here.

Before lunch we took a bike ride around the barrage, where I showed off Minata's garden along with the others. When we got back to my place Garrett and Georges met us there for a lunch of salad and grilled cheese sandwiches. We all chatted quite awhile until it was time for my language lesson. While we were busy, Garrett showed Rob where to catch the taxi brousse to Ouaga tomorrow morning in Thyou.

In the late afternoon we started Uno and when Abdoulaye got home from school, I had him take my hand, while I fixed dinner. (See photo.) We had stir fry over rice. Garrett came back, bringing home made warm brownies with no leavening. He recently put together a Dutch Oven. Dessert is a big treat here and they were gone in no time. The Uno game went on until 9pm when I called it. It was delightful to hear Rob and Garrett and Georges and Abdoulaye joke in French as they played Uno, they enjoyed each other's company so. Rob offered that I need to keep learning French so I can talk to my peers. I can get someone local to talk Moore to the villagers but in order to leave things sustaining themselves, I need to organize not do the work.

14-02-08

In the morning I made breakfast while Rob bathed. He liked bathing inside with no wind/cold.. I am lucky to have an indoor douche. He tied all his stuff on his bike to go catch the transport in Thyou.. Rob and I tried to take a picture of the pintards flying enmasse out of the big tree as dawn came, but the time lapse wouldn't allow for good pictures. We ate p&j sandwiches before Rob left.

When I arrived at the maternite' women and infants were assembled. We hung the scales in the doorway suspended from a hook. We weighed six babies then Pierette showed me how to fill in the main book register. While she saw a few women for pregnancy visits, I continued weighing babies and recording that information. I loved it. We finished around 11am and I came home to get ready for market. In this culture everyone goes to market.

First I went to the barbecue place to buy pork for sandwiches, but then Marie and Besile invited me over under a tree near the north end of the market, as a bunch of her family was gathered there. I met her petite soeur (sister), and her sons, who were selling fresh fish they caught. Then Basile rode by, and I went to greet him. Soon we met his father and a brother too. After we socialized over a dolo or two, we headed to the marche' for fresh veggies, bread and coconut. We found a place to sit and make the pork sandwiches, and Georges introduced me to his father and sister who came by. Marie went searching for bananas for me. Marie and Basile want very much to play Uno again, so we made plans when I return from Ouaga to do that.

After I went back home, and finished my language lesson, my new teen friends, whom Garrett teaches, came by, Zanabou and Salinata. They visited awhile and I gave them some written material on AIDS for a paper they had to turn in. My lantern ran out of wick, so I sent the neighbor kid to the local boutique and they had a replacement wick. He also came home with my jacket---I couldn't believe it. The taxi brousse chauffeur left it at the boutique for me. We fried up the fresh fish for dinner along with a salad and French bread. It was good eating!

15-02-08

We had French lesson early today because of Lent I went to maternite' and told the accoucheuse Pierette how much I enjoyed weighing babies and she was glad. She showed me the list of training sessions the PCV did last year with the young mothers at maternite'. It included things like “making enriched porridge, prevention of malaria, benefits of vaccination, prevention of diarrhea, and the advantages of having an attended delivery”.

While at clinic I checked in with the major on my request to attend the mosque with him today, to which he had agreed. We planned to meet there before the noon service. Attired in a skirt, long sleeved shirt and head wrap, I arrived on time at the Thyou mosque and was promptly greeted by Lizetta, a neighbor from my compound. Then I spotted the major El Hadj all decked out in a beautiful boubou and his red and white checkered scarf. After we greeted, the major indicated that the women pray in the building directly behind the mosque. Lizetta led the way, we removed our sandals, and walked into the room of prayer rugs and praying women. They made room for me in the front row. Lizetta added a veil to my head wrap.

She also modeled what posture I should take as the chanting and praying was microphoned in from the main building. I was to raise my hands to my face at times, then down and out of sight. We also adopted positions of kneeling, standing and bowing. She removed my glasses and I was to look down at that time. At the end of the service we greeted people with “Wendga Weise” as we departed. The major came over and asked if I wanted to meet the high priest. I did meet a group of men all with the red and white head scarves, the sign they have been to Mecca. The major asked about my Koran, which I had not brought along. (See picture of the group.)

I took a couple hours in the afternoon for lunch and journaling, then I pedaled to my church and although I was very early for stations of the cross, I was in the company of many other women. The catechist began the service. His wife, Marie along with Georges led the singing. The procession with stops and kneeling along the path lasted over an hour. The Burkinabe's devotion to their faith and rituals is quite moving across all the religions.

When I returned home near dusk, Gerard delivered my bookcase, which I was happy with. It is nice to get my books out of boxes and more accessible.

Vaccination Week

16-02-08 I pedaled the 15 K to Zao, getting there by 9am. I went to the school and left some things, but there was no school today so I did not talk to anyone. The major arrived at Zao shortly after that, and opened the little square CSPS building. The women started coming with their infants. We had two helpers, Beli ASC and another person Patrice, AA (Aucien Agent de Zoa). My friend Atia is in Sabou this weekend, so I did not connect with her in village. The pregnant women and the infants received their appropriate vaccinations and by noon we had seen the majority of those coming.

At noon the major took me over to the hangar of Bertine for benga and mui avec pima (beans and rice with hot pepper). I had eaten here before with my friend Atia, so was glad to see Bertine again. I took pictures of her plus others. (See photos) Then Patrice took me to a dolo place and we socialized with the villagers who were there.

In the afternoon as I rode back to Sala I took pictures of the stacks of wood alongside the road. The big camion trucks come at night and pick up the wood, load it well over the sides of the truck bed, tie it down and drive rapidly back towards the capitol. Sometimes there is a second trailer attached. Reminds me of the semis at home trucking down the freeways at night.

When I reached home, it was late afternoon and the children were out playing, so I passed out lollipops, to them and their mothers who came out for a treat too. I read for awhile and finished my book, “The Kite Runner” and since I had cried through a lot of it, especially the ending, I was a basket case! I had prepared vegetables for dinner and Lizetta came by and requested a donation of food. She was taking it all to CSPS for families there. When the women saw the stir fry veggies, they wanted to eat it themselves, but I asked that they take it to the families of the sick at the clinic.

I took my bucket bath before retiring. I love the coolness of the bucket bath. It is a reprieve from the heat. It is so hot, and doesn't cool down until after 2am most nights.

17-02-08

This morning I left home at 8:30 for Dayolo and my odometer started working. I was listening to my MP3 player music, when halfway there the nurse, Gansonre and trainee, Kassoum passed me on their way to vaccinations. I kept going past Dana onto Dayolo and stopped short of the right village. There was a big group of people there who came to meet me.

I soon discovered my mistake and went on past the dike and over a small bridge to the correct place under a hangar in the center of the market place at Dayolo. A brother of one of the helpers from last month, Adama was there to assist. Gansonre was supervising the nurse trainee, Kassoum giving shots to children. One mother of twins was instructed by Gansonre to take her boy twin to the CREN in Sabou because he is malnourished. I walked over to her and asked if she was going directly to Sabou and she made a gesture of eating. I gave her 100 francs. We will see if that helped get them there. After the people who wanted immunizations were treated, it was near 11am.

We headed back towards Dana, where the two ASC Babou and Bitiou were there helping out. Bitiou was passing out pills to children and women. He had a measuring height stick, color coded and gave the designated number of pills the color coding indicated. We worked there a couple hours with the villagers receiving vaccinations and medicines until the crowd was treated. Then Babou took me across the road to the restaurant for a lunch of meat in broth. After hanging out at the marche' awhile in Dana, I headed back home to Sala 10K and an hour away. It was so hot, I napped as soon as I could. My friend Zanabou didn't show up for our discussion on her homework AIDS assignment. But soon another young person, Alassane, who studies in Koudougou came by to visit. He speaks English and wants to practice with me. He also wants to learn the internet, so we made a plan for the next time I am in KDG to call him when I go to the cybercafe'.

In the evening as Minata came home from her garden at the barrage, she saw an accident on the road between a motobike and a donkey cart. A young person was injured and taken to CSPS. Minata had blood on her hands from helping out.

18-02-08

I got ready for the ride to Salo, 8K away and the path commenced behind the CSPS buildings. It is a gradual ascent for 5-6K, then somewhat flat the last 2K. A woman also on a bike was going my way and I found her to be very helpful to my staying on the correct route. When I arrived at Salo I went through the marche' until on the other side I found the big tree, under which the vaccinations are done. Three men were passing out pills to the population just like in Dana yesterday, and using the same measuring devise. The pills are for paludisme/elephantiasis, a disease which causes enlarged body parts.

The nurse Gilbert and trainee Alexis were getting things ready for vaccinations when Gilbert mentioned Georges coming back home. I said he is in KDG and may return today. He then said that Georges baby died in KDG on the weekend, and that both his wife and baby had respiratory illness, and the baby didn't make it. My heart sank and I teared up. Health in BF is often on a thin line between life and death.

I saw several young mothers I had met at the CSPS, one with a very ill (pneumonia) baby, who was here for immunizations and her infant was doing very well now. Her baby was born in September, the month my newest grandchild Cash came. That contrasted with Georges baby reminded me of the fragility of life for the very young.

Many of the older women taking the pills being passed out, were having trouble swallowing them outright, so I offered them my water. Kids were gagging on them too, so we passed out all the water I had and sent someone to the well for more.

Before school let out at noon, I went to visit there and Daniel, the fourth level teacher, came out to greet me. He was happy with the alphabet and numbers to hang up in his room, and his students greeted me warmly. Soon the headmaster Ky came along and he too enjoyed the gift, as did the two women teachers. I didn't have any more to pass out to the two lower classes, but Daniel insisted that I say hi to the classes at the very least. The first graders had already adjourned, but they were lingering and watching my activity. When they saw me going towards their classroom, they all ran back inside so I would visit them. They were adorable. I asked them “Were you chanting?” earlier. And they sang me a song. I promised to return with more things, pencils, crayons, paper, etc. Daniel took me to his class and they also sang me a song, which was on the board in French so I could follow along.

When I got back to the vaccination site, Gilbert, Alexis and I walked to the marche' and found the woman who makes rice and vegetables. Gilbert also got some meat, which looked like chicken, but was rabbit. We all tried some and it was tasty. After socializing with some of the locals at the marche' a woman came over and indicated I needed to retrieve my bike from under the tree where we were all morning, as they were finished there. I got on my bike and rode home by myself, crying all the way.

When I got home Gerard was there doing a few carpentry things for me along with Minata, Lizetta and another friend of theirs. They asked what was wrong and I said Georges baby died at KDG on the weekend and it is so unfair. Minata hugged me and led me to my bedroom and said “No, don't cry.” Gerard said “When babies are sick with malady here, it is best they are with God.” They all said that is life and move on. I am learning another cultural difference and this one is difficult for me.

Late in the afternoon I was reading French primer with two of my neighbor girls, when my language teacher arrived for our lesson. I offered condolences and after the girls left, I listened to Georges describe his son, Jean Marc, last day. Their baby had an injection/transfusion at the hospital to continue treating his respiratory illness. And at home in the early morning hours the baby quit breathing. They tried to reach Georges by phone, but he was already en route to KDG to visit them. He said that upon his arrival they interred the baby at the cemetery. He said it took a lot of courage to view their son's body before his burial. He finished with “Jesus has said “whoever wants to follow me, will carry his cross.” He drew a sketch of the tombstone he's having made, a heart with the inscription and a cross behind it. Their faith supports them during this difficult time.

My neighbors came to offer condolences before Georges left.

19-02-08

Today we traveled to Bolo for vaccinations. I asked the new RN if I could follow him there. I pedaled to the barrage where the trail forks toward Bolo and waited. The motos came by and I saw the direction they went plus I had my compass, so I followed and in an hour I was there too. I also asked along the way to make sure I was on the right path.

The CSPS staff was set up at the far side of the marche' and two local helpers were passing out the pills for elephantiasis to the population. I greeted many people and took some pictures, one of the woman who was preparing lunch of spaghetti and lapine (rabbit). After eating lunch and chatting with some of the young men at the marche', I headed home. Along the way I photographed some million year old rock formations with trees growing out of them in their crevasses.

I started packing while there was still daylight for my trip to Ouaga the next morning. When it was my lesson time, I studied future tense verbs from the French textbook. Georges was an hour overdue, and apologized, but had company all day giving condolences My house was hot so we sat on the porch and reviewed our last dialogue in both French and Moore', corrected sentences, and I read from the primer. We visited a while. He texted his seminarian brother Maxime who is coming Wednesday to be with Georges and his two girls. Georges is close to his younger brother and so proud he is becoming a priest.

The next morning I left on a taxi brousse at 7:30am for Ouaga and sat with Madame Kiemde and her daughter, Jedidiah, age 2, who was afraid of me. Spearmint gum changed her mind. She fell asleep on her mother's lap on the way to the capitol. Ms Kiemde and I made plans to visit in Thyou in the near future. We were practicing my French on the way.

It was good to see my friends at the Transit House when I got there via a taxi cab. Stephanie A, Natalie, Matt, Courtney, Josh and Kevin and Helen were also there. I went to the PC bureau to pay Jean Luc for the batteries he sent to village for me, but he wouldn't hear of it. We talked about the artisans at the end of Charles de Gaulle Blvd., because I want to visit the place where BF holds the International Art Festival every two years in Oct. About that time Lorraine called for the first time from America, and I went outside to chat with her until her card ran out. That hour whizzed by. She has a wonderful ear for listening and I told her about my teacher's baby dying. She had predicted before I came, that some things would make my heart heavy.

Peace Corps had put us on Alert today because of civil unrest in two other major cities. The PCVs who were invited to be a part of the Diversity Conference therefore gathered at the bureau for a dinner catered in rather than eating out. When we met with Andrea, from Senegal, who is the West African Regional Specialist for PC, she went over the plan for tomorrow and how we would be used in a “fishbowl” exercise. Basically we six sitting in a circle would have a discussion about our beginning PC experience and the management attending the diversity training would watch the exercise from the outer circumference.

Back at the Transit House I chatted awhile with Stephanie and Natalie about life in village the last two months. Natalie sketched Stephanie as we talked. It's amazing to see an art major in action capturing the personality of her subject in awesome detail in less than half an hour.

02-21-08

Natalie fixed me a morning cup of coffee adorned with a cinnamon stick. Some volunteers were sitting around the 8 foot table eating cereal, which felt like America to me. Later I went around the corner to get an omelette with onions sandwich. Helen looked at the problem I'm having with my digital camera card and copied some pix from it to the internal memory in my camera. Now I should be able to get at them to put on my flash drive and onto the internet. I am so happy these “younguns” know how to do all this high tech stuff.

Mid afternoon at the Diversity session we six discussed topics ranging from religion and marriage in Burkina culture, to being American and living among Burkinabe', to being an older person (me) in the PC, to sexuality and lifestyles. Our conversation lasted an hour or so. We headed back to the transit house, where Josh prepared a huge green salad with help from others chopping veggies and making dressing. With a good bottle of wine and some French bread we were all ready to eat.

Chris called me and we chatted a long time about how things were going both here and there. I am thankful every day for my cell phone and the technology that allows me to have a regular conversation with my loved ones. It makes me glad I am here now, rather than 45 years ago when PC began. Of course letters from home are always treasured and reread numbers of times.

22-02-08

Last night we were all told that we would be going back to village today due to political unrest in the country. I arose early, wrote postcards, got a pkg ready to go with a volunteer to America. I needed to go to bureau to have a couple minor repairs on my bike, use the internet and get my mail with 3 boxes from home. What luck to get a ride home via PC car with all my stuff and 3 boxes. I stopped on my way back to transit house to purchase fruit and avocados to take to village. On the way out of town Idrissa the driver stopped so I could get eggs and liquid detergent at the boutique by the transit house. He drove me out of Ouaga and back to village. I was safely at home by noon. I settled back into my home, which had a layer of dust from the wind since I left two days ago. I visited in the afternoon with Garrett about the Stand Fast Alert the PC had us on and how we would be in village until it was lifted. That evening I played checkers and Uno with my neighbors until nearly 10, and we had such fun with it.

On Saturday the Franciscan priest, named Casmere, was saying Mass in Villa, 7K away from Thyou in a small chapel there. Casmere is Polish descent, comes from Italy and lives with the group of Franciscan missionaries at St. Luc's Parcisse in Sabou. Georges and I pedaled the slight incline to Villa to attend Mass (first one this month) as did other villagers we knew. We sat in the back of the chapel on a bench, and there were benches outside the entrance with many people on them. Fr. Casmere put his vestments on by the front altar, then the choir began the service led by a young woman. Father said the Mass in Moore'. There was a baptism of a baby at this mass. As I tried to take a picture of that, the electronics in my camera interrupted the sound system set up by the back door (and next to us). Oops! I put camera away but not before everyone turned around to see what was happening.

Towards the end of the Mass the lay minister said the priest requests a few words from the guest, to which I said “Oh my!” I asked Georges to come with me up to the microphone and translate into Moore' for the congregation. I thanked them for their attention to me, and explained I was a PC volunteer living here for two years to work with health issues. Georges said they want my name and I was able to say that in Moore', which pleased them. He told them I was working with the major and health staff at CSPS in Sala. When he finished translating that, I said one more thing: “My religion is very close to my heart and it makes me feel at home to come to Mass, in Africa as in America and I am happy about that.” They clapped and were so warm and friendly.

Everyone greets each other after mass, just as in America. I found the parents of the newly baptized baby and requested to take their picture. They were delighted so we gathered by the altar and Fr. Casmere kindly stepped into the picture too. (See photo)

There was an “Alphabetisation” class being taught under a big tree near where the dolo bar was set up. Some villagers were learning mathematics. We walked past that to a fire where they cooked a dog, who had gotten the chickens. I tasted it and it was like the brown meat of chicken. It was good actually. We found the churchmen and priest in a nearby covered area so we could say Goodbye. They asked us to join them in their meal of arachide sauce over rice, with greens of onions on the side. Afterwards the priest offered to take four of us and our bikes in his mini truck back to Thyou to the marche'. The people in the bed of the truck were ducking every time we went under a tree on the path going back. Father stopped and gave two more women a ride too. No one got brushed out of the back.

After shopping a bit at the marche' and socializing with familiar friends, Georges' father, Harry invited me over to his family compound to meet his wife and Georges older sister, Elise, and her child. A longtime neighbor of theirs came over for a visit soon after we arrived. As we visited, his mother Veronique brought out benga (beans) with sauce. Like him, Georges family is very friendly and warm to people. I took a few pictures of them both inside their house and outside. Then Angie called me and Georges took a picture of me on the phone with her. Angie said her girls teachers want their classes to write to students in Africa as pen pals. When it was time to go home, I expressed my gratitude, and his family said they were delighted to meet me and I am welcome anytime.

25-02-08

On Monday I was anxious to go to CSPS as it had been awhile. There was not much going on, only a couple people there to be seen. Gansonre was working on statistics. He showed me the chart he made for Sala and the satellite villages for 2007. The maternite' brought the curve down for the area. The women in outlying areas, esp Sune and Zoa, don't often come in for delivery and then there are complications. An example in the maternite' recovery room today was a family who's baby had died at delivery.

In the late afternoon I was listening to Moore' on my MP3 player, and working on my chart of my quartier, when my teacher came for my daily lesson. He was sweating and no wonder—it was 105 degrees out. We rehearsed the dialogue in both languages and I read from the primer and we discussed verbs. The day was a quiet one all in all.

Tuesday was much the same, except that only Philippe and the two infirmier stagieres were at CSPS to handle things, a woman and young boy on IVs, and a new baby in maternite'. I visited. them and greeted their visitors. Then I decided to go to school and give out the alphabets and numbers I had for them. The headmaster and another teacher were gone to marche', but the four remaining teachers were delighted. I promised to return with more things later. After the repose (12-3pm) began I also went to the marche', got my favorite lunch, pork and local bread for sandwich. I met Georges and his father and uncle socializing near the barbecue place. As we came out of that area, we met three white French women staying in Sabou. In chatting with them, we shared that we were visiting the CREN (Centre Rehabilitation Enfants Nutrionelle) in Sabou on Wednesday. They expressed interest in that, so we made a date to take them along.

So the next day we met early to pedal to Sabou to the CREN. I stopped first to get a receipt from the taxi brousse driver for my last trip, so I could get reimbursed. The chauffeur wasn't understanding my French, and along came one of the Sala teachers, who helped me pose the question again to him. Voila!

In about an hour my tutor and I arrived at Sabou in time to find an omelette sandwich and Nescafe'. We went looking for Bintou's brother's restaurant “Zood Neere”, where I ate with her the day I moved to Sala. As we were talking to a man there, the three French women walked out of the boutique. They were lodging at this same complex. When they joined us out front, we all five rode to the Catholic Church together. We were invited in by Fr. Jacques via Georges connections with St Luc's parish. The priest served us grenadine water. Soon Sister Mary (from France) joined us and she would guide our visit to the CREN. As we exited the parish house into the courtyard, I thought this is a beautiful setting. (See pictures.) Georges shared with Fr. Jacques, who had baptized Jean Marc, of the death of his baby.

Sr. Mary drove the rest of us over to the new laboratory and hospital under construction south of Sabou . Sr. Margaret (from New York) another young nun joined us and translated for me as Sr. Mary gave us the tour. It is a grand design. In the octagon-shaped center of the new CREN is a courtyard where they are erecting a swing set, where they want to teach the parents how to play with their children. Housing for the parents is inside the CREN itself. We toured a number of the buildings where the laboratories will be. We returned to the Catholic Church, where the existing CREN is and toured that. It was overfilled with malnourished infants and their mothers. A number of the infants were twins, who often have difficulty surviving in this land. Mothers stay with babies stay in CREN on average 30 days until babies are gaining and mothers have been trained in nutrition. We saw the examination rooms, where they weigh and measure the babies. We went to another area where a staff was giving an enriched Brouille (porridge) and soup demonstration. There were over 50 mothers and many crying babies there. They each received a container of the brouille.

With the help of my tutor, I inquired about the mother and twins from Dayolo, whom Gansonre had sent here. They brought a woman and her twins to me, but it wasn't them. I asked if there was anyone from Sala here and they said not now. There were young interns working at the CREN, who knew Marco, a PCV from a village further south from mine.

We returned to the area of our bikes and toured St. Luc's church. Several catechists were conversing near the altar. Everyone is preparing for the pilgrimage next Sunday at the edge of the barrage in Thyou. All the Franciscan priests who live at this parish house will be there. We invited the French women to it, and they in turn invited us to tour the artists' studio and school adjacent to their chambres this afternoon. The art and fabric school would intrigue my children. I ordered a bag from them.

We found Dominique's son's place for lunch. His wife serves benga and mui (beans and rice) with pima (hot spice). We visited the marche' district of Sabou and visited there awhile.

It was late afternoon when we traveled back down the road to Thyou and Sabou, our homes.

28-02-08

Today is Thursday which means baby weighing at the maternite'. I stopped by the clinic first to talk about our tour of the old and new CREN yesterday in Sabou to Gilbert, the new nurse, Philippe, and the two interns, Kassoum and Alexis, who both put effort into communicating with me. I helped weigh 4-6 babies, who were there. Several pregnant women were there for prenatal visits too. When I went into the recovery room in the maternite', there was a woman there with no baby, but lots of family. Her baby died during birth.

By midday I went home and fixed a cheese sandwich and cut up a mango for lunch, then studied a while. I walked outside to visit with some of the women in my quartier and work on my map of it. Abdoulaye helped me some. After my language lesson in the late afternoon, we all played a couple games of Uno.

29-02-08 Leap Year

I spent time getting out some of my PC training materials on both KAP and Etude de Milieu and reviewed it. I need to prepare and decide how to study the health of the communities around Sala. Our In Service Training is in two weeks and I need to bring some of that info with me then.

When I got to the CSPS today, I watched what was happening, there was a flurry of patients for over an hour. The young RN trainees were handling things. I was to have an early language lesson today, but because an older respected woman died last night in Thyou, there was a big service Georges was leading the singing for, right after “Chemin de Croix” (stations of the cross). I took my neighbor girl Zanabou to the afternoon service at our church, and she was to meet up with Minata, her grandmother, afterwards at the home of the deceased.

When we got there there were cars arriving and lots of people around. I recognized women from church and from village. One woman offered to take us into the deceased woman's home, but about that time things started happening. People filled her yard until we were hemmed in. Gerard was finishing the coffin he had been working on all day. Family gathered around and some family brought her body out. One could hear Gerard tap the nails into the lid of the coffin. Our catechist Jean Baptiste began the Catholic burial service and Georges led the singing with drumming in the background. It went on over an hour in Moore'.

When darkness set in, the procession to the cemetery occurred. Across fields and paths, Georges led the chant and the people. At the graveside there was a fluorescent light strung up and then more prayers, drumming and singing. Georges led a solo and the choir responded with the chorus. It was elegant and moving. There were many songs and hymns. After a long graveside service, all the people walked back to the decedent's home. Georges found us and offered his flashlight to guide us there.

His brother Maxime and two other priests had been at a meeting in Sabou that day and stopped to briefly visit with Georges before he and the priests had to leave by car. Zanabou and I got a drink of water before we rode home. As we turned in for the night we could hear the music of the dancing that went on all night and is typical of most funeral celebrations in village, especially important people.