African Adventure 15

01 October 08 School Begins

Sonata is leaving for Ouaga this morning, to continue her education. She won't return until summer. We have a quick coffee in the morning before she leaves for the taxi brousse. Others come by for coffee, and the elementary school children start to gather outside my place. When the whole bunch are ready we take photos of the group in their new clothes and school bags. This is especially exciting because its Zanabou's first day of school in her life.

I went to the clinic and chat with the major about Moslem feast of Ramadan yesterday. He thought I was coming over for repas then, as visitors enjoyed crushed igname (yams). There were many people on IV drips already at the CSPS. I found the medical staff deep into their paperwork over at the maternite'. The midwife, Lea is scrubbing the pantalons for baby weighing. We visit awhile talking about her plans to return to KDG for further studies.

I go towards Thyou to the restaurant on the way and test out their benga, which is very good. When I return home, a young man from Zao is waiting to talk to me about his two year old nephew who has already had a drip feed for malaria at the clinic, and needs to go to KDG for a blood transfusion according to what Gansonre told him. The father is in Ouaga presently, and the mother has been out of the picture some months now. Grandmother cares for the child, and that's why this young man is desperately looking for help. We go back to CSPS to get clarification from the staff. On the way I talk to my counterpart, who says once the nurse writes the referral for the child, he is done. Life in Burkina is tough. My response is that the Burkinabe' seek the same thing Americans want: life, liberty and happiness. That's what his uncle is trying to do...... We sit by the road waiting for taxi brousse, but none comes this time of day. Then one of the nurses comes by to say the child's father called from Ouaga to say he's coming this evening. They returned home as the boy's father will get him to KDG in the morning.

I read my book “My Sister's Keeper” about a donor sister and one with leukemia. Interesting!

02 Oct 08

Adama and Rasmane come for coffee/tea this morning. Adama asks for batteries, but I want to see for what. I water the newest Moringa trees coming up. Then go to the maternite', and greet the people there. Lea is hooking up an IV to a patient in the private room there. During the morning I weigh 20 babies, and say the weight to the mothers in Moore'. They understand and sometimes giggle at my accent. Lea sees a couple women for prenatal visits. It's noon when I gather my things to go to market, including my books for a language lesson afterwards.

When I get to the marche' I find an alternative to barbecued pork, goat. I am having milange when Georges arrives. We go find a spot to eat our sandwiches. He is buying supplies to feed those who came and helped with his arachide harvest. We saw a couple village ASCs, Jean Baptiste and Babou of Bolo, who want to know when we are coming back. I tell him “on vaccination day, Oct 19” and they are pleased. We found one of the men whose picture I took and give them to him. Then off to study my lesson.

On Friday when I visited the maternite' there was a young mother on drip IV who tried to converse in Moore' with me. It is frustrating to not understand each other. Her mother was caring for her baby. The clinic was quiet today. In the afternoon I worked on my COGES report and updated my VIH/AIDS report. At my language lesson we translated it into French. We got the population figures for the small villages and left the report for major to use at their meeting in the next 4 days. As we returned to my house the clouds were gathering for a rainstorm.

04 Oct 08

There was a fair number of people waiting at the taxi brousse place in the morning to go to Ouaga, and a heavy set lady sat down next to me. I was fairly squished the whole way there. In the city I stopped by the cathedral bookstore and bought 2 cassettes for 4 mille. One turned out to be Doula, not Moore', so that was a bit spendy I found. I had errands in town, getting food and leaving my new dress pants at the tailor for alteration. I went to the PC bureau to work on email, when Sally called and gave me a rundown on the class reunion at Janet Veatch's place. Sal also gave me their new email address. It was sooo good to talk with her.

In the afternoon PCV Thomas helped me install the Skype program on my computer. When Chris call that evening I was able to see him (his camera was on) and speak with him on Skype. New technology is wonderful!

The next morning I was getting ready to go to Mass, when it dawned me that I needed to stay and interview the health volunteers about Moringa experiences, as they were leaving for OHG soon. Linda returned from USA and text me that she was at TH, and could we order dinner together. I said sure and she ordered me a Cordon Bleu. Yummy!

06 Oct 08

On this Monday morning I typed all the antidotes from the workers who had experience with Moringa. I went to the bureau, where I got input from Dr. Claude on the Food Security issue. By 3pm Rob and I were on Bobanguida Blvd, where we found fencing for my Moringa project. I also picked up my pants from the tailor, who did an excellent job on the alteration. We also stopped by the church boutique, where Rob bought a bible in Moore', and I purchased a pagne.

Mariam, the medical secretary called to say the dentist had received my crown and wanted to put it in. I had to catch a taxi to get there, so I walked to the main road and the third taxi took me there. The crown went in very nicely. When it was time to go to the taxi gare around 1pm, I called all the numbers and couldn't get a taxi. The two men working at the TH, Combari' and Eduard, and the guard helped me call Barry at PCB with my problem. He sent a driver, Abraham right over to get me and all my stuff to the taxi brousse. We left Ouaga for home at 3pm, but the starter didn't work, which made a grinding sound every time Bouba shifted gears. When we reached our destination, Garrett met me and took 2 boxes for me, Gerard also transported the fencing and the insecticide sprayer to my house. Garrett invited me to stay for dinner of cabbage, tomato, onion and aubergine. Very delicious indeed! He had bought little haricot dough balls too. As we rode home in the dark I took a tumble on the path up the hill where I live. Luckily I fell on my right hip, not my left. Since I was going slowly, it didn't do much to me.

08 Oct 08

Gerard came by to make sure the fencing and box he transported home for me last night was here. Then he looked over the Moringa tree project and even watered them for me. When I saw the major later I asked him to think about where he wants the Moringa trees planted at the CSPS. He asked about the goats eating them and was happy to hear about the fencing.

I mentioned to the major that we, Garrett, Karim and I were scheduled to do a VIH sensibilisation tomorrow. He said the village chef was very sick, which meant the word didn't get out to the villagers so the causerie would need to be resheduled. I followed the major over to the chef's, who looked very ill indeed.

In the marche' I saw many friends, esp Patrice from Zao, who wants a picture of him participating in the VIH causerie we did at his village. I also visited with Bazile and Silvie, Gilbert, Florence, JB and Marie from church. We talked about Uno, photos, etc. After lunch at the marche' we had my lesson. I read several stories in my French 2e Reader, and George brought me a little book of bible stories in French. When I got back home, the neighbor kid said I had several visitors, Saidou, and Issa .

At 8pm I received a call from Lorraine. They were driving up the Columbia Gorge on their way to Spokane as we chatted. She filled me in on our class reunion, and I gave her my wish list, including flip-flops, bouncy balls and t-shirts. They will be visiting Vince's boys who go to college in eastern Washington. Dave and she are planning a cruise this fall to Mexico departing from San Francisco. I walked outside in the dark as we conversed and saw that the neighbors had VCR hooked up to a battery and the neighborhood was watching a video centered on an African family. There were a few chairs but most people were sitting on the dirt.

On Thursday the first couple hours were spent waiting to see if the sensibilisation was on or not. When it turned out the answer was no, I went over to the clinic where lots and mothers and babies were waiting for baby weighing. Lea, the acting midwife, had done 6 already and together we did 20 more. I gave the weight in Moore' to all the mothers and was pleased that I could. There were 6 or so newborns and a set of twins in the group.

Lea did a couple prenatal visits and allowed me to observe. She documented their history on a large card for that purpose, weighed them and measured their belly. She did a cursory pelvic exam, then doled out iron and palu medication. She left time to talk with them about due dates, and answer any questions she had. One mom had her 2 year old with her, and he was sharing his just harvested peanuts with me. When we were done with work we walked down to the little restaurant and Lea bought me lunch, Riz Gras with a piece of chicken. Lea is out of propane gas at home, so I invited her to lunch with me tomorrow.

I relaxed in the afternoon by reading Joseph Conrad's “Heart of Darkness” which we had read in high school English class. I understood it much better now. It helps to have a lifetime of experience to frame it in.

When it was time for my language lesson, my teacher arrived just ahead of a big storm and rain. We concentrated on Moore' both in the text and in the French-Moore' reader. We made plans to visit the nurse, Gansonre before he leaves village.

Friday morning I made a quick trip to Thyou bakery for bread and stopped several places to get omelette sandwich but eggs are out of season. I biked to CSPS and there were 4 infants on drip IVs, so I went home and got the balloons to pass out to them. I checked in with Lea about our lunch date. She told me a pregnant woman was there this morning who will give birth tonight or tomorrow. She agreed to text me when the woman is ready so I can be present at a delivery. Lea came over to my house at noon for lunch. We chatted about how poor the people are here. She also mentioned the chef needs to go to KDG for hernia surgery but she doesn't know if he can afford that. My afternoon plans to visit the major and Gansonre at the clinic were changed when the winds came up suddenly and it stormed with lots of rain over several hours.

When my language lesson started, Minata came over to talk with Georges a long time about 4 bodies found over night alongside the road from Thyou to Sala. Local news travels fast in village, especially when there's mystery to it.

10 Oct 08

On Saturday morning Minata and Issaka came over for coffee. I offered to buy petro at the marche' today for her. We saw some children going to school, which has classes that day. I went to the clinic and spoke to both the major and Gansonre to explain that due to the rain I didn't come to the clinic yesterday. They figured that out yesterday, and they knew the storm was the reason. I asked the major about the remote village Sune' and a moto ride there on vaccination day. He was agreeable to that. He also showed me where he thinks the Moringa grove of trees should be planted near the clinic. We joked about his view that we could do a whole field of Moringa, and my vision of doing the number (30 or so) that we could fence in. As I visited people at the clinic this morning, I realized the little girl Ingrid from yesterday had returned today for another drip feed. Her mother Orteille was there of course, and it turns out that I already knew her father Paul from our church. I hadn't known they live in Sala until then.

I found out too that the new nurse Philippe repaired the chef's hernia this morning, so he's not going to KDG after all. I went to the marche' in the afternoon for fruits and vegetables. Laurentine and I looked at the marmites, a kettle to cook over an open fire. I want one for a dutch oven, so I can prepare baked goodies. She offered to pick me up one in KDG next time she goes there.

On the way home for my language lesson, Georges got the petro I promised Minata. We wanted very much to beat the storm home. We got there in time to “batten down the hatches” before the rains came. Except I broke the petro bottle, so we spent a fair amount of time cleaning that up and getting the fumes out of the house. The three of us visited a while as the sound of the rain pounded on my tin corrugated roof.

12 Oct 09

I wore my l'ordination dress to church where Fr. Casmire was saying Mass. The choral group had a long practice afterwards as they are getting ready for the competition next weekend for the feast of Saint Luke (Sabou's parish name). When I biked back home, I saw Madame Kiemte', and we planned a visit soon. I tried to nap in the afternoon, but was restless, so I worked on my voting ballot. I can vote on a federal ballot, just for president, or an absentee ballot that I mail in, or the real ballot if it arrives in time, or email a ballot as a last resort. Lots of options.

Since I was invited to dinner, I left for Georges' place about 6pm. Laurentine was preparing marinated chicken in a marmite, along with riz gras. There was local French bread to dip in the sauce too. We ate after the girls returned from the well with water. (See photos.) We spent the evening listening to tapes and music from the church recorded on various feast days. George sang solo in some songs and led the choral group in others. They also showed me their family photo album, which was fun to look through. Georges had rigged his fluorescent light from a wire leading to a box with D batteries. This was helpful when he played the tapes too. The sky looked ominous as I went home that night.

On Monday after work the functionairres of the community of Sala met at the buvette and had a Farewell party for Gansonre, who has been given a position to head up a CSPS in Dolo, about 25K away and starting in a week or so. The COGES members and all the school teachers were there, along with the medical staff from CSPS. The new school director at Sala was there, who speaks English and wants to assist me with sensibilisation. (See photos.)

14 Oct 09

After the coffee group left my house this morning, I went to the clinic to get photos of Gansonre and the major before he left. I also had a chance to ask Philippe for a ride on his moto to Sune' (24K) the day he goes there for vaccination. He was agreeable but informed me that he leaves at 7am. I visited with the two infants on drip IV, and met the other people who are there sick at the clinic today. As I continued on my rounds, Issa rode up and said he has been trying to find me at home. We then went there and I gave him the Nike leather soccer ball for the Sala team. He was very grateful and happy.

The next day Minata came over for ointment or something to put on sore muscles. She went home and got an empty container of salve to show me what she wanted. I was able to give her some I had left over. When I got to clinic there were a few people there, a woman in the back room with an open sore on her leg. A two year old was on the porch with his parents waiting for medical attention. He cried when he saw me. I gave him a little boat he can play with in the water and demonstrated that in a dish of water. He watched that, but was frightened of that too. So I gave it to his father.

When I was done there, I rode my bike up the path behind the clinic and found Salamata's place, and called out to her. She was in the fields her husband said when he poked his head out the door. He has a skin rash over his body, which is chronic and he gets treatment for. It keeps him off work I understand and is painful. I was proud that I finally found their place and he will tell her I came to visit. I told him their new baby was beautiful, and he gave me a proud smile.



African School

On an average, children are 6-7 years old when they enter school at CP1 level. They speak local language and most work is oral. They have notebooks to begin writing numbers and letters in. They use little slates at their desks they practice on using chalk. At the end of their first year they pass into CP2, which starts in the fall after harvest. By the next levels CE1 and CE2 students begin to learn French, the national language of Burkina Faso. Proper diction and pronunciation are stressed. CM1 and CM2 are the remaining levels of primary school. By then the enrollment numbers are down due to many factors, i.e. children needed to work in the home or fields, or most obviously the cost.

The 6 middle school years start with Sixeme Annee (6e) and end with Premiere (1e) classe. Families pay 1250 francs per year ($2-3). Books, notebooks, pencils and pens are extra costs. Sometimes in (college) middle school, uniforms are required and funds are raised by parent groups to purchase these.

Considering the crowded conditions the children appear to be well behaved in the classroom. They share things and space with relatively no complaints and a minimum of confusion. Teachers lead their students through each class by demonstrating and saying what's expected. Visitors are rare and well received by them. Resources are limited, sometimes they use textbooks, but have to share those at their desks which seat three children or more. The number of students runs from 30 to as high as 60 in a room.

Every quarter the teachers in the district convene a formation or curriculum meeting with all the teachers from maybe six or eight schools in which uniform teaching methods are stressed. And much needed discussion takes place between all the teachers there.

African children want to learn. The motivation to get an education and better the standard of everyday life is encouraged by most adults and student peers. The sacrifices made by Burkinabe' to educate the young are everywhere. For example, mothers keep money from selling harvest products at market to pay for school; children doing homework by flashlights or under streetlights after dark; parents parting with savings to send their secondary students away to school; students living with strangers in other towns just to go to school; they endure long periods of time between family visits. And finally there is intense study by students preparing to take and pass their BAC (baccaloriat) test in order to enter the universities.

16 Oct 08

Because the women came early, Philippe, RN began weighing their babies early. When I arrived he graciously let me take over that task. Since I learned to say the weight in Moore' to the mothers, he let me know that while the kilos were correct, I should say the grams in 100s. So for example I weigh a baby at 6 kilos and 7 grams, it would be said, “Kilu wa yoobe, la gram a kobesopoe.” We finished early and there was a woman in labor, who had her husband and two friends waiting. The RN (infirmier) invited me into the delivery room as he checked her progress. To coax the delivery along, he gave her medication. The mother of four rested on a mat on the floor and alternately walked the floor. Hoping to witness a delivery I waited all day, even having my language lesson on the porch outside, but alas this fifth child preferred the following morning to be borne. I was happy to see this much and hope for more.

The next morning I prepared to take taxi brousse to Gao (30K) to see Stephanie. On our way to transport we checked in at the maternite' and found the postpartum room...empty! I went over to the delivery and Voila! There they all were, mother and brand new baby, her best friend and infirmier Philippe. He was patting baby hard on the back to encourage circulation. Both mother and baby appeared fatigued. The baby boy had a cone head, typical of spending time in the birth canal. I promised to return this evening after my day trip.

Georges had offered to help me get the canari (big clay vessel for water) home from Gao on the transport, so he brought along a rubber tire to set it in for the return trip. Transportation is a pretty hit and miss thing in Burkina Faso. We waited at Sala's boutique for over an hour, watching bush taxis go towards Ouaga, which is usual in the mornings, but not one going the opposite direction. Finally a big empty camion (truck) heading that way, stopped and the driver agreed we could ride in the cab with him and two other persons as far as Gao for 1500 francs. We were lucky the driver was skilled because the muddy road was very difficult to navigate in such a big truck. An hour later he let us out at the north end of Gao and we walked along the road asking where the marche' was near Stephanie's place. A woman pushing a charette with a bidon of dolo was going to the market, stopping for customers along the way, and she pointed out where our friend lives.

Stephanie was in the midst of a steady stream of friends coming by today (her next to last day in village) to say farewell. There were members of her COGES, her major, another major from the next village, and neighbors amongst others. Women of the village were in her courtyard busily preparing a fete that was to happen in the afternoon. Her CSPS is hosting one this evening for her. Stephanie, being the consummate hostess popped corn and brought out fresh peanuts for us. Soon we excused ourselves to go to the marche' a bit. Georges found a chicken to buy and add to his flock at home. We found some lunch too.

When we returned in the afternoon to take the canari to its new home, Stephanie and her friend put it on a bike and we all walked our treasures to the transport place. This includes other things Stephanie gave me too, a water bag for showering, a small fry pan, spices and tea. (See photo) Remember we had a live chicken plus the rest. We looked like a menagerie of unlikely kinds going down the road. I read my book while we waited over 2 hours for a vehicle going our way. A little pickup truck already loaded, stopped and we squeezed in too. I got to sit next to the driver, while Georges loaded the big item in its tire sitting on the tailgate. The ride back was so dusty that all the rear passengers looked like ghosts. But we felt lucky to get a ride. We retrieved our bikes to take the canari to it's new home.

18 Oct 08

We had a sensibilisation scheduled for Salo today, so I was all packed up early, including the two Moringa trees and some school supplies for there. We stopped by the maternite' to give Nana Veronique a quilt for her new baby along with a business card from my best friend, Sally, who made it. (See photo) As we left the clinic we chatted with Gansonre and Gilbert about the causerie we are doing at Salo today. We pedaled the 8K up the path south to Salo. Along the way we met the teachers, who offered to take the school supplies, because they were all going to an inservice workshop at Sala this day. We arrived at the marche' within the hour and found the ASC liaison was at the regional office today, and kindly a woman organized a group of people for the causerie and we began our Moringa Tree presentation before noon. We gave the trees to the village chef and the other village leader, Ziba Yamba. The villagers seem interested in getting the nutritional benefits from raising and eating the leaves of the Moringa.

Later that day we biked north to Sabou to watch the regional choral competition, that many parishes had practiced a long time for. I planned to stay the night with the nuns. Sisters Mary, Amy and Claudia were back from Italy, but Sr. Margaret was still in Europe translating for the Order. I had dinner with them before we drove back to the church grounds for the event. People were leaving as we drove in, and we soon discovered the whole event was canceled. One of the contestants was biking in on the main highway and was run over by a vehicle and killed. What a sadness fell all around!

Mass the next morning was offered for Francais, the young man who died in the accident last evening. The church was packed inside and out. He leaves a wife and new baby in village.

I visited the marche at Sabou today is market day there. When I came back to meet up with the sisters, who were having a meal at the parish house, they insisted that I eat too. Father Casmir said I had lost too much weight and “If you don't eat, the country of Africa will eat you!” He loaded up my plate, then sent me home with a bag of fruit.

20 Oct 08

Today we have a sensibilisation planned in Sune' on principal health problem as identified by the villagers there. We got to the clinic at 7am and met up with the major, who will go there today for vaccinations. This is my premiere time riding a moto to a remote village in Africa. (See photo) I am riding with the major on a trail to Sune'. Three quarters of the way there he stopped off at a compound and the major vaccinated their baby. They offered a callabasse of fresh cow's milk, and the major gave it to me. It was awesome, sweet and warm. Reminded me of the Jersey milk we drank as kids! How generous the Burkinabe' are!

When we got to the village of Sune' the major introduced us to the school director and staff. We gave the school some supplies I had bagged up. We set a date for November 15 to come and teach the children about hygiene. Then we met the ASC, Batia Laura Nya, who helped us with the causerie there. Near the end of the vaccinations, the major suggested we start the causerie while we had a gathering of women. So with 24 women and 15 children we did the sensibilisation which tells us the main health problem recognized by the villagers of Sune'. While Georges was able to translate my French into Moore, we needed Batia to translate into Gurounse for the others. We scheduled a follow up for November 15 for the men, who were in fields today. We spent additional time urging the villagers to come to clinic at Sala when they are seriously ill, or when the children present with symptoms of palu. There is precious little time to lose. Another woman asked about her son who doesn't speak yet at age 2, and I suggested evaluation by handicapped organization.

When we returned to village we needed to go to the marche' for vegetables and fruits, and to the tailor for alterations. I got text from Chris who said he'll be finished with house in one month and get ready, he's coming to Africa! Men in the hangar we were talking with over a dolo, said they want American to correspond with. Soon we noticed dark clouds gathering and rain was imminent. We headed for the buvette where we could wait and watch the storm pass. (See photo)

22 Oct 08

I went to visit Mimouna today. She had chocolate peanut butter to sell me, and benga too. She gave me her recipe for beans and rice, and offered to come to my house and show me how to make it. So that very afternoon, she and Sherri came to my place and she showed me how to make “benga et mui” (beans and rice). First she cleaned the beans and rice, picking out tiny pebbles, and anything that floats to the water surface. Then she put water on to boil and added handfuls of wet beans, cooked them 30 minutes, added rice for another 30 minutes. Potash and salt were the other ingredients.

Before they left I gave them lots of things for their hair and toys as well. When my friend came by we cleaned my canari so I could start using it. I served up plates of benga and mui for dinner, and was happy to have made it. I shared the rest with Minata for her family. Later that evening Karim and Saidou came by and we hassled out the date to plant the trees behind the maternite' with the help of villagers. It will be Saturday and I will make benga and mui for the workers.

I slept on the lippicot in front room, as a bat was flying in my room not wanting to leave.

23 Oct 08

I arrived at maternite' by 8:30 to help out with baby weighing. As the women came early today it had already started. There were ten or so women with babies. More came and after 10 still 3 or 4 came. One infant appeared to have thrush, a yeast infection in the mouth, and the baby was very hungry. The nurse gave mother an Rx for morning and evening use to clear it. Several women came for PreNatal Service.

Today I saw a nurse at clinic try to put IV in infant, but their veins are so tiny, sometimes it doesn't work. Another nurse tried and got it. What a relief!

In the afternoon I went to market to buy fresh fruit and veggies. I was looking for other things too, lid for canari, bath soap and mesh, and whisk broom. On the way back home we sat under a tree near the barrage for my lesson. The change of scenery was good.

The next day I read all the instructions for my sprayer Cliff sent. Lucky for me he had put most of it together before shipment. There are small insects making webs in the Moringa trees, so we practiced the sprayer with just water first before making a solution of “Rambo” and water to spray them. (See photo) Some yellowing of the leaves may be due to the heat or they are root bound in the sacks and need to be distributed for planting.

On Saturday I got up early and put the benga on to cook in a marmite (big pot). I wanted to get lunch ready before I went over to CSPS to watch the young men gathered to make the little forest of trees behind the maternite'. The men began clearing the field with a machete. Saidou and Karim were leading the work. They scoped out the area for Moringa planting and measured the fencing to size up the dimensions. Karim had brought the wood limbs for fence posts. They put the large posts on the corners and the smaller ones in between. We sent someone to the boutique in Thyou for wire to connect the fencing to the corners and also tie it to the posts.

We brought 35 trees from my veranda to plant in the fenced area. The men used their dabas to dig holes to plant the trees in 50 cm rows and 1 m apart. Karim watered them with the (watering) can. After the work was done, we all adjourned to my porch for benga and mui, served with a drizzle of oil, pima and salt, and it was a big hit. (See photo.)

In the late afternoon I went over to the ball field in Sala and watched the young men's soccer game. Many of the same young men who had helped with the Moringa project in the morning, were playing. Twenty four men in two teams played hard with the two captains scoring most of the points. I was able to give the president, Issaka, a Nike ball last week for Sala's team. The game lasted one hour and they played their hearts out.

Ousmane came for a visit in the evening and brought me his shoe size and asked for soccer gloves also. He and Abdoulaye and I played Uno for a game or two.

On Sunday besides the normal routine of church service and shopping at the marche' and boutique in Thyeo, I also began cleaning house for the stagierres, who are coming for 4 days this week. This is their demystification visit. I made a schedule of things we will do then, i.e. Hygiene sensibilisation with school children in Sala, baby weighing, observe Garrett teaching at the college, etc.

Early in the week I continued cleaning and downsizing. The neighbor kids liked sorting through my discards. I gave magazines and various greeting cards to Abdoulaye to share at school. When I went to CSPS Monday morning I found the major listening to a recap of Barack Obama on his radio. The Burkinabe' are very excited that he's running for president. I checked on the Moringa trees and the children at the pump nearby helped me water them. I called the major's son Abdoulaye over to help also. I stopped by the major's house and they were working on maise. They offered me warm Bouille and sugar which was very good. It is a local drink here.

Tuesday was a day for sensibilisations in Bolo with the villagers and at the school. We did the hygiene of hand washing with the students. For the demonstration I showed them how to properly wash their hands, then volunteers from the three classes showed the other children how to wash too. I spoke to the director and was able to give the school many supplies, thanks to my network of generous friends back home. When I gave him the 4 French readers he had requested, he said they were for a new school down the path at Bouyou. He offered to get them there.

We met Babou and Jean Baptiste the ASCs at the marche'. It took about an hour for a crowd to gather and we could talk with them about malaria, their number one health concern based on the last meeting with the villagers. We talked about how to cover up when the sun goes down, and the mosquitoes are out. To use a mosquito net, or cover with a pagne to sleep were strategies against mosquito bites. We have a flip chart that shows proper prevention of mosquitoes. When I demonstrated mosquito repellent, one man wanted my can of it. I can do that when we finish with the causeries. The villagers asked questions and responded to the information. The ASCs brought over rice and sauce for us to eat before we went home.

Back in Sala and before the sun went down I walked over to the chef's quartier and let him know about the 4 stagierres and language teacher that would be coming Wednesday to observe life in village. He was grateful for the advance notice.

29 Oct 08 Wednesday

I made more space on the porch for sleeping by moving all the Moringa trees to one side of it. I had the help of the children moving them and I watered them. I went to the boulangerie (bakery) for bread and to the boutique for staples. Around 1pm Christine the language teacher called, they are in Sabou so I went to the big tree by the road and waited for them. While sitting there I met Sampoko's brother and the chef from Dana, who is very fit for his age, almost 80. He joked with me about marriage and that drew the attention of 3 youngsters on bikes. (See photos.) Car cellular let my 5 visitors out nearby and they were happy to be done with transport. They brought my 3 boxes from the mailroom to me. Each trainee brought their backpack up the hill to my place and we ate lunch and rested a bit.

Then we walked to Thyou to the marche' to give them a sample of that. We talked to lots of people on the road and at the market. The trainees got to see the vegetables, and the other grains and powders sold at marche', along with clothing, and household items. We met the major, Gilbert and Adama from CSPS on the return home. In the early evening we walked to the major's home to visit with him longer. He extended an invitation to dinner the next night. He and his femme were very gracious to us, and even gave us a bag of newly harvested peanuts.

By the time we returned home, Karim, Saidou and George were there to visit. Everyone sampled the local dolo they brought over. I started cooking a simple dinner of pasta, salmon pieces and sliced tomatoes. Because the house was too warm, we sat around the porch to eat and talk. A couple people did the dishes afterwards, and others took a bucket bath in the douche. We were in bed early to be ready for a full day tomorrow.

After a quick breakfast, we all walked over to the maternite' to weigh babies. Two of the three medical staff were gone elsewhere and Gilbert was the only one left to see patients today. He came over to send the mothers with babies to weigh home. I asked him if I could do it, and he agreed to let me with the help of the staggieres. Christie and Illana wrote weights in the books and in the ledger. I put the babies in the harness seats and Annette held babies. Eric captured a few pictures. When Moore' was needed, Christina spoke to the mothers. We weighed 13 babies and finished up by 10:30. It was a job well done by our little group. The trainees went home for their French lesson with Christina, while I walked over to the school to arrange for tomorrow's sensibilisation on hygiene.

For lunch we had grilled cheese sandwiches and cut up watermelon and biscuits (cookies). Garrett came to have lunch with us and a tour of the barrage, which they seemed to enjoy. On the way home we stopped off to visit the village chef, who lives down the hill from me. Some of us napped while others played Uno in the afternoon.

Laurentine made her famous chicken and sauce dish over rice. I had made a cole slaw and we visited and listened to tapes of music both in French and Moore singing. It was lovely on the verandah.

Friday morning I packed a bag of supplies to give the director of school. I also gathered my props for the talk on handwashing with the students. Georges showed up to translate for me and we were all at the school by 9am ready to go. The director arranged that we would do two classes together, which made a very full classroom. We started with the two youngest classes in the outside hangars. They listened eagerly and shyly answered questions put to them about why and when would you wash your hands. They caught on quickly as Christie passed out candy for correct answers. My neighbors kids were smiling a lot during this session as I talked. Annette took photos for me, and the others helped lead the little chant we taught the students. The little kids learned the song quickly.

Next we taught the hygiene lesson to the middle grades, who took longer to answer the questions, but sang very well. We asked the class to go home and share the information with their families. Next session was with the older students, and my neighbor kids who were anxious to answer the questions. We stressed using soap to kill the microbes, a word they knew from their study of science. As we left school that day we could hear the students singing “Si tu veux la bonne sante'......:”

The chef Adama and family chef Hamadou came over to eat lunch with us and visit the staggieres some more. Garrett had invited us to watch him teach, so in the afternoon we walked to Thyou and witnessed him counseling the teenagers on the risks associated with early pregnancies. We sat on the far side of the room. Garrett involved the students quickly in the conversation and with the help of two students he did a condom demonstration using a pepper bottle. He also fielded their questions. After class Garrett answered some of the questions the stagierres had. We walked over to see Garrett's house, with three rooms and enclosed courtyard with Moringa 3 ft tall trees along the walls.

Before the sun went down that day we walked to the soccer field and watched the young men of Sala practice their game. Karim came over after the game to visit the trainees. Minata, my neighbor brought over dinner of to and sauce for all of us. We had a packed three days of demystification and felt good about the experience.