i apologize for the lack of blogging this trip; life has been absolutely crazy since i arrived and there just has not been much time to sit down and type things out. i also feel like i've had quite a bit of "writer's block", if you will. not sure why...but just haven't known what to say. i feel like it's already been said. i love life here. and love being here. God is continually showing me that this place has become my home. yesterday was quite a crazy day and it's definitely blog worthy. so grab a cup of coffee or ice cold water and sit back and enjoy. it's a wild ride, but promise you'll love these stories!
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Life in Sakete, Benin is just about the craziest thing I’ve
ever experienced.
The past several days have been absolutely insane with 60+
kids at the orphanage for camp. They came on December 27th and left
the evening of December 31st. This meant early mornings and late
nights with little sleep in between. New Year’s is quite the celebration in
Benin, so Arbre de Vie allows all their hired cooks who typically stay at the
orphanage with the kids to go to their homes on December 31st and
they return on January 2nd. So after all the children left the
centre to return to their homes, we all came home and gathered up our stuff to
have a sleepover at the orphanage. We rang in the New Year all circled in
prayer on the porch of the new dorm and then banged pots and pans and made all
sorts of noise! As I stood there holding hands with two beautiful, black
African girls my heart was overwhelmed with gratitude to an amazing God who
orchestrated this story. Thinking back over the past 12 months and being
completely at peace with where I stood in that moment was all I could ask for.
I can only hope and pray that I am brave enough over the next 12 months to seek
Him daily and follow Him wherever He leads me.
We all had the best time just relaxing and doing things
around the house on Tuesday. We crawled into bed on the floor of the new dorm a
little earlier on Tuesday night and I know I was thankful that the cooks would
be back on Wednesday so I could sleep a little more soundly at Jon and Ashley’s
house. Let’s be real though…Africans are just loud in the early hours of the
morning and it is just not enjoyable. There are all sorts of animals making
noise. In fact, as I’m typing this, there are pigeons making the strangest noises
outside the window, another bird up in a tree singing a beautiful song, and
chickens hollering all over the red dirt down below. And please don’t forget
the mass of boys playing soccer, screaming at one another probably 2 blocks
away. Just another day.
So, Wednesday morning we all woke up early at the orphanage.
Jon was working with the kids in the garden. Ashley was preparing breakfast. I
was cleaning out the Salle de Reunion from camp. Over breakfast, Ashley said,
“Tats, we’re going to get the kids settled in with dinner tonight and started
on their homework and then we’re going home and going to relax for a little bit
and get some rest.” I thought this sounded like just about the best idea ever.
Definitely all in for this game plan!
The women were to arrive back at the orphanage around 4 and
we were planning on being to Jon and Ashley’s house about 7 or so. This is what
we get for planning…
Ashley and I came to their house quickly around noon for her
to workout, us to shower, and me to upload some pictures for the Arbre de Vie
Facebook page. We got back to the centre around 2 and on our way back up the
cement road that leads to the orphanage we noticed that there was a boy,
probably about 14 years old, sitting on the edge of the road right by the centre
in the shade. Ashley stopped and asked him what he was doing, but he didn’t
speak French and we drove up to the orphanage, assuming that he was probably
waiting for a ride from someone who would be to get him shortly.
We got up to our property at the orphanage and there was
plenty to do. The boys were working out back with Jon. Everyone was finishing
up lunch. Ashley and I made ourselves some gari and we were alone in the gazebo
area, talking about life and things that needed to be done at the orphanage. We
had brought some laundry to do and it was our plan to do that with the girls
after we got done with lunch. I went up to the new dorm with all the kids to
empty out the tables and chairs so we could set life back up down at the old
house since the new dorm isn’t quite ready to move in yet…I was up with all the
kids and they were coming back and forth for about two times and then I noticed
I was alone in the Salle de Reunion for a few minutes. I look out the door and
see all the kids peering over the side of the gazebo and Ashley sitting down on
the step. It’s quite a distance from the new dorm to the gazebo area where
everyone was so I couldn’t quite make out what was happening. I walked down
there and that boy from the side of the road was up in the middle of the circle
and everyone was talking to him. Augustin was translating for Ashley since this
boy doesn’t speak or understand French and the story became clear that this boy
had no where to go. He was taken from his mom by his dad and put to work with a
homebuilder. He became sick and could no longer work for sometime, so his uncle
took him in and cared for him but then his dad refused for his uncle to support
him any longer and essentially the boy ran away from the uncle’s house. This
boy wasn’t sure how old he even was, but once again, appeared to be around 14,
but age is hard to guess here due to malnutrition. Children often look much
younger than they actually are. Ashley quickly called Mathias who said he was
on his way over to the centre to meet with her and this boy and figure out
which step should be taken next. The boy had a mother and a father, but had
been taken from his mother some time ago…
We finish up clearing out the Salle de Reunion and I get
started on laundry with the girls. Ashley was like, “Tats. We got all sorts of
stuff going on right now!” I could easily handle the laundry and I got set up
with the girls in the back of the new dorm and we all set up an assembly line
to handwash some clothes and all our sheets from staying at the orphanage the
past 2 nights. The girls and I were talking and singing and then heard Femi
screaming for us. We all walk up to the terrace and all the boys are yelling
for us to come down to the kitchen / gazebo area again. I start walking down
the hill and I see two white people walking up the hill with bicycles. Now,
let’s be real. It is not everyday you just see two white people in West Africa.
Especially in Sakete…so to say I was quite surprised was an understatement. I
quickly gathered some details, amongst all the children introducing themselves
and greeting these visitors. This couple, Megan and Andrew, are from the Boston
area and are working for a NGO in Nigeria. They were off for the holidays and
decided to bike along the coast from Nigeria to Benin and they were on their
way back to Nigeria and Jon saw them down at the market area in Sakete when he
was on his way back to the orphanage after going home when Ashley and I arrived
at the orphanage that afternoon. He asked if they were Americans and told them
where the orphanage was if they wanted to stop by for a rest and a cold shower.
They quickly jumped at the opportunity and found their way to us! It was quite
a surprise, but a welcomed one. It was nice to meet them and have them there. I
had to laugh though, because our plans for the evening had already quickly
changed with the arrival of this runaway boy and these American visitors…
While we were all gathered to greet them, a man and woman
came up our drive on a motorcycle. Attached to the woman’s back was an infant,
who is around 8 months old. The father had written to Arbre de Vie several
months ago requesting assistance for this child. She had been born with a large
growth off her sacral area (bottom for non-medical friends) and he was needing
money to get testing and surgical removal of this growth. They had set up an
appointment to come by to meet with Ashley and Mathias and it just happened
that they came immediately after our two bicyclist friends came to the centre.
So off Ashley and Mathias were to tend to them and their needs and Jon was
showing the new guests around the orphanage’s property. I came up to the gazebo
and listened to them talk, and then examined the baby. I have never seen a
growth like the one she had before. It is obviously a tumor of some sort. She
still is able to pee and poop normally, but this growth is very large. (After a little research last night online, I am fairly
positive she has a sacrococcygeal teratoma, Google this for pictures…) She is
extremely small and after talking with her parents, it was found that her mom
was not able to nurse her because she essentially goes crazy and is completely
out of her head after having children. Therefore, the baby was not breastfed
she was given this porridge type drink and that’s all she’s had for the past 8
months. She probably weighs about 12 pounds and is obviously very
developmentally delayed. She reminded me of a 2 month old…would smile and coo,
but could not hold up her head well and was just very, very thin. After talking
with them for several minutes, Ashley and I talked and thought that get her
started on some formula would be the best thing to do first. There is a doctor
at the hospital in Sakete, the medical director of the hospital actually, who
has agreed to do the surgery for the removal of this growth but to date, no
diagnostic tests have been done of this tumor. No ultrasounds. No x-rays. No
scans. Zip. Nada. Nothing. The family has to come up with approximately $200 US
dollars up front before the doctors will even look at her. They have said they
would start everything on Monday, January 7th if the family can come
up with the money. They have some, but were seeking assistance from Arbre de
Vie for the rest of the sum that is needed. I was holding this baby, who’s name
is Grace, and my heart was just so sad. It’s a feeling I’ve, unfortunately,
grown accustom to with medical situations here. A total feeling of helplessness
and knowing what should be done for this baby, but that is not an option
because she was born here. In West Africa to a poor family that cannot afford
the care and treatment that is necessary for this growth to be removed. From
what I could find last night, the success rate of the resection of this tumor
in developed countries is great and children grow up to live very normal lives,
typically. But I just do not think this will be the case for sweet baby
Grace…Mathias and I ran to the pharmacy to get some formula and bottles for her
and instructed the family to feed her this as often as she’ll take it. But that
she needs at least 3-4 oz every 2-3 hours. I attempted to feed her a bottle but
she doesn’t know how to suck since they have just been putting the porridge in
her mouth and she’s had to swallow, she no longer knows how to suck properly.
Jon relayed how important it was for her to get this formula for the
nutritional value and Ashley will go to the hospital next week while she is in
the hospital to check on the family and see what game plan the team of doctors
in Sakete can come up with…last night as I laid down in bed I just got so sad
that I won’t be here next week to help with baby Grace. I love my life in the
States. I have a job that honestly is such a gift from God, I cannot thank Him
enough for allowing me to call Milestones Pediatric Care my work home. I love
my patients and I love providing the best care possible to them and their
families. But I love life here too. I love holding sweet babies who do not
stand a chance and praying over them and assisting their families to get
whatever help they need. And feeling at the end of the day that I really did
something that mattered. Impacted a life, a family, a situation in a way that
could change their life forever…
Tata and Baby Grace
Sweet baby girl.
I didn’t have a lot of time to think about this at the time
because the family got on their moto and left and it was time for the next task
at hand. Mathias and Ashley were going to the police station to talk to them
about this boy who had showed up after running away from his uncle’s house. He
had been on the road for 6 days and his uncle lives fairly far away. But his
mother and grandmother live here in Sakete. So we started with our local
brigade and went from there. I asked if I could tag along because all of our
kids were taking showers and getting ready for dinner and I had never been to
the police station before…all about trying to cram every experience in! So, of
course, Ashley said I could come and off we went. We walked in and were warmly
greeted by the officers and the Chief. We told him the story, and by we I mean
Mathias and Ashley…I sat there on the bench and listened as they were speaking
French and translating in and from Goun for the little boy…the officer issues a
demand for the mother to come to the station. But, the officers don’t go find
her…Nope, we go find her. So, off we go to search for this woman, who this boy
hadn’t seen in years. He remembered where her old house was, so we took some
major backroads to get to her house but it was vacant and her neighbors said
she was in town (where we had just
came from) with her mother, the boy’s grandmother. So we found his
grandmother’s shop and pretty soon Mathias and the boy got back in the car with
us and this time they were accompanied by his mother.
Off to the police station we returned. I was starving by this
point. It was well after 7pm and I just remember thinking when we pulled onto
the main road toward the police station that I couldn’t wait to get back to the
orphanage to pound some rice. Well, we turn off the cement road, onto the red dirt
road that the police station is on and there is a MOB of people on that road.
Blocking the way. I’m in the back seat, peering up front…”What in the world is
going on?” And Ashley and Mathias are talking and we quickly realize that there
are two people in the center of the mob, carrying large sacks of corn on their
heads. Mathias quickly tells Ashley to honk her horn to get around the mob,
because they are obviously on their way to the police station and we obviously
need to beat them there or else we will be waiting FOREVER to get this
situation taken care of. Ashley starts going around the motos and people and
the mob stops, one of the men on one of the motos yells, “Maman!” And we look
over, thinking who in the world in this mob could know Ashley?? And sure
enough, one of the men leading these men to the police station was Ashley and
Jon’s neighbor. “Papa Joel!” And before I know what’s happening, Papa Joel has
gotten off his moto and starts hitting one of the men with a stick because he
had stopped walking and had put the corn down on the ground. These men had been
caught stealing in Jon and Ashley’s neighborhood and it is just custom here
that when people are caught stealing…they definitely pay for it. These men were
stealing corn and the people in the neighborhood, along with their elected
delegate, were bringing them to the station. They had already done quite a bit
of damage and the men had walked well over a mile from the neighborhood they
stole from to the police station with the 50kg of corn on their heads the whole
way. In villages, the punishment can get quite intense by the local people. In
Sakete, the locals will perform some punishment but then typically take them to
the brigade for further punishment to ensue.
We got to the police station first and Mathias, the boy, the
mom and I jumped out of the car while Ashley parked. We were again greeted
warmly and started getting the full story from the mom. So much was happening
and I was just standing in the corner listening to them speak in Goun and
Mathias translate it back to French for Ashley and I honestly think my eyes
were popping out of my head. Which I always try to make s conscious effort for
that NOT to happen…but this situation warranted some gawking. Here came these 2
thieves, with welts all over their bodies, swollen eyes, being mocked by the
people who caught them stealing from them all the while holding these huge
sacks of corn on their heads. It was just a lot to take in! Mathias looked up
at me and said to Ashley, “Oh Tata. She sure is seeing a lot today!”
It was decided that today there would be a hearing between
the boy’s mother and the boy’s father’s mother (his grandmother that was
apparently supposed to be keeping him) and an arrangement for him would be
made. The mother is wanting to take him and care for him, but the police are
wanting to get the full story from the father’s family as well. The sweet boy
was crying as we left, and the police reassured us all that they would take
good care of him and the situation would be handled. We got back in the car and
headed home to the orphanage. What a crazy few hours!
We pulled up and I had forgotten about our two new friends
from America, who were sitting outside waiting for dinner. The kids were just
finishing up studying and preparing to eat. Mathias had pulled Jon aside and
was telling him the whole story about what all had happened and I was getting
my plate of paute and sauce to eat when I heard a gun shot. What in the
world??!
Well, there are two men who guard the orphanage at night
while the kids are sleeping. They have these jankity, homemade guns and one of
the knuckleheads had fired it off. Seriously? I thought Jon was going to come
out of his skin. Mathias and him run over there, confiscate the guns from the
guardians and fire them immediately and send them on their way. It obviously
didn’t all happen that quickly, but ultimately, they left and the older
guardian came back later to apologize for his counterpart shooting off the gun.
He will come by today sometime to apologize to Jon personally…but I just don’t
think he’ll be offered a job back as guardian of the orphanage anytime soon.
After dinner, Jon took Megan and Andrew back to the house
for them to get situated because they were going to spend the night in Sakete
before getting on the road again to bike back toward Nigeria. I started
giggling so hard up at one of the tables while the kids were studying that I
could hardly contain myself. I mean, really? Had this all just happened in a
matter of 10 hours?
And then I couldn’t help but smile and think just how much I
love all of the crazy. Every last bit of it. Even though we sure did want to be
at home, relaxing on Jon and Ashley’s couch watching Duck Dynasty Season 1 on DVD, there is no
place else I’d rather have been. It’s all so crazy. But it’s all so great. And
so fulfilling. And so unbelievable all at the same time. And just so, so great.
And today, I still can’t really believe it all happened
because it just sounds nuts. But it’s just a day in the life of what I love
most. Sure do love this craziness and my heart is just really sad today at the
thought of leaving it all in 48 hours...
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