Our first day in San Pedro Sula sent us to meet the girls of Our Little Roses, a home for orphaned girls ages infant to eighteen. Many in our group have been coming to OLR for years and had formed close ties with many of the girls and then there were several of us who were first timers. These are pics from day one which included a casual intro and an impromptu soccer game- always a good way to break the ice.
I just finished reading Ishmael Bea’s very moving book, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. It’s an incredible account of his struggle for survival after losing his family at age twelve to the R.U.F. Everyone should read Ishmael’s story.
Health Ministry
Freetown, Sierra Leone
“There’s been a change of plans”- yet again. The press conference that was to be at 11 was moved to 10a. We were told this at 9:30a. So, we scrambled for a driver and piled into the Landcruiser and headed for the Health Ministry. With a microscopic air-conditioner at one end of a stuffy large conference room, Adam pumping sweat concentrated on hooking up the projector for our slideshow. Of course, there’s no outlet where you need it but we found a shorted-out extension cord that required much finesse and a prayer to get it to work. After numerous computer dumps and attempts to get the projector and cord situated just so, we sat carefully guarding the cord and waited for the Health Minister to come in. Everyone around us was warned not to touch the cord. Of course, just as the Health Minister came in, one guy decided to pick up the cord causing a computer dump. There’s always one in the crowd.
The press conference went over well. Mr. Turay,Connaught’s Hospital Manager, gave his report on the improvements that have been made over the past year. Despite the last minute scrambling, Adam managed to finagle life from the faulty extension cord and the slideshow was well received and presented to Connaught and Health Ministry for their use. (see http://www.health.sl/drwebsite/publish/page_391.shtml for article and pics of press conference)
Many improvements have been made at Connaught but there is still so much that needs to be done. Adam’s group shipped a forty foot container this past fall filled with supplies such as face masks, boots, gloves, surgical tubing, beds, IV poles, etc. but more is needed. Adam requested lists of items needed from the department heads in hopes of arranging for another container this year.
There are many groups out there who are doing great work, but if you’re looking for one where your money goes directly to those in need, the Society of International Humanitarian Surgeons (SIHS) is a good place to give. I’ve seen the supplies they’ve brought in and staff and patients who are directly benefitting from SIHS. I’ve talked to the hospital staff and know how much they appreciate all that SIHS is doing. Through SIHS, surgical care is improving in Connaught and lives are being saved.
I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to spend two weeks with the people at Connaught. I’m now back in Washington, DC and still trying to process the entire trip. It’s quite overwhelming. It saddens me to have left my new friends behind in the country that ranks at the very bottom of the UN’s Human Development Index while I sit here in the comfort of my home with running water and some of the world’s best hospitals at my doorstep.
Just yesterday afternoon my phone rang and it was Marion from the canteen at Connaught calling to make sure I had made it home safely. Marion, who sleeps on the floor of the canteen, is worried about me.
Society of International Humanitarian Surgeons
http://humanitariansurgery.org/
Article from Sierra Leone’s Health Ministry
This morning, I asked Andrew who works in the hospital canteen, to escort me to Kroo Bay, the large shantytown on the water, just down the street from the hospital. It’s a maze of shacks made up of anything people can find, mostly scrap wood and corrugated tin. The ground is not just littered; it’s sedimentary layers of litter, clothing, debris not to mention a topping of pig, dog and human feces. Sewage from the rest of the town flows down hill and empties directly into this community. One in four children will die before their fifth birthday. I don’t think anyone could imagine what a mess this place is.
We made our way past lots of little homes and people mingling outside, carrying wood, playing foosball and I could hear the phrase “white lady” a lot. Adults watched me with suspicion but children fell in line behind, some grabbed my hands to hold and we proceeded down all the way to the water’s edge. There were pigs and piglets everywhere rutting through the plough mud. Some of the children were barefooted. The kids were so much fun and enjoyed having their picture (snap) taken and seeing on the back of the camera. Some of the adults got into it as well and wanted to stage a fight picture. It was poverty at the Earth’s most extreme but I encountered only very kind and gracious people.
In the middle of the shanty village there’s a large dirt soccer field. Some kids were playing and I had told Andrew, my guide, that I played. He didn’t believe me so I motioned for the kids to pass me the ball. They did and after some passing and goofing off with the kids, I put a ball in the goal just over my little keepers head. This earned whoops from all around the field. “White lady” can play football.
Tomorrow at 11a we’re supposed to be at the Health Ministry to present the slideshow I’ve put together for the hospital. I’ll report on how that goes later on.
I’m spending my last evening eating ramen noodles and packing up. I’m looking forward to going home and seeing my family.
We were told last night that we would be getting a military escort to the border, but this morning as is typical, there was a – you guessed it – change of plans. Instead, we picked up a letter from the embassy that was supposed to help us sail right through the checkpoints on our way out of Guinea back to Sierra Leone. There were twelve checkpoints this time (I counted today). I obviously have no experience with this sort of thing so I think I annoyed my travel partner by attempting to take a photo out of the back window of the car as we were leaving the first checkpoint and maybe 75 yards down the road. I thought it best not to annoy anyone or endanger anyone so I put the camera away.
Countries within ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) are supposed to have open borders with free trade, but it doesn’t seem the locals got the message. It’s extortion and they’re pretty bold in demanding money. It’s best not to argue too much with armed people, I suppose.
At one of the checkpoints though it was killing me as one of the guys who checked our passports who only spoke French was wearing a t-shirt that said “my mommy thinks I’m special.” I feel certain he had no idea what it said.
It was a long ride in three different vehicles with much haggling over the price of the car hire and swarms of young people trying to sell peeled fruit, sodas, coconuts, water, eggs, etc. We were quite dirty by the time we got back to Freetown, so dirty I took a picture of myself in mirror. Glad to be back at the duty house at the hospital despite no running water. It took a half a bucket to get clean this evening.
Tomorrow is my last full day and will probably be spent getting pictures that we’re still missing to fill the slideshow, getting a couple of souvenirs for the kids and money at the bank. I hope that the photos will do some good. Looking forward to getting home to my family.
Conakry, Guinea
Well, looks like we can’t fly back to Freetown because, if I heard correctly, the plane only has two seats. Since we had such a time getting through the checkpoints, the embassy has arranged for me, Adam and one of the Sierra Leonean doctors to have a military escort to the border. Maybe I’ll get that picture afterall!
Freetown, Sierra Leone to Conakry, Guinea
Road Trip to for West African Surgeons Conference
Never did I ever imagine I would be taking an eleven hour un air-conditioned road trip with nineteen Sierra Leonean doctors to Conakry, Guinea. The West African Surgeons Conference is this week and they invited me along for the ride. Guinea just had a coup in December so it’s a bit dodgy but, as they say, the conference must go on. As we were packing the bus I told Adam we’d never fit. He chuckled and said I’d never been on an African bus and we’d definitely fit. He was right. The help, or “brake guys,” we brought along sat on the steps of the opened door and on the floor. Seats fold down over the aisle to make room for more passengers. What fun! The brake guys jump out of the bus and put a wedge under the tire anytime we stop. I’m not even sure we had brakes. Ever seen “The God’s Must Be Crazy?”
The roads were mostly dirt, poorly maintained and as a result, very bumpy. We were covered with orange dust kicked up from the road and wore facemasks for protection. As we approached the Guinean border, I stuffed my camera away, afraid of getting my camera and laptop confiscated or becoming the next official photographer to the Guinean government. We came to the first stop, an exit station for SL where we were asked to pull the bus into a gated area with a tall curtained fence behind the customs building. After filling out paperwork I thought I’d brave the bathrooms I saw outside by the bus. That was the most disgusting toilet facility I have ever seen. I won’t elaborate. So when I came out, the bus was gone. “Holy #$@^, they &$^@&@% left me.” The gate guards most heard my expletives and smiling, yelled across the dirt yard that the bus had moved to the other side, outside the fenced area where I couldn’t see it. Not the least bit funny.
I thought that was the border as our passports were stamped, but that was just the exit checkpoint. The fun was just about to begin. I think we had four checkpoints in total, each requiring haggling and arguing with soldiers to get through. The first we stayed on the bus but handed all of our passports down to the border goon in charge. One of doctors went out to start the arguing on our behalf. During this time many others were able to pass through this checkpoint but all passed money to the soldiers. After fifteen minutes or so we were allowed to pass. I admire the doctors for refusing to pay and saying this kind of corruption has to stop.
The most hair raising checkpoint was the one where two of the doctors, Adam and I were told to get off the bus. There were some rather shady looking soldiers around who were leering at us, or most likely at the wild hair-do I had going, but nerve wracking anyway. We proceeded into a thatched roof hut with giant Ronaldinho soccer posters hung on the walls. A very surreal moment. An older soldier, obviously in charge and probably not able to read, examined our passports asked questions and finally stamped them. The next check point was customs where we were hassled yet again. Just unbelievable but I’ve never been to Aftrica so this may be an everyday occurrence. We ended up taking on three Guineans, two of which were captains along with us for the rest of our journey. Funny having them onboard we got through all of the remaining checkpoints with no problem. The doctors shared Coca-Cola with them and they seemed most grateful for the refreshment and ride. Sorry I don’t have any checkpoint pictures.
I’ve spent the last three days cooped up in a hotel while the docs went to the conference but must say it’s been nice to flush the toilet and take a shower. CNN is kind of cool, too. I’ve gotten to know the staff pretty well as I sat in the lobby for the past two days plugged to the computer. My computer buddy is the manager of the yacht club next to the hotel. He speaks only French and my French is limited to a menu. We shared a Coke and peanuts two days in a row. Conversation was pretty stupid- “I like peanuts”- but good natured. Here’s the view out of the hotel.
Marion’s Kitchen
Freetown, Sierra Leone
That’s Marion in the picture above. Marion, the hospital canteen cook has kept me well fed and feeling at home. A melodic sing-song greeting of “Suzy, Suzy, Suuuuuzy, sweetie, sweetie sweeeeeeetie” rings out from the kitchen each time I come in. Kind of nice being so far from home. Marion made dinner for a few other NGO folks and I one evening. The chicken was wonderful so I asked if she’d teach me how to make it. “Friday at 4:30p’” she said.
Unbeknownst to me, the “kitchen” was a room the size of my closet with two stone-type fire pits filled with hot coals. She also had a cooker that didn’t work but they had rigged it so they could put coals in the top and cook there as well. The kitchen was painted a beautiful cocoa brown, the same brown as her skin. Marion’s entire family was there in the room helping. Abdul, her two year-old nephew was there and very shy and started crying when he saw me- the scary white lady with the camera. He eventually calmed down and let me take his picture. I was worried he was going to get burned but he stayed out of the way. I was given a Maltina, a malty tasting soda, and pepper soup with pig’s feet to tide me over until dinner was ready. The light was so pretty, I spent more time photographing and watching, however she did let me stir the pot. What a gift to cook dinner with Marion.
Marion’s Chicken
for the Chicken
for the Chicken
- one chicken cut into 8 pcs.
- magi chicken cube
- garlic
- peanut oil
- salt
- pepper
brown in hot peanut oil and remove
for the Roux
- blop of butter
- equal blop of flour
- splash of peanut oil
- tomato paste
- green onions
- bay leaves
- mint
- garlic
- blanched green beans
- blanched carrots
Brown flour, gradually stir in next six ingredients and let thicken. Add browned chicken and cook through, toss in beans and carrots. Serve with chopped spaghetti tossed with magi chicken cube and parsley. Enjoy.
