Petrol anyone?Well time is flying- My 3rd week is over and I have 5 to go in Africa.
I had a lazy working week last week with only 3 days at work.
On Thursday we had quite the adventure to an orphanage for children under 2. The 20 km drive was the start of fun. The roads here are amazing. We travelled up the main road heading North. If you get stuck in traffic in your lane you simple cross to the wrong side of the road over the centre concrete and into the on coming traffic- it moves sort of with a few horns then when traffic improves back you cross. The trucks line up in their hundredes to enter the port and at times completely bolck one side of the road at which point police generally direct you to move into the lane traveling the other way. I think the only law about driving here is get there fast, anyway you like so long as you don't hold the traffic up. Weaving in and out of the traffic are vendors who come up to the car to sell goods when the traffic is thick and slow. If the traffic moves they will run back to find you with your change- amazingly crazy. These guys have a death wish for sure.
The main road is lined with stalls. Most of them are out the front of small concrete buildings- usually homes of the stall owner.
Benin has had much rain so the road we go to the orphage is very boggy- as are most roads here. Thank God for 4WD.
The orphange was set up by an Italian doctor and his wife who were given siamese twins 16 yrs ago. The twins were separated in Italy. Both survive though one must live in Italy for health reasons. From this they started the orphange. We arrive walking through the only green grass I have seen in this country yet. On entry the smell of urine is overwhelming. Inside there are about 20 infants and toddlers all who squell and run toward us with arms out. Most are wet but who can resist picking them up and playing with them. The nurses there are doing a great job. Watching them while we were there it is a constant cycle of changing them all one by one then bathing them all followed by bottles. I had prejudge the place on entry by the smell of urine but I quicly realised I was wrong. These little ones were been cared for it's just that no sooner then you change them and they are wet again.
I am handed a tiny baby who is actually 6months old but aside from her head size Lucy looks about the size of the month old near her. She was born in a village. Her mother died and the facility where she was born could not afford the formula milk to care for her. So she was very malnourished when she came into the orphanges care. Each baby has it's own cot. The toddlers wander around in a play area. We brought balloons which they loved- a few frights when the burst but even the little ones had fun with them in their cots- African babies have the brightest eyes and watching there different facial expressions was remarkable. The older boys love chasies outside in the large yard that they have.
This orphanage is unique in the that the aim is to rehabilitate the children to thier families. Many of the infants mothers have died in child birth and when the father can't afford formula or is unable to look after all his other children the new born is given to the orphanage. Once the child is off formula and a bit more independant the aim is to reintroduce them to their families. Where that is not possible they move onto an orphange for older children.
Friday we had a very amusing trip to the craft market. I vague directions and a few others joined me trusting I knew the way. On route we ran into a loud and dramatic protest of military men- we took a detour around that for safety. A few wrong turns and we were at a fenced are full of huts. Each hut had 6 stalls around it.
The people are very skilled and there are so many beautiful things. Some not so beautiful also- this country is the origin of Voodoo so there are wooden statues and masks around quite a bit.
It’s a weird system of shopping. If you pick something up to look at it they assume you want to buy it. Ask the price and they are certain you want to buy it. The storeman gives you his “small small price for Mercy Shippers” (if your white in the country it’s a given you’re a Mercy Shipper). It’s often a rip off so you offer him half his suggested price and settle somewhere in between. I quickly learn that if you don’t really love something then don’t show any interest in it or it can turn into a lengthy bargaining process even if you don’t want it as the storeman won’t let you leave with naming your price.
Saturday the whole ship was without power all day except emergency back up for the hospital. As the showers and toilets are vacuum flush and the deck I live on has no portholes we left the ship for the day and caught a taxi to Bab’s dock. The drive was again interesting. The road was giant dams of water in the sand as we travelled the beach road- a fairly main road (see pictures below).
We caught a boat from the dock to the resort area. It is a restful day- you almost forget your in Africa. The resort is on a large lake. It has kayacks, water volley ball and great decks and hammocks for relaxing in. The resort employs people from the local village so we go into the village. Below are pictures of the children from the village and some of their homes. As we wander around kids pop out from around the corners and watch us. Some follow showing off with dancing and running games. Pigs, chickens and goats roam around. The crops are in mounded rows in amongst hundreds of coconut trees. We take some of the kid’s pictures and show them they are fascinated and despite the language barrier play with us taking pictures, laughing and running around. They would have played all day had we stayed. 
Arriving back at the ship we are still in darkness- particularly as the sunsets. Flash lights and some small emergency lights are the only redeemer from complete darkness.
Today I went to church at the hospitality centre- the warehouse converted for Mercy Ships patients to stay pre and post op. Today they are only half capacity around 20 patients. One of the deck hands from the ship is scheduled to be preaching. When we arrive some patients are still in bed asleep. When we enter the sleeping rooms we are joyfully greeted by the kids- who have an amazing memory of names. Few of the patients today speak English but the couple who do make great translators. There are a number of mums and babies. Even though we don’t speak the same language a hand hold or a hug still mean the same. Quickly I have the privilege of holding numerous babies. One post op was born with a part of her brain growing outside a hole in the skull, another is awaiting surgery on a cleft lip, another a hernia. Two young boys may 10 have had surgery on possibly club feet and they are rehabilitating – we see them often at the ship when they come for physio so they are very confident.
In true African style the service is postponed until 10am. The service starts with singing with drums and instruments made from gramma pumpkins (shakers of sorts). As the patients are from different parts of the country each song is sung in 4 dialects (at least I think that’s what was happening). A preacher arrives and starts preaching. He’s not the scheduled person from Mercy Ships that I came with. The service goes for a long time and one of the children falls asleep in my lap. The women like to have their nails painted and the kids like to play games. These kids have an amazing memory- my cabin mates returned to the centre this afternoon and the kids were asking for me and wondering where the games were- guess I’ll be back there before the end of the week.
P.S the snails here live in mansions compared with ours at home.
I had a lazy working week last week with only 3 days at work.
On Thursday we had quite the adventure to an orphanage for children under 2. The 20 km drive was the start of fun. The roads here are amazing. We travelled up the main road heading North. If you get stuck in traffic in your lane you simple cross to the wrong side of the road over the centre concrete and into the on coming traffic- it moves sort of with a few horns then when traffic improves back you cross. The trucks line up in their hundredes to enter the port and at times completely bolck one side of the road at which point police generally direct you to move into the lane traveling the other way. I think the only law about driving here is get there fast, anyway you like so long as you don't hold the traffic up. Weaving in and out of the traffic are vendors who come up to the car to sell goods when the traffic is thick and slow. If the traffic moves they will run back to find you with your change- amazingly crazy. These guys have a death wish for sure.
The main road is lined with stalls. Most of them are out the front of small concrete buildings- usually homes of the stall owner.
Benin has had much rain so the road we go to the orphage is very boggy- as are most roads here. Thank God for 4WD.
The orphange was set up by an Italian doctor and his wife who were given siamese twins 16 yrs ago. The twins were separated in Italy. Both survive though one must live in Italy for health reasons. From this they started the orphange. We arrive walking through the only green grass I have seen in this country yet. On entry the smell of urine is overwhelming. Inside there are about 20 infants and toddlers all who squell and run toward us with arms out. Most are wet but who can resist picking them up and playing with them. The nurses there are doing a great job. Watching them while we were there it is a constant cycle of changing them all one by one then bathing them all followed by bottles. I had prejudge the place on entry by the smell of urine but I quicly realised I was wrong. These little ones were been cared for it's just that no sooner then you change them and they are wet again.
I am handed a tiny baby who is actually 6months old but aside from her head size Lucy looks about the size of the month old near her. She was born in a village. Her mother died and the facility where she was born could not afford the formula milk to care for her. So she was very malnourished when she came into the orphanges care. Each baby has it's own cot. The toddlers wander around in a play area. We brought balloons which they loved- a few frights when the burst but even the little ones had fun with them in their cots- African babies have the brightest eyes and watching there different facial expressions was remarkable. The older boys love chasies outside in the large yard that they have.
This orphanage is unique in the that the aim is to rehabilitate the children to thier families. Many of the infants mothers have died in child birth and when the father can't afford formula or is unable to look after all his other children the new born is given to the orphanage. Once the child is off formula and a bit more independant the aim is to reintroduce them to their families. Where that is not possible they move onto an orphange for older children.
Friday we had a very amusing trip to the craft market. I vague directions and a few others joined me trusting I knew the way. On route we ran into a loud and dramatic protest of military men- we took a detour around that for safety. A few wrong turns and we were at a fenced are full of huts. Each hut had 6 stalls around it.
The people are very skilled and there are so many beautiful things. Some not so beautiful also- this country is the origin of Voodoo so there are wooden statues and masks around quite a bit.
It’s a weird system of shopping. If you pick something up to look at it they assume you want to buy it. Ask the price and they are certain you want to buy it. The storeman gives you his “small small price for Mercy Shippers” (if your white in the country it’s a given you’re a Mercy Shipper). It’s often a rip off so you offer him half his suggested price and settle somewhere in between. I quickly learn that if you don’t really love something then don’t show any interest in it or it can turn into a lengthy bargaining process even if you don’t want it as the storeman won’t let you leave with naming your price.
Saturday the whole ship was without power all day except emergency back up for the hospital. As the showers and toilets are vacuum flush and the deck I live on has no portholes we left the ship for the day and caught a taxi to Bab’s dock. The drive was again interesting. The road was giant dams of water in the sand as we travelled the beach road- a fairly main road (see pictures below).
We caught a boat from the dock to the resort area. It is a restful day- you almost forget your in Africa. The resort is on a large lake. It has kayacks, water volley ball and great decks and hammocks for relaxing in. The resort employs people from the local village so we go into the village. Below are pictures of the children from the village and some of their homes. As we wander around kids pop out from around the corners and watch us. Some follow showing off with dancing and running games. Pigs, chickens and goats roam around. The crops are in mounded rows in amongst hundreds of coconut trees. We take some of the kid’s pictures and show them they are fascinated and despite the language barrier play with us taking pictures, laughing and running around. They would have played all day had we stayed. Arriving back at the ship we are still in darkness- particularly as the sunsets. Flash lights and some small emergency lights are the only redeemer from complete darkness.
Today I went to church at the hospitality centre- the warehouse converted for Mercy Ships patients to stay pre and post op. Today they are only half capacity around 20 patients. One of the deck hands from the ship is scheduled to be preaching. When we arrive some patients are still in bed asleep. When we enter the sleeping rooms we are joyfully greeted by the kids- who have an amazing memory of names. Few of the patients today speak English but the couple who do make great translators. There are a number of mums and babies. Even though we don’t speak the same language a hand hold or a hug still mean the same. Quickly I have the privilege of holding numerous babies. One post op was born with a part of her brain growing outside a hole in the skull, another is awaiting surgery on a cleft lip, another a hernia. Two young boys may 10 have had surgery on possibly club feet and they are rehabilitating – we see them often at the ship when they come for physio so they are very confident.
In true African style the service is postponed until 10am. The service starts with singing with drums and instruments made from gramma pumpkins (shakers of sorts). As the patients are from different parts of the country each song is sung in 4 dialects (at least I think that’s what was happening). A preacher arrives and starts preaching. He’s not the scheduled person from Mercy Ships that I came with. The service goes for a long time and one of the children falls asleep in my lap. The women like to have their nails painted and the kids like to play games. These kids have an amazing memory- my cabin mates returned to the centre this afternoon and the kids were asking for me and wondering where the games were- guess I’ll be back there before the end of the week.
P.S the snails here live in mansions compared with ours at home.
cute Snails!!! hehe. Sounds like a whole different world. I almost cried listening to some of the conditions of the patients in the pre and post warehouse.
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