Well, almost….Next Friday morning Barbara, Claudia, Kim and I are catching a bus outta here. The next 3 ½ weeks will be spent traveling Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, and Mali. Barbara and I got our hair braided yesterday so we're ready to go...and we’re headed straight to the beach! But before then...Came into Niamey earlier in the week to start getting visas, which are pricey! Then my group that I swore in with is all heading to Hamdallaye tonight for mid-service training. Although we're a lot fewer than when we started, down to 25 out of the 37 people.
As for the bush? Been super busy! Tring to get all these pepinieres of trees started/planted before leaving for vacation. Several villagers are starting a pepiniere to outplant as live fencing when the rains come. I’m also working with the men again planting nearly 2000 gum Arabic trees in a pepiniere. And the motivation this time? When my parents come they’ll be helping transplant the trees to the field. After all, what’s better than two “old” annasaras planting trees in the desert?!
What else? Babies and weddings. A woman in a nearby village gave birth to 4 babies, all girls. I can’t even imagine the pain she suffered. When I went to see her and the babies at the doctors office the next day, she was lying on the ground and could barely lift her head to greet me. Later that day an ambulance took them all into Niamey. Rumor has it one has died so far, three are still in health. God is big.
And weddings? About 2 months ago Fati, 33 years old, showed up in my neighbors house. When I asked my villagers they told me she is my neighbor’s daughter, had been living in Niamey but just got divorced for the second time. A few weeks ago a man from another village showed up at her house to give her mom the bride price: 100,000 CFA and a cow(worth up to 400,000 CFA). Six days later her stuff was packed and she left Babagade for her 3rd marriage. As her eight year old daughter watched her leave she was screaming in tears. Sad but kind of interesting, she didn’t take any kids from her previous marriage, including her 3 year old son. One marriage ends, another beginning...
On another note? I’m learning Nigerien sign language! There are a few deaf people in my village and nearly everyone can communicate with them. So I figure it's my turn to start learning. The funny thing is though when I’m signing, other villagers that are warching will tell me “I swear to God Kadija, you hear Zarma!” Well, what’s to hear?
And lastly, a plea to everyone reading this, even if we’ve never met: something has happened in my life- I have finished every puzzle in my Sudoku book. Every single puzzle. So please, someone send me a new book. I need some way to fill those long 120 degree days. Here’s my address:
Lulu McCourt
Corps de la Paix, PCV
Gotheye, Niger
West Africa
Thank you and Allah loves you.
