WAME Update

[doc47]

Skywagon reminded me that it's been awhile since I posted on the Board. I'll try not to make this too boring.

I'm still in West Africa, living in my home in the southern part of Senegal, an hour below the Gambian border. I reunited with my wife after a lengthy separation and things are going really well. We both learned some lessons.

I'm still using my 2001 F650GS to get around. That bike has been a rock! It takes a licking and keeps on ticking. 

I wish I could say the same for the 2002 F650GS/Dakar that hasn't been on the road for more than a year-and-a-half, but that's another story. (When I finally get it back on the road I plan to sell it!) 

The charity has been busy. Over the last year we did boreholes for water in two up-country clinics in The Gambia, replaced a leaking water tank and did extensive plumbing work at another clinic, and made it possible for another clinic to connect to their village water supply. Finished up the staff quarters at the clinic at Pakali Ba, which had stalled for lack of funds.

We built a new water tower and tank at the clinic here in Kafountine and screened in two of the inpatient wards with aluminum window screens and tight-fitting aluminum screen doors. Malaria is a big problem in the rainy season. 

Right now we're in process of screening the maternity ward, a bigger project.

The other thing in progress right now is ongoing with the help of the Philly chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French. We've raised funds to buy textbooks for the first two levels of French classes at the Diannah-Kabar Elementary School here in Kafountine. The school runs WiTHOUT TEXTBOOKS!! because they are too expensive. We've bought books for the first two levels. Four more levels remain. 

AND, we sent 65 kids to school who otherwise wouldn't have made it.

One morning in Banjul, I went to get my usual cup of cafe touba on the corner and found the seller not there. A young girl happened by and told me the coffee man was sick. Do you know where he lives? She not only knew, but took me to him, waited while I checked on him and prescribed some medication, then walked me back to where we had met. 

On the way, we saw a blind man having some trouble getting across a street. Before I could say anything, she ran across the street, took the man's arm, and guided him across safely. I was impressed.

When I got home I asked Ebrima, our tireless administrator to find out about the girl. If she needed help from us this was the kind of kid I wanted to help.

Ebrima reported back to me after a few days. She goes to St. Augustine's Lower Basic School. Her father is dead. The mother barely gets by.

So, we went to St. Augustines and met with her teachers and the headmaster. "She is a good girl", they told us. "Always helping. Always concerned about her fellow students." So, it was a slam-dunk. We added her to our list of sponsorees.

But when we told her, her response was, "But there are so many of my classmates that don't have anything!"

Sometimes these kids break my heart.

We are looking into sponsoring more children from that school.

http://www.westafricamedicine.org

[John Ranalletta]

David, a favored author opines that one finds meaning by taking on and bearing responsibility for oneself and others.

 

You are an inspiration.

 

Best to you.