Last Day at the Clinic

I’m writing this post as I sit in the dark listening to some Earth Wind and Fire.  J

There was a HUGE storm last night!! I slept right through it…but Kirsten informed me that because of the few windows that were open, it seemed like a tornado was formed inside our house!  A large part of a tree fell into our courtyard again.  It was still raining when we should have left to go to the clinic, so Alice called to tell us that we were going to wait till the weather calmed a bit, which made sense because people don’t go to the clinic when it is raining.  So Kirsten and I went back to laid back down for about another hour and listened to the rain and slept.

The clinic was very slow patient wise.  I don’t know if more than 3 or 4 people showed up all morning.  The old lady with the leg sore came in with her granddaughter to get her wound cleaned.  Julia did the cleaning for her.  I spoke the little More that I know with her.  We found out her name…but it was hard to pronounce so I don’t remember it anymore.  She is such a strong and beautiful woman.  Julia said that there has been a lot of tissue regrowth since the first time we saw her back at the beginning of our time here in Burkina.  She has been much better about coming in to get it cleaned.  It is really encouraging to see this improvement.  When they left the clinic, Kirsten and I followed to catch up to them.  I gave the granddaughter one of my necklaces to keep.  Her smile was precious.  Her eyes got really big when I showed her the necklace and that beautiful smile stretched across her face as I put the necklace on her.  I told her in English that she should continue to take such good care of her grandmother.  I know she couldn’t understand me…but it seemed like she understood it in a way.  I don’t know how to explain it.  Her grandmother looked so happy as well.  She kept saying barka barka barka (which means thank you in More and Jula).

Most of the morning was spent just hanging out with the staff in the outside waiting room.  We took a group photo.  Kirsten and I had made cookies for everyone ( my mom sent a packet of cookie mix with the Appleton team).  Nema (Dr. F’s wife) immediately smiled when she bit into the cookie and she asked if the chocolate was American chocolate.  When we told her yes, everyone got so excited.  Marieatou came in with her daughter Hulda (who has malaria) to get some tests done.  She didn’t stick around too long, but long enough for us to give her a necklace and some clothes for baby Hulda (which we swiped from the back room that the Appleton team filled up with clothes…thanks!).

JULIA!

Julia showed off her new African outfit that she had made…it was so beautiful!!  Jasmeet (the receptionist who is a youth at EAC) wrote out the words to our favorite worship song sung at EAC.  We started singing it outside—Nema, Jasmeet, Kirsten and I were just singing it over and over.  It was so fun!  Then Jasmeet (who sings in the Jula choir at EAC) taught Kirsten and me some of the Jula choir dances that we have seen at church.  It was so fun…the staff would sing the songs and we would dance.  While we were dancing, a group of the neighbors of the clinic piled up outside the gate watching us.  It was really funny.  Paschal was cracking up the entire time—he didn’t join in the dancing but I could see him grooving a long a little bit—and he was definitely singing.  It was so much fun to just hang out with the staff—to talk, laugh, dance, and sing with them.

Dr. F wrote us a little certificate about our time spent at the clinic.  He also made me a copy of the architecture plans for a maternity ward that he hopes to get built.  Before leaving, Kirsten and I gave all of the women at the clinic necklaces.  It was so hard to leave! Celestine (from the pharmacy) asked us when we were coming back.  When we couldn’t give her an answer…she asked if she could come along with us in our luggage.  It was so funny.  I hope to get to see them all again someday.

We ate with Susan and the Brokopps for lunch.  We had a peppersteak dish and mashed potatoes.  After lunch, Mark the tailor came back to the house with some of our outfits.  I packed up some stuff in the Cap while we waited to Virginie to return from running some errands.  Today is the last day that we will see her (she doesn’t work on the weekends).  Kirsten and I gave her some t-shirts, fun bracelets and shell leis for her daughters, a pair of earrings, some bobby pins, and my favorite necklace that I brought with me.  When she saw the necklace at the end of the gift giving, I thought she was going to cry.  She was so happy and sad at the same time.  She asked Susan to thanks us for everything and wish us many blessings for her. In this culture, gifts are usually given through another person, and thanks are given back through that person.  Ie: Kirsten and I should have given the gifts to Sarah, Jess or Susan to give to Virginie for us—and she would ask them to thank us.  We gave her big hugs goodbye.

Jess, Kirsten and I went to the Women’s Co-op to pick up some last minute things.  The walk was a great chance to talk with Jess and Kirsten about life etc.  When we returned to the house, Virginie was still there.  She thanked us again and asked us when we were returning to Burkina.  She wished that we could return for her wedding in October.  I wish that we could be there for it!  So many great things are happening in Burkina…and I wish I could remain here for all of them!!!

Sarah made tacos (on Sam’s delicious tortillas) for us for dinner tonight.  I helped by cutting up the onions (without crying!).    We had a family style meal where we all ate together.   Jess, Kirsten and I brought the extra tacos to Gilbert to have.  We sat outside and talked with him about his family for a little while.  Jess and I watched A Knights Tale on the projector.  It was nice to just relax.

Well… time for bed so that I can wake up and make the most of the day tomorrow!!

-JK

Advertisement