African Adventures

Africa is a world of extremes. A world that simultaneously holds incredible life, beauty, and wonder, along with immense pain and suffering. My life here consists of constant exposure to both sides of this spectrum at times in the same view, the same thought, the same experience.

When not working, our main objective is usually to get off the ship- to explore the world off of this floating metal box in which I live. We search the guide books, ask the locals of their opinions, their experiences to find our next adventure… to climb a mountain, to feel the water from a majestic towering waterfall pound on our skin, to feel the fresh African wind against our face- to find our next high.

The last few weeks in Togo have been full of adventure. A few weeks ago we left for a trip to Kpalime- many say this is the most beautiful place in Togo. It holds a few waterfalls that dance off of green mountains into lagoons below. Mt Agou- the tallest peak in Togo is also in Kpalime. Many people call Mt. Agou home as they build their villages along the steep hillside. We hiked this mountain on a Sunday, each step accompanied by the rhythmic sound of the djembe, African voices worshiping God in their chapels, and children shouting their greetings as we walked on by. Goats along the hillside resting in the shade, butterflies filling the forest air- every square inch of this place is bursting with life and beauty.

A young girl from a village on Mt. Agou doing the family laundry

We love Togo!

A colorful resident from Mt. Agou
We all took zemijeans to the top of a nearby peak to look out over Togo and into Ghana. The ride was about a half hour to make it up the mountain on a dirt road surrounded by a canopy of treetops with the occasional window in the vegetation to reveal a sea of green below. It was quite a memorable ride as we watched the sun go down on Kpalime to tuck itself away for the night and allow the stars to fill the night sky with their beauty. The sun coming up on Atakpame
My next weekend off we decided to head to a village 3 hours north of Lome called Atakpame. Upon arriving we asked the local people what they recommended doing and they told us about a nearby lake where hippos live. We left the following morning at 4:30- an early start, but absolutely worth it. We watched the sun come up during out 2 and a half hour ride on a motorbike. The trip entailed a stop at the nearby village chief’s house to ask him for permission to enter their lake. We got to the lake and then took a canoe to come across a hippo with her young walking on land and into the lake. I knew this was a special moment when the locals guiding us got excited about this saying that it was extremely rare to see the hippos out of water. We traveled a total of 5 hours roundtrip via motorbike to get about 30 seconds of hippos, but yet again totally worth the trip.
Hippo tracks!

Kelly and I taking a canoe to see hippos

Hippos!... From a distance
On our way back to Lome we took a local 15-seater taxi- me and six other friends. The first few minutes of this ride were pretty comfortable and spacious, but soon to change. Within a few miles I felt as though we were in a circus car, filled beyond the max capacity- the moment you believe the car cannot fit anymore people, in come several more, baggage and all. Our three hour ride back to Lome in the 15-seater van ended up providing transportation for 21 people, 2 chickens, a cat, and a live goat on the roof…. A perfect inspiration for a sing-a-long song:

The chickens in the van go, “baak, baak, baak…”
The cat in the van goes, “meow, meow, meow…”
The goat on the roof goes, “eeeehhh, eeehhh, eeehhh…”
The children outside shout, “yovo, yovo, yovo”
Christina in the van says, “Just get us there safely…”
…. Alllllll the waaaaaay to town
The passenger next to me: the proud owner of a chicken

Looking out my window: The shadow of the man tying the goat to the roof

A family that invited us in during a walk along the beach. Cooked for us and we spent the day with them.

The family's home water source. Our visit included a lesson on how to draw the water- involved more skill than I thought.

The back of a restaurant in Atakpame... showing us how to make fufu
The patients bring the beauty of Africa to the ship. A few days ago I was working the evening shift and noticed a translator come into D ward and take a small drum and leave- I smiled as I knew an impromptu African sing and dance party was about to start. This is worth dropping the task part of my job, the things that can be done later even if this means I have to stay late- to witness African community life.

A party began in B ward. Everyone with an instrument- a drum, an aya (a beaded shaker), a metal coin to beat against the floor, or their hands clapping together- they do not have much, but what they do have is put together to make the most incredible rhythmic and lively music. The women gather in a circle, each one taking their turn to come into the middle to dance and be cheered by the others. A few of us nurses joined in the circle and attempted to move our bodies as they do- barely coming close, but they all loved and welcomed this. They all took off one of the skirts wrapped around their waists and wrapped it around us- a sign of friendship, of acceptance. They cheered us on and showed us how they have a good time. My heart rejoices in these moments- to be a part of their lives, to be welcomed and accepted by them. We are very different people- with backgrounds that cannot be more different, but we can both understand a language of love, of friendship, of life.

…but even in all the magnificence it is impossible to ignore the reality of this place. Coupled with the beauty are signs everywhere that I live on a broken planet- The zemijean driver that tells me his only wish for his life is to own his own motorbike so he can make more than a day’s worth of wages each week. He now has to give what he earns the other six days to his boss. He can barely make ends meet as he makes but a mere $30 a month.

The naked starving children with sticks for legs that hold up pot bellies (enlarged from a lack of protein in their diets) sitting next to mama as she works all day at her stand selling stolen petrol to make a living.

The people willing to wait in line for hours under the African sun as they are barely in good enough health to stand- to see a few doctors and nurses from the west that may just say yes.

The Beninese man emaciated and dying of cancer who made the trip from Benin knowing the ship, his only hope, would eventually arrive in Togo waited in the streets of Lome without shelter for ten days- also during a time of heavy rainfall.

It is all a learning process for me- to learn how to take in the beauty and enjoy it- to allow the emotions felt from the suffering I see to drive my passion and not discourage. To be content with the work I am here to do. I recently was in a discussion with a few friends and one was asking the other, “But, how do you not become overwhelmed? How is it that you have not given up on this place- don’t you ever feel like no matter how much work you do it will never be enough?” And the other replied, “All each one of us is called to do is our part. If everyone does their part, all will come together as it should.”