Monday February 16

Back safe. We arrived back at the ship at 3.40pm Sunday afternoon after an 8 hour journey from Natitingou. Well, what an experience. The expression "This Is Africa" or TIA for short really did apply.

Originally we were supposed to leave the ship on Tuesday and everyone busted a gut to have us ready - this included completing shore leave passes etc. At 7pm the ministry finally contact us to say that they would pick us up at 10.30 Wednesday morning. We left at 2.30pm for a 6 hour drive. Arrived at the Parakou University hospital and met the medical director who informed us that he was expecting us the previous day.....my tongue had zig zags in it from the effort of keeping it still. But they did at least have consulting rooms ready for us and hotel rooms for us to stay in.

The following day (Thursday) we saw about 100 patients of which 57 were scheduled for surgery and 18 for further screening by specialists. We had asked for coffee and sandwiches......the coffee finally arrived at 1.00pm after we had asked again but lunch did not appear. The translators who should have been there never did appear, but Father knows our need and boy, did he answer prayer.

A youngish man - maybe late twenties, early thirties called Paul, had brought 15 or so patients, could speak french but no english stayed all day and translated into the local languages for me as I was trying to tell patients about coming to the ship for surgery and tablets that they need to take. I haven't spoken much french since I left school 32 years ago other than a bit when I've been to Paris. Father gently put the words into my mouth and reminded me of words and phrases that I had learned and so we were able to communicate quite successfully.

Another young man, Yousebi, just appeared. He was a social worker in the hospital who spoke both french and english and he just stayed helping one of the other staff who spoke no french. Father provided for us. The doctor who came with us speaks Spanish 1st French 2nd and English 3rd. He was outstanding. If I didn't know how to explain something he would write down a phrase for me, if someone was rattling off in french he would come to my rescue. In fairness the lack of lunch was made up as the Ministry did organize a good dinner for us, the restaurant was set for us when we arrived and the menu already sorted. During the day we had seen a variety of patients with max fax, orthopaedic, general surgical needs and also some VVF patients. VVF stands for vesico vaginal fistula and happens when a woman has a protracted labour, typically of several days because of the breech position of the baby. Lack of health care facilities means that she cannot reach a hospital for help. The babies are born dead and if the woman develops a fistula she will constantly leak urine. If you want to read a fascinating book about a doctor who has made a real difference in this field can I suggest you read The Hospital by the River by Catherine Hamlin.

On Friday morning we set of for Katitingou via the coffee shack opposite the hospital for breakfast where Yousebi came to meet us and say goodbye not that we had told him we were calling in there - how do the Africans manage that, and arrived at 11.30am to be told we had arrived a day early. In the original schedule we were supposed to have started screening at 8am that day, never mind arrive at 11.30am. It was quickly apparent that they were not at all prepared. There was no hotel booked, no advertising of the screening had been done and they had nothing organised. They finally took us to a hotel where we had to wait while the rooms were made ready, then took us for lunch . We went back to the hospital at about 3.00pm met the medical director were shown around the small hospital - I was itching to see inside the Operating Theatre but didn't ask - maybe I should have, and we made arrangements for setting up the next day. He organised translators again only French to local dialects but of course with so little advertising - they put out a message on the local radio and had a man going around with a tannoy on a bike Friday evening, we had few patients. However they may be the starfish that are rescued! - I have told you that story haven't I?

We then got taken on a short "sightseeing tour" including the local museum which was actually very interesting. At least our drivers were good fun. The driver of my vehicle only spoke French and about ten words of english. We had a couple of meals with them and they joined us for drinks etc so we had some fun then they dropped us at a decent restaurant last night where we had a relaxing meal just the 7 of us that went.

We left at 7am Sunday morning, returned to where we had breakfast the day before but it was closed but we found somewhere else for breakfast further on the road. Unfortunately there was an accident on the road at one point and the poor girl was dead but we had to just drive on passed it. We could not have done anything even if we had stopped. It was pretty upsetting but a reminder of the fragility of life. There was a sombre mood for some time in the vehicle. Anyway I'm back safe now and raring to go. main screening is later this week on Thursday and Friday and they will be busy hot days....