On Parade!

Hike and Parade

Last Saturday we got up and headed out on a hike to a little waterfall back in the bush.  One of the hospital groundskeepers, a friendly guy named Cocou, was our guide through the bush for the morning.  Our walk started along the gravel road behind the hospital compound by the airfield and we walked to the end of the road.  It just stops.  Then a trail begins.  We walked past what would be some pretty isolated settlements, but these people seem to be getting along just fine.  We even found a church back in the bush!

The road behind the hangar and hospital compound

Out of nowhere this sharply dressed woman stepped onto the trail.
Not sure how she stays so well kept back here.

And in the middle of the bush, a church!

Poor attendance on a Saturday morning

With lovely benches to sit on.

The trail got a bit narrower and steeper near the edge of the mountains and we climbed up and down for probably half an hour, but were rewarded with a very pleasant little waterfall with a pool big enough to swim in.  Christine and I waded in the water but the boys plunged in, then slid down the smooth rocks into the pool.  It was quite refreshing after the sweaty walk!  

Cocoa right off the tree.  It was a slimy covered nut that had a
mildly tart taste.

Banana tree

After about half an hour at the waterfall we dried off and headed back toward home.  It was in the heat of the late morning and the youngest two boys were getting fatigued.  They made it all the way, however.  Four hours trekking about 10km through the bush and down a gravel road, splashing in a waterfall that is known to few people! What a great experience.  The knowledge Cocou was able to share with us about the local plants and people was an added bonus.  We even ate fresh cocoa right off the tree!

Three families live here

and share a common kitchen

The base of one of the giants of the jungle

Now look up, way up...

May Day, May Day!

Sunday was a big day on the calendar for the Togolese.  May 1^st is May Day.  A day to parade, eat and celebrate all of the workers.  We got a ride into Adeta and made our way to a shady spot on the very short parade route.  The entire route was a straight shot of about 500 yards.  (I mean, there's no point in parading too long when there is dancing and food waiting at the end, is there?)

The hospital staff marched in first.

The local hairdressers looked smashing!

The Arab Construction Workers, mostly from the local area
and not Arab at all.

The various groups line up and waited for their turn to be shown off in front of a tent of dignitaries.  Every group that had a few workers was represented.  From our hospital were the medical staff, the groundskeepers and the resource / printing groups, then add in some local road crews, the hair stylists, the mechanics (whose parade car was belching blue smoke!), the moto-taxis, the charcoal makers and fruit pickers, even the Good Women of Adeta (translated) were represented.

The Good Women

The moto-taxis were a bit dangerous.

The lead taxi delayed the parade because it wouldn't start.

Actually, the regular taxis were a bit dangerous, too!

The mechanics...

Not able to stay on his bike...

Not able to keep his bike running...

so just push it to the end of the parade strip.

After the parade we were invited to eat with the groups from the hospital.  Canadian hospitality has nothing on the people.  I think they were trying to kill us with food.  The one lady serving us came by 3 times to give extra helpings of pasta, couscous and guinea fowl.  It was so good, but we called it quits early into the festivities and headed home for a swim after baking in the sun at the parade.

What a fun celebration to be part of.  We got a great view of the culture, generosity and joy for life the Togolese have – despite not having what we would consider 'a lot' of material goods.

Is this the Chiquita Banana lady?

Every time I looked over at Christine, there were more kids
around her!

Thumbs Down...

Christine's thumb has been giving her some trouble.  It was sore from a nasty hang nail just when we left Cananda, and only got slowly worse until she went 'under the knife' to get rid of the infection.  She literally had two surgeons consult her thumb at the dinner table one evening, and the next morning she went to the OR, since it has AC, and had a little work done to help it drain a bit better.  Seriously, what is it with our families (the Westons first, and now us) getting infections in Togo???  Pray that it will heal quickly and that she will not be in any discomfort over this.  

In addition to Christine's thumb being infected, Logan had to go visit Dr. Kiong Liao (our Canadian friend) in the hospital clinic because of an ear infection, probably from swimming.  It's getting better with a course of antibiotics – and not putting his head underwater at the pool for a few days!

Babies, Everywhere!

Christine has been spending a lot of time catching babies being born.  One night she was called to the hospital for back-to-back-to-back C-sections... Yep, three of them.  The following night was another one!  She is not only on standby in case the baby needs her expertise, she's there when they pray with the mother before the C-section and to take the newly-delivered baby from the OR across the hall to get registered, weighed and prepped for the maternity ward when mom comes out of the OR.  She's finding it to be a great experience and she's a great help to the doctors, moms and babies.  And babies are so cute!

Praying for the mama and baby before the operation

During...

and after!!

Broken Motors, Everywhere...

That seems to be the case with the maintenance department.  First, the two tractors that we've been working on have both given nothing but problems.  Seized cylinder sleeves that we could not get to budge, missing bolts and hoses (it's what happens when different people are working on things over the course of several months) and the general worn-out state of 40+ year old machines makes it tough to work on them.  We did make some progress on the 1975 vintage Ford 3000 tractor – it is running!  It will be nice to have it because it will be used for mowing the runway, which currently looks like a very long, very narrow hay field.  The other engine has been sent to Lome for some major work since we don't have a full engine shop here.

Add in a couple of totally worn out and seized up ceiling fan motors that needed to be replaced in various places and it has been a bad week or so for motors around here!  There is a light at the end of the tunnel, I'm sure of it!  Nope, that light is the one from one of the OR suites.  The ceiling mounting bracket broke when someone pulled on it to re-position it...  add another item to the 'to do' list!  It's never-ending.

Random Pictures of Interesting Stuff

Snake bite.  Nasty.

Big caterpillar

Big mangoes

A Hooded Vulture eating something in our tree

No horses around here.  How about a rocking hippo instead?

Kofi in the computer store.  The Togolese equivalent
to Best Buy.

Keenan making friends at the Christian school

A tiny tree frog assessing the enemy.

Thanks for taking the time to read about our adventures here in Togo.  If you'd like to contact us you can reach us by email at: penny.missions@gmail.com