From Flies and Rubbish to Paradise


 
If I were to ask anyone in Senegal to tell me the dirtiest place in the country, he/she would say without fail “Kaolack.” Back in November, when I first traveled to Kaolack, I did not think much of the rubbish and the flies because most of Senegal is full of litter and dotted with unkempt alleyways and small side streets. Returning to Kaolack for a few days this past week, I realized that the city is a most unpleasant place to live. The flies are terrible—almost unbearable—and now in the rainy season, there are so many mosquitoes, I needed my fan to swat them away—even in the house. Fortunately, I know some lovely people in Kaolack; otherwise I would never return. 
I spent three days with GRADES, an organization I wrote about at the start of my time in Senegal. I had spent two weeks with them to help write their strategic plan. They asked me to be the sponsor of their polyvalent training center’s graduation ceremony for the 9th and 10th groups of girls who just finished their three-year couture and craft training. 
I helped the girls make doughnuts for the party, and I spoke at the ceremony, invoking one of Jesus’ parables—the Good Samaritan—to speak about the necessity of community involvement and using what one has to help others in need. I advised the girls to manage their finances responsibly and to work hard and diligently. What an honor to be a part of the ceremony as if the work I did back in November came full circle.

After leaving and saying goodbye to my friends, I returned happily to Beer-Sheba to continue my work on the farm. I was glad to be back to complete the projects I had in mind: planting strawberry and hibiscus seeds in the nursery, finishing the trimming of the trees on the 18-hectare hedge and starting the vegetable garden. The weather is quite humid with the start of the rainy season. The sweat was rushing down my face and my back; however, there is often a cool breeze of languid air that offers an appreciated reprieve from the blistering hot sun. The growing number of freckles on my arms and face attest to my hard and gratifying work out in the Senegalese bush.
My hosts in Kaolack
Tip #23 for Surviving in Senegal: When working out in the fields, wear a large-brimmed hat and preferably long-sleeves if possible. Appropriate clothing will help you to avoid the extensive reapplication of sunscreen or the inevitable sunburn. It’s too bad that all I have is my green suit with short sleeves; but my hat has been a real lifesaver!

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