African Sun

There is this distinct feeling that comes over me when I take that first step off the plane into the hot West African sun. It's this hard to describe moment of yep I'm here. One of the team members asked me in the car from the airport if my heart was tied to West Africa and as I thought about it for a moment the response that came was my heart is fully tied to VVF and caring for these ladies. So far West Africa has given me the opportunity to do that but I think I would be happy wherever doing whatever so long as I am doing something to serve these women.

Screening day started very early before 6 with the small flight from Niamey to Maradi and then the drive to Danja. When we arrived we found the ladies waiting for us, approximately 40 of them and some of them had been waiting for us for two weeks. They were waiting for us under the big shade tree (pictures to come soon). We were greeted in a whirlwind of Sannu (hello in Hausa) and handshakes and giggles.

It was after lunch when we got started but we hit the ground running, screening all 40 women. Screen day in a word is exhausting. More then the jet lag and dehydration and the heat, it is emotionally draining on me. We saw these 40 ladies and had only 18 surgical spots. The silver lining in this here at Danja is that we are building this clinic to stay and be a permanent thing here so we are not saying no to these women we are just saying not right now.  So with all 18 spots full surgery starts bright and early the next morning.