1.7.09

Niger Delta / June 2009

Just returned from spending a week in Nigeria in the Niger Delta with New Foundations. This trip consisted of my dad, our good friend who is a Pastor from the States named Joey, and myself. We spend the entire time in the village/town of Enekorogha, basing ourselves at the clinic. The main things we and all others involved engaged in were seeing patients (about 250 over the week), surgical operations, preaching the word (in houses, the clinic, in church), teaching about nutrition, fixing the solar panel powered battery, as well as a bunch of other things.
I went over with the goal of making some kind of bamboo training structure for the kids and teenagers, of whom there are many. Things seem to operate on a bit of an age hierarchy, so the young kids tend to get a lot of flak from the old guys in the form of physical assertiveness.

Anyway, as is the per usual, I will explain my own personal experience in bullet points since I tend to loathe overly long winded posts.

STUFF DONE
:
- Canoed with two of the lads to the bush to hack down huge lengths of bamboo with a 'cutlass'.
- Made the Bamboo frame successfully in a few days.
- Played and hung out with the manic kids a lot.
- Saw a cesarean performed 4 feet from me as well as the baby and mother recovering well.
- Killed a chicken for lunch (with an unsuitably blunt knife which wasn't so nice).

- Experienced a full-on, mad-for-it, booty-shaking, hucker-bucking, 3 hour african church
service....hallelujia!
- Saw a lot of the village when my friend who i met four years ago on my first trip took me to
see his many relatives and friends.
- Got told i look 15 years old.
- Accidentally formatted 4 days worth of incredible photos....

- Made a walking stick for an old lady who was using a heavy metal rod.

- Met some very humbling and next level people who make me feel like a total noob at life.


Child with bad malaria

Myself and some of the boyz

Constructing the cane out of a piece of bamboo we found

Hopefully it should last and bring some relief from her other one
Only some of the many crazy kidz, bunch of nutters!

The Chairman, his committee and us

"Off with his head!"

Lovely jubbly.

Rose, one of the healthcare workers (and a total legend) teaching about nutrition to mothers.

Some of the typical marks of a witch doctor treatment

The finished construction. Very sturdy despite appearances!

New Foundations tribute to Ronnie Coleman


7 comments:

  1. Fantastic!! The bamboo structure is ace!

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  3. I love the laughter and just playfulness of the kids in the vid. Very cute! That bamboo construction looks fine work, mate - well done! I hope you showed them a few moves while you were out there, to inspire them:-)

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  4. Hey Man, great to hear from ya! Cheers for the post. Ah Kenya sounds wicked.

    So cool reading about what you've been up to in Niger Delta; sounds like you had a flippin' great experience out there. Sweet Pictures, the bamboo frame looks awesome.

    I've just got back in Birmingham, decided to give Sheffield a break for a bit. Job hunting sucks so bad right now haha it's awful, so I thought I'll just forget it all for a bit and have a holiday. I'll see if I can go visit Danny for a bit in Liverpool then maybe volunteer at Soul Survivor before Momentum.

    Other than job hunting summer has been aight. Spent 2 or 3 weeks living in your old room before moving into the new place. Had such a good time hanging with Si, Ben and Campbel post exams. Been rocking up the Matrix big time since everyone has been away. Loving it! Deffo getting a year pass this year.

    Mate, continue having a great summer, have a swei time in China. Can't wait to hook up in Sept (btw, had my Form interview today...I'm in).

    Praying for you bro. Peace and Love to ya x

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  5. Jin it all sounds amazing!! particularly jealous of you witnessing a c section, as I'm trying and struggling to get midwifery experience atm! Just vacated your Shef room after a stint in pickmere so will hopefully see you soon :) x

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  6. Hope you had a constructive time out there mate!

    Drop me a call asap pleasssse!

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