Musings from Burkina-John McClung

Its Sunday evening and tomorrow we will begin our trip back to the U.S., to Corsicana and to familiar surroundings. What an adventure it has been with many new experiences and, most importantly, new friends and hopefully a new me. You cannot go through a week like we just have and not have it effect you on many levels. I happen to believe that even when you are doing something for someone else, that you really are doing it for yourself even if you don't realize it at the time. I know that what we all have learned and experienced on this trip will come into play in our future and make each of us a better Christian.

Want to start a party? Just kick a couple of soccer balls into any group of kids on this planet (and probably any other)and the chances are pretty good someone is going to kick it again and again and perhaps again. Ed had the idea to buy three balls and on Tuesday we did just that; went out and kicked Ed's balls around. I decided to take a break from being the local drug dealer and went outside to be with the children. As soon as the first ball went into the air kids started coming out from everywhere. About 20 of them converged on the ball and the game was on. There wasn't any soccer pitch or goals, just all the kids trying as hard as they could to get in a kick. They were all over the place and having a great time. It sort of looked like a bunch of black hornets chasing something they were mad at. Anyway, we became quite popular and drew a crowd of smiling faces everytime we came outside. It was also great entertainment for their parents waiting to get into the clinic. If there was a barrier between us and them before, it was a barrier no longer.

Although it had been 30 years since I had played the game I am proud to report that my skills really had not diminished much. I attribute that to the fact that I really did not have any soccerskill 30 years ago but I can verify that I am much older, heavier and slower. About the only thing I was quicker at was that I was out of breath much sooner. As we were preparing to leave that evening I was surrounded by the children wanting to play. Since the soccer ball was no where to be found, I started kicking a big plastic empty water bottle that was on the ground (apparently picking up trash is not a common practice in this country) and the game was on again. We didn't need no stinkin' ball.

Somehow, five of us ended up in the back of a pickup for the ride back to town that evening. I had the thought that everyone who saw us riding back there with our black driver was thinking, "Hey, that guy must be doing pretty good. Just look at his crew of white guys riding in the back of his truck". It was tough coming in though because of the smoke from the bikes and burning trash in the sewers. Several of us had some breathing problems plus, I think I was still winded from the soccer game six hours earlier.

As it turns out, there was a soocer field there in Yamga. In fact we drove across it the next day to go to the clinic. The reason it is hard to recognize as a field is that there is no grass and its about five miles from goal to the other. After a couple of minutes I turned that game over to the kids and stumbled back to the clinic for drugs. I didn't care what they gave me; I only wanted to stop hurting and die in peace. I was also ready for the last rites, having a corkscrew (always be prepared) but did we bring any wine? Hell no!

I haven't read the other writings on the blog but am sure they describe our trip to the other village on Thursday and Friday- 40 miles of bad road followed by 40 more miles of really bad road. The clinic was nice and we really got a lot of people through it in two days. The area looked more like what I always pictured Africa to look like-Kansas without the black plastic bags everyone here seems to be afraid to pick and throw away. On Friday we were visited by some government officials from the labor department and we considered complaining about our low wages and working conditions.

I mentioned experiences earlier and would like to add that one experience I will not miss is the sleeping on a box spring every night. Although I am starting to get use to it, I am looking forward to getting back to my bed at home.

I have to go now; my box spring is calling me and I need rest before the 378 hours it will take for us to get home so I can go shopping.

Peace,

John


P.S.
We also have been doing one of my least favorite pastimes along with being kicked in the groin and that is shopping. I have found it to be really annoying when you really don't have the foggiest idea what salesperson is saying to you (which also happens to me alot in America)and although I thought of buying something for each and every one of you; I didn't.