Live Love Faith Travel: The Adventure of Guinea-Bissau (part 1)

It did turn out to be an adventure...but all 10 of us made it there and back again. Onto the adventure that I will call Guinea-Bissau.

For those of you who don't know Guinea-Bissau is among the 10 poorest countries in the world, and I was able to join a medical team traveling to the village of Catel to help out with the clinic there.

The group...this was taking the morning we left Catel

On the way over we took a bunch of supplies with us. Food to eat, and medical supplies...it meant a lot of suitcases to lug around the airport, check in, and keep track of. The later of which can be interesting in West Africa.

Supplies!!!

After landing in Dakar, Senegal at 5:30 am we had all day before we needed to get on the boat that was going to take us to Guinea-Bissau. Instead of seating at the dock waiting all day, we took at short trip out to Goree Island. It's an island full of history. While there we visited the compound where they use to hold the individuals who were captured/sold for slavery.

Out of all it, there was one thing that stood out to me...there is a door that is/was called "the door of no return." I went to the door frame and looked out, this is what I saw...

I was right on the edge of the ocean...inside the building, to the left of the door it looked like it was a 'cattle chute' for loading the people onto the boats. How can anyone do that do another person? Why would anybody want to "buy" a slave? It's a horrible thing that needs to be stopped...because slavery is wrong in any form.

Sorry, I digress...but it was something that made me think, and I just wanted to share that with you.

The next day we made it to the village of Catel...it is very hot and dry there right now. Did I already say that it was hot? It was insanely hot...I thought. Personally hot weather is not my favorite, but when it's over 100 degrees, it's miserable. I think one day it was up to 106+. Lets just say you need to drink lots and lots of water to stay hydrated...but I'll get to that :-)

Our taxi with all the luggage...that's the way of transportation...people inside, large items piled onto the top of the vehicle..they know how to tie things down so it doesn't fall off.

The village of Catel

So as not keep this adventure moving, I'll not bore you will all the little details....

Working at the clinic was interesting...it was a huge help that there was a Mennonite Y.E.S. team serving there. They had been there since December and have a good grasp of the creole language. They would come and translate for us.

We saw all sorts of things that I don't normally see here in the states. One lady had Mumps, and 9 month old with Malaria, fungal infections/skin issues, and other stuff. Then there are the things that I'm use to seeing, like high blood pressure and muscle soreness.

Basically, you assessed the patient, figured out what you thought was going on and treat that. You don't have a bunch of lab tests to run, and figure everything out. You do it based off the info the patient gives you, your assessment, and then you treat.

The medicine cabinet at the clinic

Unpacking and organizing the medical supplies at the clinic

So that's enough about the work, it was interesting and that's why I went, but the really good stories of this trip aren't there, they happened at other times...

The first time this happened was when I was going through customs in Senegal just after I landed in West Africa on my way there. The guy checking my passport asked why I was going to Guinea-Bissau and I told him I wanted to see something new, I liked to travel and go new places. He then asked where my husband was...when I didn't answer him right away he was like, 'if you don't have one I'll take you.' I declined that offer.

Then in the Catel, there was this guy who "wanted to talk to me" but I don't speak his language, and he doesn't speak mine, but he kept asking two of the guys that are living there if they would talk to me and ask me if I would talk to him. Apparently, he was really interested because he was persistent... and would leave the guys alone. It just ended up being really funny.

That same day I was also able to go to an open market with some people and while I was there an guy from Gambia was after me. He just didn't want to leave me alone.

When we were leaving, crossing the Guinea-Bissau and Senegal boarder one of the guys there was looking at all the women and said to the one guy of our group that was with us...'you have to many women, how about you give one to me...I'll take, that one.' He pointed right at me, and I was behind everyone else...we all just bust out laughing...the leader of our group was like, "what's up with this, I can't take you anywhere."

While waiting in the Senegal airport one of the employs there was asking for my info/wanting to give me his so that next time I was there I could look him up.

I could have had myself several husbands to choose from...but I turned them all down...they just weren't what I was looking for... :-)

Just thought I'd include some random pics of daily life...