Visiting West Africa

Last February, I had the opportunity to visit West Africa for ten days. It was the first time I had ever been overseas. I made the trip with my father and one of my older sisters. While in West Africa, I found many aspects of life quite different from what I had ever experienced before.

One day, we traveled by Toyota Land Cruiser to an African village. Our driver liked driving fast so whenever there was a short stretch of flat road ahead, he would speed up even though he would soon have to quickly slow down because the road became very rough in places. We headed off as comfortable as one can be, driving rapidly through dirt roads that were anything but smooth.

Our comfort, small though it was, did not last for long. On our way out to the village, we picked up an Imam who was a follower of Jesus. With the additional passenger, I ended up riding in the back seat of the vehicle with three other full grown men. Needless to say, this was very uncomfortable. My foot kept falling asleep, but there was not much I could do to prevent that since we were packed like sardines. Approaching the village, we caught sight of the traditional round African mud huts.

After entering one of the mud huts, we were offered the traditional African mint tea to drink. Those who prepare the tea learn the art of pouring it in such a way as to produce the most foam. The tea is served in three courses and becomes weaker with each course.

Even though I don't like tea, I drank two glasses that I was offered because it would have been impolite to refuse. Everyone shares the same small tea glasses. Since they have so little, Africans do not waste anything. If you don't drink a full glass, the next guest will drink whatever is left.

What made this village unique was that the people were from four related families, all Christians in a country that is almost completely Muslim. A very touching moment was when our host called in some children and had them recite verses such as John 3:16 and the Lord's prayer. The children in the village loved to have their picture taken and were delighted to be able to see themselves on the display screen of our digital camera.

After a while, we walked out to a place where the men of the village had been digging by hand through about forty feet of hard stone in order to find water so they would not need to haul it in from miles away. It was amazing to see the hard work and determination they exhibited in their quest for finding water in the desert.

Arriving back in the city, one of the sounds that was prominent was the Muslim call to prayer. I vividly remember the chanting blaring over the loudspeakers in the early morning while I was trying to sleep.

In Africa, the food is eaten with your hands. When reaching for food from the common bowl one has to remember to only use your right hand, since your left hand is considered unclean. Getting used to eating without spoons or forks was a big enough change, but since I am left-handed, remembering to only use my right hand added an extra challenge to the situation.

Unlike the circular houses in the village, the buildings in the city were usually square. In the city, people would anchor broken glass to the top of their compound walls to keep intruders out.

Almost every car we saw was an old beat-up Mercedes, so old that it was amazing that it still ran. Sometimes, as we drove down the road we would be stopped by a herd of animals such as cows, camels, or goats blocking the road. Passing other vehicles, we would often stare amazed at Land Cruisers or trucks piled high with people and baggage. Often, there would be people riding on the top of the vehicles.

A very common method of transportation was to ride and haul items on donkey carts. They were used to deliver water that was used for drinking and bathing. Since there was no running water, showers were taken by dipping a cup into a bucket of water and pouring it over your head.

The method of trash disposal is very different from here in America. Trash is thrown into the street. The most common item of trash that we saw were plastic bags. They were strewn across the street and sometimes caught on trees and fluttered in desert wind like strange banners. The only waste management system was the goats and sheep who roamed the streets eating anything they can find. But contrary to popular opinion, goats will not eat anything, not tin cans and definitely not plastic bags.

The bleak, brown landscape was pierced by the occasional green tree. One day, we visited a garden where a dedicated group of ladies worked hard to haul water from a deep well and use it to water the plants daily. Some of the plants growing in the garden were mint for making tea, some cabbage, and some tiny lettuce leaves poking out from the soil. Visiting the garden and seeing all of that green in one area was a welcome relief from the vast expanse of dusty brown.

The people there were very friendly. Most of the men wore the traditional light blue long robes. The children wore used clothes from America. One poignant example of this was a child wearing a shirt that said, "Born in the USA".

A humorous situation occurred when one of the policemen who was checking our passports saw my sister's traditional dress and asked if she was a national. When we said no, he thought it was very funny that she was dressed like a native, but could not speak the language.

This trip was the first time I got up close and personal with people who were truly poor. One of the things that I regret is that I didn’t truly appreciate the experience while I was there. I was mainly trying to stay comfortable instead of appreciating the wonderful opportunity this trip provided to learn about a different culture.

Looking back, I realize how blessed I am. Almost everyone there seemed very happy even though they had very little materially. In America, we have many possessions, but I don't think it makes us any happier. This proves the point of the verse in Luke 12:15 where Jesus says, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."