Thursday: Nets at the Beach

You can tell by the title that we had a different experience today. We were back in the city of Basaam and dropped off one team at a market distribution site. Then the bus made its way into the countryside and down a winding road and pulled up at the beach. Carmen and I looked at each other and smiled. We walked down the beach to a pavilion set in the middle of a fishing village called Mondouko

They had already begun the work and a large group was in line. We sat down at the net table and began our work to the sound of the waves crashing and with the feel of the ocean breeze. It made the long day of work a little easier but it was a great day again. This was a remote tribal village with people that would not have likely received the immunizations or nets if not for this campaign.

I had one of our team members who speaks fluent French team me how to say “God Bless You!” so I tried it out as I handed the mothers or children the nets. Some smiled up and said “Merci!” or just smiled. It turns out some only speak the local tribal language (but a smile is universal). The line moved really steady until about 2pm. So, we took some time to walk down to the beach and I got some pics and enjoyed the paradise. I thought about how this same water flows all the way to the US into the Gulf of Mexico to SE Texas and home. I also thought that this is where our Hurricanes come from this paradise. I said a quick prayer for those still recovering back home.

The bus arrived back to pick us up about 4pm and Adrianna from the UN Foundation and Melissa from UMCOR had one of the workers take them into the rows of homes to visit with people about the nets and many were getting ready to hang them. Just before we left, some women walked up with their children. They were from a neighboring village down the beach and had walked about 5 miles to get to the site with their children strapped to their back or walking with them.

The Ivorian workers said they were going to stay until near dark to be sure that any others walking from far away would be able to be served. This reminded me of the dedication to these health care workers and volunteers and the passion they bring to the work as well. I also thought about how coming to this village was a testimony to taking the good news to where the people are and to those who truly need to be reached in their environment. I also saw what we would call extreme poverty but they call life lived in contentment, catching dinner and fish to sell to buy more food for that night or the next day. And I was touched by the extreme act of love for their children that motivated those women to walk a great distance to give their children a better chance to live.

It was the best day at the beach I have ever had!