Week 3

We are continuing this week with more maxillofacial and general surgeries.  Watching life trajectories change is humbling.  I got to see babies who are able to nurse for the first time as their cleft lips are repaired, huge lipomas (fatty tumor) on every surface of the body removed allowing normal clothing, sleeping, and way of life, amongst others.  Snuggling sweet little ones who are waking up frightened in a strange place with strange looking people is the best part of my day.  

Sunday night we had a Team USA get together!  Just a fun opportunity to have some snacks and connect with those who come from your same homeland. It's amazing how many Americans are on board! 

The riots in Senegal were intense with many fatalities.  The chaos started to subside and on Tuesday we were let off of the ship.  I nearly ran for the door. (I have learned I would do terribly in prison.)  After 10 days on the ship, I was ready to get off! A group headed out to Goree Island.  Senegal is in the western most portion of Africa and Dakar was one of the primary locations for the shipment of indigenous African people during the slave trade.  

We visited the House of Slaves museum where thousands of humans were trafficked to the Americas and Europe.  It is a hugely emotional experience knowing that my nation was a part of this atrocity. Below is one of the whipping posts where "troublemakers" were beaten into submission.

The door of no return.  Those who walked through this door never saw their homeland, their families, friends, or anything they had known again.

The island of Goree is a stunning place.  It is a small town with no motorized vehicles.  There is a ferry that runs multiple times daily that allows for visitors and transport of locals on and off the island.  The architecture is stunning and the flowers that seem to come from not where are covering the island.