As our plane flys over Saint Louis on the way to Dakar, it is beginning to feel close. Maybe five hours from now, Insha'Allah we will be arriving in Saint Louis. Two of our dear friends are also on their way to Saint Louis, we will see them, and all our Maison de la Gare friends again soon. I am also looking forward to meeting my new Godson, Djiby for the first time. And, it will be good to see my other Godson, Mohammed again.
A few weeks ago Babacar, a friend in Saint Louis, announced the birth of his son, Djiby. He also announced, via messenger that I was to be Djiby's Godmother. Babacar is a professional waiter at a restaurant we frequent when in Senegal. We have been friends since my first visit in 2010.
Tijan is a longtime friend of mine, Rowan and Robbie. He is the boy I helped convince a year ago to choose to return to The Gambia to enrol in school instead attempting to migrate, via Libya and the Mediterranean to Europe. We keep in touch via messenger, communicating every few days or so. He has high school exams coming up, following a brief study break. He is on his way from The Gambia to visit us in Saint Louis. Tijan says not to worry, it is just a short trip of 10 or so hours. He and Rowan will study together, as they have in the past. (Rowan's exams begin the day after our return to Canada).
Arouna is also on his way back to Saint Louis from Kolda, where he has the the responsibility for his two younger sisters since his parents and older sister died. Arouna is Rowan's age, and in his second last year of high school. While a talibe he had astonishing determination, doing whatever it took to earn an education, all while continuing to provide a daily begging quota for his marabout. With education as his primary life goal, Arouna intends to attend university, support his sisters, and aspires to someday be president of Senegal. Or a teacher. Or a writer. He wants to change things, to help his people. But, Arouna has continuously been challenged with one hardship after another. When his parents died, far away in Kolda when Aouna was a young boy, his extended family swindled him out of his inheritance, and he remained a talibe for many more years, effectively a slave, under the thumb of his marabout. When, after years of study he went to write his final exams so he could enter high school, his marabout would not give him his identity papers in an effort to maintain control. This summer Arouna finally obtained new identity papers of his own (after years of trying) and was able to register for high school exams. He also has exams in a few weeks and plans to study with Rowan and Tijan.
But, Arouna has a new challenge - his biggest one yet. He is not on his way back from Kolda alone. A six year old boy is with him, the son of his deceased older sister. The boy, Mohamed's father died when his was a baby, and since his mother passed he was being cared for by her best friend. But, she has just returned to France and it has fallen to Arouna to take responsibility for his nephew. There is no one else. What will become of Arouna's plans for a great education? What will become of the little boy who has only known loss and uncertainty? I pray he will not become a talibe. I know Arouna will do all he can to keep Mohamed from such a fate. For now, Arouna is putting one foot in front of the other, one day at a time. And, he has a philosophy class he cannot miss tomorrow.
As we continue our journey toward Saint Louis, driving through the palm groves and the baobab forest, soaking in the African essence, anticipation grows. Anticipation that we will soon see good friends again, and anticipation to meet new friends who will change all our lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment