My job monday: playing in the dirt!

Monday I was able to volunteer again with the surgical screenings. This one was specific to pediatric orthopedics, and we arrived early with our team to find a much smaller crowd awaiting us. My job that day, as defined by the screening coordinator, was "someone to go and entertain the children and play with them."

There were lots and lots of children of all ages waiting to see the orthopedic doctors that had come with us. Many of these will be scheduled for surgery or theraputic casting in the near future.

Many of the children there were scared, and had never seen a white person before. Hiding behind mothers' skirts, they shyly responded to our Bonjour, como savaah? with a solemn handshake. They warmed up fast and were soon squealing happily, running on bowed legs or club feet, and chasing the bubbles that we blew for them. Even the toddlers took a turn trying to blow bubbles, and looked surprised when they blew too hard and had the soap explode in their faces.

By the end of the morning both of these little ones, along with several others, had plopped themselves in my lap or in the dirt around me, leaning up against my knee sucking on bags of clean water, laughing at the bubbles we blew and clamoring for a turn with an upheld finger and requests in Ewe, Mina and French. They had completely forgotten to be scared of the Yovo white people, many were examined and scheduled for surgery...and that, my friends, was a successful morning. :-D