Our driver, Jide, usually awakens at
Jide arrives to our place around
Jim sits in the front passenger’s seat. I usually sit behind Jide. If you were to join us for this ride, this morning, I would sit behind Jim because I wouldn’t wish that on anyone due to the lack of legroom! :-)
Soon after we begin our journey we are greeted with “horning” – that’s everyone using their car horns more than their gas pedals. It’s constant. They “horn” when nothing’s moving as a way to tell someone to get moving (yeah, right, like they can do anything other than their own horning!) They also horn to thank someone for letting them in the line up, a rare occurrence, to be sure. And they horn (a short beep) to let someone know that they can go in front of them, also rare. But usually the horning noises are selfish communications that say “I am more important than you so get out of my way!”
As we approach the first intersection, we see that no police are on duty. That means that there will be about 30 vehicles trapped in the intersection, car noses pointed in every possible direction as they literally nose their way in front of another vehicle’s nose in an attempt to squeeze their way forward. The vehicles with no bumpers and an abundance of bent and torn metal cannot be trusted. They will risk anything because they have nothing to lose. Our driver will lose his job if he gets in an accident so we trust him. Because we are basically stalled or, at best crawling, the vendors have gathered in the intersection, trying to sell a variety of wares. And, the okadas (motorcycle taxis) are somehow managing to wiggle through the tangle and emerge on the other side with their passengers still attached to the okada seat!
We tend to not look out our windows much from here on out. It’s best to not get eye contact with the vendors. And it’s crucial to avoid eye contact with the beggars. That’s for two reasons. One reason is that if they see you see them, they will hound you as you crawl through the traffic. The other reason is that they will make your gut tighten and your heart ache. On any given journey you will see limbless men (who are from a Muslim area of the country and have committed a crime somewhere long ago) on scooter carts, blind children (whose parents often gouge out their eyes when they are infants in order to use them as a source of income), a woman with extreme burns, an “elephant man” with tumors all over his head and upper body. How do we know all of these folks are in the streets? Well, we’ve peeked. And so would you.
Now, about the vendors. What you would find on a typical day in the streets includes:
Mints and gum
Water in little plastic bags
Nuts in bottles
Rat poison
Twinkie-like cake things
Alphabet charts
Men’s boxers
Hankies
Rat poison
Belts
Watches
Framed photos of the new president and VP
Maps of
Rat poison
Razors
Mirrors
Scarves
Newspapers
Rat poison
Bread, white and “wonder-like”
Dictionaries, Bibles, other books
Bags of apples imported from
Bags of grapes imported from SA
Magazines
Rat poison
It’s so very entertaining. We arrive at the office with a headache from the fumes we’ve breathed, the noises that have surrounded us, the neck-jerks for which we’ve braced, … but we didn’t realize we were even getting a headache because we were, at least, distracted by the vendors.
'hope you enjoyed the drive! We'll try to sneak some photo-taking and post those soon!
2 comments:
Dear Sharon,
I really enjoy reading your blog and seeing that part of the world through your eyes. I think about the things you write quite often. It's so easy to become immersed in your own world and think that most people live more or less similarly to the way you live. Your blog is a stark reminder that it isn't so! It's hard to imagine such chaos as you describe. I often ponder that even people who are complete jerks can usually be counted on to obey most traffic laws here. The analogy of a smooth street system being indicative of an ordered government is so true!
This past weekend I was listening to a priest on the radio talk about helping the poor and I thought of your blog once again. I have come to realize that so much of the world's poverty is a direct result of corrupt governments and it makes me wonder if it is possible to really help the poor in other countries short of shucking your worldy possessions and taking to the streets like Mother Teresa. Is there any way to really make a difference? It's not very encouraging to think of your money just being pocketed by the first palm it crossed. I suppose the best way is to search out honest and reliable organizations and give money that way.
Your new home sounds like a wonderful oasis and your cook sounds divine. How wonderful to be able to come home to such fabulous food. You certainly deserve it. Enjoy!
Lynette Raab
'great to hear from you, Lynette. Please say "hi" to your hubby!
Yes, most aid to Africa -- be it designated gifts, cash, food, ... never actually reaches the people. Even reliable organizations often lose power and control over the gifts once they reach the continent. Sometimes governments (such as the U.S.) designate money for roads that is intended to supplement the country's budget for roads. But the country will then move everything they budgeted to something frivolous and the designated funds for roads just aren't enough to actually get roads completed. You see a lot of unfinished projects, vacant buildings, "under construction" signs that are so weathered you can't read them -- all serve as reminders that good intentions aren't always enough.
The best way it seems that anyone can make a difference is trying to impact a small, controlled setting or even just one individual. Frustrating to be sure!
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