The Healing 2 the Nations base here in Yirmadio is a 3/4 acres plot that is rugged and rocky, a skinny right trianle of ground sloping down from the base of a hill to it's north. A stuccoed concrete block wall surrounds it giving a measure of security and privacy. THe neighborhood is rapidly fillingn in around us and homes are even being built on the side of that rocky hill, in places that you would not think of building.
There is a dirt road, rough and potholed, that leads off of NR6, a paved main road into Bamako from here. Pot-holed dirt streets lead off of that path as well, and one has to wind left and right between houses and partially constructed walls, around corners and between people to get here. Once we are in sight of the base the driver toots the horn so that the guard knows to swing wide the gate for our entry. Where we leave the main road to head up toward our base there is a busy market. A plethora of produce stands, general merchandise booths, sellers of pots and pans, hair decorations,and spices vie for space with fish vendors and open air butchers. Early morning shoppers get the best selection of course, and by mid afternoon many stands have closed for the day. Twice now I have "ambulated" with Fanta (one of our cooks)down to that market before 8am, carrying our goods home--hers in a bucket balanced on her head, mine in my red Hale Real Estate shopping bag slung over my shoulder.
I must go now and work with Joseph-- he is helping me to learnBambara and French as I help him improve his math and learn English. A good exchange!
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