I call the mosquitoes “Little Ninjas.” Hollywood led me to believe that African mosquitoes would be the size of my face and I could squash them with a crowbar. Not so, faithful reader. These mosquitoes are quick, small, and stealthy. They complete their mission, if they choose to accept it, within thirty seconds. I am bit probably about twice a day on average. I get angry whenever I see the bump and always wonder, “Will this one be malaria?” I have to take one pill a day, every day that I am here and for four weeks after I return. Slimy, yet satisfying.
Thanks be to God, and your prayers, my health has been the least of my worries. Somehow my stomach adapted quickly to the food here and I have yet to be troubled with an illness. Let’s hope I make it through these final weeks unscathed. Some of my compatriots are not so lucky.
Two of the girls from that American colony I found around the 4th of July are sick now and are staying in the hospital behind the parish. Fr. Francis was contacted, so I went up to visit. I told them I was from the American Embassy but they recognized me from the visit. They’ve already started calling me ‘Pa Bob,’ the tribal equivalent of ‘Father’—lovely. One of the girls tested positive for malaria and typhoid, the other only has malaria. They’re leaving Sierra Leone next week as well, and they were both pretty frustrated to have to deal with sickness in the final days. I told them that I would visit again tomorrow and smuggle in some Sprite. Smuggling is a corporal work of mercy, right?
-Bob
written 07/12/11
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