visiting the refugees

 

I recently got to go with friends to visit some refugees here in Bamako.  These are people who fled from the North of Mali almost a year ago because of the Rebel, Islamist, and al-Qaeda groups taking over up there.  The people I met had all come from the big towns of Timbuktu and Gao.  While it may have been a good plan for anyone and everyone to flee the north with these groups moving in, it was especially urgent for the Christians to leave.  I have read that something like 1/2 millon people left the North and are living displaced in neighboring countries or elsewhere here in Mali.  I was happy to meet and talk with just a few of them.  We visited the Baptist Mission and the Catholic place where families from the North have been living since last April.


These first pictures show the guy in the hat sorting donations of rice, oil, soap, and bleach to be distributed among the refugees.  He and his wife (in the red print) shared their story.  They were students at the Bible school in Gao.  The bad guys came into town and into their house.  They pointed a gun at them and took the wife's wedding ring.  They were able to leave with their 4 children in only the clothes they were wearing.  Since the director of the Bible school also fled and is living in the mission compound with them, they are able to continue their studies here. 

 

 

This is my videographer friend who filmed the interviews with her fancy-schmancy camera.  My job was to hold the microphone on its long stick thing, keeping it out of the shot but close enough to hear what the people were saying well. 

Isn't great that a baby bathing tub can be used for more than bathing a baby?  It is also handy for letting baby take a nap in.  I've also seen people using them to wash clothes in.

 

    I got pictures of the boys playing soccer at the Catholic center.  The big boys are kicking around a tennis ball, and the little ones have a spongy nerf ball.  I wish I had real soccer balls to give them.  And that one little guy could probably use some pants, too. :)

 A lot of the women were working on crocheting projects to generate income.  They have also done soap making and decorative sandal beading.

A boy pumping a well to collect water for watering gardens.