Vaccination Day Number Two

Last Saturday we held the second day of vaccinations for talibé boys and their teachers. The goal was to try to get the other half of the 250 folks connected with 6 Koranic schools we deal with. The first half was vaccinated in early February through the organizational and fund-raising efforts of Ianice Oliveira. This week it was the presence of a team from the Philly area that made it happen.

This team is being led by a doctor and many of the folks in the team are family or folks that work in his practice. In fact, he and his two partners have adopted a village through MIS and are coming each year to do medical outreach in villages.

Saturday, Dr. Ted and several colleagues from the MIS hospital in Thiès came to join us so that we not only gave shots but did exams. Over 100 got yellow fever and tetanus shots. Another 10 were examined or had first aid, but were here last time for the shots. A wonderful result.

We actually took over three dorm rooms for exams, pharmacy and vaccinations. The first aid "station" ended up at the picnic table under a tree. Our second exam room was under a different tree next to the weighing and blood pressure folks!

As boys waited for their turn to come in, they played soccer out front with some of the Americans and some of the translators. Later, after their shower, exam, worm treatment, first aid and vaccination, they stayed to play games or watch the Jesus film.

They also each got a sandwich for lunch. The young women's group from the Evangelical Church of Dakar wanted to help somehow. They suggested providing food and 7 volunteered to come and help. Some made and handed out the food. Others jumped in and helped with registration or ferrying groups of boys from shower to doctor. They were an enormous help.

All in all, it was a very successful day. We had plenty of workers, both skilled and unskilled. The pace was never stressful. Lots of boys and their teachers came, even the ones who haven't yet got a lot of trust in us.

Praise the Lord!