Clearing the Land

Ever since the house was finished here in Oussouye, people have been encouraging me to have all the brush cut down. Village life is often a challenge because of lack of privacy and I found the brush to be a bit of privacy. After a long conversation with Pete about cutting down the brush to make the land usable and making the privacy bushes actually look nice and not like a forest, it was all systems go. But the job seemed immense to me.

The Jola people, are by their very nature, helpful and communal. Jerome was telling me yesterday that it was more so in the old days. If someone was pushing a wheel barrow down the street you would get up and go help them. He said now things have changed, people are too busy to help. I went to the youth group leader on Sunday and asked if they could come and work, cutting down the brush. It's a difficult time because the students have either finished school and left town or have exams. He said they would talk about it later, together and decide what they could do. Later I was told they would come Tuesday. Of course, Tuesday morning it rained. After the rain stopped around 9 a.m. Serge and Alan showed up with machetes and they and Pete got to work. They almost cleared the first section before the other boys showed up. It started to rain again and gloves were wet, soaking their hands through. They forged forward. In the end about eight young men where there to work. They had a rhythm to the work, stopping every few hours for awhile then getting back to work. In one day, but only about six actual hours of work, they had cut down all the large sections of brush. I was completely amazed! The wood is still on the ground, but it has at least been cut down.

I have neighbors. Since the brush has been cut down, I am greeted more often by people walking by. They are stopping to chat. The neighbor behind came to charge her phone, Wad came to ask for something he saw in the yard. More people came to ask for wood. By cutting down the barrier, people have been more friendly and open.

There is still lot's and lot's of work to be done, but it's a start.