Beyond the Oasis - Book 2 - Published in 2010

         First Choice Books, Victoria, BC    ISBN 978-1-77084-030-0

In this exciting sequel to "Oasis for Expats," the Canadian women venture out from the security of their club and become involved in the lives of local women, while work continues on the water project which provides hand pumps to this remote part of West Africa. Gradually they gain a new understanding and appreciation for these resilient Sahel inhabitants. As their daily lives tangle together in surprising ways, Africans and Canadians alike learn new ways of living under a hot tropical sun.

The story unfolds through the eyes of four main characters:

Larry Knight - the Project Manager of the Canadian consulting team

Balu - the Assistant Regional Manager of DAWWA, the Damboni water authority

Herta Switzer - the wife of a Canadian drilling inspector on the consulting team

Greg Erickson - a Canadian hydro-geologist on the consulting team

Excerpts:

Balu (With his wife Pengi and son Gyasi)

Balu breaks into a smile as he rounds the corner of the DAWWA compound near his house and hears the sound of pounding. As he enters his yard, he spots Pengi determinedly smashing yams with eight-year old Gyasi, their long wooden pestles working in a beautiful rhythm. Pengi’s broad back is turned to him, so he signals Gyasi not to give him away. He slips up behind her and wraps his arms around her in a big hug. Pengi gives a startled screech and stops with her pestle in mid-air. Gyasi lets go of his pestle and steps back, a wide grin covering his face as he watches his parents.

"Pengi, my beautiful black woman, I am taking you and the family to Gambe for Christmas." He gives a delighted laugh as he squeezes her and winks at Gyasi.

Gyasi lets out a whoop and runs off down the street to where his siblings are playing. "We are going to Granddad’s in Gambe for Christmas!" Within seconds they are all jumping up and down for joy.

Pengi drops the pestle and swings around in his arms, staring at him in disbelief. "You teasing me, Balu? You no have money!"

"But I do," he replies, giving her an affectionate squeeze, then releasing her. He pulls a handful of bills from his pocket and waves them under her nose. "See these Cows? They are going to give us much milk."

Larry (With the High Commissioner’s secretary at a Mopi beach)

"Adele, you know that I’m very attracted to you. So I’m wondering...."

Suddenly I’ve trouble going on, Adele has been avoiding my eyes, staring out to sea. I see colour rising in her cheeks. Finally she looks at me and whispers, "You were wondering?"

I swallow and blurt out, "Would you be prepared to meet me in Niamey for a weekend?" There, I’ve done it. What a relief!

I can see that I’ve taken her by surprise. She looks away, staring out to sea, digesting what I’ve said. "You’re suggesting we meet at a neutral place?"

She’s not dismissing me out of hand. I gather courage. "Yes, I guess I thought it might be preferable to find a location away from our servants and fellow workers," I say hopefully.

She looks at me and smiles coyly. "Larry, I almost have the feeling you’re proposing."

"Perhaps I am. Why not come to Niamey and find out?"

"Larry, you’re a married man and I’ve told you before that under such circumstances we can only be friends."

"But that may change, particularly if you meet me in Niamey."

"Larry, if I didn’t know you so well, I’d swear you were stringing me a line."

"Would it help if I told you I’m hopelessly in love with you?"

Greg (Kworko, the DAWWA Regional Manager, is being detained)

"And Larry paid four-hundred and eighty dollars for this chieftaincy stool?" Greg asks somewhat incredulously.

Esther gently nudges Greg. "If what he says is true, it would be a valuable antique."

Kworko nods excitedly, his imploring eyes focussed on Greg. "Yes, it is very valuable. I asked for six-hundred, but he bargained me down to four-eighty."

Greg has been listening to the unfolding of the story with growing skepticism. "Surely Larry would have shown us this stool."

Kworko quickly shakes his head. "No, please, I had to get the blessing of the elders before I could give it to him. But that has been done - the stool has been blessed and released. You can pick it up at my house and deliver it to Mr. Larry."

"Well, Mr. Erickson," Officer Antwi says with a tone of distaste. "Do you think Mr. Kworko’s story is true?"

Herta (With Jean, an American Peace Corps volunteer)

"Jean is just telling me that she is organizing a women’s cooperative at Kara," Olie informs Herta enthusiastically.

"Oh, how interesting," Herta responds, giving Jean a genuine smile. "How many women are involved?"

"Well, only fifteen," Jean replies with an apologetic laugh. "But it’s a start."

"So what’s the objective of this cooperative?" Herta asks, warming to the subject.

"Income generation. Women in the Wawa society are pretty well responsible for feeding their children. They generally do this by having small gardens and pens close to their homes where they grow vegetables and raise small animals like chickens and goats."

Herta nods. "That agrees with what I’ve been learning at the clinics. They’re almost totally self-sufficient. But it makes for a rather limited diet."

"Exactly," Jean agrees. "So my group of women have this wild dream of getting a large plot of land so they can produce larger crops, more food than they need for themselves. They then want to sell the surplus and generate some cash income."

Balu (Ken and Elizabeth take Balu’s family to a game preserve)

The picnic lunch turns out to be a big hit with the children. Their eyes go wide when Ken hands each one of the older children a coke. The sandwiches, too, are a novelty and very different from the boiled, corn-based kenki that they usually eat at noonday. Balu watches with affection as they whisper to each other trying to decide whether they like the sandwiches or not.

"You spoil too much, Ken," Pengi says, but she is obviously enjoying the fact that she had no hand in making this meal. Elizabeth has even taken the toddler on her lap and is feeding him.

"Look out, Ken!" Balu shouts, pointing to the picnic cooler, where two baboons have hoisted the cover and are eyeing the contents.

"Shoo, shoo," Ken shouts, jumping up and waving at the animals. With a grunt, they amble off, one of them with a partial sandwich in his mouth. The children all convulse in laughter, especially when the oldest sibling, Gyasi, imitates the baboons and lopes around in circles.

Greg (With Esther, his half-Dambonian girlfriend) 

Greg is finishing the enlargement of Kworko’s mother at her puberty ceremony, when Esther comes over. She’s become quite interested in his darkroom hobby and enjoys helping him develop pictures. She knocks on the door of the darkroom before entering to make sure he’s not in the midst of a procedure requiring absolute darkness.

When she sees the picture of Kworko’s mother, she exclaims, "Ah, the Kandu puberty ceremony. I’ve got an almost identical picture of my mother."

"Oh really? Do you have one of yourself, too?"

"No, I went to all the classes but my father wouldn’t let me attend the ceremony itself. I think he didn’t want the Mopi boys to see me naked."

"Did you want to be in the ceremony?"

"Sure, all my friends were in it. The naked thing is no big deal."

Larry (Rachel’s brother has complained about one of his team)

I look at Rene, then hand the letter to Father Francois. He puts on his glasses, moves over to the light, and reads it carefully. Resuming his chair, he returns the letter and stares into space. Finally he turns to Rene, looking very stern. "Rachel is a respected member of our church. I hope you haven’t mistreated her in any way."

Rene looks sullenly at the floor. "Hell no, I’ve been damn good to her. I’ve given her money and clothes. Her brother is just goddamned jealous."

Father Francois sighs, wipes his glasses and sets them back on the side table. "Rachel is an adult woman and she has her needs - I understand that. But what if you have gotten her pregnant, Rene? What will you do then?"

Rene stirs uncomfortably in his chair. "She knows not to get pregnant."

"Accidents happen, Rene. I repeat, what will you do for her if she gets pregnant? Just leave her?"

"I guess her family would look after her," Rene says belligerently.

"It is hardly the image we want the Africans to have of us Canadians. As a priest, I am here trying to teach them moral standards. It does not sit well with me when my own countrymen become less moral than the locals."

Balu (On his return from a course in the USSR)

The dinner is delicious and Balu eats far more than he should, but he is sure he has lost weight in the USSR and so he feels justified in splurging. Pengi beams with delight as he keeps complimenting her on the food.

"Haba!" he exclaims over and over again, burping happily and smacking his lips with satisfaction. "Pengi - those Russians eat the strangest things. Remember when I took you to the Chinese restaurant in Mopi, we had that wonton soup? It had those lumpy things with meat in them?"

"De tings wit dough on outside - like Herta make bread?"

"Yes, those things - only in Kiev they put cheese in those doughy things - they called them perogies."

"Cheese? Dat yellow ting - dat milk ting? Wat Herta make me taste?"

Balu laughs and nods. "Yes, cheese - made from milk. At first I could not eat them, but they gave us much vodka, and after I while I could. Some had potatoes, like our yams, in them. I liked those better."

Larry (With Bill McPherson, a UK expat, and Brother Tim, a missionary)

When I arrive at the courthouse I find Bill already there, in a fit of rage like I’ve never seen before. Brother Tim is hovering over him like a protective parent.

"Thank God you are here, Larry," Brother Tim exclaims. "Help me get William calmed down before the judge arrives."

"What’s it all about?" I ask. "Is Bill accused of something?" I’m here because late last night a large man with "Sheriff" blazoned on his shirt appeared at our door and handed me a summons to appear in court this morning.

"Aye, lad," Bill bursts out, his face flushed, his eyes blazing. "Ye try to help these pathetic blacks an’ they turn on ye. Jus’ wait till I find ou’ who this Judas is tha’ complained to the authorities!"

Brother Tim gently pats Bill’s knee. "Easy, William - just calm down. Larry and I are here to support you." Turning to me he whispers, "It has to do with the tomato farming group, Larry. Did you realize Bill has been helping a number of the DIRDA employees rent and work some irrigated land?"

Greg (When Jean, a Peace Corps volunteer, falls ill)

He’s surprised to see Dr. Abuji’s ancient Peugeot already parked at the Mission house. A worried looking Sister Christina answers the door. "Oh Greg, I am glad you came early. Jean seems much worse this morning and the doctor thinks she may have dengue fever."

"Dengue fever? What’s that?" Greg asks, with a sinking heart.

"It is somewhat like malaria, but accompanied by severe headaches and joint and muscle pain."

"What’s the treatment?"

"Bed rest, strong pain killers and lots of fluids."

He finds Jean pouring sweat and shaking feverishly under three blankets. "Some fun I am, Greg," she murmurs weakly, as he kisses her.

"Her fever is up to forty this morning," Dr. Abuji announces. "I am fairly sure it must be dengue fever."

"Should we be considering evacuation to Mopi?" Greg asks with rapidly growing concern.

"That would be helpful, but an all-day car ride would be very hard on her."

"Let me contact the US Embassy and see what they say. Jeff told me the embassy looks after the Peace Corps volunteers."

Balu (Checking why the hand pumps are breaking down)

They decide to sit back and watch the villagers using the pump for a while. It soon becomes clear that many of the users are jerking the handle. So they locate the local pump caretaker, a man who lives near the pump, to discuss their concerns. The man shrugs his shoulders, he does not see the problem. If the pump breaks it is up to the government to fix it. It is not his problem.

"But you are the designated pump caretaker!" Balu insists. "You must make sure the pump is used in a responsible manner."

"No, not my job. Pump break - I call HPMan. That my job."

Solomon shakes his head. "This caretaker no care - but some very responsible."

Balu looks at him. "How many? I have the feeling we need to carefully review our caretakers. Perhaps we should have women caretakers. Most of the water is pumped by the women. Maybe they would act more responsibly."

Solomon laughs and shakes his head. "No, boss. Women pump water, but men must be caretakers."

Balu (With Sami, a local hydro-geologist)

Suddenly a voice from the street rings out. "Is that you Balu?"

Balu recognizes Sami’s voice. "Come join me for a calabash of pito. What are you doing in town?"

Sami appears out of the darkness and slaps Balu happily on the shoulder as he crouches to sit beside him. "Balu - I am a father - Olie gave me a son a few hours ago."

Balu flings an arm around him and hugs him. "Congratulations, Sami - that is wonderful!" He shouts towards the kitchen, "Pengi, come out here - Sami has news." He looks at Gyasi. "Bring Sami some pito."

They spend the next hour savouring the news and drinking toasts to the baby boy who may one day be the President of Damboni - though Balu insists that it will more likely be his own son, Gyasi.

Balu (Visiting his ancestral home, with Ken and Elizabeth)

Next morning, as they prepare to leave, his father suddenly calls for their attention. He is staring at a stool in the back of Ken’s Toyota. "Where did that come from?" he asks, his eyes bright with excitement.

Elizabeth laughs. "It from Larry’s house - he get from Regional Manager, Kworko."

Balu’s father reaches out and reverently touches the stool. "It is the lost stool of Gwawada!" he announces.

Balu eyes his father questioningly. "You mean the one that was stolen by the Kandus many years ago?" He suddenly remembers how often his grandfather lamented the loss of the ancestral stool. "How can you be so sure, father Baba?"

"Turn it over," his father instructs, "the mark of the carver will be there. It will look like a yam - the sign of the Wawas."

Greg (Organizing three locals to set up a bar and snacks restaurant)

Greg moves on. "Now then - you three are going to be partners and split all the profits evenly?" Geeko, Elizabeth and Bongo all nod solemnly. "Alright - and who’s going to be manager of the keys to the storage room?"

Geeko speaks up. "My mother says a woman must have the keys - otherwise the beer will disappear. So I say Elizabeth shall be manager of the keys."

Bongo’s looking doubtful, he was obviously hoping to hold the keys. "Man boss - woman no boss!"

Greg looks at Elizabeth. "What’s your opinion?"

Elizabeth smiles coyly at Bongo. "We all boss: Bongo boss - chop bar, Geeko boss - planning, I boss - money and store room. I tink dat much good."

Geeko nods his agreement, so Bongo reluctantly shrugs and nods, too.

Herta (With Lydia Friesen, wife of Greg’s fellow hydro-geologist, Dave)

A little later they’re sitting on the patio sipping their tea. Lydia’s been very quiet and said hardly a word since they left Tipa and Pengi. Finally she looks sadly at Herta. "Tipa’s going to die, yes?" Herta nods. "So what will happen to the two girls?" Lydia asks, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

"Pengi says she and Balu will look after them. Balu’s promised to hire a servant to help them."

"But they already have five children. How will they ever manage? Do you think we could adopt one of them? Kessi’s so cute."

Herta looks at her with surprise. "Are you serious, Lydia? Would Dave even consider such a thing?"

Lydia nods. "I think he would. You know, he invited several of his African workers to dinner a week ago. He finally seems to be accepting them as friends."

Larry (At a Scottish Ceilidh, in remote Damboni)

We settle at the table reserved for our group and Tenga and Jacob set up the coolers against the wall adjacent to our table and start handing out drink orders. Every table around the room similarly has its own bar and set of servants.

"This must be the way it was in the Raj days," Adele whispers to me. "Trust the Brits to hang on to this pompous show of their superiority."

I chuckle and squeeze her thigh but agree with her assessment - the whole affair seems to have an air of one upmanship. However, as I glance over at Bill and Dorothy, it’s obvious that they’re relishing the event.

"Have ye got yeer dance cards filled yet, lads and lasses?" Bill asks anxiously. "It ensures tha’ things go smoothly and no time is wasted when the band starts."

Sam groans. "You mean these cards are for real? I thought they were just for show - I left mine at the guesthouse."

Dorothy pats his arm. "Na’ to worry, love - William weell get ye another." Bill scampers off to the reception table near the entrance, his kilt swishing as he strides along.

Ron nudges Dorothy. "Is Bill wearing anything underneath? Or is a he a true Scot?"

Dorothy laughs. "I did na’ check - but knowing William, it is probably all a-swinging."

Herta (In Kara where the Cdns have installed a generator to pumps water)

He invites them for tea on his patio and he and Jean chat about the women’s farming group and their plans for tree planting. Herta meanwhile lets her eyes wander down the street and to the yards of the adjacent houses. Some birds come flying by and land on nearby wires. As she watches them she suddenly realizes that the wires are strung from the generating plant to the chief’s house. She looks towards the chief in surprise and finds him eyeing her warily.

She chuckles. "Chief, am I right in assuming you now have electricity in your home?"

He looks at her guiltily and shrugs. "I have lights when the generator is pumping water. That is all."

Jean laughs and slaps the chief on his back. "So that’s why you moved here? So you could have electricity?"

He squirms in his chair and retorts, "The Sheik has electricity in his house - why should I have less?"