The day I traveled to the village for the first time I was nervous to have all of my belongings piled into a canoe steered by a young girl not older than ten-years-old.
When we arrived near the edge of the village, I heard singing. As we came closer I saw women standing knee-deep in water. The women approached the canoe and pulled out my belongings one by one until the canoe was empty. They carried the heavy bags on their heads all the way to my house, over one hour away. I was left without anything to carry. Even my bicycle was balanced on someone's head.
When we arrived at the front door of my new house, I found all of the women sitting in a circle with a large bowl in the center of the room. They invited me to sit with them. Then we all ate lunch together.
My return to the village seven years later was less dramatic. I arrived in the evening, just as the sun set. I was accompanied by my closest friend in the village, Evariste. Now a young man in his senior year of high school, I remember him as the boy who took care of my dog, Soleil, while I was away. In addition, he was my main companion during afternoon walks around the village.
Evariste was now living in Azowlisse while he studied for his BAC exam so he came to the village for the sole purpose of being my guide. We stayed in the same house, which was recently built by one of Evariste's many uncles living in Cotonou.
My first goal in the village was to visit Evariste's grandmother, Nene. I ran into her while I was on my way to her house. I also ran into the Voudun chief and all of the grown up versions of the neighborhood kids. Everyone was on their way to see me as I was rushing to them at the same time. Seeing all of my friends felt like a real homecoming. I actually didn't even realize how much I had missed my friends there until I was back in their company.
The group of kids who used my house as their central meeting place were all still in school and all doing well. The only exception was one of my favorite girls, Malia, who passed away last year after a sudden illness.
My friends came over to visit me many times each day. Their smiles showed me how happy they were to see me even without them saying so. They carried with them gifts of coconuts, popcorn, and donuts. They had ideas of places to go and old friends to visit. It was truly marvelous to see everyone.
This group of young men and women are a great source of pride and hope, not only for their families but for the entire village. They represent the first generation to become educated, complete secondary school and attend universities or trade schools. This group can gain the power and skills needed to be able to one day improve the quality of life in the village.
I will never be able to express the extent of my appreciation to my friends in the village. They offered me the gifts of friendship and solidarity every day I spent in the village. Without them, I wouldn't have survived a single night. With them, I shared some of the happiest days of my life.
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