Dear Sponsors,
As always, I sincerely hope this message finds you in good health and spirits. I must admit, I am currently overwhelmed by a profound sadness. So many questions remain unanswered, so much injustice lingers, and a deep sense of doubt and anger weighs on me. Recently, hundreds of people have come to our clinic, feeling discarded and overlooked by the world. Here, they have finally found the dignity that had been taken from them. Meanwhile, a few unscrupulous individuals, driven only by self-interest and greed, continue to amass wealth at the expense of the poor, with no regard for the suffering they cause. These people have no respect, not even for God. Yet, I find solace in the belief that the last shall one day be first.
You may wonder, dear sponsors, why there are so many harsh words, so much sadness? Why is Madame Lotti, who has lived for over 25 years on this continent where poverty is most severe, who has witnessed countless hardships, feeling so disheartened? It is because I am beginning to doubt. I doubt that there will be a change, that the world will ever be just. The divide between those who have far too much and those who have far too little is widening. So many people think only of themselves, ignoring the welfare of others.
In the week I wrote this letter, I accompanied two people in their final moments. One was a very young mother who died of cancer; the other, a man who had stopped taking his AIDS medication, only to succumb to tuberculosis, kidney failure, and a brain tumor. God, in His mercy, did not let them suffer long. They are now at peace, likely for the first time in their lives.
I would like to share with you two other stories that have left fresh wounds in my heart. I don’t know how many more wounds my heart can bear, but it seems to be both brave and strong, for which I am infinitely grateful. Above all, I am thankful that it has never grown callous.
PAPA ALASSANE
Papa Alassane - his son carried him to us on his back
Papa Alassane is 82 years old and lived peacefully with his family on a farm he built 64 years ago. He was a hard worker, toiling day and night as a bricklayer to build a small house with several rooms. Then came the first blow—his wife passed away. A second blow soon followed—he lost his sight. Yet, despite everything, he was content. Every morning, he would sit in front of his little house, and his grandchildren would come to greet him. Age is highly respected in Africa; the children would curtsy to him, and even though he could no longer see, he knew how much they appreciated him. He delighted in hearing them play and argue, as well as the sound of their mothers washing, cooking, and chatting. One of his daughters would bring him a bowl of grain to feed the chickens. Despite his losses, he still had a good life. He told me that he had sixteen children, that God had taken two of them back, and that everything God does is right—“Tout ce que Dieu fait est bon.” Though life has bent him a little, Papa Alassane, with his white beard and hair, looks beautiful, and a great light shines from his blind eyes. He embodies the saying that the eyes are the mirror of the soul.
On Sunday, June 2nd, his son Moussa brought him to us. “The machines arrived last night,” he said, “and tonight, our farm, house, and garden will be demolished, just like our neighbors’!” The people were forced to leave their homes without any compensation and had no idea where to go. Papa Alassane managed to save only a few cloths and his walking stick. And his life. We happened to have a vacant house in our village of Ayobâ, so I immediately set to work scrubbing and cleaning it. No one stopped me because my staff knows that when Madame Lotti is in a rage, tearing everything apart and cleaning furiously, they must let her be. They see my tears, know that my heart is bleeding, and understand that no words can calm me. The anger must be released, and I do that best when I’m cleaning.
Now, Papa Alassane sits in the middle of our beautiful little village. Though he cannot see it, he feels the goodwill and warmth surrounding him, helping him cope with the greatest pain of his life. He is sad, but he is alive, and very soon, he will be surrounded by our chickens, which he can feed.
Last belongings among the rubble
Like Papa Alassane, many people have come to us after being forced to leave their homes due to urban development projects. Sons carried their elderly parents on their backs, fearing they might die of grief. Others were brought in pushcarts. These people were not physically ill, but deeply shaken. Many found refuge in churches and mosques, others in schools closed for the holidays, and still others went to the cemetery, saying they were already half-dead anyway. And as if all this weren’t bad enough, it is currently the rainy season. The suffering is almost unimaginable. In just one week, over 1,250 people came to my office seeking advice and help. The level of poverty has become unbelievable. So many people are living on less than a dollar a day. Electricity prices have tripled, and basic foodstuffs are prohibitively expensive. And when I see the new buildings, the luxury boutiques, and the French supermarkets, it just fills me with sadness.
AWA AND HER FIVE SIBLINGS
Awa is 18 years old and has five siblings: Hamed, 16; Samira, 15; Fadil, 10; and the 7-year-old twins Souman and Djennatou. Their mother has died, and their father has abandoned the family. They live in a ruin, without electricity or water. Awa and Samira work for a woman who owns a restaurant. They spend the whole day cleaning, and in the evening, the woman gives them 1,000 CFA, which is about 1.50 francs, plus leftover food. Hamed works as an assistant bricklayer to help the sisters earn money. Fadil stays “at home” to look after the younger children. None of the children go to school anymore. In the past, before their mother’s death, they lived in Adjouffou and attended school. But since the twins were born, they have been insulted and abused, called cursed children, spawn of Satan, all because Souman, the smaller twin, was born with hydrocephalus.
I met these children when someone brought the sick Samira to us. She was suffering from a severe malaria attack, as well as anemia and hunger. We took her into our hospice and cared for her. She is now much better and overjoyed to sleep in a real bed with pillows and sheets! I spoke a lot with Awa, who told me that their beds are made of cardboard boxes, with a few old rags as blankets. There is no electricity. They make a small fire at night and collect rainwater. The ruin they live in has no doors or windows, and I asked her if they weren’t afraid in this remote place. She replied with a small smile that prayer protects them.
Beds made from cardboard boxes and rags
Seven-year-old Souman urgently needs surgery to treat his hydrocephalus. He often bleeds from his nose and suffers severe headaches. Without help, he will die in terrible pain. When I see the love with which Awa cares for her siblings, how the six of them help each other and try to find their way, that familiar anger rises up in me again. But I also feel enormous humility in the face of these children’s resilience. I’m so grateful they found their way to us. We will take care of them.
All these stories and experiences make me infinitely sad. Perhaps even sadder than I was in my early days here. Have I become more vulnerable with age? Or has the poverty increased so much that it has become almost unbearable? Every day, I see the poor people that others try to hide, chased away so that they are no longer visible.
Awa and her siblings in front of their “house”
Yet, amidst all this, we still receive those wonderful smiles from mothers and their rescued children. They tell us: “Keep up the good work, it’s good!” We have our great staff to support us, and our faith gives us the strength we need. Instead of destroying, we can build and make our world a little bit better.
And all of this is possible thanks to your support, dear sponsors. Words cannot express my gratitude. Thank you for your goodwill and your willingness to stand with us. May God bless you.
Please accept my warmest wishes! Yours, grateful for life and for you,
Lotti Latrous