I cannot express my gratitude to those of you who donated to my orphanage efforts. In a week and a half, I received a total of $1340 in donations. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to receive so much in donations in so little time. With this money, I was able to purchase six 30 liter water filter containers, 6 new mattresses, and a new double bunkbed (it can sleep 4 kids, 2 on each level) for the orphanage. I have 30,000 francs leftover (=$60), which will go to buy the boys new underwear (I was told that they are in bad need); if any money is left over, it will go toward food costs.
When I return to the states, I will continue my fundraising efforts, as the orphanage and/or children are still in dire need of certain items or things that need to be fixed.
- The kids' toilet with the giant hole in it needs replacing.
- Neither the kids or Solange's toilet have a seat on them.
- The leaky pipe in the bathroom needs to be replaced or fixed.
- Dry erase boards or chalkboards are needed for the kids' tutors.
- Food is always needed.
- Etc.
Before I received donations, I was worried that I would not be able to accomplish much at all for the orphanage since my laptop was stolen and I had lost all my orphanage work. But I kept my head up and prayed hard for God to help and guide me so that I could help the orphans and orphanage as much as I could in what little time I had left here.
This past Thursday, Solange asked me to accompany her to the Department of Cadaste because she needed me for an ''important matter'' (no idea what Cadaste is because I can't find it defined anywhere). Apparently, Solange was having a lot of trouble obtaining the certificate and sign off of the land documents (land survey, etc.) where the future orphanage will be built. Now here I was wearing shorts, a gray t-shirt, sandals and NC State baseball cap when she asked me to go, but I couldn't say no.
We arrived at the department at 11:30 and waited for 4 hours for the documents to be reviewed, last minute drawings to be added, recordings, signatures, stamps, etc. Now keep in mind that like the Dept of Social Affairs, nothing is kept electronically and everything is kept in a folder. The guy we were working with told us that we owed the department 5000 francs, and I said I would pay it. Then I got to thinking, ''Wait a minute, this is for an orphanage, it shouldn't have to pay.'' We went outside to a small window, and the guy helping us drops four 10,000 franc notes on the ground. I said, ''The orphanage shouldn't have to pay. Since you apparently have enough money, why don't YOU pay for the orphanage!'' Needless to say, the fee was waived. :)
I will admit that after we met with the ''big whig,'' I was a ROYAL pain in the butt and all over the employees like white on rice to get the paperwork flowing and finished. It went through at least 5 people, then there was a problem found by the next ''big whig,'' who I particularly did not care for because of his unfriendliness and his giving the impression that he had more important matters to address. So the paperwork went back downstairs, then back upstairs for corrections and another review, then back downstairs for a last minute sketch (no idea of what) and finally every single page of the document was stamped (with many stamps) by the secretary. Near the end, the guy helping us asked me if he could take me to his village-lol. I think he was old enough to be my Dad, but I thanked him and declined, as well as told him that I was leaving this weekend.
Solange repeatedly thanked me when we left the department Thurs. and said that it only happened because I am white. She also said that she had already paid 2000 francs to the department and had been waiting for the documents to be completed and signed off for 2 years. 2 YEARS! According to her, things only get done for the rich and powerful at the department(shocker, right?). Since she does not fall into that category, her business with the department was set aside and ignored. It's sad that it took the color of a white person just to get things done for Solange. Even though I guess you could say that I was ''throwing my color around'', I am glad I was able to be of assistance to Solange so she wouldn't have to wait another 2 years for the documents to be finished and signed. There is just no excuse for an orphanage director's business to go ignored since she is not rich or powerful, but then again, we all know how the government is run here.
When the documents were signed off, we were told to pick up the certificate on Friday. Solange went back to the department on Friday and guess what? No certificate. I told her that if I had been there, I would've made sure that they did it right then, and if they couldn't for a good reason, then I would've told them that they owed me taxi money. I can see how frustrating it has got to be when you are treated as if you are a second rate citizen here.
Surprises
It is a good thing that no one found an architect in the U.S. to design the new orphanage because Solange surprised me on Friday with an architect's proposal and drawings for the new orphanage. This is why the land documents were so important to have completed and approved. She had found someone in Yaounde who volunteered to do the design and proposal a few weeks back and was hoping to surprise me with them before I left. I was quite surprised and very glad that she found someone to do it. God Bless the person who dedicated their free time to do both! Wahoo!
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