My entry into Basankusu was less than triumphal in appearance. I’d got a ride with the small Caritas plane which was carrying teachers’ wages for the whole diocese. Because of the cash nobody was allowed onto the airstrip to welcome me. The immigration police followed me home to demand kickbacks, as usual, but this time my new visa allowed me to get off lightly. For me, my return was a triumph!
 |
| Francis with Judith after his return |
The next day, Judith and I went by taxi-bike through the scorching tropical heat – the movement of the bikes creating a balmy breeze as we passed along Basankusu’s palm-tree lined dirt roads. At the malnutrition centre, Mama Anne-Marie welcomed me back. “We’re presently enjoying a brief period of fish-a-plenty! It’s our carnival period – plenty to eat, and the only children at the centre are those recovering from measles.”
“It won’t last,” Judith chipped in. “The abundance of fish will soon disappear and by Palm Sunday the centre will be full again! Every year it’s the same pattern. We’ll work hard so that Easter Sunday is a day to celebrate.”
“We always cook Easter omelettes to make it special,” added Anne-Marie. “Most of our malnourished children have never eaten eggs. They don’t understand the value of them in their diet. Instead they sell them and buy starchy cassava – which has no protein in it at all!”
 |
| Bread and omelette as an extra Easter treat! |
Part of our programme is to educate the families who come to us regarding nutrition. We advise them on which foods to grow and buy. Fish from the small streams is always good, planting beans and corn will also help. Keeping chickens is great because they can eat scraps from the table as well as scratch around outside for bugs – and Bingo! they give you free eggs!
“The bad news is that our funds are really going down,” I reminded them both, as sweat trickled into the collar of my t-shirt in the stifling heat. “Easter Sunday we could be feeding over 50 children and in May it could be over 70! It’s sad to say but people are starting to lose interest in the Basankusu malnutrition centre. They are worried about global warming, forest fires in Australia and the Corona virus. People are even giving up Facebook for Lent!”
Judith said, “Francis, could you ask your friends in Middlesbrough Diocese to think of our malnourished children. Perhaps while they’re buying chocolate eggs for their children, they could each send £5 for 2 dozen hen’s eggs. We’ll get these children back on the road to health with our enriched porridge, plates of beans, rice and fish – and our special Easter Omelettes!”
“This is our 6th year,” I smiled. “I’m sure they won’t let us down.”
