It Is Not The Destination, But The Journey

Monolith On The Way To Niger State

This weekend the team was able to get out f the city on a couple of day trips. While both days started early, waking up to see the sunrise was well worth it.

On Saturday, we took a trip west to Niger State.  As we left the Abuja the contrast between the city and the county became clear. As we passed by many small villages and markets, we were afforded a glimpse into the every day life.  The further west we went, the more the buildings and construction gave way to green vegetation including mango, palm, and banana trees. 

Rural Life On The Way To Niger State

We saw women carrying goods on their heads and babies on their backs, men working the fields, and shepherds herding goats and cows.  We passed by markets with fresh fruit, yams, and live chickens.  We spotted traditional Igbo mud huts, primary schools, churches and mosques.  We passed by a huge monolith and contemplated how something to large seems to appear out of no where.  As we drove, I was amazed at how green everything was.  As Nigeria is in a tropical client, located near the equator, it is almost like a jungle.  Our destination was a school for the deaf and the blind.  On our way back to the city, we stopped at Gurara State Park to visit the waterfall.

Oral Polio Vaccination Program

On Sunday we headed to Nasarawa state to participate and observe in an oral polio vaccination program.  Upon exiting the city limit, we began to see the signs of rural life.  The main streets and junctions were bustling with people heading to and from both church and markets.  Upon our arrival, we visited local Secretariat and met the director of the local public health division.  We learned about the program, its successes, and some of the challenges.  We then visited a local palace of tribal elders and were received in their great room.  Once introductions and a warm welcome from our hosts were complete, we broke into smaller teams to go to various churches participate in the vaccination efforts.

While our destinations were ultimately the school and polio vaccination program, the journey was equally enlightening.  It provided unique insight into life outside of the city that i tried to grasp not only in my mind, but with my camera.

#IBMCSC Nigeria