For the third time in twelve months, I have just returned home from a trip to Mali, Africa. This time I was one of 41 team members representing Medical Missions Foundation. The mission: to provide surgery and general healthcare to the people of Ouelessbougou and the surrounding villages.
A very long story short, mission accomplished. The 40 foot container of medical equipment and supplies arrived, 130 plus surgeries were done and over 1350 patients were treated in the clinics. Many "curve balls" were thrown but our fearless leaders, Josie and Josh Uecker and the team, prevailed with courage, passion and always a sense of humor.
Everyone on the team possessed an invaluable talent and all had an assignment. My assignment, shoot video and offer any assistance or support to those who asked. But, the truth be known, my mission was to see Boi and spend as much time as possible with him. Tammy and I joined Kevin Hashman and Josh on the advance team arriving in Bamako on Thursday, with the hopes of getting to spend a day and night in the village prior to the team arriving. That did not work out because of a "curve ball" or in this case, "curve balls". Boi first greeted us, along with the main 
team, at the airport on Saturday evening in Bamako. He looks great! He was excited to see us and his other old Kansas City friends, Chris Larson, Dave Kriet, Doug Girod, Jimmy Girod, Cindy and Dennis Wiens, Mary Jane Alex and Kaleena Bauck. Boi also met the rest of the team, all new friends by the end of the week. With Zina's blessings, Boi boarded the bus wearing his KU Jayhawks ball cap and his MMF nametag. He was now part of the team and would spend the week with me during the day and the evenings at the compound with the team.
That first night we all stayed in Bamako. Boi loved his new cowboy boots from Tammy and started the weeklong task of eating the 15 Culver's cheeseburgers
and the 2 dozen wings from the Peanut that I brought to him in Mali. He also spent an hour in the shower and in the bubble bath.
Sunday morning the team headed for Ouelessbougou for our 5-day mission. While the team was hard at work, Boi played with the local kids and visited with his MMF friends as time permitted. That night, the team loaded the bus and ventured and I mean ventured, to Boi's village, Daganbougou, for a celebration in our honor. We were greeted by all the people of the village including music and dancers. Boi lead us with a strut to his compound where more greetings were made including greetings from the Chief Boi, Zina's father, Boi's grandfather. The Elders of the village also presented the team with a gift. A garden of fruits and vegetables will be planted in the village in honor of the team, all to be a project of the kids. The evening was to include a meal and more dancing but was cut short due to darkness, a very bad road, and a bus driver with an attitude and a bus with a flat tire, "curve ball". However, all had a fun evening.
Doug, Chris and Dave, Boi's Kansas City surgeons, had come to Mali also prepared to perform surgery on Boi if needed. Their assessment was that while everything is healing very well, another bone graft is needed. I had previously shared with them that Tammy and I would like for Boi to come to Kansas City for the summer for a visit. Given this information and the potential risks of infection post surgery, the decision was made to not perform the procedure in Mali but to wait until this summer and do it at KU Med. Boi did make a quick trip to the operating room where Doug, Chris and Peter Gochee MD ventured into a new field of work, the making of a dental mold. It was brought back to Kansas City and dentures will be made for Boi. 
During the week, Boi and I made 2 more trips to the village. The first trip was with Tom Spiegel MD, Lyn Shaw RN, Mary Jane, Jim and Mark Schlotzahauer. Tom, Lyn and MJ ran a clinic where that day, half a day, 113 patients were treated and given medications. Mark with the help of several villagers, 
assembled and "raised" the swing set that I shipped over on the container. Boi and the other kids waited patiently for hours for the concrete to dry. After Boi had the inaugural trip down the slide and time on the swing, we were open for business. I have never seen so many kids on one swing set in my life!
The second day in the village was Tom, Jean Seem RN and MJ. More clinics and in half a day over 140 patients consulted and given medications. That day Tom also went to the school. 2 classrooms, over 80 kids only going through the 
second grade. All of the kids received a consult and vitamins. Tom spoke to the groups about the hygiene issues that concerned Tammy and me the most when we were there in July. He did an excellent job of talking to the kids on their level about where and where not to "pee and poop", hand washing, what water to drink and not to drink, mosquitos, malaria and germs in general. 
Cindy, Josie and her friend Mary had made illustrated posters addressing these issues, which Tom used. Additional copies where posted in the school and the other MMF work locations.
While in Mali, I also met with the Chief and the Elders of the village several times regarding the building of the school. The land has been donated or determined by the Chief and has been graded. I have in hand a letter from the Ministry of Education, blueprints for the building and a detailed budget for the materials. The village members have agreed to provide the labor and the director of the existing school is involved. Now that this trip is behind me, I will go back to marketing Boi's Story and raising funds for this project. The village is so excited that they will have additional educational opportunities for the kids.
On that note, when I presented Zina with a copy of the book, he looked through several pages and just closed the book. Cindy and I could tell he was close to tears, something that would not have been appropriate since his peers 
surrounded him. I did get that look of thanks from him. I know it well, have seen it many times. Boi on the other hand looked at every page very carefully. He studied the OR photos which I found 
interesting as he has never seen them before. There were giggles when he looked at the photos of himself and the pictures of his buddies in the village.
In many ways, it seemed like a lifetime but before I knew it, our 5 days in Ouelessbougou were over. A week of very hard work by all. Many many patients treated, skills and thoughts shared with the local medical staff, old friendships taken to a new level, new friendships made, nights sleeping on "cots" under mosquito nets, days of using an out house with only a 
hole in the ground, no running water, very little power, some rice and power bars, snacks and GI problems for most. The cases of beer and wine that were shipped were consumed; the smiles and laughs were constant. The complaints were non-existent. All in daily temperatures that were in the high 90's. Dirt and dust, thick and everywhere. An A+ team to say the least.
Thursday afternoon, a little later than planned, "curve ball", the team including Boi headed back to Bamako to the hotel for showers, a cold beverage and food. That night the group had dinner in celebration of a successful mission and the three team member birthdays of the week. It was also Boi's last night with us. Dr. Omar came in for dinner so I bought us some more time with Boi by asking Dr. Omar to take Boi home after dinner. Boi sat at the table next to Tammy with a plate of food piled high. He proudly cut all of his food himself with a knife and fork and ate every morsel. He spent time before and after dinner sitting with friends. By this time Boi was friends and loved by all. Soon the evening was over an it was time for Tammy and me to say our good byes to Boi. He had been told before that he was just coming to dinner and would be going home that night but when he was told it was time, the tears began. There were lots of tears and lots of hugs and kisses. Then Dr. Omar took Boi's hand and they walked away. I will never forget the image, it is as clear as daylight in my mind. Dr. Omar and Boi walking from us holding hands, Boi turned his head towards us one last time. The tears were running down his cheeks, once again. Just like that first time in the clinic in Ouelessbougou one year ago when Tammy and I first met him. And just like that morning nine months ago, the morning of his first surgery, as he can down my stairs and again as we headed down St. Line Road towards KU Med.
On our last night in Mali, Josie told the group a story that Mark had shared with her earlier. To paraphrase, when his daughter returned from her first trip to Africa she said to him, "Dad, it is just something that I cannot explain or describe". While I have tried, I agree. It simply cannot be done. Much like I cannot explain or describe the bond that Tammy, Boi and I have, and will always have.
Siraba
***In the next few days, please go to www.mmfworld.org to see more pictures of the MMF Mali mission. You can also support the building of the school in Boi's village by purchasing Boi's Story through the website.
Boi will be in Kansas City this summer. We are planning on having a book signing. I would love for you all to be there, more information to follow.
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