what's out back

The other weekend Luke and I went strolling in the neighborhood behind the hospital compound. We wanted to get away from the compound for a bit...and it turned out to be a fun little adventure. Come along...

heading out back (this is the end of the airstrip right before the gate to leave the compound)

we took the path through the harvested millet fields and headed toward the green land. This is basically what the country looks like this time of year. We were headed towards the irrigated fields, where the onions are.

we came to a main road, green bean fields, and a millet stalk fence to keep the animals out.

Picking beans, the irrigation channel is the background.

transporting the beans. these girls greeted us and couldn't get over the fact that we spoke Hausa to them. they walked with us for awhile, giggling and saying things like, "Did you hear her say 'hello, how are you in Hausa'?"

blooming onion field

A hobbled donkey happily eating onion tops that were removed as the onions were put in bags to sell. 

little boy taking a rest in the fields

The onion fields are watered by pumps that bring water up from deep in the ground. The wells are so deep that they have to dig pits for the pumps so they can reach the water below.

A deep, deep water hole.  It made me happy that the kids had a decent fear of the water hole and kept telling us we should be afraid and not get too close. I've taken care of too many kids that have fallen down wells.
You can see the the blue sky reflecting off the water in the bottom. The well must be at least 15 meters if not more deep. Now if only they would put covers over these things.

fun times!