Bezavana Village
A Little Story for You.
Bezavana is a mountain that defined our little town Fort Dauphin. Now and again we would climb Bezavana, ending up on the top looking down unto the spectacular ocean surrounding the Lebanan Penisula, reefs looking like rice patties,, waves cresting in the distance. We could see our boarding school, Fihaonana Church, the Big Tree, the road going down to the Indian shops,selling anything from plastic dustpans to cooking vessels. We could see Janmedas workshop, our local silversmith, the Sacre Coeur, Hotel Dauphin, the port, Berkasses house and more.
This last month, Zo, a new contact in town who does all kinds of benevolent work, brought me to a teeny village past Bezavana. His jeep stopped on a dead end and we walked the rest of the way.
“Our church works in this village because the people are so dreadfully poor. They fish some, farm some, but don’t have enough to really live on. In addition, there is a mother and four children who don’t have use of their lower legs. It must be genetic.”
We arrived and maybe 20 villagers gathered around to talk. I asked them about their source of income, how they received medical care etc. Zo’s church brings them clothing and cooking supplies from time to time, but it is barely enough.
A young boy was sitting on a stool, his lower legs as thin as a stock, toes turned under. Coming down the path was his mother, walking on her knees with a stick. Another older son hobbled with a stick to the meeting place. The sitting boy got on his hands and knees and crawled to the mat to sit next to his mother.
Their knees were torn up from the rough terrain, hands mangled from using them as feet. They have tried knee protection, but the cloth just tears, says Zo.
Four days later. Bruce and I flew to Tana. We contacted a friend who had always said “If there is a special need, let us know.” Bruce told them about this village and they offered to pay for a wheelchair for them to share for now. Zo says that none of them have even seen the ocean, as their disability has been so limiting He wants to take them on field trips, to “open their eyes.”.
We called up the Operations Director at SALFA, the medical center for the Lutheran Church and he got us in touch with a reputable company. Three days later, the wheelchair arrived by truck to the village. Zo sent us photos and videos. He face went from a dull resigned look to a big smile. In these troubling times, we need stories of hope.
