Odds and Ends and Friends

After work today, I went to a tailor to get an outfit made from some beautiful fabric that I bought.  It will take a week for her to make it, as she has many other orders to sew.  I am not sure if I already mentioned how common tailors (seamstresses) are here in Benin.  There are many different patterns and options available, so it is extremely easy to have clothes custom made.  For women, fabric is often sold in three metre sections.  One metre will allow for a skirt, one for a blouse or top, and one for the piece that a woman will use to tie on her head, carry her baby on her back, or just wrap around her waist to move it out of the way.  It can also be used as a blanket or to carry other items and is really a very multi-purpose item.

One of my new friends from here (who is Togolese, but from Nigeria, and now working in Benin) told me that most places only sell three metres to married women, because they will need that much fabric to make their clothes.  The option I chose may require four meters of fabric, but I had purchased six, so it will be plenty.  Many family members will purchase the same fabric and all have custom outfits made for weddings, church, or other special events.  Although they may have the same fabric, each person has a different style of clothing and perhaps some additional ruffles or "bling" added to make each outfit unique.

My friend is a day crew with mercy ships, and I found out that she sacrificed her time to take me to her tailor.  She lives with her sister when she has her shifts on the ship, which is Monday to Friday, and then she travels home for the weekends.  She has four children, ages thirteen and under.  How difficult for her, that she cannot see her children for the majority of the week!  I believe it is common for both parents to need to work somewhere to have enough money to support their families.

When I first became involved with Mercy Ships, I thought that the day crew were volunteers.  I thought they were fairly well off to only have one breadwinner in the family.  However, I came to realize that the day crew are all hired to work the field service, and this is a way of creating employment for many people.  From what I understand, jobs can be difficult to find here in Benin.

Day crew are paid staff with Mercy Ships, and they are called "day crew" because they do not stay overnight onboard the Africa Mercy.  It is essential to have day crew, as they do the bulk of translation for all of the crew who cannot speak the local languages.  They are also incredibly resourceful and helpful in performing many of the jobs being done onboard the ship.

Update: This is the dress that I had made, and a photo shoot with some OR nurse friends!

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