thieves and pinkeye

last night around midnight we were awoken by nefie ba (next door neighbor) who barely ever lifts her voice -- yelling and whooping at the top of her lungs and banging on doors. "SAAAACO!!!!" another attempted burglary in my little village.

the first thing that crossed my mind was a mental sigh and the thought "the poor stealing from the poor." the next thing was to get annoyed and pissed -- don't steal from my people who work so incredibly hard for the meager living they make! at least there is some justifiability in the poor stealing from the rich (not that i condone it) but don't thieve from people who've decided to continue plodding along instead of resorting to thievery and tricks to make money. the burglar got away empty handed -- alxamdoulilah.

in other news, fallou (the baby) has been sick. he's been sick for over a week now. his eyes have completely crusted over, he can't open them, he can't breathe clearly, and he has a rattling cough. he whimpers every waking moment and it is absolutely terrible to hear. they have no medicine for him nor do they really know what it is. ma'asou had pink eye a few months ago and since then it's kind of stuck around, being passed from child to child. i've tried my best to tell them that whatever it is, it is probably contagious -- i'll see fatou or aram clear the eyes and snot of one kid and then move on to the next kid with the same hand. they don't seem to understand or believe me. i'm starting to think that i should pay to take fallou to the health post in mbirkelane or kaffrine if he's not showing signs of getting better in a few days.