We began our day at the New Life International school and orphanage. Some kids live here and others just come to school here. School attendance is compulsory until age 18 but we have seen so many kids along the beach and in the streets. One of the street children, about 10 or 11, told us that if he didn’t sell everything he would get beaten when he got home.
There is really no enforcement of children don’t go to school. Children at the orphanage come from a variety of backgrounds. We brought food for them.
What stuns me is how small these children are. I haven’t researched the public health data, but the children seem small. The orphanage had lots of books but not lots of new books. My friends and I gathered books for an orphanage in Sudan, and we could do that here if needed. I just don’t know. We can’t do everything but we can do something.
The street vendors are relentless. Today was my first day shopping and we haggled on prices. I started with $180 USD and still have about $100 left, and I bought a ton of stuff.
The Last Bath was more than I’m ready to put in writing. The fact that human beings were captured, brought to the river, bathed, greased up with cocoa butter and palm oil, sold to the highest bidder, branded, then marched to the castle were they were crammed in the dungeon for as much as 3 months, until the ship arrived, is something I cannot wrap my head around. The inhumanity is astounding. The path to the river is sacred ground so we walked barefoot. We touched the river, paid homage to our ancestors, and ultimately walked back. I’ll get more into this and other parts later. It’s hard to talk.
We rode back into town, had lunch at the hotel, then did some shopping. It was fun. We had a debriefing with a very moving prayer time, then dinner. I’m out of words. I will organize my photos and will share.
Peace, my friends. This is a pilgrimage all should take.
Dr. Suzanne Minarcine 
Very interesting. Te street vender were bad in Jerusalem. They wanted one American dollar. Enjoy your writing.
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I wouldn’t call them bad. They’ve got shops set up and they’re there to make a living. I would call them persistent.
I will never forget the Last Bath. How men have exploited other human beings still goes on today. We still have hatred and bigotry based on social constructs. Our family has benefited from these social constructs and we continue to benefit. My question for me is how do I take what I’ve learned and move forward.
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