Monique And The Mango Rains

Monique And The Mango Rains

Adult non fiction
Kris Holloway's Monique And The Mango Rains is an older book
published in 2007. My older daughter, Amber, gave it to me after she
used it as a college textbook.
I adore the book. As a Peace Corps volunteer Holloway spent two
years in a small village in Mali, assisting Monique, a midwife. With
very little education and under conditions we wouldn't let our animals
get treated under Monique delivered babies after giving their mothers
prenatal care, treated malaria, gave shots, taught basic health...was
the end all and be all when it came to health care for the many people
who could not afford a hospital in another town. Holloway and Monique
became close friends. The tone of the book reflects their mutual
caring and respect.
Holloway is candid. In Mali, as in many parts of the world, too
many women die in childbirth because of uncontrolled bleeding or
infections. Lack of clean water kills malnourished children by
diarrhea. Can you imagine a maternity clinic that can't be used
during the rainy season because of holes in the roof?
But there is a lot perpetually busy busy busy Americans,
bombarded with electronic trivia and starved for true connectedness
can learn from more traditional cultures. Contemplating her return to
the United States, Holloway muses, "...I loved living in an inviting
community, where you were always asked to share food and drink, where
you spent time greeting and joking rather than avoiding others because
of a busy schedule. Generations intermingled, there was always an
excuse for celebrating, and death was sad, but not feared."
On a personal note, I have good grad school news. I was invited to do
a select application which means no application fee and guaranteed
scholarship consideration. I have done that by email, sent for
undergrad transcript, contacted my references. I have nearly $500 in
the credit union towards expenses. If all goes well I'll be back in
school in September.
A great big shout out goes out to other moms who are deciding what to
do with their lives after raising their children. Don't stop
believing in yourselves.
Julia Emily Hathaway


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