"It's so much better to see something once than to hear it ten times." A member of the Senegal National Assembly shared this quote with us this evening at dinner. This has indeed been our experience during our stay in Senegal. We read so much about what we would see, the grantees we would visit, and the people we would meet before we arrived in the country, but actually meeting the people and learning their stories brought so much more meaning and understanding to this beautiful and conflicted region of the world. After a quick breakfast, (no honey this time), we went to a private room for a conversation with, Aboul Sarr, director of World Education:Senegal, an AJWS grantee. He spoke to us about his work with promoting peace in the Casamance region through radio stations and communication. Many of the talk shows are hosted by women dealing with issues of the conflict and the ways that they are working to make better lives for the people of this region. We departed the hotel for a short van ride to the Kassoumaye fm radio station. We were greeted once again by the local community singing and dancing and waiting in procession to greet us. We have experienced the incredibly warm hospitality of the Senegalese in all of our visits and we are hoping to bring some piece of this home with us. We all gathered in a large room to hear testimonies and meet the inspiring people behind the radio station. This radio station has been so successful that 17 others have begun across the region with the support of World Education: Senegal. These stations have enabled the local people to raise their voices for peace and human rights. Many of the stations are managed by women. Radio plays a big role in society here as people come together to listen, call in, build community and promote peace. Along with some of our other AJWS travel companions, we had the exciting opportunity to introduce ourselves on air with one of the radio hosts. Shayna was asked what she would like to say to the youth in the Casamance region. She responded saying, "I want the youth here to get involved with radio stations like this to create a new generation of peacemakers." We regathered to exchange gifts and say goodbye. We were treated to another spontaneous dancing and drumming performance, which we were invited to participate in. After many more hugs and handshakes, we departed for lunch at a local restaurant called La Kassa. (Don't worry Larry, we're sure they yelped this one.) it was another tasty carb filled meal for us vegetarians (French fries, rice, potatoes, vegetables and fresh fruit) and for those of the animal eating variety, they enjoyed a whole fish, head and tail included. We were told it was delicious. (We wonder if they cooked it on the front if the van, like in Uganda? See previous Africa blog from 2008 for details.) We had an interesting discussion over lunch about the many questions that have come up over the course of the trip. There is so much to absorb everyday and so many issues we are grappling with: power and privilege, the role of women, how to bring about a culture shift, how we can help and be respectful of all we are seeing and experiencing. It seems we often have more questions than answers. Our next visit was to AJWS grantee, PFPC (Platform of Women For Peace in Casamance), which is a federation of 170 women's organizations that have united to strengthen their impact. Again, we were greeted with dancing, chanting, and handshaking. We all met together in a large room to hear from many of the women who are members of this platform. We heard testimonies from the Senegalese women that brought many in the room to tears, including us. We heard from one woman who had seen her father dragged through the streets and murdered in front of his family. She told us that this was the first time in 20 years that she was able to tell her story without crying. Another matriarch in the community told us of her own struggle with the combatants. At one point, they had beaten her so hard, she was left for dead. She was beaten and tortured again, but was able to escape by stealing the knife of one of the attackers. She was arrested and jailed, all in the name of peace. These stories brought these struggles to life for all of us in the room and put a personal face on the conflict we have been hearing so much about. These atrocities had happened over 20 years ago, but the women told their stories as if it had happened yesterday. There is still unrest in the region and there is so much work to do that groups like PFPC are growing ever more important in uniting the people of Casamance. Shayna had the great opportunity to present the president of PFPC with a gift of bracelets and a plaque from AJWS. In exchange, the women gave us all handmade hats, scarves and vases with their logo. They are gifts we will always treasure (even though we have no idea how we will take them home in our suitcases). After photos and a farewell dance, we got back on the van for our short ride to the hotel. After resting for a bit, we walked around the beautiful hotel grounds and took pictures by the lake. We reconvened for dinner at 7:15 and went to hotel Aubert for dinner with two special guests. One was Robert Sagna, a member of the Senegal National Assembly, and on the special delegation appointed by the president to create a plan for resolving the conflict in the region. Also joining us for dinner was a high school teacher who specializes in the history of this region. We had a very interesting conversation with them over dinner, hearing their perspectives and ways they are helping to bring the feuding parties to the table. For the meal, we were treated to another whole fish for not only the animal eaters, but also for the vegetarians. Apparently vegetarians in Senegal eat fish. They quickly and deliciously brought us out plates of rice and vegetables and once again, we did not leave hungry. A very sweet fruit plate and cup of tea completed our meal. We took the short walk back to our hotel, observing the brilliant star filled sky and feeling so grateful for the opportunity to hear, see, and learn firsthand about the impact AJWS has made in Senegal. We are honored and privileged to be part of this pilgrimage.