Bawa's Story

Hello everyone. This week I wanted to share with you Bawas story. It was prepared by two of our crew photographers Esther Biney and Ashleigh Pitt, and Bawa was happy for us to share it with you, so here it goes!

A relentless sun and clouds of dust poured in through the open windows of the old bus as it bounced along a back road in West Africa. Beads of sweat cut muddy tracks across the faces of the passengers. In spite of the heat, one man onboard wore a heavy scarf wrapped around his head and his shirt buttoned all the way up for the entire 15 hour journey. Bawa Tarfo was afraid what might happen if his fellow travelers saw the horrible tumors disfiguring much of his body.

For years Bawa lived with the tumors called keloids: scar tissue gone wild and growing in large folds and pouches on his head, face, neck and torso. The physical pain and discomfort were exceeded only by the humiliation and shame Bawa felt when others noticed his deformity. Living so badly disfigured was a horror. Everyone stared with shock and loathing.

Traditional doctors tried strange herbs. Quack doctors gave advice that nearly killed him. Blades and strings had been used in the past in unsuccessful attempts to remove his keloids, leaving his pain and disfigurement even worse. Dejected and hopeless, he’d been living behind his scarf now for a full decade.

First in line, Bawa was the first to be screened. He was also among the first to be accepted for surgery. Bawa held the tiny yellow appointment card to his face and wept quietly.

Nothing in life had prepared him for the experience of being taken onboard the big, white hospital ship for treatment. He was still in his own country, but suddenly living in a western world. He watched the nurses and doctors closely. They weren’t related to him or any of the other patients, but they were treating everyone with great love and respect anyway. “I have never been pampered so much in my life like I have been here on the ship,” Bawa marveled. “Not even my mother loved and cared for me like the crew. I watched in awe as crew who weren’t even medical staff would come and visit and talk to me. I don’t want to leave this ward.”

Doctors removed 8 pounds of keloid tissue from Bawa’s body. Wrapped in bandages after his surgery and still in pain, Bawa’s eyes spoke volumes. The haunted and wounded look in his eyes had disappeared to be replaced with confidence, faith and gratitude.


“I am over excited because I am a changed person,” Bawa said a few days later. “Not only am I changed on the inside but on the outside as well. I am a new person and very handsome. I am ready to go find my wife; if she accepts me I want her back

Inspiring don't you think!