18. The orphans of the desert

When I saw the boy’s bleeding head I was moved. The poor boy had ringworm and had scratched his head until it bled. He could not sleep at night and not even during the day.

I immediately sprayed Cicatrix to disinfect it, then I prepared an ointment with anti-shark and shea butter for the actual cure.

Then we covered his head with a piece of his grandfather’s turban to protect him from sand and flies.

So now he looks like a little pharaoh.

Little Baba was very afraid because he had already been to the hospital 3 times and they had made him suffer a lot without getting any results. His grandfather explains that he is an orphan who he is raising together with his brother.
The boy’s older brother is called Elbu, and they encourage each other.

The next day they tell us that the child slept well for the first time in weeks.
Two days later Ali washed his head with soap and water and then cut his hair to speed healing.

Ali bought warm clothes for the two orphans because the nights and mornings are very cold this season.

Baba has been treated by Ali and I for a week, his head has healed dramatically, and so too the sores he had on his face and limbs.
Now he smiles at me and holds my hand, every time he sees me when he arrives in the morning from the desert to fill the water bins.

The Tuaregs are very impressed, they ask us how it is possible for us without pain, to have succeeded where the hospital doctors have not in six months and with much suffering for the child.
They come to us for stomach aches, for chronic colds with bad coughs, headaches that have lasted for days, and many other diseases. I help Ali with the essences in many cases but I know the limits of my knowledge. Precisely for this reason I can appreciate the power of desert plants that Ali uses, and his ability.