Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway

Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway
Non-Fiction

Kris Holloway travelled to Mali after she graduated college and became a Peace Corps volunteer. She was placed in a small village called Nampossela and her host was Monique Dembele, the midwife for the village. Holloway becomes quickly immersed in the culture and is given her own African name: Fatumata. A home is built for Holloway out of mud with a corrugated metal roof and she spends each day with Monique, learning the ins and outs of midwifery and the health clinic that Monique runs. These two bond quickly and a strong friendship is forged that last their lifetimes, even when Holloway is back in America.

It was interesting to read about the differences in culture and how a clinic for babies operates. They weigh babies and place each baby's weight in a chart the shows green for healthy, yellow for underweight, and red for severely underweight/malnourished. However the story that draws you in is how Holloway and Monique came to be such good friends. You can't help but smile when Monique explains how she thought people travelled via airplane. This was an uplifting story and a great read.

First Line: "Your two-year assignment is in the country of Mali, West Africa."

Rating:
(4/5)