Out of place

Aliou has malaria and with 5 children in his house under the age of five, he is a bit exhausted.

I worry about Zubba and the new baby too; she seems too tired to feed him, and often I pick him up to quiet him and let him suck on my finger.

It's funny how they don't like letting me help out around the house, but I am insistent now and trying to occupy Bebe and get water.

No matter the place I feel I have established in the family, I felt awful after the baptism because 1) I didn't sleep at all due to mosquitoes and noise 2) there was no water to bathe with, so once I did get dressed in my complete I still felt icky. Then Aliou told me I have to go back inside the house with the women--I couldn't sit with the men. Of course, Zubba told me I was doing the benedictions wrong. The baby, once his head was shaved and kohl applied to his eyes (and even a cross on his head to fend off the evil eye) was named Mohammed. Surprise! Ha. The women didn't want me eating with them, and instead put me in the back room to eat by myself. I ate both pieces of bread they gave me and then Zubba complained I had eaten too much. I really feel I cannot do anything right.