Journey to Senegal

Seven-year-old Maile Barry and her father Ibrahima will board a plane tomorrow in Springfield for a journey that, for one, will be a return to home and for the other will be a chance to discover her roots. KSMU's Michele Skalicky has more.

Janine Clark-Barry joined the Peace Corps ten years ago. While she planned to make a difference in the lives of those she helped in Senegal, she didn’t plan to fall in love. Ibrahima Barry was an instructor at a training facility Peace Corps volunteers were at for two months.

When Janine’s time in the Peace Corps was up, she and Ibrahima came to the United States. Soon after, they were married.
Today they have 3 children: 2-year-old AJ, 5-year-old Aicha and 7-year-old Maile. Adjusting to life in the US wasn’t easy for Ibrahima. In Senegal, Barry says everything happens at a slow pace.

Ibrahima has since become used to living in America, but he misses his family back home in Senegal. He hasn’t seen them in nearly nine years. Janine remembers the moment she knew she had to find a way to send her husband home.

After more than a year of saving money and making arrangements, Ibrahima and his daughter Maile will begin a 27-hour journey to Senegal tomorrow. Maile explains how she found out about the trip on her birthday August 23rd

Her mom, Janine, created the special puzzle for her daughter to put together.

Maile’s not quite sure what Senegal will be like, but there’s one thing she hopes to do.

She knows she’ll return to Springfield October 8th with only the clothes she’s wearing. As she taps on the microphone, she tells me she’ll give everything she takes with her to kids in Senegal.

Maile will finally get to meet her grandparents, 3 aunts, 3 uncles and several cousins. Ibrahima says he’s anxious to bring his daughter and his family in Senegal together.

His family doesn’t know he’s coming…they plan to surprise them. Ibrahima’s father, who’s in his early 80s, isn’t in good health, so he’s anxious to see him. They’ll stay in their home—a structure with four rooms and concrete walls that’s occupied by 12 family members.
Janine has tried to prepare her daughter for her journey as best she can. She’s spoken the language of her husband's family in Senegal, Pulaar, around the house as much as possible.
While Janine is excited for her daughter and husband to make the trip, she worries as any mother would. And she knows Maile won’t be the same child who boards the plane in Springfield tomorrow.

Janine has helped her daughter practice journaling in hopes that Maile will write about her adventures, so she’ll always remember them.
For KSMU News, I’m Michele Skalicky.