Nutrition major Brittan Wheeler (top, at left) accomplished a truly remarkable independent study as she and her nutrition faculty mentor, Nancy Harris (top, at right), traveled to Benin, West Africa, in March 2007 as part of a medical mission trip arranged through a local Baptist church and Mercy Ships International (www.mercyships.org).

Wheeler and Harris joined other health professionals in support of a new medical mission initiative in Benin. They spent two weeks working in the rural mission serving hundreds of people daily at a rudimentary clinic which had no electricity or running water. They provided community nutrition education via an interpreter on topics such as re-hydration therapy, malaria prevention, treatment of worms, and healthy pregnancy. Their twelve-member team, including other Americans and Britons, also provided care and education to a local orphanage.

Benin is situated in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea. It is bordered on the north by Niger, on the west by Togo, and on the northwest by Burkina Faso. This blood soaked land has a history replete with slavery and human sacrifice. It is classified as one of the least developed nations in the world by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Over 80% of the population is involved in subsistence farming on very poor soil. After independence from France in 1960, Benin experienced four military coups, nine changes in government, and five different constitutions. French is the country’s official language, but 50 distinct groups of people speak different dialects or languages.

The leading spiritual force in Benin today is the indigenous religion of voodoo. Benin is regarded by many to be the least evangelized non-Muslim country south of the Sahara.  Half of the population is below the age of 15 and the life expectancy is 51.9 years for males and 54.4 years for females. Medical care is substandard with malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia exacting the highest mortality.

Brittan, a sophomore nutrition student at the time of the mission trip, raised the money for the trip herself. She was assisted by a Greenville church, which put on a dinner to help her raise cash. “I’ve never seen a student as young as Brittan go to such lengths to travel on a mission, said Nancy Harris. “ There was nothing easy or convenient about this trip. We had to get a series of inoculations prior to going, and accommodations were rough. Brittan’s fortitude impressed many of the volunteers, and it certainly impressed me.”

Of her experience, Brittan said, “It was truly amazing to be a part of such a wonderful and diverse team. Experiencing the Benin culture was unforgettable. It changed my entire outlook on life. My heart continues to break for those that are poverty stricken, and I intend to keep working for their benefit.”