work, work, work

Written Friday, February 8, 2013

Happy Friday everyone!

I hope the week passed by without too much hassle. Crazy to think its almost mid-February right? Anyone have special plans for Valentines Day? I’d love to hear what you lovebirds are all up to.

So this week passed by quickly for me, getting home from traveling on Monday, and then work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday made it completely worthwhile. I had some very productive meetings this week; on Wednesday I met with ACOMUZA, my one community based organization for our weekly meeting. First we dug a new pit latrine and reinforced the sand surrounding our office structure – it had started to erode due to the massive amount of rainfall (I plan to do this to my house this weekend). Afterwards we talked about some ongoing projects, we are teaching the community about food security, how to dehydrate food with flame and a pan or the sun. Teaching the preparation of these things, then how to properly store them. We dried things like fruit, moringa, matapa leaves, tomatoes, grated coconut etc.

After this, we talked a bit more about our Moringa nursery that we want to start in the hospital. I’m still trying to work out details with the higher-ups at the hospital. Sadly its always a bit of a clusterfuck there, and lots of things get lost in translation . . .but I will succeed. I just need lots of time and patience.

“Patience” a word I am learning to use a lot here in any situation I find myself in, be it transportation, meetings, talking with people, or simply passing the time on my front porch. Its becoming a mantra for daily life, which is good, because I didn’t have much of it in the US. I was constantly on the go, looking for the next good thing. Yes I did yoga and whatnot, but even that was a constricted amount of time of ‘peace and breathing’ I don’t know if Americans truly know how to relax. Who knows. Just something to think about.

So yesterday I had my bi-monthly meeting with Despertai, my other community organization. During this meeting we started collecting our data and statistics about the clients we visit – something they had not been doing, but I feel is worthwhile, especially if we want to eventually search for a donor. The better organized we are, the more we can accomplish. We also started discussing the workshops we want to give in the community/local schools about HIV/AIDS and other health related topics. Next week, my counterpart and I are going to go talk to the school director about this possibility. If we hold small informational sessions about condoms, how to use them, sexual transmission of HIV and how to prevent sexual violence, etc, for the students hopefully we can reach out to some.

In addition to all of this work – I say that somewhat sarcastically because my work days usually last until noon or 1pm – I have been experimenting in the kitchen! Last night, I made rosemary black bean burgers with sautéed green beans and fresh pineapple for dessert. Tonight is going to be a thai version of bean stew – going to add in some peanut butter as the beans simmer and some extra garlic and cumin. Boom. Delicious.

In other news, I have started to let Ceu off his lead a bit these past few months, let him run around town and get out and about. He seems to be enjoying it, and I haven't encountered any problems with the neighbors thus far. I don’t like keeping him cooped up in the yard all day, plus I am hoping it will help calm him down a bit, lately he has been acting even crazier than usual. My mom can attest to just how much energy the puppy-boy has, so I’m hoping that this will help.

With all that said, I would be eternally grateful if anyone from home would be generous enough to send some more flea meds (be it drops, powder, shampoo etc) for my child. If he’s going to run around and play with others, I want him to be clean and safe.  Just a single mom looking out for her baby haha.

Just hanging around site this weekend, housework and cooking tomorrow, going to my next door church on Sunday with the neighbors because it’s the Pastor’s birthday, going to make him pineapple upside down cake.

X’s and O’s

t