Daily Life

The pattern of life is not too different from our schedule in Lexington, but many of the details are. We sleep under a big mosquito net. We shower under one of those "widow makers" which gives out a little hot water (glory be - what a gift!) and we have to be very careful not to drink the water as we bathe and brush our teeth and prepare food. (Already did that for 6 months in Honduras - no big deal). We have a rudimentary kitchen, no tv, no car, no laundry machines (but we use Marcia's to spin the water out of our clothes before hanging them out to dry on the roof), no iron or hairdryer, no porch, garden, or barbecue grill; no coffee shop, library, swimming pool or bookstore. On the other hand, we have a huge fresh-produce market a block away where we can buy local papaya and pineapple, and roses for a dollar a dozen; we have music on the ipod; and we have the very real pleasure of knowing that the size of our environmental footprint is smaller. AND we have the unbelievable luxury of electronic communication....This morning I called one of my sisters for a recipe!

The need to conserve water is a constant; water is "delivered" from city pipes every three days, and our job is to make it last. Electrical service is also tenuous, though as far as I know, when that goes out, it's completely arbitrary - we aren't culpable for having used too much.

Rich goes to the public hospital a couple of mornings a week to check on patients, then heads to CMHH or CRN for clinic. He comes home after he and the other doc at each location have seen all the patients, and spends part of each afternoon or evening inputting data for an investigation of stunting in this population of children.

I go to the Hombro (CMHH) clinic once or twice a week and do whatever they have for me there. (Last week I washed windows.) I've visited two of the primary schools near the clinic, offering them some beautiful donated Spanish-language textbooks; Jan Swauger of the UK Development Office and Newman Center is working on raising funds for shipping the books, which are at the International Book Project. I have also been working on translating the UK Hombro A Hombro website into Spansh - still a work in progress.

Three days a week I have been at the CRN working with the mothers and children. The work requires mostly just being available to help the mothers care for the children or to take charge of a child or two while the mothers have educational activities. Some of the babies and tots are wonderful and seem little affected by their poor nutritional status. However, the majority seem backward and under stimulated, and without any training in early child development, I feel a little at a loss as to exactly how to help them.... It is quite a challenge to think of appropriate activities (if any of you have ideas for me, please send them!) Of course I make noises and faces and talk to them....but shouldn't I be doing more? There are almost no toys. One day I brought in four balls - one for the mothers and their older children to play soccer with, one to give to a particularly aggressive little boy who needed to work off energy, and two easy-bouncers for the babies and tots. I will never forget the look of fascination - I could even say joy - that lit up one baby's face when the 7-inch purple ball rolled toward her.

Most of the mothers are unmarried, and many have crushing family responsibilities (e.g., three additional children at home besides the three with the mom at the CRN, and no father in the home). Often the malnourished children are being shepherded by aunts or sisters-in-law, because the mothers are working and/or live too far away. Some are extremely young; some, especially the more indigeonous women, are extremely quiet and shy; and although there is a sense of heavy hearts about the condition of their children, still they generally have happy dispositions and seem appreciative of the opportunity to interact with other mothers.

I think we need music in the facility, and have been giving some thought to how I could provide some. If it weren't for the language barrier, I'd simply start singing. But....what to sing????