Yellow House

So really today..

The problem with not writing for a very long time is there is too much to say. So how about this.. I will upload some photos.. they aren't terribly interesting, but I have been taking them of my schools and the teachers so I can keep things straight mentally!! And maybe it will help clarify things????

I am working on a plan these days.. a plan of action so to speak. Of course I get the sense that it could be all changed at anytime anyway.. but oh well.

Yesterday I found myself doing a community based rehab (CBR) site visit in Kanyagwal (even though we decided last week I wouldn't do anything with CBR's until April). It was the coolest thing. We (my coordinator Veronica and I) took a matatu to a town at the edge of Kisumu district. We then boarded boda-bodas and literally spent the next 40 or so minutes being pedalled through country side. There has been a lot of rain recently (inversely proportional to electricity access I might add) and the place was green and lush and almost swampy. Huge perfect waterliles floated in ponds/drainage ditches?? The sky was so blue and clear and it was amazing to be out of the town/city. When we arrived at the community center (concrete room with tin roof) 2 hours late (African time) 20+ adults many of them wearing their CBR t-shirts and head scarfs met us with singing and clapping and dancing. Then after praying we sat and listened. Literally.. we had come to listen. Then we left.

As life would have it, I have been reading "Mountain Beyond Mountain" by Tracy Kidder. And it's a good thing. I have been struggling to make sense of the whole point of me being here of late, and it provides an interesting perspective. I don't know that I necessarily agree with all the ideology of Paul Farmer, but it has certainly gotten me thinking about development work in a different.. not so bureacratic light. The take home message for me at this point being.. that sometimes you don't have to do anything. Sometimes being there, and paying attention and caring enough to try something is enough. In fact, as Veronica agreed.. we had encouraged and motivated action in this well flooded community in the back of beyond, merely because we had bothered to come and see them. I should add here, that this community group is all voluntary (wouldn't you have thought these people would have enough on their plates without agreeing to do home based care for those with disabilities??). So anyway.. it was great. I was glad I went and I am glad to be here. But, in a conventional sense - I have still done nothing useful.