September 24

I know it’s been a bit since I’ve been able to get on the computer. Last week I hit a WALL! I may have a tendency towards many mental problems but depression has never been one of them. I got home one night last week and the electricity was off the whole night. I felt like I didn’t have a single place to go, nothing to do, and no one to talk to. I have an new compassion for those of you who have this struggle. It’s awful!

The lights were off the whole night and I did manage to light some candles but I couldn’t recover from the blues for a couple of days. Finally on Friday morning I dragged myself out of bed at 6:00 am, stomped through the urine in the street from the night before, passed the half cows hung without their coats by hooks for people to eat and made it to the gym for a class.

It’s not quite like our Jazzercise the floor is concrete (bad for the joints) and they music was different but I did get a work out and I think I got enough serotonin to help. I’ve been every morning since and I feel lots better.

Really I had a fun weekend! I went to a party Saturday night at the house of a new friend of mine. Her name is Elena and she is the Gender Specialist at the Spanish Embassy. She was having a Birthday party for her daughter who just turned three. She is also observing Ramadan (the Muslim fasting season) so I got to join her and the other guests for the fast breaking at the appearance of the moon.

She may be the best cook I’ve ever met. Her food was all Arabic and I begged her for a cooking class so….. If she says yes, I’ll invite you all over.

The women at our project have been working hard. We have one group of four houses that still has six months in our program but I am AMAZED at their progress. They are almost ready to move out on their own. I spent the day meeting with them and I will be working this week to make sure that all the ladies on our new houses understand money and how to make change. Now they can write their names and know their numbers, it is the next step to freedom.