February 19, 2010

While you are all into your day, I am getting ready to go to bed. I’ve been here one week now and this is the worst jet lag I’ve ever had. I’ve been up until 5 am and then my alarm goes off again at 8 am for me to get to work. I’ve found myself nodding off in the car even in this unbelievable traffic here. My driver was upset today when the traffic police blew his whistle just because he was going straight in a turn lane. No one knows the meaning of that here!

I have a fun story about yesterday. The women told me the one thing more they need is dress making training and….. a volunteer, Margaret, met with me last night. She is here for three months to teach them dress making!!!! This is how I know I must be tired. Margaret and Deborah asked me to go with them to listen to some Jazz and I chose to go home to bed instead. Wow! Not like me at all!

The good news is that I’m not going to prison. I’ve had some trouble with a former employee that charged me with political crimes and I met with the head investigator today. They dropped the charges because of lack of evidence. Whew! But I have learned lots about the criminal procedure so I hope I never need that again.

I’ve spent my time organizing my house and office. I’m sure the little critters that scamper about are sad to have me back. I have a wonderful new young lady to help me clean and cook. She is so worried that I don’t eat enough. I think that’s the first time that has ever happened to me. I’ve also been able to connect with friends.

Things are the best yet at the Trampled Rose. We have 22 women in our program who are so eager to learn. I think they have seen that the results really are up to them. They have seen some graduate women be very successful and living the life they never even dreamed of. I think that has given them even greater hope than our first two classes. For those of you who remember Sinadu, she has come back to us from the county side with a new baby. She hasn’t told us yet the details of how she got pregnant but she has a little boy who is darling!!!!

Our three little girls are doing well in school. They are speaking more and more English and tomorrow we are going through their clothing to sort out the old to give to the poor and they get to wear the new things I brought from the states. It’s a work day for all of us as we (again) rearrange the clothing that you all have so generously donated so that we can easily find the things the women need.

I also had a fun morning with Stephane Gompertz at the French Embassy. He was in town for two days for work and we had a meeting about how we can better help the women who will never have the luck of making it to Addis. I’m going out myself to the north on Monday to meet with officials about how to educate the people to continue to help slow down the flood of women who are getting new Fistulas.

Please be grateful every time you turn on the light switch and the lights come on. Electricity has been a big problem here. It’s amazing how much we need it.