After a really good night's sleep, we were all up and ready to go this morning. Yesterday's end of day processing gave us a chance to address all that we had seen and experienced. The interesting thing to me is not only how quickly our norm is challenged, but how quickly we adjust. Yesterday's heat, combined with the sights and sounds seemed extreme. Driving in through the tent cities, the simple sidewalk markets, one sees a population struggling to maintain life. This morning, driving out, we noticed how industrious and entrepenurial these same people are. They are using the existing resources to make a meager living. For example. A group of women were gathered together under a makeshift awning selling used firewood. From an American perspective, we would likely thing this odd. But it is a resource they have, they have gathered it, stacked it according to size, and sell it to vendors who need it for cooking. Brilliant! This morning at the hospital we had a larger group. It was nice to see familiar faces return, and new ones emerge. I met a wonderful woman who is working with local women who want to enter politics. It is fabulous to see leaders cultivating leaders from among the host group. She was fascinated by what we are doing, and suggested that when we come back, we meet with the women's group. We agreed. After lunch, we met again with the children. We split the group today into three groups. One for the smallest children, one for those from 11 to 14, and one for those 15 and older. The youngest ones clamored for the clay, and it was difficult for them to follow the directive to take one small ball of each color. These children have little, so, of course, they would grab and reach for each other's clay. They enjoyed making animals with the clay. Most made snakes, but one made a spider and a few other animals showed up. One little boy made 9 snakes. We counted them together, and I asked him how old he was. "Nine," he said. The other groups made three sections on their papers. The first was to create a picture of their life now; the second, what the see in their life in one year; the third in five years. Most of the childen wrote, but some drew. The first part varied somewhat, but many wrote their names. Some drew a person respresenting themselves. In the second section the girls mostly put that they see themselves in school, and wanted a doll. In the third we saw houses, cars, school and sometimes the university. The younger children are schooled at the orphanage. The older ones go out for public school. Many of the older ones want to be doctors like the Morquettes. There is a strong connection to the needs of the community. Most understand that there are many medical needs. Noel, the young 15 year old boy we met yesterday, said he wants to be a surgeon because there were so many injuries and illness due to the earthquake. Our interpreter, Emanuel, wants to be a trauma counselor. A 17 year old girl want to become a doctor and treat children, which we had learned yesterday. After we were done, we just sat with the children and shared individually or in small groups. The younger children wanted to show us what the knew in English, numbers, letters, etc. The older children just want to be heard. A couple of the 16-17 year old girls had taught themselves to crochet and had made hats, handbags and doilies to sell in order to put themselves through school later. Another myth dispelled. Outsiders may see inactivity or lack of industriousness in less developed countries. I do not. As we settle in for the evening meal and good conversation, I am relaxed and enjoying a nice breeze. In case you're wondering, we are still wearing the same two sets of clothes -- no bags yet.
