Big Day Ahead. . .
Up predawn in Bo this AM for the 4+ hour trip to Freetown. It's a big day ahead. Hoping to get the paperwork all signed and sorted for the release of the container, which is filled with medical equipment and supplies. The other big event is greeting new volunteer Julia Robinson (Thacher '04, Columbia '08) tonight at Lungi Airport. Excited to have her here and show her around.
The images whipping by in the early light were quite beautiful as we left Bo....mist rising through the verdant fields, women walking with loads of wood on their heads with the ubiquitous adorable babes swaddled on their backs, children rolling bike rims with sticks, lazy dogs in the middle of the road and goats munching the grass. Stopped en route and bought some bananas and peanuts from the car window for breakfast from women carrying huge loads on their heads. They grin with the purchase and move on.
As I dozed, I could feel the proximity to Freetown (approx: 1.2 million people) as the stop and go traffic began, mostly stop. Then the visions of the urban sprawl begin. Vendors appear at the window selling everything...laundry soap, pirated CDs, watches, trinkets, phone cards, nail polish...you name it.
Now I am in Samuel Pieh's former office taking a break. There seems to be a glitch with the paperwork with the container's release which is most frustrating. Good people are working on the situation and fingers crossed they will prevail over the red tape which seems to be appear at each turn.
Yesterday afternoon and evening I got to just hang out with the women awaiting their fistula repairs. I took photos of them all (26 total) and wrote their names down in hopes that I can recall all their names by tomorrow when I return to Bo with Julia. They danced and sang and hooted and hollered which is part of their daily routine. Participating melts away the frustrations momentarily, but then enforces the need to get the container here pronto so that we can get things rolling.
Up predawn in Bo this AM for the 4+ hour trip to Freetown. It's a big day ahead. Hoping to get the paperwork all signed and sorted for the release of the container, which is filled with medical equipment and supplies. The other big event is greeting new volunteer Julia Robinson (Thacher '04, Columbia '08) tonight at Lungi Airport. Excited to have her here and show her around.
The images whipping by in the early light were quite beautiful as we left Bo....mist rising through the verdant fields, women walking with loads of wood on their heads with the ubiquitous adorable babes swaddled on their backs, children rolling bike rims with sticks, lazy dogs in the middle of the road and goats munching the grass. Stopped en route and bought some bananas and peanuts from the car window for breakfast from women carrying huge loads on their heads. They grin with the purchase and move on.
As I dozed, I could feel the proximity to Freetown (approx: 1.2 million people) as the stop and go traffic began, mostly stop. Then the visions of the urban sprawl begin. Vendors appear at the window selling everything...laundry soap, pirated CDs, watches, trinkets, phone cards, nail polish...you name it.
Now I am in Samuel Pieh's former office taking a break. There seems to be a glitch with the paperwork with the container's release which is most frustrating. Good people are working on the situation and fingers crossed they will prevail over the red tape which seems to be appear at each turn.
Yesterday afternoon and evening I got to just hang out with the women awaiting their fistula repairs. I took photos of them all (26 total) and wrote their names down in hopes that I can recall all their names by tomorrow when I return to Bo with Julia. They danced and sang and hooted and hollered which is part of their daily routine. Participating melts away the frustrations momentarily, but then enforces the need to get the container here pronto so that we can get things rolling.
Helen
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