yesterday was a wonderful day. i have never felt so part of a community outside of my own family and friends before. i met with the moms of the community who send their children to the center for pre-school. they were a little shy at first and a little embarrassed to ask questions, but once they started, it really took off. they had some great ideas and were very animated to help the health of their children and themselves. they are very interested in having more woman's services available to them-more so than i have ever encountered in the us who have them readily available to them at low or no cost. these women have to walk into town (about 30 minutes) and then wait at the clinic and then have to pay alot to get the tests they need. if they need medicines, they have to go then to the chemist to buy and it is also expensive considering they have almost no income. but they know it is something they need to do.
After the meeting they got together and wanted to sing and dance for me. it was wonderful. i attempted to dance but you know...they called me one of their own. i couldn't stop smiling.
next, we visited several of their homes and they were so happy to have me there. so many of them live in mud homes with no latrines at all but you would think it was a mansion for them. in some of these one or two room homes, as many of 9 or 10 people sleep there. when it rains they have to repair the homes because the mud will fall off of the walls. some live in cement homes that may have 3 rooms in a community compound-these are the nicer homes but they still don't have electricity or running water. they are building some new homes in the community-those with electricity and water will go for 4000-5000 shillings per month (about 41-51$ per month) and those without are going for 1000 shillings per month (about 11$).
today i meet with the community woman's group and will also have another look at the hospital-with a guide this time so we won't get looked at suspiciously. so far it is wonderful experience and i am having a good time.
for those of you have asked, i am here for another 5 days and then will be returning to the US. thanks for the nice comments. will write more in a couple of days.
