Last Sunday, Debbie snuck out of Mbabane while our PCMO was preoccupied with incoming Group 9. She finished her regimen of meds by midweek and has been improving each day and reported this morning that she awoke for the first time in weeks without headache. It has been a memorable week in other ways, too:
Monday was Independence Day and we had planned on being down in Nhlangano visiting Fred and Florence, meeting Group 9, saying good-bye to Group 7, and celebrating with all. But Debbie was recuperating and in no condition to travel so it was a day as usual for me. I celebrated by wearing my 'Uncle Sam' hat but conceded that to my library counterpart and forced her to explain the occasion to staff meeting. She ended up wearing it all day. Notice her coat--it was the coldest day we've known yet in Siteki.
The world map is finished. I will paint a frame around it and I'll show you the whole wall when the Swaziland map is also finished. It's a fun project, but I'm happy to report to you that my Very Important Work this week also focused on a resolution to the pit latrine project (if all goes well) and I was also instrumental in finding hearing testing for a group of kids who could matriculate here. Undoubtedly, far more important than pasting slips of paper into the backs of library books. But wait, there's more:
This is Lwelwing who came dancing into the library (in bare feet) obviously in good, high spirits. She passed me a note that said she was celebrating her tenth birthday and I spontaneously gave her a hug. And I got the sweetest and warmest hug in return. It was a 'Kodak moment'.
This is Siphesihle who came into the library with a laceration to the back of her head oozing blood. As usual, there were no other adults around, and the kids are deaf. I was able to stop the bleeding but there was no way for me to apply a bandage. She is a good artist and one of my cuties. Check out those blue eyes. The day before, I was in the same situation when "Gimpy" had a siezure. Luckily, a teacher came along and I was able to get word to his housemother. And you thought the life of a librarian was all calm and quiet.
Winter has come. These two girls (pictured from our kitchen window) are gathering firewood, probably to cook over, or if industrious, to sell for profit. We are sleeping under two blankets and were reminded of many Swazis who are sleeping on grass mats with no blankets to cover them. We're looking into remedying this in some small way. On my trips into town recently, I've been approached more frequently by kids asking for handouts. Although winter is here, the lettuce and cabbage in the garden behind us are growing noticeably taller each day and the days are getting longer. To complete the week, Dr Danny (who hails from the U.K.) came to visit us yesterday and we spent the whole afternoon together. He's also from the younger generation, but seemed to enjoy himself so much with the old folks that he invited himself back to visit another time.
Monday was Independence Day and we had planned on being down in Nhlangano visiting Fred and Florence, meeting Group 9, saying good-bye to Group 7, and celebrating with all. But Debbie was recuperating and in no condition to travel so it was a day as usual for me. I celebrated by wearing my 'Uncle Sam' hat but conceded that to my library counterpart and forced her to explain the occasion to staff meeting. She ended up wearing it all day. Notice her coat--it was the coldest day we've known yet in Siteki.
The world map is finished. I will paint a frame around it and I'll show you the whole wall when the Swaziland map is also finished. It's a fun project, but I'm happy to report to you that my Very Important Work this week also focused on a resolution to the pit latrine project (if all goes well) and I was also instrumental in finding hearing testing for a group of kids who could matriculate here. Undoubtedly, far more important than pasting slips of paper into the backs of library books. But wait, there's more:
This is Lwelwing who came dancing into the library (in bare feet) obviously in good, high spirits. She passed me a note that said she was celebrating her tenth birthday and I spontaneously gave her a hug. And I got the sweetest and warmest hug in return. It was a 'Kodak moment'.
This is Siphesihle who came into the library with a laceration to the back of her head oozing blood. As usual, there were no other adults around, and the kids are deaf. I was able to stop the bleeding but there was no way for me to apply a bandage. She is a good artist and one of my cuties. Check out those blue eyes. The day before, I was in the same situation when "Gimpy" had a siezure. Luckily, a teacher came along and I was able to get word to his housemother. And you thought the life of a librarian was all calm and quiet.
Winter has come. These two girls (pictured from our kitchen window) are gathering firewood, probably to cook over, or if industrious, to sell for profit. We are sleeping under two blankets and were reminded of many Swazis who are sleeping on grass mats with no blankets to cover them. We're looking into remedying this in some small way. On my trips into town recently, I've been approached more frequently by kids asking for handouts. Although winter is here, the lettuce and cabbage in the garden behind us are growing noticeably taller each day and the days are getting longer. To complete the week, Dr Danny (who hails from the U.K.) came to visit us yesterday and we spent the whole afternoon together. He's also from the younger generation, but seemed to enjoy himself so much with the old folks that he invited himself back to visit another time.
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