What do I do now?

SO I have been home for a little over a week....and I don't know what to do. I an not helping people all of the time now. I feel a little lost, but I know something will work out...I just have to keep at it. So I have been job searching, which has been going badly...who wants to hire a girl that has been in Africa for 6 months but has little schooling? I get really kinda annoyed that School is so important...but I understand why it is important...but I just learned things you could never learn in school...I mean I am going to school in the Fall...and I am kinda, a little excited about that...but I am more of a life learner...I always have been, I have never really been good at school....so it is frustrating...but I am still trying and I am still looking! I will find something so I CAN go to school this fall...If I do my best, Heavenly Father will help!

Don't Do It!

Ok...now that I am home I wanted to post something about the Organization that I was a part of...I promised my mom and my best friend that I would do this...to maybe help prevent some other people going through what I did...but before I start I want to say that I had a really amazing experience in Zambia...it was super hard but worth it...I wanted to go to Africa and I wanted to work with Kids/Teens and I did that, so I was able to accomplish what I set out to do. Ok so the Organization that I went through is called Humana People to people, or in Zambia it is called Development Aide People to People. And most of the "leaders" of this group are also part of this thing called Teachers Group. It started in the 1970's (I think)...or somewhere around there. They got together and started working to get rid of Apartheid in South Africa. And when that was abolished in 1994, they started to work with other projects. So it started out with the best intentions I guess, but now all that I saw from it was corruption and huge problems. The project I was in was called TCE or Total Control of the Epidemic. It worked with HIV and AIDS education and prevention. I worked mostly with what was called Field Officers. They are employed by the project, to out into the community, to educate them, test them for HIV, set up support groups, organize community activities, work with orphans, and so on. The problem is not the field officers, they work so hard to work with the people in the community, but they get no support from the management, or the project. They get funding from CDC, UNICEF, and other huge organizations, but I never knew where that money went to. It didn't go to the people that needed it or for the purpose it was given. The 2nd to last month I was there UNICEF gave them $200,000 for Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV....Did the pregnant mother support group that they UNICEF man saw get any of that money? Oh no! I really have no idea where that money went to.
Ok so some of you might not know that I had to do "training" before I went to Zambia. I went and was "trained" for 6 months in Massachusetts at a place called IICD or The Institute for International Cooperation and Development. But the "training" was really just fundraising for the project. Now I thought the fundraising money went to the project I was going to...I mean that would make sense right...well I never saw any of the money I fund raised...which was $6000. I paid $4000 tuition and that paid for my plane ticket and my weekly "allowance". So the "headmaster" of the "school". Didn't care that I was there and all she really cared about was getting more students so they could have more money.....Oh Oh Oh...I forgot to mention that the fundraising we did was illegal. Most of the students are not from the USA and are here on Tourism Visas or Visitor Visas, Ha! So they should not be dealing with "making money" at all! Not only were they fundraising but they were working in a clothes collection project and promotion, getting more people to join the project...and getting paid for both of those jobs...Can I say ILLEGAL! Also we didn't really have permits or permission to fund raise in the places we went to...so bad bad bad. They also lied about pretty much everything they told me when they were promoting the project to me.....
Anyway, when I finally got to Zambia, I was pumped to get to work...but there was nothing for me to do....they wanted me to be the sectary, type things for them and take pictures...Not what I went there to do. So I found something myself to do. I went and taught in schools. But not having anything to do was a common thing...all of my 12 team mates had the same problem and 6 other people I talked to in Zambia. Most people quit before the 6 months because there is NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO. One girl got to her project and her project leader told her to leave because she did not want her there. Bad, bad, bad. Mean people that did not care or even notice that I was there for 6 months....So I say of all people who want to got to Africa and Volunteer....Don't do what I did. Find some other way to go! I think everyone needs to spend sometime in a 3rd world country. It really makes you grateful for all of the many blessings you have! I loved my time there but it would have been so so so much better if I went through a different organization.

Oh that I were an angel

"Oh that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart.....that here might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. But behold, I am a (wo)man."

Oh I wish this! I wish there could be no more sorrow on the earth. It is too much, too much sorrow, to much suffering, too much sadness, too much pain, for people who do not deserve it. I wish I could take it all away. Give happiness and joy, love and charity. But I am but one person and can only do so much. Oh that I were an angel! But "perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God....and this is my joy."






100 points if you can guess the reference...not the normal 10 for guessing my ringback, this is big! :)

Livingstone, Victoria Falls

Here is the link to my facebook...these are my latest pictures from Victoria Falls....http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2021155&id=1435457137&l=bfc6d026af

It was AMAZING! So much water...it was like I was drowning...you couldn't even see the Falls for the most part because it was obscured by all of the mist coming off of the Falls....I loved it...I got a poncho, but still got soaked through :)

Childhood

So Friday, Saturday, Sunday and today have been a "holiday"...it probably has something to do with Easter...but I has no idea...anyway so I have had nothing to do...but I have noticed that "holidays" here are only for people who have money. Those who have to work so hard everyday for a little bit of money never take a break...it has made me sad. They never get a break, they never have anything to look forward too, nothing to get excited about. Again this made so thankful for where I was born.
So I have done a post on the women here and on the nasty men....let me tell you a bit about the children. I think this is the thing that has been the hardest for me while I have been here...as most people who know me, know I love love love little kids...I love the things they can come up with, their imagination, their energy, their smiles and laughs...and I love the kids here...but there is something so different about them. They laugh and play and get dirty like any other kids...but there are things missing and I think I have finally figured it out. Childhood. Hope. Imagination. There are lots of kids here but very little childhood. They are so marred and downtrodden by things that kids should never have to worry about. They is very little hope for something better. Most of these kids will not get a proper education if they get an education at all. They have nothing to hope, no "what are you going to be when you grow up". Most of them will never leave their country or even go past the surrounding towns. There is nothing to dream about and very little to hope for. The last thing that is missing is imagination. It is hard to imagine things when you have the grim reality always pressing down on you. There are very little books, so no escape to far off places and marvelous adventures. It makes me cry even to think about it...like I said it has been the hardest thing for me here...I want to take them all away, to have the life every child should have. No cares, no worries. Just crazy adventures everyday, things to hope and dream for. Childhood.

3 saturdays after today

So I am down to my last month! So so so exciting! I just thought I would post a picture....and a funny story...ok not really a story...I don't know what it is but it is funny...but kinda sad...ok anyway here it is ...so yesterday I was walking back from shopping with HyeJin, the other volunteer that is with me, and the sun was shining and I was wearing shorts...kinda...so she was behind me...and she happened to notice how white my legs are...I had told her that I was the Queen...champion of white leg contests...but that I thought I was getting a little bit tan here...so this morning she told me just how wrong I was...this is what she said, "I saw your legs and they were sparkling, shiny they were so white....and I thought to myself, is that a skin color?" So I am still white, albino even...so funny and sad...I thought you might like it :)

So this is like the one person at the office that I like and get along with...she is the cook, cleaning woman...her name is Maureen...she is super sweet.

The men I meet....Ugh

Ok so I have to vent....so you know a bit back I did a post about the women who sit on the street selling corn or banana or whatever, trying to earn what little money they can. After my Mom read it she asked a very poi net question...Where are the men? Well let me tell you...they are loitering on the streets, harassing me. Seriously I can not go one day without 10 men calling me "Momma, Sweetie" and what ever else...it is disgusting. Today...less than one minute out of my house I had a man stop and say, "Hi Momma, how are you? I love you. I want to marry you." Right outside the house where I am staying there is a bus station...and all day long there are men there doing nothing....sitting, standing, talking, playing soccer...all day long. And then just down the road there is a bar and you can find drunken men at all hours of the day...like the man this morning...it was just past 8am and he was drunk...completely....They are the most vial repulsive men. I have met some really nice good people but my whole experience here has been tainted by these men...they do nothing all day, get drunk and harass women.
Ok I am done venting...I just can't wait till I get home to nice Mormon boys who treat women as more than tools to get some. I love you all and will see you soon!

50 day left in Zambia

Ok, so I just realized...it is like the middle of March and I haven't even posted anything this month...I am sorry....but you talk to my mommy and Dani and you will know that my March has been pretty frustrating and boring...so not a whole lot to post...but let me give you a few updated...I am still teaching in schools and what not...as long as they are not canceled...which happens quite a bit...but when I do teach that is great! I like to teach...but I really don't think I could EVER be a teacher...Here I teach three classes to one group of kids and then move to the next group...1. because there are a million schools and I want to try to get to most of them...and 2. because if I stayed any longer than that I think I would go crazy...some of the kids are really great...but I want to slap a few of them upside the head....especially when they tell me..."There is no way I am using a condom" and "Why should I only have sex with one person, that is not going to happen"....and I just want to tell them "ok them you are the first to die"....but I don't....I say something a little more tact full....So no, teaching is not a career for me. So Thursday was a "Holiday" here....Youth Day....and I we and taught some youth at a church....it was nice...I wouldn't call them "youth" per-say...most of them were older than I am...but anyways it was fun....but when it got to the end and time for questions...I got some crazy ones....like always....these ones really made me sad though....One was "I heard that the White men made the HIV virus because they want to eliminate the Black people"...yeah....really got asked that....and I told the man who asked..."Well I am here and clearly White...do you honestly think that I want to eliminate you?"....we also got into a huge debate about Religion and if God will take the virus away if you pray hard enough and repent....of course the answer is NO....but they wouldn't take that for an answer....they kept saying "with God anything is possible" and I assured them that I firmly believe in God but I also know that he can't take the virus away....then they accused me of not believing in God at all....and by that point I was almost in tears....I didn't know what else to say...and it wasn't until after that I realized what I should have said.... that God will forgive you and you can change but you still have to live with the consequences of your choices and actions....So next time I will be ready when that question comes....and I know there will be a next time....But it just makes me so sad how mislead these people are....and how much of a hold Satan has here....I am so grateful that I have the Gospel in its fullness...all of it....not just parts.....so here are some pictures of me teaching...they are not the best...I didn't take them....but here you go :)

The people I meet....

Ok...so I want to tell you about the people I meet everyday...so I get to walk everywhere I go...and sometimes it is pretty far...you know to the classes I am teaching...so on monday it was one of those days that I got to walk far....theses are some of the pictures I took on my walk....

This little boy was walking to who knows where...all by himself...and you can see passing him is what is called a Mini-bus....a little van that they use for public transport...and stuff as many people as they can on to it...I hate them....there are usually room for 15 people at most but I have been in one where there where 25 people....it was horrible and I have not ridden in one since then.....

So this guy is trying to fly a kite....made from trash bags, two sticks, and for sting cassette tape...you see alot of these kind of kites...and cars made out of empty drink containers...they can always find something to play with...and are so happy with their toys made out of trash.

So you can see some of the normal houses...these are actually really nice ones...and the house I live in is like a mansion....

So everywhere you go...there are women selling things on the side of the road...it depends what is in season...like here they are selling corn...they are cooking them(kinda grilling them on coals) and sell them for 1pin(1000K=$0.20)....you find them all along the road...about every 1/2 mile or so and they are all selling the same things. This is how these women provide for their families...alot of them are single and have a bunch of kids...as you can see here....

So this woman I meet...she was selling corn too...I stopped and talked to her for a bit...her name is Modesty....Like I said they are all over...they sit in the same place all day, everyday...selling what they have to get a little money...3/4 of all Zambians live on less than $1 (5000K) a day...I tried it for a week...and it was hard...and that was just with my food...not anything else....

Hmmm...ok...so some of these you might know

Ok so everyone is doing this...so I thought I would too...it is all over facebook and peoples blogs so I wanted to join in....25 things you don't know about me....

1. I love, love, love my family. They are my very best friends...I love to sit on April's lap and vent about the day...I love to hear all about the dances I-kiek just came home, talking for hours on my bed with Bee. I love getting hugs from Ry, at the same time trying to keep him from pushing me down the stairs. I love to walk to dogs with Al and my mommy....to sit and watch a good movie or play cards (it gets pretty crazy)with all of them!

2. I love to cook! Everything! That is what I think about before I fall asleep most nights. But most of all I love to have people eat what I cook.

3.I love to Read. When I was little and just learning how to read....Ugh I hated it. It was so hard for me. I would spend hours on one little book. I always joke that I learned how to read in the principles office...like I was bad, but really he was my tutor....I was the only one in the whole school that Mr. Jesse would spend an hour with everyday teaching me how to read.

4.When I am mad I will either take a drive and blast classical music, or go and curl my hair or bake cookies.

5.I am very accident prone....I like to do stupid, crazy things....like dance around the kitchen or climb a tree...and most of the time I end up getting hurt someway...but I usually never remember how I got a bruise or a cut.

6.I love surprises or to get something that is unexpected....or thoughtful

7. I love, love shoes! I have over 67 pairs of shoes...most of them still in the original boxes...stacked in my closet...and yes I wear them all.

8.I love movies....I am a movie girl...but I love movies like All of the Rocky's and Die Hards...Nacho Libre and The Man Who Knew Too Little....

9.I have to bad habit of popping....my toes. I scrunch them and they pop...I usually have to pop them multiple times before I can sleep.

10.Speaking of toes...when I an watching a movie or just putting my feet up I inter-lock my two big toes...left one on top. It is weird I know.

11.I really dislike going swimming. Maybe it is having to wear a swimming suit....but I hate have the feeling of wet clothes on.

12.My biggest fear is stagnate water....oh it is disgusting! So many diseases...hmmm...maybe that has something to do with my hate for swimming...I have never thought of that.

13.I love being the middle child...I am kinda the go between...the one everyone talks too...I love, love, love that!

14.I love to travel, but I hate to fly. I love seeing new places and different people, but I hate to fly...unless I have someone who will take care of everything and someone to sleep on their shoulder.

15.I love to perform...wither that is singing in a choir or being in a play...I love the stage lights on me.

16.I tend to learn things the hard way.

17.I have never had a cavity...well I had one in a baby tooth...but in my mouth right now I have never had one...but it has taken a lot to get my fab smile looking good....teeth pulled, spacers, head-gear (oh yes that was fun), braces and still having to wear a retainer every night.

18.I love to laugh and to make other people laugh.

19.I have crushes on people for a very long time...and I usually don't say anything....

20.I am stubborn, proud, selfish and have to have the last word....but I am trying to work on these.

21.My biggest pet peeves is when people suck their snot and when people don't use common sense.

22.I love helping others and making them happy.

23.I say "I know" to things that I shouldn't...ask Ben

23 and a little bit. I have always wanted to be a singer in a Rock Band.

23 1/4. I have a secret crush on the Jonas Brothers :)
(I know...Ike hang your head in shame)

23 and a little more bit. I want a motorcycle!!!!!!!!!

231/2.I love my friends! They are the best!!!

23 3/4.My favorite place to sleep, besides my bed, is on the carpet in the living room...I don't know about now because we got some new stuff, but I loved snuggling into that nasty brown thing that Allen said was red when they moved the piano.

24.I love The Church and love the Lord.

25.All I have ever wanted to be is a Mommy.


So I hope you learned something new about me...I wanted to do some thing different than the normal post....

But here are some updates of what I am doing...I have kinda been sick this week...I think I might have a worm...or something...anyway I have still been teaching. Today I taught a third lesson at one of my schools...that was way fun, because I kinda just talked about Utah, AF, Family and Friends....showed pictures....they loved the pictures of my blonde hair...they couldn't believe it was me...so I let my hair out of the pony and let them see that it is long...then they all wanted to feel it...Ha, ha, ha....so I had about 50 people run their dirty hands through my hair...But then we talked about HIV and Peer pressure...we played a game "Pressure Limbo"....to talk about what peer pressure was and what we can do about it....that was fun. So on Monday I was teaching at another school and my "boss" wanted to come and see....so I was teaching about the Immune System...I made a model of the body and all the parts of the Immune System...it went really well and my "boss" liked it so much that she is having me teach all of the Field Officers (over 100) and other Staff....so I guess it was good :)

2 months...3 weeks to go :)

Oh my goodness what a crazy week! Well let me start out by telling you about Saturday....I got to call my amazing, wonderful family! It was so so so nice I miss them so much! You have no idea...they are my best, best friends....sadly I only got to talk to half of them, because the others are not living at home...But I got to talk to my Mommy, Poppy, I-keik, and Al-bee. But I missed talking to Prilly, Ben, Ry, and Bee....They are truly wonderful and I am so grateful for them! I am so blessed! I have the best family in the world...no contest!

Ok so this week I taught at a bunch of schools...it was so much fun! Monday I taught at a school I taught at last week...so we did a review...there were about 100 kids there...and I lost my voice by the end of the lesson....Tuesday I went to a school for Juvenal Boys...oh my goodness that was super fun! They were so funny and asked really good questions...and because they were older and already sexually active I went into more detail and gave them statics of the AIDS epidemic through the world and especially here in Zambia...did you know that about 1 in 6 people here have HIV? Zambia is one of the countries with the highest percentage of people living with HIV....so when I was teaching this...the room got really quite and you could see the shock on their faces. Wednesday...I had a class in the morning and in the afternoon and the same on Thursday...The students are great...they ask tons of questions as well as the teachers...some of them I don't know the answers to...like how did HIV get to Africa if it was first discovered in the US? Or who discovered it? Where did it come from? And in my last class yesterday one boy asked, "I am Christan and believe in God. If I pray really hard will God take the virus out of my body?"

So with teaching all of these classes...I get a ton of exercise...I walk about 12 mile or more ....in the blazing heat....with my computer strapped on my back...so I calf's are looking pretty nice :) Ha, ha, ha....

So here are some of the students...I taught them on Thursday morning....they were really great...it was so funny, there teacher tried to keep them a couple feet away from the table were I was but by the end of the lesson I was surrounded!

These are some of the JV boys...ages 8-18...they acted all tough and hard, but you could see just how scared they were when I was tell them about HIV...they all wanted to be tested.

So this sign is in the open market right across from my house...and I thought it was so funny and I wanted to share it with you! So remember to be responsible and use a toilet :)

Hey by the way happy Valentines Day! I love you all!

Field Work.....

So today...well this week...has been really good...I have started teaching class at schools, my first lesson was last Wednesday...then I taught on Monday and then again today...It has been so much fun!...I put together a power point on the United States...starting with a Map of Zambia and then Africa and then the world and then the America...( they all freaked out when I pulled out my computer)...and I asked then if they could point out where Mazabuka was on the map of Zambia...one girl out of the three classes could...and then I asked them to find Zambia on the Map of Africa...none of them could find it without my help...so after talking a little bit about American and answering any questions they had...I moved on to the next topic which was HIV/AIDS...this they knew much more about...but they also had many misconceptions as well. Like one of the teachers asked if the kids share sweets could they get HIV and if you are sharing a bed with some one could you get it? And they heard that HIV had come from monkeys having sex with women...yeah, I know...anyway...it was really nice to teach...we did an activity to illustrate the difference between HIV and AIDS....where one person has lots of CD-4 cells and one has a few...they both get HIV, but the one with the low immune system gets Opportune Infections, like TB, STDs, Cancer, etc...so they are left with less than 200 CD-4 cells...so then they have AIDS...I then lead that into how HIV is spread...by having them give HIV to other students...and soon instead of just two having it...now 11 or 12 have it...so after we discussed HIV and AIDS. Then the next topic was Nutrition and how to have a strong immune system....Ah! It was so much fun! The first two classes didn't ask too many questions, the first class was really young...but the last class was great! And I will keep going back, so that will be nice...So today after I taught I went out with two of the field officers, Gift and Selina. We went and saw the AIDS Support Group's Garden...they had tons of tomatoes, corn (they call it Maze), and pumpkins, but that was just about it...I gave them some snow pea seeds and they gave me some corn to eat...and after that we went to go test some people for HIV....that was quite the experience! We sat in this shanty house...a mud hut with corrugated metal for a roof, held on by cinder blocks and bike parts, and a sheet for a door...with plastic bags nailed all over it to help keep the rain out....so we sat down there and Gift got out all of the testing material....first he talked with them about HIV, what is it, how do you get it, how you protect yourself...and there were a bunch of misconceptions there too...like it is a germ and you came get it from food, or that bruises can transmit it....but I was there as they tested five people....they tested them together and then gave the results individually...but out of those five people three of them were HIV positive...crazy! One man and two women...I couldn't believe that...but they seemed to accept the results really well. But I had a hard time just sitting there and watching their faces...you could see that they were picturing the rest of their lives...and what being HIV positive would do to that life...the man was the one that was really upset...but he did seem like he wanted to change the way he was living...and I am worried that he will not tell the girls he is having sex with that he is HIV positive...let alone use a condom....It is so hard to know this and know that this careless man will infect more and more people...how is it ever going to get under control if they keep living the lives they do? So I hope I can affect the next generation with what I am teaching....I hope.

This is some of the students...from my first class...the little boy with the paper on him is the one who had the good immune system.

So this the the second school...it is Tropul Private school...we had to have the class outside, because there is not room in the classrooms for all of them and as you can see there is no shade..so that was fun, but they were really good kids...and next week when I go, if they ask a question they get to get their snap (picture) taken with me :)

So this the the AIDS Support Group garden...with some members and the two Field Officers I worked with today...Gift, the skinny guy in the green and Selina, the girl in green....the man in the middle is 51 years old and has been HIV positive for four years.

The ease of my life...

So I know that I haven't posted in a bit...that is because nothing has happened...Michi left but that is about it....life is very boring and goes on ever the same...but yesterday I had to go to Lusaka to get my work permit....yes I know I have been here 3 months and I am just getting my work permit, ah Africa.....anyways, I got to got with the driver for the project, Joe. So I got to sit in the front seat and get a good look of everything and I realized how very blessed I am as I passed shanty houses held together by cinder blocks on the roofs and protected from the rain by garbage bags for doors. I watched people laboring in fields of corn and woman earning their families income from selling tomatoes on the side of the road, with six or seven women near by. I watched a little girl of six or seven wearing no more than a tattered, dirty dress, carrying a baby on her back. I watched a man and some children getting water from a filthy rain puddle....filling up four or five large jugs, then carry them away on there heads....with no house or dwelling within five miles. My life at home, in America is so easy and I take so much for granted! I have clean warm water for a shower whenever I feel the least bit dirty. I have clean cold water in abundance to drink whenever I feel parched. I have a nice big house that keeps me dry and warm when it rains...and whenever I feel too hot or cold I just turn a dial and I am comfortable in minutes. I have nice, clean clothes to protect my body and shoes to protect my feet. When they get dirty I just put them in a machine that makes them clean again. I have food that I don't have to sweat to get. I don't have to raise chickens or goats and them kill them to eat meat. I don't have to work all day in a field to have vegetables to eat. There is nothing I went without and nothing I really appreciated.
Even here in Africa I have a really easy life in comparison...OK I have to treat or boil my water....but I don't have to walk five miles to get it. I have a house to live in and a bed to sleep in. I have a store where I can buy all of my food. I don't have a refrigerator or a oven...but I have good, healthy food everyday that I don't have to labor for. I am so very blessed and I have so much and I want everyone who reads this remember this and thank your Father for everything he has given you.

Day Trip to Victoria Falls and other photos.....

So I have been trying to upload pictures but it is not working! Arrg! So here is a link to my facebook where you can see the photos....

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008874&l=3741f&id=1435457137

Let me know if it works!

So Victoria Falls was AMAZING!!!
Everyone should go there....and spend some time there!
So Saturday morning we woke up really early and got ready to go....we went and got my package from the post office at 8 (by the way mommy, it has been there since the 27th of December) and then I went home and opened it....thanks! But after that we got our stuff and went to the bus station....and caught the next bus leaving for Livingstone. We than sat on the bus for 9 hours....some of it, the road was not paved....my butt and back were really sore when we got off.....we then made our way to the backpackers place we had reserved for the night....checked in and then went to find transport to the Falls....we got a little lost but finally made it to where the mini buses are that go to the falls....but just our luck the bus broke down so we got a taxi instead...which is more expensive but it worked out great....our driver was really nice and took us on a tour of the falls and then waited for us to drive us back.....the falls really were amazing....so huge! I have seen Niagara falls and it is nothing in comparison! We got super soaked, it was like it was pouring rain the whole time.....I love, love, loved it!

Turning Point

So yesterday was a pretty darn good day! It started out amazing and inspiring because I got to talk to my spectacular best friend Danielle! So is so wonderful gave me tons of help and encouragement....then the day went down a little because we had a "meeting" with most of the staff....now these so called meetings are super long and they just blab about stupid things and some one usually ends up fighting.....so I sat there, taking minutes, and feeling frustrated, because we had planned to go to the hospital that day and ask if there was anything we could do to help.....so about 3 hours later the "meeting" is over. Now it is lunch time and we go back to the house and eat some PB and J's and then buy bananas to take with us to the hospital....now it was my idea to go to the hospital, I wanted to go last week but Mich wasn't feeling well....we had been throwing around ideas of what we can do here, because neither of us can just sit around and do office work any more....Mich had the idea to teach kids songs and sports and I had the idea of going to the hospital....so we are turning a new leaf and doing both! So after we ate we set off to the Hospital....it is about a 45 min walk from out house...so I got some good exercise and I also worked on my tan....but on the way there we passed a bakery...now a few weeks ago we had a lunch for the donors of the project and we had this amazing rolls....like Sister Petersons, but bigger.......I was pretty sure this is where they had gotten them from so we stopped and Awhhhh....there they were, with whole wheat bread and pizza! I was so happy! So we bought some and then finished our journey to the hospital....Now i was pretty nervous I mean if you know me at all I, my general rule is to stay far far away from any kind of hospital, doctors....most of the time only bad comes from it....and I didn't know what they were going to say...if they said No, what was I going to do? So I go in and talk to the first nurse I can find and she takes us into another room and goes and talks to, some one higher in authority then comes back out and says er area most welcomed. then she asks if we are nurses and we say no, then she asks us what out professions were and I said I worked with kids...so she sends us to the Children's Ward....now I am way excited because this is exactly what I wanted...so we talk to the head nurse and she says that we are welcome and says we can talk to the kids....so we sit down in front of a boy, about 7 or 8...he has burns over most of his body and is covered in gauze. The is a mosquito net covering his bed so it was really hard to see him....but I just started talking...about anything, about my family, asking what he liked to do, sports, anything I could think of....but I wanted to read to him or something but I have no material, because I didn't think I would be doing something like this....and after we talked to him for a while we told him that we would me back and we went and talk to another little boy, with a broken arm and him father....again I just talked and talked....and the little boy didn't really respond. His father said he was really hungry, he hadn't eaten anything all day....so I looked at Mich and decided to give him our banana, that we had just bought....I got it and gave it too him...he snarfed it down with a huge smile on his face that he tried to hide...it was so cute.....so we stayed a little longer and then made plans to make some things to take back with us....we are going to try to make some books.....It made me so happy, that I could do even this tiny thing. So I think it was ones of my favorite days here!