Today our grand daughter Clara Rose all the way in the UK, is One Year Old. Thank heaven for SKYPE. We had sent her a very soft little dolly, which she looked in the face, then hugged and kissed her, and followed that by being a good mom and feeding her dolly with a teaspoon from her other gift, a little play tea set. Carl showed her the beautiful rocking horse he made her. It is so lovely! Too bad we haven't figured out a way to get it to her yet. Not that large or heavy - just awkward.
Again about the Buddy Bottles: you buy a bottle for $15 (stainless steel, choice of 3) and through your purchase we can send a bottle to Haiti as well, to the region where people should carry safe/filtered water with them. The person you gave this 2nd bottle to is now your Bottle Buddy! We left 50 in Panama, which was great. The bottles are not moving very fast yet, and that is in part because I'm not sure how to advertize them! On one of the busy days in Honesdale or Hawley I'll just have to set up shop on the sidewalk. The bottles really are very nice, and great quality, but there are SO MANY! (Due to the set-up cost). Most people give money and say 'take them all to Haiti! Which is indeed a good idea, but I am getting a bit worried here!
If you want a bottle either write to onebigboost@gmail.com, or leave a message at 570 470 9386. Start your message, or subject line with the email, with "Bottle Buddy order". BPA free, happy-looking, great quality! And we have only 100 left ;-D
The trip to Panama was rocky but interesting. It is a beautiful country, even if getting from point A to B can be an experience, to say the least. We ended up seeing far more (as in distance) of Panama than anticipated. The medical project was a neat and good experience. I, on the other hand, had nearly nothing to do, felt like an idiot standing around most of the time, which is not exactly my 'cup of tea'. All in all interesting as an experience, but neither of us felt the urgent need there that we have experienced elsewhere. Learned.
A neat new project in Haiti that i am very excited about. My friend Melet Deroze contacted me for help with various things, one of them a brochure. As I mentioned before, they have started a program for a group of students, drawn from the region around Verrettes. I believe we're going on Skype today, which will be very helpful because some of it is too vague for me to understand, while the project and their drive is fantastic. It is basically a program that teaches/exposes the older students to community aid and awareness, organization in case of disaster and training to be effective in case of emergencies. Next to expose them to subjects and experiences not taught in the public schools there. Ginny and Ed, our dear Michigan friends, for example, are sending us two microscopes so students will have a chance to see what they normally only see on pictures. With the cholera now that it especially important. I am in contact with an emergency preparedness group who will go over there to train them. We're sending them at least one telescope, etc etc.
One step at a time. I believe they will end up calling the project TECH: technology, education, communication, health, which includes all the basic directions they hope to cover. "They" is a group of about 6 dedicated teachers and others who can take more administrative responsibilities. Very exciting!
Africa. Talk about need! Talk about aid! It is very confusing. There are so many programs and, oddly enough, the only help they want is money. Not people, not just a good hand or specialists etc. But the people I have spoken/emailed with there say the opposite: we need people to come and help! Help is needed in Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi in particular. And none safe enough not to worry. I do not mind going - but do I have the right to stimulate others to go? Too much brewing and nothing like in Haiti, where such violence and genocide has not been for a very long time.
We'll keep eyes and ears and minds open: something always comes around that tells us what is needed most. that's how it works every time.
Be good, fellow earthlings.
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