The Bush Rat Race

I've been a busy villagois these past few months, hopefully that will excuse the lack of updates.

The holiday season took me north 200 miles to a town called Kandi (kahn-dee). I came for a safari in one of the national parks and a New Years Celebration. It was a great get away. I was really feeling worn down by school work and the respite allowed me to regain my strength.

After the trip I was ready to burry myself in a mountain of work. Which was exactly what I did when I got home. Deciding that my Moringa project, art club, Brush Brigade (tooth brushing club), library expansion, and teaching weren't quite enough; I found myself looking for more to do. I struck gold, twice, I am now also designing and organizing an AIDS-centered talent competition and helping a local business group get a coop built so that they have the infrastructure necessary to grow their fowl-raising business.

So I've been running around my commune (county) opening new markets for Moringa powder with SA.D.E.C. (pics). Its been a challenge but a lot of fun. Every week we visit a new health center and meet with about 40 new mothers and the babies strapped to their backs. SADEC runs ah hour to and hour and a half presentation on malnutrition, anemia, then launches into Moringa as a dietary supplement to prevent/treat such cases. So far the reaction has been very positive. Everybody loves us and the product is moving that is all I can really ask for at this point. We meet at least once a week to workaround out glitches and jump hurdles.

The Coop project has been running in overdrive for a week or so now since my work partner told me that the US Embassy called him and said they would be there in two weeks for a visit. We wrote the request for aid a bit over a year ago so just about nothing was ready. We have been scrambling to pull things together and get the group prepped. The project coordinator from the embassy comes this Tuesday and we should hear more soon after that. I'm sure there will be fried guinea fowl for lunch and stories to tell.

I'm in Cotonou of for the weekend and doing my best to get as much done as possible. I've picked up the toothpaste for my brigade which should be kicking off Feb 2nd; Pictures and stories to follow. I've also received my books from the nice people at Darien Book Aid Plan, so library expansion should take place this week, if there is shelf space.

So my days have been sunrise to can't-speak-French-anymore o'clock, but I'm loving it.