We landed in Burundi around 6:00pm Burundi time on Friday...dropping through a thick layer of white clouds. It's been raining here for a few days...reports of roads that normally take 1.5 hours to drive now take 4. It was a delight to step off the plane into the moist air laced with wood fire smoke (we could see many many fires as we were landing) especially after the dryness of the long plane ride.
Eve Ensler and Christine Schuler Deschryver (the director of City of Joy) were waiting for us. They came on board and it was a total love fest. So many of the folks on this trip have worked with Eve for a long, long time and have been involved with COJ from the beginning. So, it is incredibly emotional to see one another again in Congo. I get that it is also quite overwhelming for Christine to have so much support for her women. Not only are there 22 people on board who believe in her program and are fierce supporters but there are 10,000 pounds of greatly needed supplies in the cargo hold.
We file through the airport with our carry-ons. We are quite a sight...a river of white women and men speaking English. Lots of onlookers...plus no doubt the plane was a spectacle as well.
We were greeted by a handful of folks from the Village Health Center here in Burundi. Fairly new...only been up n' running since 2008 based on the Paul Farmer model. They do have in-patient capability but no surgery yet and have over 100 health educators and child birth educators that work in the surrounding area. The group with the 11th Hour Project (part of the Schmidt Family Foundation) are meeting with the health center tomorrow to learn more and consider potential funding for them.
Iam leaving for Congo tomorrow. Won't get to seethe health center. Kind of bummed about that but am working on just going with the flow and being along for the ride. I will leave with Eve, Christine, the 5 Mayo docs and two other Vday supporters. The rest of the group will meet us in Bukavu on Sunday.
I am regretting to no end that I brought the Ipad instead of my computer as a mode for staying in touch. The Ipad is very hard to blog on so please bear with all of the typos. Often I can't see the part of the page that I am currently typing on. Ah yes, as Lib's kids say, "it's a first world problem." I am lucky to have an internet connection...it is central Africa afterall.
I am missing home quite a bit. Got a pretty good does of homesickness. I knew I would. I'mout of practice from all of this adventuring far from home. It will get easier. I find myself dragging my feet about going back to my hotel room...it feels lonely and isolated. So, here I sit atin the lounge by the pool at the Hotel du Lac de Tanganyika typing away. WE all had dinner together as big group. Food is as to be expected...kind of funkyand not that good. Though my fish wasn't bad. I've been listening to a Burundi band play Hotel California, Hey Jude and a whole host of other american favs. Pretty funny and fun to listen to.
I told Eve and Christine aobut the bowls tonight to find out how best to give them to the women at COJ. They weree touched and thrilled. IO might get to spend extra time at COJ knitting with the women teaching them some knitting tips and how to felt. Who knows...perhaps that is my purpose here/! A lot of people think it could be a gresat thing for them to learn to make and sell. I love it. Those of you who know knitters and felters who helped with the bowls who may not be following my posts, please pass along the news of how much further reaching this gift may go.
Tinme to go to bed. It is midnight here. I am mamking myself good n tired in hopes of a good night sleep. More from Congo. I will hopefully figure out how to post photos!
lots of love, ME
Friday, February 28, 2014
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Goodbye loneliness
I'm exhausted and yet cant' quite end the day. I arrived at Amy's house around 7:00pm in a total down pour. California is getting some much-needed rain. I have been so warmly welcomed and embraced. Amy and Harry, Pat & Scott, Frannie, Jane, Marcia & Hannah. All but Amy's husband, Harry, will be traveling tomorrow. The small group of the total group of travelers ranges in age from 25-70. It's fantastic. They are all intimately connected in various and often multiple ways. I am the outsider and newcomer and yet feel completely included.
Harry prepared the most delicious lentil soup I've ever had in my life. (Yes, Maryann and Marissa, I will get the recipe!) Roast chicken, salad, and close to the perfect home-baked chocolate chip cookies. My gluten-free self could not resist.
4 of us have not been to COJ before. The other half have been 2-3 times. They keep going back...it is as if they can't stay away. They are connected to the place and the women in a profound way.
There are many jokes about "the plane". For inquiring minds...I will not be allowed to take pictures of the inside. Strictly verboden. I will do my best to capture the opulence in words. The little I know so far is that there are 4 bedrooms (all going to the Mayo clinic docs who will be performing surgeries literally around the clock for the week we are in Congo. They each work 8 hours straight then rest for a stretch then back to the OR. Amazing.) Room to dance, to-die-for food. I'll fill in the details tomorrow.
I am no longer scared and no longer feel alone. I am part of this group now...slowly finding my place. There are still many to meet. I believe we are 28 total. I miss Lucas a ton, Think about him constantly. I have one of his "snugs" draped over my shoulders as I write. I didn't wash it before leaving so it smells like his beautiful self.
Bowl makers (you know who you are) I shared the story and picture of the bowls with Jane, Scott, Frannie and Pat after dinner. They are moved and blown away. They can't wait to see and touch them for real. They want to figure out a special way to present them to the women at COJ.
If the rain lets up in the morning a bunch of us are getting up to walk before the 20 hour flight ahead of us. So, off to bed I go. I am ready for this journey to begin. I guess it already has.
lots of love, ME
Harry prepared the most delicious lentil soup I've ever had in my life. (Yes, Maryann and Marissa, I will get the recipe!) Roast chicken, salad, and close to the perfect home-baked chocolate chip cookies. My gluten-free self could not resist.
4 of us have not been to COJ before. The other half have been 2-3 times. They keep going back...it is as if they can't stay away. They are connected to the place and the women in a profound way.
There are many jokes about "the plane". For inquiring minds...I will not be allowed to take pictures of the inside. Strictly verboden. I will do my best to capture the opulence in words. The little I know so far is that there are 4 bedrooms (all going to the Mayo clinic docs who will be performing surgeries literally around the clock for the week we are in Congo. They each work 8 hours straight then rest for a stretch then back to the OR. Amazing.) Room to dance, to-die-for food. I'll fill in the details tomorrow.
I am no longer scared and no longer feel alone. I am part of this group now...slowly finding my place. There are still many to meet. I believe we are 28 total. I miss Lucas a ton, Think about him constantly. I have one of his "snugs" draped over my shoulders as I write. I didn't wash it before leaving so it smells like his beautiful self.
Bowl makers (you know who you are) I shared the story and picture of the bowls with Jane, Scott, Frannie and Pat after dinner. They are moved and blown away. They can't wait to see and touch them for real. They want to figure out a special way to present them to the women at COJ.
If the rain lets up in the morning a bunch of us are getting up to walk before the 20 hour flight ahead of us. So, off to bed I go. I am ready for this journey to begin. I guess it already has.
lots of love, ME
Ready to go
I'm at Seatac airport. Hard leaving Lucas. Lib took me to the airport. Lots of tears for both of us. Hard to be going to far away with limited contact. I am out of practice with this adventure stuff!
I am flying from Seattle to San Jose, CA today. I will spend the night with a V-day board member named Amy Rao tonight. We head to the plane tomorrow morning for the flight.
"The plane" refers to the Google jet we are all flying on to Congo. Crazy, I know. Wendy Schmidt (wife of Eric Schmidt, founder and CEO of Google) is on the board of V-Day. The Schmidts also have their own family foundation an arm of which is called the 11th Hour Project. They are currently funding several efforts in the Central African region. So, the Google plane is headed there with their foundation team, V-day board members and staff, 5 doctors from Mayo clinic, a handful of supporters (like me) and 10,000 pounds of medical supplies and essential items for the women at City of Joy.
We leave CA tomorrow at 11am. Fly to London (land at 5:30am London time...they are 9 hours ahead of us). We refuel and change crew then head to Burundi. It's a well-known no-no to fly into the DRC. It is notoriously dangerous...fatal actually. So, into Burundi we go. Spend the night and then drive 2-3 hours into Congo.
I feel rather numb at I sit here at my gate...my flight is delayed...surrounded by all of these other travelers. I also feel very alone. This feels like a very big journey for me. So much unknown. Lots of deep breathing and trying to stay in the moment.
I am looking forward to staying with Amy tonight. She kind of took me under her wing as soon as I was invited on this trip. She is full of love. She will be a great comfort to me tonight.
Time to board. Gotta go. More to come.
lots of love, ME
I am flying from Seattle to San Jose, CA today. I will spend the night with a V-day board member named Amy Rao tonight. We head to the plane tomorrow morning for the flight.
"The plane" refers to the Google jet we are all flying on to Congo. Crazy, I know. Wendy Schmidt (wife of Eric Schmidt, founder and CEO of Google) is on the board of V-Day. The Schmidts also have their own family foundation an arm of which is called the 11th Hour Project. They are currently funding several efforts in the Central African region. So, the Google plane is headed there with their foundation team, V-day board members and staff, 5 doctors from Mayo clinic, a handful of supporters (like me) and 10,000 pounds of medical supplies and essential items for the women at City of Joy.
We leave CA tomorrow at 11am. Fly to London (land at 5:30am London time...they are 9 hours ahead of us). We refuel and change crew then head to Burundi. It's a well-known no-no to fly into the DRC. It is notoriously dangerous...fatal actually. So, into Burundi we go. Spend the night and then drive 2-3 hours into Congo.
I feel rather numb at I sit here at my gate...my flight is delayed...surrounded by all of these other travelers. I also feel very alone. This feels like a very big journey for me. So much unknown. Lots of deep breathing and trying to stay in the moment.
I am looking forward to staying with Amy tonight. She kind of took me under her wing as soon as I was invited on this trip. She is full of love. She will be a great comfort to me tonight.
Time to board. Gotta go. More to come.
lots of love, ME
First blog post ever
It is Monday night around 8:30. Lucas is sleeping and I am trying to figure out how to set up this blog site so I can share what I am about to experience on my trip to DRC. Hard to believe it's just 2 days away.
Not yet sure how all of this blog stuff works..,guess I'll find out with this post. I will try to post a picture of the "felted bowls of love." Bowls knit and felted by hand with so much love by family, friends and myself for the 90 women at City of Joy (drc.vday.org). How moving it was to finally see all 115 complete and together for the first time today. Lib, Maryann and the Allens were all here. We put them together on the basement rug, arranging them to maximize color and pattern. Even put them in the shape of a giant heart. When Scott came downstairs and saw them he said, "I just want to spell the word 'hope'." The bowls exude hope, abundance, joy, beauty and love. I cannot wait to give them to the women.
More to come...just want to get started to see if this works.
Big love, ME
Not yet sure how all of this blog stuff works..,guess I'll find out with this post. I will try to post a picture of the "felted bowls of love." Bowls knit and felted by hand with so much love by family, friends and myself for the 90 women at City of Joy (drc.vday.org). How moving it was to finally see all 115 complete and together for the first time today. Lib, Maryann and the Allens were all here. We put them together on the basement rug, arranging them to maximize color and pattern. Even put them in the shape of a giant heart. When Scott came downstairs and saw them he said, "I just want to spell the word 'hope'." The bowls exude hope, abundance, joy, beauty and love. I cannot wait to give them to the women.
More to come...just want to get started to see if this works.
Big love, ME
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