latetst update

Hey y'all,
Sorry it's been a while. Things are good here. I finished my big health care training for my neighborhood health committees (NHCs). It went well, and from the post test it looked like people learned stuff ;) Now we are having them do 'health assignments' every month like village inspections--basic assessment things to practice what we taught them and move in the direction of health interventions eventually. We'll see how it goes, I would love for them all to get to at least doing latrine building in their areas and sensizations so people use them ;) But if nothing else the training helped with economic development of the area, cause we bought alot of goats, chickens, veggies, from the farmers in the area to feed the participants during training ;) Also, the training served as a indirect gift donation drive, because we had drink cartons from our tea break drink of maheyo, which is a corn based drink here. The kids in the area scooped up the empty drink cartons and used them to make toy cars with ;) So every kid in my immediate village has a toy semi now, ahhh indirect benefits and recycling as well ;) Now we are working to get an clinic orchid with fruit trees that the NHCs will take care of and sell the fruits. It could be really good cause then patients get good nutrition options, the NHCs get a small income generating project which proceeds they can use for other interventions in their area later maybe some boreholes, and I get a mock market in my area--very exciting ;) I'm also working with the district and a local ngo to get mosquito nets provided to my area and to do a traditional birth attendant training. I'll keep you posted. But work is good.

In the village things are ok. My favorite part of walking through the village is sometimes little kids come up to me a greet me, this is standard. But now they are saying 'Muli Banji Amama Laura?" (aka how are you mother laura (which is super respectful) ;) Super cute!!!! A huge improvement from screaming musungu (aka whittie) ;) So I'm loving the kids, at times they make my whole day better when they run up excited to greet me ;) One of the kids in the village sticks her hand out to greet me whenever she sees me, which is soo cute, and much better than crying when she sees me--which happens still sometimes ;)

Lately it's been getting very hot, so my mud hut is becoming a sauna. Anyone want to visit my spa? ;) Rob and I are planning a trip to lake malawi, again anything to get to water ;) Other things are funny as normal, like Rob grew a beard, normal. But he had other friends of his grow them as well, he called it beared Benzy (friend) month and at the end of the month they did designs with their facial hair like sideburns, etc. It's hilarous how men bond, but cute nontheless ;) Rob had his b-day last month. We came to the PC house and went out to eat with friends, indian food--amazing! I also made a cake for him and some others did too, man he is spoiled ;) But he deserves it. I even made pot roast for him, it was a very domestic wifey weekend for me, but fun ;) I made pad thai in the village the other day, and it was amazing! I try more things cooking wise here then I ever would in the states cause no take out options here ;( It ended up being really good but again anything different we make in the village always seems more amazing then it probably would, than say if we lived by a quality thai food place ;) Some of you have been writing emails to me, thank you very much for the messages. But I don't see them often, so I wrote you snail mail letters back cause that's a better form of regular communication for me. I have gotten a few letters though, awesome! So I hope to see your letters back sometime ;) I miss you all tons. Hope to hear from you when you get a chance.