Hello there,
I hope that all of you that are reading this are well and that is not so with you please let me know that I may pray for you. So here I am at the near end of August, time sure is flying. I still have some moments where I stop and think for just a second to myself and I say "wow, I am really doing this. I am really here." Even though I have been in country for around 17 months, every once in a while I am just amazed at myself, surprised that I have made it this far, makes me feel like I can take on anything! But with the 17 months behind me that means that there are only 10 ahead...that to me is crazy too! I feel like I have so much more I want to do here and I am not sure that 10 months will allow for it all, but on the other side I am ready to get back to what I left back in the States, of living in a culture that I understand and being around a language that I am completely fluent in. At the same time I am thinking of how much I want to get back to the States, I am really trying to take it all in here, knowing that one day I will be among the beautifully simple culture here. I am trying to absorb as many of the moment that I can, storing them away for a day when I will look back in my life and remember this experience.
They say here that for most volunteers, the second year is a whole lot better than the first. I think mine will definitely be going that way. My first year was a challenge to find my bearings and figure out how to best carry out my work here. I still don't feel like I understand it as much as I would like to but I have a pretty good grip of how I can best work here. Between now and the end of my service, I will have the opportunity to carry out health infrastructure projects that will help families improve their health. Projects could be one of the following: Improved Cookstoves (to help decrease exposure to smoke that is plentiful when they cook over open fires), Cement floors (helps decrease cases of diarrhea and respiratory illnesses), and latrines (again helps decrease cases of diarrhea with the proper disposal of human waste). We had a conference 2 weeks back with Peace Corps on how to build these projects and also in the management of the projects. It's going to be a good chunk of work but I am looking forward to taking it on for the sake of learning this new skill. We will have to do some grant writing to obtain funds for our projects. I am anticipating it to be stressful experience but a great learning opportunity. And for those of you who may be wondering about making donations, at this time I don't believe that I will be needing them. Peace Corps has a decent amount of money to help with the projects but I might find a need for funds in other areas and in case I will let you all know.
Happy August everyone. God's blessings to those who are heading back to school soon!
Kelsey
