Training day two!

Well after yesterday I was prepared for the chaos....NOT! I stayed up REALLY late trying to compare the list of health reps I had with the list of 51 Nuru Groups and the specified health rep - did they attend my training, did they attend the Base Education Agriculture training, is their name spelled right, are they even in the same Nuru group on both lists, what is their individual number that I need to write on their training graduation certificate...this took ENTIRELY too long. But hey...it had to be done...I'm sure there's a better way to do it than to hand write each group out, but at 1am I really couldn't figure out what it was. (Today I created a spreadsheet, and that was even before Nescafe and a shower). 

Random interjection: Why do I get random calls at 9:30 pm two nights in a row? Jake just had to rescue me from the phantom caller. People here are relentless. If you don't answer they CALL BACK! a lot!

This morning this is just a small number of chaotic things...the list I hand wrote turned out not to be the info Jake could use, so I redid it (I was committed - wanted it done before he left at 8:30 for a meeting). I finally sit down to eat something at 9:30, and right at that time Philip who is leaving has to talk to me about something. I finish and put a kettle of water on the stove to boil for a "shower" and the gas goes out. Philip is going to the town where you can get gas so I try to really fast, take the fitting off the gas tank so he can take it with him, explaining to him he'll now need to take a taxi instead of boda boda.  As I'm working, Philip and Nicole are discussing something, Eunice is in our house filling out graduation certificates, someone is outside yelling for us to greet them, and I notice that perhaps the reason the gas stopped flowing was bc the tube had a HUGE gash in it. So, I'm trying to find and attach our new hose (I'm still in my PJs) and test the gas tank to make sure it's not out of gas. All before Philip leaves. People are asking what I'm doing...I'm trying to do it quickly...I have to boil water to pour it on the tube to make it go over the fitting (little trick my dad taught me ;) If you need anything plastic to be malleable just get some Hot water on it). Boiling water takes me finding the electric kettle first. 

 ===== OK GOD!!! You've got my attention. Today's gonna be chaos huh?! thought so ======

After some more delays, I finally take a "shower", START thinking about my training, try to call my trainer Nelly (no phone connection), start walking to Isebania to get a Boda Boda, get my handouts and more phone credits at the local printers - realize I don't have enough money to PAY them!!!! ask for an IOU, get on Boda Boda and go to Nyametaburo. 

I work from my "office" for a while...the grass outside of the Health Center.

Then Lunch at the local hotel (hotel = food joint, no sleeping option) and Nicole is there, and Doug and Jake roll in a few mins later. The place is PACKED with people we know, and it's kinda fun to have this moment together. Nic has to pay for me (no funds) and I go to the church for our 2nd day of training.

Nelly and I did a review of the Malaria info from yesterday, and then we taught them how to treat nets. The tabs to do this are free! and we also talked about sewing holes. This is the part of the day I love!!!! (except for not wearing ANY sunscreen and having the REDDEST nose I've ever had) The are so engaged. They are participating. They are all standing really close. They're awesome. I pray they love being a part of the change for their community. 

After this we're back in the classroom to talk about the 2nd most common cause of morbidity here...Respiratory Tract Infections. Made em roll their backs and pull up their knees while sitting to try and breath as deep as they just had when I had them sit up straight. Nelly told me after the training that they did not know a lot of what was taught, and they were amazed to learn about it. They didn't know about Mucous, about the components of the respiratory system, about the presence of infection if the mucous is yellow or green, about the dangers of smoke and dust to breathing. 

I love teaching, even being witness to teaching - Nelly ROCKED IT! and is wonderful is so many ways. We had some people show up today that didn't yesterday - they have to make it up. And tomorrow they will graduate as a certificate carrying member of Nuru, and Thursday they will graduate as the first group of Nuru Health Representatives! In-freaking-credible! 

This is me saying "how many holes does your net have to have for a mosquito to get it? One! It only takes one." Nelly is holding up the needle and yarn (no thread) for a volunteer to show how to sew holes. 

All the chaos of the day can not take any of the joy of doing what I feel most alive doing! It's so amazing to live fully alive!