Friday, February 17, 2006
Pictures?
Hi blog-readers! Just a quick note from Lisa HS. I've had many requests for posting more pictures of/from Jenell. I've posted all the ones we have received. Apparently it is difficult for Jenell to send them via email. However, she told me yesterday that she had sent us a package with her camera memory card. When we get that-in about 2 months? :-{ I will post more pictures. Thanks for your patience. FYI When Jenell called she had been at her friend Jess' site for several days and then was traveling to Accra for some Peace Corps business. She was in good spirits and was very thankful for the mail and packages folks have sent- although apparently a mouse had eaten several Luna bars out of one of the packages en route!
Lisa HS
Lisa HS
Keeper email from Jenell Feb 6, 2006
KEEPER
I quickly wanted share my highlight for the last few weeks:
I have been helping to organize a football (soccer) match for children as a way to gather children together for guinea worm education. specifically for education on using pipe filters, which are 1/2 in. thick plastic straws with a filter in the end to be worn around the neck and used to filter out guinea worm larvae from the water. I have been painting pipe filters with bright colors and fun designs for awhile hoping to make pipe filters the livestrong bracelet of mpaha :D.
I was so happy with the ending of the game that I was able to overlook being out-voted on letting girls and children who aren't in school play. There were more goats on the field than girls!! They were, however, present to hear the message and get a pipe filter. The match, played between the two primary schools in town, was a draw and came down to shots on the goalie. It wasn't until this point that I even noticed that one of the keepers had severely deformed feet. His feet were only about 4 inches long, turned in, and completely folded over, and he was fantastic!!! He jumped and dove after each shot with everything he had, and he saved all but one shot... winning the match for his team!!!
I waded my way through a mob of children towards the keeper, shook his hand, and said, "Issah, fo ra aso." (Issah, you've down well.) When the other children saw this they picked him up onto their shoulders and carried him across the dusty field toward the mango where the pipe filters and prizes (biscuits/cookies) waited for them. I started the children on chanting his name. I wish I could better articulate how beautiful it was to watch this boy become a hero on the dusty field as the sun set behind the mango tree.
{At the mango tree the mob of children were controlled by the quick swing of tree branches from adults.... I can only look the other way... one battle at a time.}
After the prizes were given his teammates picked him up again and they carried him (with 1/2 the children in town following behind) all the way through town to his house!!
Overall a success if only to see the look on the keeper's face as he was brought home. Until next time.
jenell
I quickly wanted share my highlight for the last few weeks:
I have been helping to organize a football (soccer) match for children as a way to gather children together for guinea worm education. specifically for education on using pipe filters, which are 1/2 in. thick plastic straws with a filter in the end to be worn around the neck and used to filter out guinea worm larvae from the water. I have been painting pipe filters with bright colors and fun designs for awhile hoping to make pipe filters the livestrong bracelet of mpaha :D.
I was so happy with the ending of the game that I was able to overlook being out-voted on letting girls and children who aren't in school play. There were more goats on the field than girls!! They were, however, present to hear the message and get a pipe filter. The match, played between the two primary schools in town, was a draw and came down to shots on the goalie. It wasn't until this point that I even noticed that one of the keepers had severely deformed feet. His feet were only about 4 inches long, turned in, and completely folded over, and he was fantastic!!! He jumped and dove after each shot with everything he had, and he saved all but one shot... winning the match for his team!!!
I waded my way through a mob of children towards the keeper, shook his hand, and said, "Issah, fo ra aso." (Issah, you've down well.) When the other children saw this they picked him up onto their shoulders and carried him across the dusty field toward the mango where the pipe filters and prizes (biscuits/cookies) waited for them. I started the children on chanting his name. I wish I could better articulate how beautiful it was to watch this boy become a hero on the dusty field as the sun set behind the mango tree.
{At the mango tree the mob of children were controlled by the quick swing of tree branches from adults.... I can only look the other way... one battle at a time.}
After the prizes were given his teammates picked him up again and they carried him (with 1/2 the children in town following behind) all the way through town to his house!!
Overall a success if only to see the look on the keeper's face as he was brought home. Until next time.
jenell
