feeling positive

It is Friday 23rd march lunch time and I thought I would write you a note, depending if the battery lasts on my laptop.
I am at my home, I have been out this am supervising one of the fieldworkers and have returned from base. When I was out it was sad to see a boy that a month previous had good sitting balance, no longer able to sit, up or even roll over. It looks as if he has been left lying for the last month, his parents were out at the farm so we could not speak to them.
This afternoon I am doing some training for the new fieldworkers, not sure what on yet, Andy has gone to a synod meeting today to try to raise some funds for the project.

We are going into the town tomorrow so may be able to send this email. We are staying with another uk volunteer who lives there. I am looking forward to eating some food tonight that is not rice and stew or beans. I am getting used to the food, and often eat out of comfort not because it tastes good.
The residents here have gone out today which is very good as this is the first time since we have been here that it has happened. Part of the problem seems to be the coordinator of the project has no clinical experience especially working with learning disabilities. I was asking him yesterday if we could arrange a residents meeting. So that we can find out there views and how things can be improved, he kept saying it is not possible, and they can not give their opinion. With a bit of creativity I believe all people can be heard. The atmosphere in this place is not always good, and the family house seems to be ruled by fear, not love. But there are some good workers and at least the place exists. The staff just seem not to have good management or be appreciated, or visioned.
There is only so much we can do as we do not work at the family house but separate projects
But on a more positive note, the deaconess here seemed happy when we suggested taking some residents out two at a time, and a date has been arranged for this.

Last night afterwork we played ludo, which we bought at the market with one of the residents, and a child who is living here. It was much fun the resident kept wanting to roll the dice the whole time.

Next weekend we are hoping to go away to Calibar, I think that the break will do us good, we hope it will not rain as it is the start of the rainy season.

We are still struggling how to build in rest into our lives. Living and working on site is hard.

Also it is interesting to look at how little freedom we have compared to the UK. I have been used to operating in a low control high accountability environment. Here it is the opposite, there is much control and low accountability.
We hear gospel messages twice a day , yet behavior remains unchanged, I wonder what they would make to the idea of huddles, where people can meet and challenge each other, with humility. I do not think that people are used to admitting their frailties, and get very defensive very quickly.

we had a good weekend i rode a motor bike, and i also met up with another Nigerian Martha, i am sure with time we will become good friends

a picture of collecting water and prime minister house

its rained

They said it would start to rain and we have experienced some, and yes it does pour when it rains.
I think that our last blog must have sounded a bit negative, so i want to share with you some of the good things that have happened this week.
It is mothering sunday which lasts all week, and i was invited to speak on how to surive difficult times in the presbeterian church. I hope to be able to attend some of their service on sunday.

I also went to one of the staff's houses that I work with Uzoma, she welcomed me well, and was a much friendlier character than at work, and i had some hot chocolate.

Also here in the internet cafe we have bumped into Martha who works at Amaudo 1.

My job is going well and it is a great privalege to be welomed into peoples home and try to help them with their children.
I have been trying to build up relationships with the local primeministers and church leaders, as they can ensure the exerises continue once we are gone. To welcome people, they give you cola, which is a bitter nut that contains tobacco, or garden eggs. that are like bitter raw courgette. Also you put a mark of chalk on you to show you have been welcomed.
Throug meeting these leaders we have got new referrals and tried to give the parents some hope, some of the referals it is sad. If the child had been referred at age 2 we could much more than at 11 years.

Andy is well, he has been visiting bishops this week trying to get money for Amaudo.

still hot

We have been here 3 weeks now, the exciting phase seems to be coming to an end and this is our life now for a year. We are finding it a challenge to adapt to community life and to understand what is expected of us and if we should try to negotiate things. I think much of our difficulties are to do with us being used to having our freedom and our spare time.
Anydy is riding his bike to and from Amaudo and i can now go round in a slow circle on a bike, i do not really fancy riding on the roads here.

We drank some guiness the other day. ehcih was a welcomed treat and i have discovered i like NIgerian Larger.
Andy has been finding the food a challenge and does not want to eat a lot of food.

We are going to try to arrange what jobs needing doing here for the trip in the summer.

Our jobs are going ok, but there is so much to do, and little rest sometimes.
Missing you all, but can now make an english cup of tea.

Please continue to pray for us and gettting involved with a local chirch, our wish but in conflict with Amaudo, and making some more friends, though there are people who have really blessed us.

Hazel and Andy