It's starting... IT'S HERE!

Well my past month has been excellent. Seems like a broken record I realize but I honestly love my life here. No cause for complaint and ever turn of the corner brings a new reason to smile.

I think I've narrowed down my focus for the rest of my time in Niger to working with malnourished babies and the disabled children in my village. I've begun work with a local NGO and a US doctor (who is a RPCV from Cote d'Ivore). Basically we do massage therapy and I go visit the mothers and help encourage them along when Moussa who works with the NGO-PRAHN) and Jennifer aren't there. Basically I just give these kids some attention. Hold their hands and walk around as they can't support their body weight.

My other project working with the malnourished kids has been rewarding and all-together difficult. I had avoided the hospital with everything in me because the first time I went there I saw a severely malnourished baby, who later died. I figured that if I worked there on a regular basis I would get depressed and et. Suddenly it dawned on me one day that I just being outright selfish. I have the knowledge to help these mothers and I should be doing all I can to help the most people I can... these 8 months have flown by I can only imagine the next year will be a blur. So I took one of my villagers and her malnourished baby to the hospital where I met Halima. I think she will be my counterpart,she's really enthusiastic about her job and she's my age. Anyways the baby I took there was Jamilla who after weight & height measurements was determined moderately malnourished (all I can say is I NEVER want to see severely malnourished). She was immediately put on a rehabilitation program and lots of medicine was literally shoved down her throat. After a long week in the hospital she bounced back and has gained so much weight! All the women in my village are convinced they too will stay in the hospital for a week with their babies when I come around to visit.

In other news International Women's Day was March 8th so me and my best friend in the village Amina celebrated. I bought the meat, since I have more money that I know what to do with, and she cooked the Nigerien dish. While I made "American food"... which was lots of veggies chopped up with a cheese-esque sauce... I call it cheesy goodness. It was a good memory and we talked all about how the women in Niger are suffering. She was taken aback when i told her I'm not going to take my husbands last name and that I would never ask for his permission to do anything. Her reply was "GOD IS BIG" basically Oh my God. The next week was her 23rd birthday and I have been talking about it for months. I wanted to give her a "American birthday". Most Nigerien's don't know their birthday much less have a big celebration so I made sure she felt special. And after her surprise party she said she just didn't have the words to express her gratitude and that she would never forget that day, and she hugged me. She initiated the hug! this never happens in Niger...oh happy day! Mind you we had a small dinner with 5/6 other women and I strung up a big poster in her concession. Oh Amina! Puts into focus how much we focus on the material and not the actual relationships.

And lastly hot season is here. All my villagers keep saying it's starting it's starting to which I reply IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE!!! Today it will get up to 108... and the highest temperatures are still nearly a month away. In case you ever want to check up on me and see just what I'm going through go to http://www.wunderground.com/global/NR.html. From about 10-5 I'm inside my hut because when the wind blows it's a lot like opening an oven... not very refreshing to say the least. I say all of this not to complain but just have a "cross cultural" exchange so you can learn about Niger.

Oh and lastly health update. The only update I have is to tell you I'm not "updating" you anymore. You are all worrying too much so just imagine me in perfect health and we'll all be able to sleep better at night. OK well you'll be sleeping and I'll be tending to my heat rash... either or.

Take care of you...