Bush is on the horizon

Today is the last day of the two week workshop that
we've had. It has been actually fairly good and I
have picked up some ideas and the most important, information.
In the village there isn't any TV reception and the people
are virtually out of the loop. As mentioned before in prior
blog articles there is radio reception for a limited time
during the day. It just isn't enough and the people need
to have access to information if they ever hope to be able
to not get left behind in their own country.
So, I was very fortunate to be able to get a few books and
a computer program or two that is just filled with good
info. It is my job to make sure that it gets out there and
the people have an interest to open their minds.
After the workshop finished at 4:00 p.m. I decided to
do a wind down walk to get moving again. I had my
little music player with headphones and I had it on
shuffle or random. As I was walking down a little hill
( in picture ) ... Louis Armstrong's song came on ... What
a Wonderful World ... I have to say that between the beauty
of Namibia and the song it just hit me like a ton of brick ...
it can be a wonderful world at times. And that I am so lucky and
grateful to be where I am and doing what I am doing. It isn't
easy all the time but it is that part also that makes it the
wonderful experience that it is.
I am ready to get back to the village and tomorrow we will
all head out and some back to their respective challenges.
I am ready to bring new information and do whatever I can
to help.
It is difficult to stay on the periphery emotionally so as not to
get discouraged or disappointed and eventually so negative
as to become virtually useless.
I remember once reading or listening to some expert in something
say that ... hope is for losers. After living where I have and seeing
what I've seen, I am totally sure that this person has never faced
what the majority of the people living out in rural villages on the
illusive dollar a day has. I have seen that hope was and is the
only factor that gets these people out of bed everyday to go out
and struggle to survive.
The village I am in isn't quite as bad as the ones in El Salvador
or Senegal. It has a different challenge and that is of alcoholism
which was so much brought on from the change of their historical
lifestyle ( hunter/gatherer) to agriculturalist. That is what it is and
that is the work, challenge the sadness and the joy. They are all
encompassed in the package that is the village.
Again, I am ready to dive in and leave it all on the field by the time
my time is over.
With this rejuvenation and hope, I am looking forward to the next
20 months.
And for feeling that way, I am thinking that it is a wonderful world.