Library

Hello there, lovely readers!  If you talk to me on a semi-regular basis, you've already heard about this because I won't shut up about it. You guys can still enjoy the pictures though.... if you don't talk to me, first of all, you probably should, and second...Enjoy :) Several months ago I decided to start a small "library" at my after school organization KAYEC. I got this idea because my kids kept asking me for story books to read and I had nothing to give them. Those who know me know that approximately 80 percent of my life is spent with my nose in a book. It's my heart and soul. As such, this simply broke my heart. No child should have to want for something to read.  So the search began. I started researching Namibian companies who might be interested in donating as I don't really believe in foreign donations (seems odd i'm sure, as i'm a Peace Corps Volunteer, but maybe that's a blog for another time). I didn't have much luck. Eventually, I decided I was wasting precious time and decided to dip into the vast well of resources my American heritage offers. A fellow volunteer told me about a volunteer run organization called Darien Book Aid that will send one box of books to Peace Corps Volunteers. I contacted them and after a few emails everything was sorted.  It took a couple months for the books to arrive. So, while we waited, my co-worker and I had to figure out where we were going to put the books once they arrived. I wanted to keep them in a cabinet of some kind to further ensure their safety. At the time, we did have a cabinet in the office but it just had a bar in it for hanging clothes; there were no shelves. With the help of a few local workers and just a few more Namibian dollars, we were able to have some shelves built and put in! I didn't have the foresight to take a before picture, but here's an after! 

Also, in the meantime, I created a "committee" to "run" the "library" lol The committee consists of three girls who are almost always at our program. They are in charge of checking the books in and out everyday. I decided to make it a "library" with a check in/out style because I wanted to ensure the books would stay at our center and wouldn't wonder off. So, everyday the books that are checked out, should also be checked back in. The kids can re-check out the same book the next day to continue reading, if need be. Check out my little librarian leaders at work :)

These kids were SO excited the day the books came in. I didn't tell them they were coming so it was a complete surprise :)

Everyday. EVERYDAY, these kids come to our center and read. They are so passionate about it and it just makes my heart melt. Even though it's not very many books; we barely  have more than one shelf, this has definitely been my favorite project so far. 

The three girls who run the library have even donated a few of their personal books from home to our little cause. I was uncertain of accepting them at first. I know they can't have many books at home, so I asked if they were sure; didn't they ever want to read them again? They answered, "Miss, we want other kids to be able to read them too." yeah. These kids are my world. 

Holiday Adventure

**Disclaimer**  This blog post contains pictures of a semi-nude nature. It is the way of the Himba tribe women and is purely cultural. If semi-female nudity is offensive or inappropriate to your beliefs please choose another blog post to enjoy. 

World Hunger

Hey guys,  Many of you know by now that I'm considering extending my Peace Corps Service for an extra year. In an effort to better explain my rationale behind this decision I've written the following .... essay? short story?  I'm not sure what it is. I've written a few of them on various aspects of my life over the years but I thought this one needed to be shared. I hope this helps you understand what this decision truly means to me. 

World Hunger Have you ever felt like you HAD to do something? Like deciding to do it was the RIGHT thing? Like you were meant to do it? Like every minuscule moment and every important memory in your life was specifically designed to prepare you for this undeniable destiny? Like the elaborate story of your life was written long before your being was ever conceived of and you've finally figured out the plot? Like every heart break you thought you'd never survive, every devastatingly disappointing experience, every laugh, every tear, every piece of thread you've had to use to stitch yourself back together again was all a stone on the winding path you were designed to walk? 

It's like that. I've seen where my labyrinth is trying to lead me;
where it NEEDS me to go. 

Most people have this feeling of unwavering certainty about more conventional life goals: marriage, children, 2 car garage, etc. I've never been certain about any of those. For me, the feeling is like an instant gratification telling me I'm on the right path after I've decided to pursue something. My feeling of undeniable certainty allowed me to feel conviction in my decision to drop out of high school. It gave me the courage to get my GED and start community college. It gave me the knowledge that I needed to get a degree in social work. It told me I'd need to succeed in achieving my master's degree. It led me to Gamma Phi Beta. It was there, lighting a fire deep inside my gut, the first time I heard about Peace Corps. It slowly kindled the embers over the years until the time came to apply for the program and the fire surged back to life with a vengeance. Now, as I contemplate extending a third year in Peace Corps, the feeling of absolute certainty is a roaring inferno consuming my entire being.  

Intense, right? 

My dad once told me he felt his children had great potential to be someone of grand importance one day. I think he was right. The ultimate meaning behind the creation of my existence is to make a difference. I believe my life's battle will be forged in the name of oppression. It has become my responsibility to lift shield and sword for women who are beaten for their individuality rather than valued for their brilliance; to give voice to children's cries of pain and hunger; to unscrew the cap of the tightly bottled screams of fear inside gay men and women. The world is hungry and so am I- for equality.  

I want to show women what it means to be independent and successful. I want to take a child's hands in my own and show them their voice matters and they can be heard. I want to teach them how to make a difference; that they aren't limited to their village. I want to teach men how beautiful it can be to work with women when they are respected and valued. It's my passion to join the global fight for human rights. 

 I know these battles can, and need to be fought back home. The simple fact is that these people need me more. My impact reaches a far greater distance here. All of this is not to say I've made the decision already. I still have a lot of variables to consider. All I'm trying to portray is the intense feeling that I'm MEANT to stay. 

I hope that helps some of you to understand a little better.
Until next time, Readers!