Lewru Siwtaare--The Month of Rest, Ramadan

Is it even possible for me to get any more rest in village? During Ramaddan it is. I have enjoyed this month to the utmost degree. After the hussle and bussle of America and the continuous doldrums of seminars (many of which were very helpful) during our Close-of-Service in chaotic Yaounde I triumphantly arrived back to village (Of course to hoards of kids shouting and welcoming me upon my arrival.) After catching up on much needed sleep and sleeping in about 6 hours past when most get up in village, to a rebellious 9 a.m., for a few days, I was good to go and started to undertake the joys of fasting…
Although I am not fasting for religious or spiritual reasons, I have learned a lot during my fasting process. 1. You can survive without eating for 24 hours 2. Eating makes life more interesting 3. Without eating one’s energy level dramatically abates, i.e. running not recommended 4. The best way to not be thirsty is to shut yourself in your house, bar your windows from the kids, curl up in bed and read or nap. Fasting makes me appreciate the trials that my friends, colleagues and neighbors have to go through. The best part of course is breaking of the fast; i.e. a mini party each night, where families gorge themselves on three or four course meals, until approximately 10 pm, that are loaded with sugary and oily delights, only to wake up again 5 hours later and eat before the sun rises. It’s quite the cycle which that leads to the mighty holiday of the End of Ramadan. In a small village that’s all that anyone talks about—the holiday. My friends say that in the Koran it is written that one should buy new clothes if they can for the holiday. Thus, everyone tries to buy new clothes for their families and spends the money they could be spending on sending their kids back to school on clothes. The women spend hours a day preparing for the fete; getting their hair done and putting henna on their feet and hands. Although this lunar month has been nice for my sleep, I will be glad to get back to my normal metabolic schedule and not feel like I’m going to pass out come 4 p.m.
In addition to fasting, I have been getting some work done and certain instances have been quite encouraging. Namely, it has been great to see the progression of many women’s groups that I have helped to start and organize. These groups went from being very informal to large, organized meetings in months! It’s amazing. The groups, generally comprised of about 30-60 members, (mainly female) get together each month, form small village banking structures, and have all done projects such as planting bean, corn, soy or potato fields. I’m excited to see the groups reap their, hopeful benefits that will come if they continue to work together and mobilize. In addition to working in the cadre of women’s group mobilization I’m still working to bring health supplies to 4 of the villages to help them undergo pre-natal exams en brousse. This project will aide the women not have to travel up to 60 km to health centers to do pre-natal exams, not to mention the costs. Instead the nurses will come to the villages during their routine monthly vaccination schedule and help to toned-down pre-natal consuls. Of course en brousse it is impossible to do complete blood and urine tests. Each village is getting; a scale, fetus scope, blood pressure screening and meter ribbon to help measure the correct development of their pregnancies. Prior to going home to the states in August, women in the villages, who are also part of the women’s groups were trained to help monitor the progress of pregnant women in their respective locales. Ultimately, we are trying to not only mobilize women but also guide them to help ameliorate the maternal and child health in their villages.
The main discouraging event that has happened this month was probably my moto accident. No I was not driving the moto. The moto driver’s moto fell apart and some contraption of the moto became stuck in the wheel thus causing us to topple over. This was about the fourth moto problem he had had along the route. Moto problem Number 3 which led up to the accident, occurred when we were stuck in the middle of a cow field where I thought I would have to spend the night, dozens of km away from even a hut. Thank goodness we were not on concrete. Thank goodness I was wearing my helmet. Thank you PC for imbedding in us the importance of helmet wearing! Although I’m quite sore and scratched up from the fall, as was the moto driver, we came out of the wreck alive. Alahumdulilay. I’m just ready to get back to cars and paved roads in the states.
Well that’s a summation of some of the cultural and work under goings I have been up to. Hope this finds everyone well! Happy Autumn to everyone back home in the US!
Peace, Ali