Thoughts from Deb Porter -August 2nd

The music practice this morning at the school (after the classes) was awesome. The eye and med clinic is important, but the blending of the two groups of talented children musicians is even more powerful. They sound great and their singing represents the bonds the children have made. We brought a great group of kids and met a great group of kids.

The disparity between the impoverished and wealthy is constantly evident. Many volunteers in Liz's program don't have cars and walk 2 miles to be a volunteer! Still there was a gorgeous yellow Ferrari parked on my street and I saw an Alfa Romeo yesterday. One student's house is a one-room hole without running water. It's the size of our computer room and there are 6 people in his family. They"live" a few blocks away in a pit. Squalor is the word that jumps into my head. This rental has running water and the use of a camp-type burner for cooking. The house that 6 of us adults are sharing has 3 large floors plus a basement.

I have taken nearly 300 pictures on my digital camera and they absolutely cannot tell the story of our experiences here. The land is so beautiful;the people so nice everywhere. It's just so foreign! Now that we've been here a week all of us have a good "feel" for the town and how to get around and buy what we need. The man in the shop next door knows Joe by name. Americans are quite popular here because when Clinton was President, the US came in and stopped the war. They act as if the Muscatine folks had something to do with it. A lady that owns the little shop by Liz was charging Muscatine kids half price (25 cents = 35 cents American -approx.) because she is grateful to Americans.

We're less shocked as our sweltering van blows past stop signs, and we refrain from flushing our toilet paper without a second thought. We're no longer surprised when we lose power and I think I've figured out how to use the washer. It holds approximately 2 adult outfits at a time. There are no dryers - just laundry racks outside.