I could also have tagged this as ‘who needs M&S food?’. The regular diet of folk out here is not unexpected, after all this is the middle of a 250 km2 refugee settlement, which is still home to 190,000 or so folk displaced from their homes and lives by a civil war; rice, posho,… Read More »
I’m sorry but I couldn’t take a photo for this one, not without it being rude and hitting the stereotype “great white saviour” NGO type, which I am absolutely not. Anyway, we are putting in a new water main – I think I already shared some H&S stuff around the drilling rig. The guys digging… Read More »
It has been unusually lonely so far on this trip. Yes the people have been wonderful and welcoming, there is always someone to talk to, about anything and everything. It may not be so fancy these days, but I can put 2 SIM cards in my phone. So I have added a SIM for one… Read More »
Quite an adventure last night, driving into the town (Yumbe) at around 5, to drop off a short term volunteer at their hotel, and head back to my 10’x10’ at the Disability Centre in the middle of the Refugee Settlement. It’s about 20km, very rough roads so you have to go steady (and I go… Read More »
I can’t tell you what a wonderful day it is today. The drilling team finally arrive, 10 days late. Did I say already that East Africa Time (EAT) is both a thing and a concept? It is an internationally recognised Time Zone: GMT +3. So, I am two hours ahead of y’all in BST. And… Read More »
I bought a little charcoal burner for cooking on. The problem is that the petrol here is so dodgy everything is covered in soot and I think my little burner is going to see a premature end. Besides which it was meant for boiling water fast, not letting things simmer. It was pasta night, though… Read More »
Living Water is the name of the charity that dug a new well at the hospital we support in Haiti. As we all know, life is so very precious. But so too is water; because water is life. Here at the Disability Centre (in Bidi Bidi Base Camp, Zone 1, Health Centre 3, to give… Read More »
It’s clear life is much more basic here. Which is entirely what I expected; you can’t live in a refugee settlement and expect the creature comforts. I’m used to cold showers, no AC (whatever the temperature), intermittent power, limited (or no) availability of (previously-essential) stuff, no labour saving devices and I suppose also no spontaneity. … Read More »
Easter Weekend, as in the UK there are Bank Holidays on both Friday and Monday. It’s quiet at the Disability Centre, all the staff have gone home. I head into town, Yumbe, to find a Catholic Church for the Service at 3. Google maps helps a bit, but it is about half a mile out! … Read More »
Saturday, I am grateful for the weekend. I don’t have jet-lag, just tired from missing sleep. Anyway I’m heading into Yumbe, the nearest town (20 miles away), for supplies. Top of the list is a fan (no fun lying in bed sweating, let me tell you), but I also want some cooking pots, more water,… Read More »