Unexpected Visitor (2 posts)

June 21, 2008

Well, good and bad things to report in this quick post. I’ll start with the good news :) I had an unexpected visitor(s) yesterday to my site, and actually my house. Ambassador to the United States Charles Glazer, 6 high school and college students from Massachusetts and their teacher, and the security team, came by yesterday to see how a Peace Corps volunteer lives. It was kind of cool to see the whole process. They wouldn’t confirm he was coming until about midway through the day before.

All of us chatting in my house first.

Showing them my back yard (One of my visitors is standing in an antpile right now :)

Then we hustled to get our little plan together, confirm it with his security team, and then the next morning we met with them before everything got started.

The lady students that visited... all very nice girls.

Me and Ambassador Glazer

Mario, the Ambassador, and me

We hung out on my patio with my talking about my experiences here while they, and he, asked questions. After that we toured around my house, my ants welcomed the ambassador to my house as he stood on their home for a little while, that was kind of funny. We left and visited the farm of Don Mario, then climbed up to the main town where we had all our scholarship students waiting in the convent that the Padre had lent to us. I gave a short presentation to everyone and then we had a welcome by a member of the scholarship committee, and then by a student. It actually went ok, we served a medley of fruits to each person and then ended with the US and ES students exchanged a few questions between themselves and sometimes with the ambassador (although there was a lot of translation involved there). At the end of it all, the scholarship student we have that is a painter (we have funded his vocation to allow him to work with the right tools) donated two of his paintings. One he presented to the ambassador, and the other to the teacher. Then we had a basket of ES fruits that we gave and then some pics and that was it.

Me introducing our guests to the our scholarship students.

The US students, the SPN students, and the US ambassador

Finally we left through the back door to visit the parish elderly home (asilo). They all got a kick out of particularly the old guys. I would say that old ladies are much less fun J The best part was when an old guy ran down a parrot to hold for the girls to take pictures.

I would have to say the favorite part of the 7 students (all girls) was the twins next door to my house. They fell in love immediately and with the whole photo shoot that followed.
So it was a good experience, I think the US students saw a glimpse of a little bit of a different kind of life, and our scholarship students will remember that for a little while.

Me chillin' in the elderly paradise haha. The other guy is Amir who works with visas in the embassy.

Padre Tino showing us the elderly home!!

Now, the only bad news I had for the day, was that I woke up that morning with my first day of sickness I would say since I got to my site. I woke up with a cough, headache, and body ache, with led into a fever shortly after waking up. Of all days right? I took an acetaminophen in the morning to ward off the symptoms until the whole deal was over. The sweating that I did during the talk and the walkthrough the farm helped me feel more up to speed for translating, gracias a Dios, but when everything was said and done, it hit me like a ton of bricks. The symptoms kicked up and as well as the fever. I couldn’t quite go home yet though, first because their wasn’t going to be a bus or pickup because the transit police are intown molesting all the people that don’t have legal or up to date tags. So I went to Nina Delfina’s house to do my internet work because they had called me earlier that morning to let me know it had finally come back. My inbox was somewhat ridiculous. I finished my work, talked with the new guy that’s a pontifical seminarian in Monterrey, Mexico, who used to live beside Nina Delfina for a while (he wanted to practice English). He is part of the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas apparently, go figure.

After that I crashed in the bed with a large fever and sent a message to the guys in the mayor’s office asking for a ride, eventually they came by and I came home and crashed.

So is the story of the past few days, craziness. Today I feel better, the fever broke after much sweating :)

This is the guy from the elderly home that finally chased down the parakeet for the girls.

Also, the patron festivals for San Pedro Nonualco have started with the beginning of the novena yesterday. There will be a mass every evening for nine days until the closing mass on Sunday the 29th. The town is already decked out with the food and all kinds of other jazz. They are also going to crown the Miss San Pedro of the Patron Festivals tonight. Milagro (Don Raul’s youngest) is in the running so it should be interesting.

Thanks to all those who continued to sign up on the side bar for the two projects!! Only a few more spots left!

From US paper in November:

Bad rap? Hire a publicist!

“If history’s most infamous characters lived today, no doubt they’d employ people to spin their story. Perhaps like this:

Press Release May 1536:

From the Publicist of King Henry VIII

After three wonderful years of marriage, the King regrets to announce that he and his wife, Anne Boleyn, will be divorcing due to irreconcilable differences, witchcraft and treason. The King and Ms. Boleyn each leave on their own accord, and both look forward to individual pursuits. His Majesty will continue his noble reign of England, while Ms. Boleyn has chosen to have herself beheaded, as it will be best for everyone. The King asks that all subjects respect his privacy in this time of great sorrow and not mention the separation of Ms. Boleyn’s name to him ever again, for the matter is over with, and there’s no need to speak of it anymore. Also, the King announces his royal engagement party to Miss Jane Seymour, to take place tomorrow.”

Father's Day

June 18, 2008


Well, I haven’t been able to post that last entry because the internet has been knocked out here for the past week and some. Bummer, because I was waiting on some important emails and now I’m kind of lost as to what my next week will look like. There was a chance of me translating (all expenses paid, haha) in Zacatecoluca this coming week for Habitat for Humanity, but now I don’t know how that all has worked out. Also, for those who might have emailed inquiring about information on the sign-up sheets, sorry, but I’ll get back to you asap, not much I can do on my end J I laugh at the internet company here, TurboNet. They charge like $35 a month for the 1mb service and I’d say at least 5 days a month its out. This month they have already reached a week and a half. I told Nina Delfina that she needs to call and open a can on those guys…not that it will do any good, but sometimes if you act angry enough they give rebates J The bad thing right now is that there are too many options for internet here so, I feel like they don’t have to give the people much of anything.

In other news, we went out to the middle of NOWHERE this past Sunday (Father’s Day for you guys, Happy FD Papa Williams J) to play our soccer games. I mean, straight up adobe and bamboo houses, it was awesome. The first and second team won both games… 2-1 and 4-3, but I’m amazed that no one broke their ankles. That field had holes and washouts all over it…the sides of my calfs and ankles are really sore from the 3 or 4 times I thought I broke my ankle to pieces, haha. This pic cracked me up because Mercedes, daughter of Raul, is trying to get the twin to pose for a picture and her hubby is stuck with both cakes annoyed for a while dodging the kid

Finally, Father’s Day here was yesterday (Tuesday, 17th). They have it every June 17th and not every second Sunday of June….Mother’s Day works the same way here. The Lopez family though came in Saturday to celebrate Saturday night with Don Raul. The kids went in together on a cake and also a shirt and pants for him. It was pretty funny, check out some of the pics.
As far as work goes… this week FUDEM, the eye people, are coming back to different places in the municipality to turn in the prescription glasses to everyone. The last date is this Thursday, and then when the mayor gets back in town, I have to bother him until he donates the transportation to the people who needs surgeries (46) to go get the complete exam in FUDEM San Salvador.

Don Raul cutting his cake that the kids brought.

They have an interesting, but apparently really good way of measuring the waist without trying it on.

Actually trying it on.

Such is my life at the moment. I finished Augustine’s Confessions a few days ago. It was definitely worthwhile as a reflection on life and its obstacles. The last few chapters though he turns super deep philosophical on the origins of the world and time and stuff though. That slowed things down, but as always, he brings up good questions to ponder. He focused a lot on the allegorical interpretation of Genesis and other books of the Bible…..werd.

Jose.

Yesterday and today I also read a book called Constantine’s Bible by a David Dungan, professor at the University of Tennessee. It was a really good and quick read compared to other “scholarly” books that’s I’ve read while here. He presented this thoughts and research on the thought processes of the Hellenistic (Greek) culture and its effects on the development of the Christian canon. I enjoyed it in the manner that it presented an idea, presented primary sources and other established citations to explain why he believed the way he did, and then followed those ideas to their logical end. Now, that being said, towards the end I wasn’t really in total agreement with his conclusion, but I respect the guy and his work.


For those of you who haven’t ever questioned where the Bible came from, or who it was that decided these books and not others would be Christian scripture (there were many, many others in contention), I encourage you to check it out. It’s a real thought provoking situation, you can’t lose out. Just go to Barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com and search “where the bible came from” or “canon of the bible” and see what pops up (usually the books with 'canon' in the title touch more on the specific topic). I have a few book ideas, but you know me, always Mr. Neutral, haha!


You can’t truly know what something is until you know where it came from.

Donation Opportunity!!!

Ok people, its time for me to post on an opportunity for the few people that read the blog to take an active part in a Christian community outside of the US. I laugh many times that I talk to people on this subject, I say, "I have an opportunity for you" and not "I have an opportunity to ask something of you." On joining Peace Corps, I thought that I would be going to an underdeveloped country to bring knowledge and "experience" of better systems and techniques to people. The first few weeks here, however, I realized that it wasn't going to be me giving these people an opportunity to learn new things most of the time, but them giving me the opportunity to learn about how most of the world lives, what it means to be "happy", and how to make the most out of a little.

So, when I portray the person in need as the person giving the resources, sometimes I hit blank stares, or pauses on the phone, haha. But it really is true. We sometimes receive more in the process of giving what we have to those without, than those poor people do in receiving. I feel like sometimes people lose that aspect of giving alms. As a prosperous nation, with more disposable income than we will ever realize, see the commandment to provide for the poor as giving because we need to better the lives of those who don't have much. Clearly, that is one aspect, but at the same time, if not more important is the lesson we (those who give in a material way) learn in the process. Detaching ourselves from that (disposable income) which these people in many other countries are blessed not to have to deal with to a great extent. So, at the end of the day, we are gaining more by this process than those who are receiving the materials.

ANYWAYS, here is me getting off my soapbox for the day. Now, I am going to offer YOU the "opportunity" to detach yourselves from the world in a way that also helps others :)

On the right side of the blog, you will now notice two Sign-Up sheets from June until December of this year. The first sign up sheet is for a person or family to chose a month to support the medical dispensary that we have here in my town/village. For those of you that I haven't explained this to, 2 years ago an non-profit came to my town and trained two ladies of our town as nurses to visit all the houses of the community giving free medical consults as well as to man a medical dispensary in the evenings with very reduced cost medicines. They pulled out this March and now we are spending the money we make to buy the medicines we sell. This doesn't leave much room to pay these poor ladies something. So what I am asking is for a family or person to sign up each month to support them with $30. In addition, a family in Arizona has agreed to match every month that we donate with another $30. How awesome is that!!! There are two ways to donate.... first, through a non-profit that will make it tax-deductible, and second, straight with me (which is faster). Either way, I will provide updates on when the money was spent, and what it was spent on. This is a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to support those in need and who are providing crucial medical services here, don't lose out! Email me for more info and with which month you would like.

Our Medical Dispensary

Our nurse conducting a meeting of COSALCO (Health Committee)

The second project that we have the sign-up sheet for is for the church reconstruction that is going on here. In 2001, there were two high magnitude earthquakes that went off within a month of each other, and pretty much destroyed everything. The parish church is the last big project to be rebuilt, but the parish has just now started reconstruction after years of studies, etc etc. The total for the project is way beyond their reach at the moment, because the parish runs schools, medical clinics, elderly homes, etc here as well, but they are rebuilding piece by piece the parish church. Right now they are working on the front side, and later the walls on the inside that are only held up by X braces that criss cross all over the inside. Anyways, the need right now are the bags of cement that are rising in price. So this sign up sheet is for a family or person to sign up for 5 bags of cement a month ($35). The church serves a parish of 11,000 people, so the need is profound, haha. (of course not all come every Sunday, go figure).

Mass

Random time during the day.

I am going to keep the blog updated on the right side with the names of the families that have which months, so that people can see which months are left (taking for granted the people offer to sign up!).

Those who have interest in a month, please contact me at rhettbwilliams@yahoo.com for all the info that you'll need. Also, if you have any friends or family that would also be interested in the opportunity to give, please relay the message.

I leave you with a quote from Friar Tuck from the movie Robin Hood.

"This is grain, which any fool can eat, but for which the Lord intended a more divine means of consumption. Let us give praise to our maker and glory to his bounty by learning about... BEER."

haha, that guy cracks me up.

6 Months in site!

June 1, 2008

Wow, it’s already June, that’s craziness. I have officially been in my site 6 months and in country almost 9 months. Anyways, here I am, and I’m still alive, mwhahaha….for the most part.

This is the "vampiro" that Mauricio killed with a sling shot outside his house (there were 2)

This blog marks the end of the first part of my eye campaign as well. We have finished the first three eye consultations in three different places in the municipality. I worked with an NGO here in El Salvador called FUDEM. I divided the whole place into three groups to get more people serviced because apparently there was some kind of eye deal done a few years ago and there were so many people that all of them didn’t go through and yadda yadda yadda. Anyways, it worked out pretty good. We helped about 215 more people than normal due to the breaking up into groups. Although the mayor helped as well by providing lunch for the FUDEM eye people and us, and he also helped out with speaker phoning in the cantons and in the pueblo.
FUDEM had their part down to an art. They got to the site I had chosen about 30 minutes ahead of time, and then I would show them where to set up. They had 5 different stations that would then begin processing the group of people ready to be examined. They would pass through my local volunteers from the ADESCO who were registering their name and age, and then to the eye and letters part, the machine measuring part, then the glasses measuring part, then the glasses fitting part, and finally the payment (if they could part). They already had reading glasses for a really good price ($2.26) and then the actual prescription glasses were going for $19 for those under 40 years and $32 for those over 40 years. During my drive though, they had a discount due to international donations… so all prescription glasses were $10. Sweet. Those who weren’t able to pay the whole amount of things were exonerated the part that they couldn’t afford. On that note, we got over 500 people during the 3 consults and 50% of them were able to get glasses.

The oranges we spent a morning cutting that we stored in my patio.

I was kind of proud of my towns here though. The FUDEM people told me even after the first consultation in the canton of Hacienda Vieja that they had never met people who were so generous as these people. That kind of caught me off guard because I don’t think they realize the irony of that statement. The people coming to give resources that are out of reach to one group people, saying that that group of people is the most generous group that they have ever met. Our people would go through the eye consult and then bring donations here and there of different kinds of fruits for them to take with them. They practically filled the back of the FUDEM truck with donations. It was pretty nifty.

A break time in the second eye consult in the canton of San Ramon

Chilling at the same consult.

Also before I forget, Aaron came by for a few days while traveling through Central America. La Comunidad was really excited to see him and talk about good memories, they really have a strong attachment to him. It was good stuff.

I took a pic of the phone I gave Francisco. The one that would shut off for a month at a time. Well not it has a new wonderful characteristic that cracks me up, can you tell what it is? hahaha

Anyways, after the last eye consult, FUDEM gave me a ride to San Salvador to help me on my way to my In-Service-Training for Peace Corps. We had it in the National School for Agriculture just outside of the capital. It’s a pretty cool place and the training was actually well done. They had sessions on vegetables and then on making marmalades from fruits. Then we had some business sessions, some pruning sessions, some GPS sessions, and some chemical treatment sessions (pesticides, fungicides, etc). It was all really helpful.

Me with a knife that I was playing with after cutting up Aaron's awesome cake that he bought from a new ice cream store in the main pueblo for the Lopez family.

I stayed the night in San Sal Friday night, and me and some of my group went out and actually caught the Indiana Jones movie (I personally wanted to see Iron Man, but apparently some of my group has been frequenting the capital a little more than me and had already seen the others). We also ran into a big group from the Embassy outside an “irish” bar. They were having a singles night, so we stopped and chatted there for a while.

We ended the night with a hamburger and fries…it was a very un peace corps like night, but a satisfying one at that.


I was up at 5 the next morning to make it back to my site by 8 for the scholarship meeting we had at the high school. I’m in charge of planning the trip for the scholarship students that Aaron’s parents are donating (the previous volunteer), so that is coming along. We are thinking the morning will be spent at the Mayan ruins in the country, so that will be cool.


Now things will slow down just a bit as far as large events to plan for the next month, but things are still here to keep me somewhat busy. FUDEM is coming back to give out the prescription glasses three times, and I have to convince the mayor to give us transport to the capital for the group of 50 people that need more eye exams. And well… other things to do as well.


I’m getting the itch to go visit another country for a few days soon, so that planning might start this month as well.



Check out this excerpt from President Bush on May 31 at the Furman graduation ceremony:


"I'm glad to be joined with my friend and outstanding leader of South Carolina: Governor Mark Sanford, Class of 1983. (Applause.) Governor, I'm not going to ask if you ever got caught "swimming in the fountains." (Laughter.) As the President said, 25 years ago, the Governor sat where you now sit -- as a member of the graduating class. As it happens, as he mentioned, the commencement speaker that day was my dad. Now, that means some at Furman will have heard graduation speeches from two generations of Bushes. It's a great step forward for the Bush family -- and a great step backward for your English Department. (Laughter and applause.)


And as the President mentioned, I have other family ties with Furman. In the early 1930s, a student named Willa Martin graduated from the women's college that was soon to become part of Furman. She went on to marry my mother's father. She also spent time as a columnist for the Associated Press -- thus beginning the long history of warm relations between the Bush family and the media. (Laughter.)


My administration also has another Furman connection. One of the first people I see almost every morning is a Furman grad and my Director of National Intelligence: Admiral Mike McConnell, Class of 1966. (Applause.) I asked Mike if he ever took part in the "Midnight Serenade." He said, I'd like to tell you, but that information is classified. (Laughter.)"


Funny guy.

Check out the video on this page of it... http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080531-3.html