Day 1 -- I sat at the breakfast table - tired eyes, a pounding headache, and sweat dripping down my back - with a rooster staring back at me and chicks scurrying over my feet. I closed my eyes and the only thought I could muster was “you can do this, you can do this, you can do this.”
Day 63 -- I can survive heat that makes me feel like I have a fever; I can wash my hair and body with a few cups of water; I can open a coconut without spilling its juice; I can remove t-shirt stains with my bare hands; I can boulder across the island; I can pick out the minuscule bones of a whole fish; and I can integrate myself into an entirely new culture, language and people. Although I thought I would never get used to eating rice three times a day, I am realizing that this is not the most difficult part of my service. You can get accustomed to just about anything. The hard part still remains -- now what? What will my 6-year old, Cape Verdean nephew do for work in twenty years? What if the rainy season doesn’t come next year? What if the soil remains unfertile and my village is unable to grow crops?
Saturday officially marks the beginning of my service as a PC volunteer. As I move out of my village, I am left with a growing feeling of frustration and guilt. I know my family is malnourished and I know that one day, growing corn and beans will not be enough. Yet, what now?
XOXO
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Dear Krista,
ReplyDeleteYour comments put your experience into perspective. In 63 days you have adapted and persevered to a new place. You have shown that you have abilities and strengths that you may not have known. I believe God will continue to show you gifts that you don't realize you have. He will provide for you, and He will provide for the families in the village.
Good luck as you begin this next chapter in your Peace Corps venture. God is holding you in His hands, and many people here are praying for you and the people of Cape Verde.
Much Love,
Mr. P