Trying to download a program to read PDF files with. So
much information about trees and plants is available in PDF but, for some
reason, this computer is not cooperating to read them. Happily I can access
them from home but ... for a quick peek at something when a visitor is here ...
sigh.
Last week I got the name of a place in Choluteca that
sold Moringa seeds. On Monday, we got through to them (it is such a treat
having Manuel here to make phone calls in Spanish) and found out the process
for buying them.
First of all, a trip to the bank to pay the money into
their account. The service at the bank is improving the last few weeks. It may
be due to the fact that I have bought candies and pastries a few times for both
the guards and the tellers. Nevertheless, it is now "Don Bryan" this
and "Don Bryan" that and, even, some queue jumping allowed. So,
purchases like that are considered "tips for services about to be rendered".
Then, a phone call to confirm payment and they said that
they would ship the seeds out on Tuesday. Amazingly enough, they arrived in our
office on Wednesday morning. Three kilos of seeds (about 10,000 or so).
Maria 
Janeth
As we had a parents' meeting (well, two actually)
yesterday, we packaged up small bags of 5 seeds each for the parents who came.
A few saw the Vetiver grass growing and asked for some shoots to plant as well.
I took packages of seeds to each of the bank people as well. In the bank, my
last bag of seeds went to my local doctor who happened to be there. The poor
inside guard. He wanted to keep the door locked, as required, and yet, at the
same time keep his head outside so he could hear about the tree. I am sure that
they talked about stuff when one of them took his 'inside' shift.
Today, Trinidad from Las Delicias came into the office
and so, another bunch of seeds went to him. Obviously, with all the neat stuff
he is doing he got considerably more than 20 seeds. He went home with some
other seeds as well and will bring seeds from other plants next time. It is
exciting to see seeds going to different ecozones and situations.
He told us about a new plant that he is looking for seeds
for - Jacima. As is so often the case, another 'new' plant that is part of the
Central American heritage and which has been 'lost' from common usage. The
plant is "only" a legume, leaves with insecticidal properties and
'tubers' which are high in calcium, Vitamin A and C and phosphorus. Why are we
malnourished when the world has so many plants to easily meet nutritional
needs?
Trinidad brought the forms for two girls who have been
walking 15 km to go to school and who now are able to access the same education
in their home village. Obviously they and their families are serious about
studying.
A minor panic last week as the staff realized a few of
the students had head lice. Of course, even writing about it makes my head
itch. Yesterday I took a few minutes to download pictures of models who had
shaven heads and gave them to the girls to show them that even the worst case
scenario wasn't too bad. Funnily enough they were not anxious to try that look.
This morning Santiago three more trap hives. The bees
seem to like them so, hopefully they will get filled soon. Now to make a
carrying cage so that we can move them to other locations and bigger hives.
Our 'major' student problem the last week has been
regarding school attire. The good news is that the students are taking this
opportunity seriously enough that they dress in their best clothes to come to
school. The bad news is that sometimes the 'best clothes' selection is a bit
skewed to disco rather than discovery. I confess that I do find it wryly
amusing to think of finding where the Latina line between appropriate and
inappropriate lies. My background of conservative, fundamentalist dress codes
has left me sadly ill equipped to make such decisions. The staff does an
excellent job of deciding and I just enjoy the process.
“Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if
the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are
small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other
way.” Martin Luther King Jr.
For those of you Harry Potter fans, this quote reminds me
so much of Voldemort and what happened to his soul and, finally, himself. There
is a whole theological discussion waiting for coffee and cake with this
thought.
TTYL
BB
No comments:
Post a Comment