Busy days...

It's been a busy time at our house lately! Good days but very full. Here's a few snapshots of what's been happening...

The kids were delighted by the surprise arrival of 3 baby guinea pigs. I'm so glad that they arrived able to run, eat, drink and generally look after themselves (apart from a few cage modifications to keep them contained!). Their names are Squiggles, DNA the 4th and Tom. So cute!

Last week we travelled south on the overnight bus to the town where we lived for 4 1/2 years - it was our first trip back since we left last August. We had a wonderful time catching up with friends, revisiting favourite haunts and seeing all the things that had changed since we were last there. But I had forgotten what a stir we caused in that town; how every time we walked down the street we nearly caused accidents as cyclists and motorcyclists craned their necks for a better look at us! THAT hadn't changed...

The highlight of the trip for Mr Energy and Mr Sport was playing soccer with their local friends at our old house. Our former landlord kindly allowed them to use the concrete pad next to the house and the game was as riotous and fun as ever.

The highlight of the trip for me was a visit to a nearby village where Mr Ag and his colleagues are working with the villagers to build a suspension bridge. We have been hearing about this bridge for months and months - I know more about steel, cables, clamps and concrete than I ever really needed to know!! Sourcing the parts, having them partially assembled here, trucking them to the village 650km away and supervising construction has been a huge logistical exercise.

Here is the bridge in progress...

The village school is a one room, multi-age classroom from grades 1-3. Normally students have to walk across the river and then on to another village a few kilometres away to access higher grades, but crossing the raging, wet-season torrent is not possible. The bridge will make a big difference for them.

We enjoyed the beautiful and peaceful atmosphere of the village. The people were friendly and welcoming and delighted to meet Mr Ag's family at last.

The kids enjoyed a swim in the river and playing on the school playground (below!).

I enjoyed talking with the village women and hearing their stories but it was also very confronting.

I met an older lady (60 plus) who had 19 children, but only 7 survived to adulthood.

Another lady lost 8 of her 16 children.

A third lady said she had 8 children and the last was disabled; she actually has 9 children but the disabled child doesn't figure in the count.

Unimaginable for us.

I have read these kinds of stories so many times before and know the statistics, but meeting the people behind the stories is a whole lot more powerful.

Mr Ag's colleagues have been training traditional birth attendants in this village and the bridge will allow villagers to travel to medical care in all seasons. Hopefully there will be less sad stories like this in coming years.

Little Sister :)