We have no luggage. It is likely that we will have no luggage. Word on the streets and among the desert dunes of Gambia says that the strike could last many more days. We may be home with you before we see our bags again. We are talking about 36 large suitcases stuffed to the rim and brim with medical supplies, books, notebooks, writing paper, markers, teaching lessons . . . everything needed to run a school and a dynamic little health clinic in this far-off land. Oh, and there are other things that we do not have, like a change of clothing, toiletries, shampoo, foot spray, nail clippers, dental floss, make-up and the like. With a simple employee strike by baggage-handlers in the Brussels Airport, we find ourselves living very much like the people who we came to serve. We all have one set of clothing, a few essentials, odds and ends that fell through the cracks when the world did not work to our favor.
And yet we are in good spirits. We will go to the large village market tomorrow and stock up on the necessary things of life. We should end up with more colorful wardrobes than the ones being held hostage in Brussels. We will not have what we want, but we will have what we need. There is more than a little irony in all of this. We came to this place to bring things to people who have next to nothing. We are being blocked in our effort by people in Europe who have almost everything and are determined to have more.
But our spirits remain high. We are surrounded by people who have done without the things in our 36 suitcases up until now. They will not miss what they never had to begin with. And they seem to appreciate more than we could have imagined what they do have.
They have us. We came. We are here. They see our faces. They hear our laughter. They laugh in return. The children flock to us in welcome, not just on the first day but on every day that we are here. To them, it is as if they dreamed a dream into existence and we are that dream. It is not the bandages, the neosporin and the new supplies of paper, pencils, markers, and lesson plans that they dreamed of. They dreamed of friends who would care enough to come to them. They dreamed of the hope that they would see in our eyes and the laughter, theirs and ours, that would fill up this village and dance out to sea each new day of our stay.
So yes, our spirits are high. Like the people, little and big, who surround us each moment of the day in this hopeful, resilient village, what we have to share must come from the inside. The lessons that we will teach can only come from where we've stored them in mind and in heart. We must learn to live like the people we serve and who serve us equally in return. In truth, there is enough medicine left over from what we brought last year to see us through. We will teach out of old books, but with new hearts. We will learn better how to share the essential and we will leave with disgruntled baggage-handlers in Brussels things that are wanted more than needed.
In the end, it will not be only the children and teachers at Sajuka School who learn and grow in important ways this year. We will match them step for step in our shared journey. Please do not worry about us. All things happen for a reason if you make it so. We are making it so and we have very good help as we do.
--Dr. Jarvis
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| Crossing the Gambia River in a fast boat . . . ! |
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| Ship to Shore Delivery Service |
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| Sajuka School Welcome Committee |
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| New Friends |
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| Holding up her half of the sky |
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| We can work with you! |
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| It's a new world and so filled with wonder. |
FYI –
ReplyDeleteBRUSSELS, May 15 (KUNA) -- Staff at baggage handler Swissport at the Brussels international airport and unions reached an agreement tonight after four days of strike.
The unions have called on their staff to resume work and handling operations are expected to be resumed soon, the Brussels airport announced in a statement.
In the first place, this will have an influence on both departing and arriving flights at Brussels Airport today and tomorrow. Also, the return of the huge amount of luggage to their owners can be accelerated, it said.
Nevertheless, it is expected that a full recovery to normal handling activity will only be felt as from tomorrow Thursday.
Passengers who travelled abroad during the past few days with an airline affected by the Swissport strike will receive their luggage at their destination. Their luggage will be forwarded as soon as possible with one of the next flights.
Passengers who arrived at Brussels Airport during the strike period, will be contacted by their airline to recover their luggage, it added.
Over 30 airlines feature on a list of companies affected by the baggage handlers strike.
The unions were protesting against staff shortages which they say have resulted in excessive work pressure and endanger staff safety.
On Monday and Tuesday some 50 flights were cancelled at Brussels airport due to the strike.
Over 10,000 pieces of luggage were reported to be still stuck at the Brussels airport.
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Hi Lori :)
G. Vaughn
What an amazing perspective! You have turned a bad situation into a learning experience. Many people would only complain.
ReplyDeleteMost importantly, you have not let this "bump" get in the way of your mission.
Kudos to you all!
Love the pictures!!!
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ReplyDeleteI will now find creative spaces for underwear everywhere I travel! :-D Thanks for the updates, and I hope your supplies will arrive soon!
ReplyDeleteAYoz; as you might guess, Mom wants copies of the recipes for ALL the food you eat! Also, be prepared to teach the dance steps the Bay Path team has learned during your visit. Seriously, kudos for showing the ability to adapt to what some would consider a very trying situation. "Improvise and adapt" is a strategy of the U.S.Marine Corps. They would be proud of the Bay Path team! Keep your attitudes as positive as possible, the pictures are very telling. When working with the Gambians(is that correct?), people don't care how much you know, until they know(and see) how much you care! We love you and miss you. Mom & Dad
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