Today

Don't let yourself slide in a new situation

Always when I work or live in a new environment I notice a trend of bad habits. E.g. The military hospital has a general slapdash atmosphere. At our block the midwives and even the pregnant madames are being very nonchalant.

Needles and glassparts from medicine ampoules are left behind in every possible corner of the hospital, which poses huge risks for every (non)professional passerby. Used material like beds, scales, tables etc. are not being cleaned and desinfected after use. Blood on the walls and other random surfaces seemed to have turned into a tasty, permanent artwork.

I had to grab myself together to keep working at 100%. It is extremely easy to neglect my tasks when everybody around me is doing it. I imposed some rules to myself to stay motivated in a discouraging setting;

* Realise that every new scenery equals a new fresh speed training freely given by life.
* Take advantage of my mental clarity, awareness and motivation at the start of my adventure.
* Keep them at high level, including my gratitude (that's why the need for my challenge; www.toomanyideas.be/2012/07/challenge-learn-to-be-thankfull.html?m=1). The more I slide away in that dark bad habit rathole, the harder it becomes to stay positive.
* Change begins with me. It takes time for others and is not of my business. Keep planting "happy-seeds"
* Hold on to daily beautiful events, partially created by my kindhearted and fair conduct (e.g. A baby got named after me: www.toomanyideas.be/2012/07/baby-erika.html?m=1).
* Keep busy with the "real stuff". Boredom and lack of focus are the breeding ground for bad behaviour. Chop chop, back to work!
* If I do fall of my wave-of-happiness-with-my-feet-on-the-ground I mostly need a good kick in the butt and a moment of realisation to get back on track.

Baby Erika

Today a newborn got named after me! :-) Erika... She'll probably
become an engineer, midwife or worldleader.

Normally I have a one-on-one talk with the babys when I take care of
them after birth. I want to make sure that they'll start of with a
positive mind. I ensure them that their life-path is still open and that they can follow any direction. I tell them that they have a pure heart and that it won't change over time. They won't be victims of the society they're born in, or of karma or any other believe.

This time it was me that needed a private talk. She grabbed my hands firmly while I was dressing her, not willing to let go. With bright, attentive eyes she looked at me like she knew what she was doing. She seemed to have a wise energy over her being. It felt like she wanted to say: "I'll be fine friend. Don't worry! I'll be the change this world needs. Go on,
continue your work, I already made a good start. Thank you."

Challenge: learn to be thankful

Via "How to be thankful" (http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Thankful)

Gratitude is a virtue that, to my mother's ashame, I still not really master. I wanted to write "not fully master" but heck muffin, let's just be honest with each other. I have a darn hard time to thank for the air I'm still breathing in while a premature is being reanimated and I can't help, or for my hands that feel the smooth contours of a newly born, or for the fact that I have this rare chance to even be here!

It's my desire to learn to be thankful for just being me, for what I do have right now, for all those precious small details that make a truthfull, beautifull bigger picture. Not the one formed by my negativity.

Here's the deal:

For the remaining 10 days of my trip I'll thank somebody or something every hour I'm awake. I can say it out loud or in my head. I'll use a watch that beeps every hour. A bit of a sterile situation, but it doesn't look like I'll start to be thankful any time soon ;-)

I really want to feel it twinkle in my heart and even in Mister Little Toe. No airy spoken words or emotions.

What do I get in return? Well, you will have managed to become a bit more enlighted. That should suffice... #

A fundamental difference

"On fait beaucoup avec peu, vous faites peu avec beaucoup." ~ We do a
lot with little. You guys do little with a lot." - Service general of
the military hospital, Congo-Brazzaville.

Most European armies need a full crew of specialists and equipment to
treat war patients with a variety of wounds and problems. This creates
a whole lot of logistic issues and more. We manage to overcomplicate
our lifes in our wealthy society of today.

Here in Brazza, or probably in every third world country, a midwife
goes around as a pharmacist, a nurse and even a surgeon. They are the
jacks of all trades.

The general added to his words; "On se débrouille toujours." ~ we
always manage just fine, seen the circumstances,

Life still hasn't abandoned the hospital, despite daily piteous
incidents. I take his words at heart. The cross needs to be made. A
little bit of both worlds.#

Braiding mundele's hair

*Status: patiently and curiously waiting for the result... My butt is itching. I think my left cheek fell a sleep...

*Lesson learned: I already know that it is the first and last time that I'll braid my hair. I have been sitting here for 3 hours and I'm still not far from ready, partially because of my long curlywurly untamable fuzzy frizzy freaking hair. Those synthetic strings are already irritating, despite my small loud prayers now and then not to make them too tight.

*Note to myself: I don't believe in suffering for beauty! #

Pot calling the kettle black

Apparently some African parents threat to their kids to bring them to
the "white people" when they're being a very bad boy.

Can't you just threaten to send them to bed without maniok* or that
you'll put them in the freezer?

Some kids start screaming non-stop with bulging eyes as if dead comes
to get them when they have to say hi to us.

This reminds me of "de zak van Zwarte Piet" ~ Black Pete, the
companion of Saint Nicolas, and his scary bag. More a situation of
naughty parents than naughty kids... #


*most African kids - and even adults - are addicted to this food made
from the maniok plant and refuse to eat any other food.