I got all the shampoo out of my hair today!

Since I have been here, I have found it extremely difficult to wash my hair with the bucket shower. I never seem to be able to get all the shampoo out of my hair! Well, today I finally succeeded at doing just that. For me, getting through the days is about the small victories. However, I have yet to successfully take a shower/ bucket bath without getting the floor completely soaked as I transfer water from the barrel to the smaller bucket and then dump the water on myself. Oh well, baby steps.

Other things I am grateful for: My mom sending good smelling deodorant and body spray (the travel Dr. told me not to bring anything scented because it attracts bugs, so I brought unscented deodorant, unscented... everything!) Having the good smelling things makes me feel like a girl.
I am also thankful for the baby wipes she sent- the bucket bath really doesn't leave you feeling 100% clean.
Keeping up with cleanliness, I have thankful for the new toothbrushes and mouth wash that my mom sent- I didn't write about this before but the other day when I was getting ready to brush my teeth I saw something really really disgusting on the brush. It was... wait for it... ready...make sure your not eating... LARVA! Ewww! I kept my toothbrush in a plastic travel toothbrush container too. I feel like my teeth and finally clean now.
Also- for the earrings that Mrs. Coglianese bought me for my birthday last year. They are light weight and a good size and perfect to wear on days when I want to feel a little more like a girl and normal- you know, like days I find Larva on my toothbrush.
Thanks also to everyone at Valley View- my church took a collection for baby clothes and toys. EQUIP makes them into "baby kits" designed to encourage mothers to give birth in the clinics rather than in the bush where the infant and maternal mortality rate is much higher. I will present them to the clinic when I arrive in a couple of weeks.

Today was just an office day, nothing too exciting to report. But, I can tell you that after several days of organizing data I can finally now write in my report that the baseline data for the PD Hearth intervention is as follows: There are 35 targeted communities, and in these communities the total number of children ages 6-36 months is 1080. Of those 1080, 46% are malnourished. Of that 46%, 8% are severely malnourished. Seriously... took all day and some of yesterday to be able to come to that. Data was everywhere! But hey, at least now we know and we can set some good goals towards lowering the malnutrition rate. Tomorrow I will write up my report and include what the target reduction rates should be. Another office day. But the new girl, Danielle, should be coming up soon and we will begin to implement an idea that Caitlin and I came up with for improving understanding (an interactive activity involving local foods).

Hope everyone enjoyed the pictures. Carla, did you see the pictures with the little girl with the bracelet on that your kids made? Kids from my church made a whole bunch of bracelets with different colored beads on them. Each bead tells about the story of Jesus: Black- for our sin, Red- for the blood Jesus shed for us, White- to represent that our sins were forgiven and washed white as snow when Jesus died on the cross, Green- for our growth and walk with Jesus through going to church and reading the bible, and Yellow- for the streets of Gold in heaven. It makes sharing the message very clear and easy even though communication here is sometimes a challenge. The adults liked them too and I saw some of them wearing the bracelets themselves. Thanks so much for making them!

Have a great week!

Love,
Nicole