How to save a life

Check out my darlings and the AIDS ribbons we made--not as fancy as what you can buy elsewhere, but I think from scratch is more fun, and they liked doing it:) So for a quick update on AIDS day since I have but a few minutes to write: We had a silent march through Assomada and since everyone was hemming and hawing (sp?) on the AIDS ribbons and getting them ready, we took it into our own hands, and made about 150, and of course when people saw them, everyone wanted one and I had dozens of hands in my face to be given these homemade pieces of red cloth. So next year I assume they'll actually want to organize the ribbon-making--sometimes you just have to do it and later people will see. Anyway, I took all the girls and their ribbons and as many white-ish t-shirts as we could gather and we met the others for the parade. Then Lauro, the filthy perverted Brazilian (I'll explain later) in charge of AIDS in Assomada decided he wanted the girls from the Center to lead the parade, to walk in front of everyone and be set apart. Well, imagine the looks on the faces of 20-ish young girls who have never been told they were special for anything good in their lives. They were elated. "Us?!" Yes, you. And so we paraded proudly through Assomada and ended in the plaza, where a small stage was set up for Lauro to talk about AIDS and invite people to come share music, poetry, whatever they wanted. So I nudged the girls and told them they should do the dance they are always choreographing in the Center, and so they eagerly jumped onstage and it felt like it was "AIDS day slash girls-from-the-Center day". I was beaming. Of course after that about 75% of the activities that were planned for the afternoon were cancelled due to people not showing up or falling through at the last minute, true to Cape Verde style. But it's par for the course. Next year I'll know what to look out for and how to make sure everything's organized better. So much for thinking my CEJ had it under control.

I wanted to write a lot more, more personal, more what I'm feeling, and more what's happening with the people around me, but I need to sit down and do that when I have more time, not when I'm in the PC office hungry and ready for lunch. So I'll just try and post more pictures.