Comprehensive Rural Health Project, Jamkhed, India

Hey all... I'm sorry I've been so slack at recording my thoughts - I've barely been keeping a diary either... so much is going on, I don't know where to start to put it in words.

I'm staying in a compound at the site of the CRHP, where there is a training centre and library, accommodation for people like me doing the course, and a hospital. Meals are provided three times a day in the mess hall... it's set up very much like college. About a 20 minute walk away is a town, where there are lots of shops selling everything from clothes to chocolate bars to tobacco. There are stray pigs/boars just roaming the streets looking for food in the rubbish, with their little piglets not far away. Walking into and in the town, as foreigners, school children want to shake our hand or speak to us. Some of them just stand shyly at a distance, staring at us, others giggle and run around under our feet. They're great. Because we are always running late, we often catch a rickshaw back into town to save us the walk... it only costs 20 rupees, usually for three people. Once, we fit 4 in the back, with Kate sitting on one of my knees. It was bumpy and rather uncomfortable but we were managing alright. then the rickshaw slowed and stopped and in jumped another lady, a muslim, veiled all in black with only her wrinkled eyes showing. She climbed and but her bacg of fruit on my feet and sat, almost on my knee, with her elbow digging deeper and deeper into my thigh with each bump. I think she thought it politer than using her hands. We four girls were giggling profusely, so amused by not only the fact that there were five of us in the back, but that this lady had crashed our 'private' rickshaw as if it were a public bus. Not speaking our language, the woman just began to laugh too... before stopping just before our stop and jumping off without a word. She paid half what we paid, which we decided was fair because she went half the distance. Funny.

We have been to visit some of the surrounding villages, first with a "transect walk" where we were supposed to observe all things about the environment in the village that may affect the health of villagers. We were invited into people homes and temples, into classrooms and preschools. The first visit was amazing... the poverty was striking... dirt floors, no windows... but some single room houses even still had televisions. Baby goats were everywhere and I'm trying to decide whether a small adorable child or a really really adorable baby goat kid will fit better in my hand luggage. On our second visit, we went to another village and followed a Village Health Worker around to different people's houses in the village. We saw a 9 day old baby and her mother, a 40 day old baby and his mother, a pregnant woman, a man with diabetes and a woman who had been cured of leprosy. Fascinating, especially that the VHW had been trained from scratch, having never been to school. After the house visits, she took us back to her own house where she gave us both sweet and savoury nibbles and it was all too good to be true. Our VHW was also a bangle salewoman, and she decided that because she had volunteered her time and her food to us, she would give us the opportuniy to buy bangles. Sort of. Not speaking a word of English, she took us girls (lucky guys) one by one by the hand and proceeded to forced as many glass bangles on our arms as possible. Once on, they are irremovable, except by breaking... Now, Indian women have very small wrists, not to mention small hands. By no stretch of the imagination could I even try to envisage any of those bangles fitting over my hands. She manipulated my hand and pushed and shoved and pulled until one thick gold-coloured bangle had fit over my hand. It was painful, after all, bones don't much like being compressed. I was impressed... but also very sore. But she continued... she found two smaller green bangles that she decided were going to fit. And once she'd decided, there was no turning back.

The joints where my thumb joins my hand and where it joins my arm are both still tender, over 36hrs later. It was only 5 rupees, but I'd have much preferred to have bought bangles for my smaller handed friends. On the bus, Michael decided to try to remove the bangles... one broke just as it got past the narrow part of my wrist. I forcibly broke the other one because it was so tight on my wrist didn't even 'jingle' like bangles should. Being glass, however, it cut my self, luckily not close to the main arteries. The gold one is thinker, harder to break, but also bigger so it is ok. I don't think it'll last long, but I don't really want to break it yet. There's no way it's ever coming off though. I imagine my hand fitting through the bangle is much like what a baby experiences during childbirth... trying to fit something through something else that is clearly not big enough is not destined to be a pleasant experience.

Yesterday we met with women from the village who have been helped by the CRHP. All told stories of violence from fathers, husbands and mothers-in-law, many spoke of rape and suicidal thoughts. One woman told her story of giving birth to her first child, alone in a hut in the jungle, at age 14. It was a harrowing experience, but fortunately these women's stories have silver linings. All of them now have become successful and independent, and are now advocates for good treatment of women. It's really horrifying that there is so much domestic violence throughout India, it makes me feel incredibly blessed to have had the upbringing that I have. I just really pray that something will be done to ensure protection of so many women exposed to violence and neglect.


Today we spent half an hour on ward rounds with an English doctor working here at the hospital. It was really interesting: a lady who presented with anxiety that turned out to be a heart attack; a little boy who had been bitten by a scorpion; a patient with schizophrenia who has had a stroke and other problems, and a few others. The other group were present when an elderly woman arrived and was rushed into Intensive Care but could not be resuscitated. That was quite a scary experience for those involved. I think it's a little snippet of what's to come for those of us who will be working in hospitals very soon.

After a reflection and debrief session, we went to the cattle and goat market. White bullocks with huge humps were everywhere, with huge 2-3 foot-long horns painted and decorated with ribbons, their humps powdered with bright magenta-pink colouring to make them look pretty. Can anyone tell me the difference between a bull and a bullock? They seem to be different here. A few dairy cows and 'normal' bulls were amongst the lot, with water buffaloes also making an appearance. Amazing, really. Then we went to the fruit and vegie market, and it was chaos. People everywhere just sitting on the ground surrpounded by nondescript fruits and vegetables, pulses and spices. More (larger) bangles were on sale too, but I shuddered at the thought.

This afternoon has been very chilled out... made a packet mix cake for a guy's birthday tonight, and then played 500 with Michael, Josh and Kate. Good fun! We got lots of junk food for a surprise party tonight: should be great fun!!

I had my first experience with Bollywood a couple of nights ago, and it was hilarious. I'm not sure it was supposed to be funny, but some of the unrealistic or corny scenes were just too much, I had to laugh! Bunty and Babli... if anyone knows it.

Can't wait to hear some news from you... send me a facebook message or an email, I'd love to hear it. Prayers would be appreciated, it's a very challenging environment :)

Much love xx