Boston slide show. . .

This just in:

Todd Shea will be giving a slide presentation about CDRS at UMASS Boston on Wednesday, April 25. The work Helen and Judy have been doing in Kashmir will be featured during his narration. The presentation is on the Boston Campus at Wheatley Hall, 1st Floor, Room 5 from 11:30 am until 2 pm. Anyone in the area who may want to attend can call Todd at 718-809-5381 if they need any further information.

Hospitality Unsurpassed. . .

We are back in Chikar after our 10 day stint at Reyat, RahimKot, and KatKair, the three remote CDRS clinics. The hospitality was unsurpassable. We stayed at CDRS staff homes and were treated to the best food and lodging to be found. We most enjoyed being included in the family circle as meals were prepared around the open hearth. Yoghurt was made from fresh buffalo milk with spices and vegetables added. Home grown apple blossom honey was a delectable after dinner treat. The chappatis were made from the family's wheat ground at a local stone water powered mill. OK, we got spoiled.

We stayed 2 nights at IRC (International Rescue Committee) headquarters and learned about the great work they do. They have several projects underway including supplying clean spring water to the local communities. IRC locates the water source, designs the system, and provides tools and education to the locals. The locals are responsible for the labor and upkeep. This works well as the locals have a huge vested interest in the project. The women are thrilled to have to carry water less of a distance. Another project is culturally appropriate, earthquake resistant homes. IRC provides subsidies and advice and the homes are built in the traditional way but with a light weight metal roof.

IRC also starts Women's Empowerment Centers. These are safe buildings where women can congregate to socialize, learn skills such as sewing and knitting, and are taught small business strategies. All the staff are young and highly motivated, energetic and a real testimony to the best in humanity. With Aneela's help they surprised Helen with a wonderfully warm birthday celebration, complete with cake and pressies.

We spent three days at each clinic. Judy's exam speed increased until she saw over 100 patients one day. It is a bit of a cosmic shift from medicine as usual at home. As everywhere we have been, the major health care issue (and a great sadness) is that preventable, inexpensive to treat diseases such as goiter, iron deficiency, and poor nutrition are the norm. All the women have total body "dard" (aches) due to their anemia at high altitude, carrying 50 pound water containers up steep mountains, etc. while being almost continually pregnant or nursing. Helen was able to do some health teaching while the patients waited to be seen. Irfan, a young man from Lahore who works with ADN (Al-Mustafa Development Network) translated for her. ADN provides latrines and hygiene education to local schools and mosques.

A highlight of the ten days was being able to go on great hikes, one to a high ridge overlooking the valley. our guide for the walk was the niece of our host Altaf. We passed several homes, all of which belonged to her extended family. Offers of chai, beautiful stonework, and reconstruction in progress were to be seen at every house. Every house has its own family cemetery, planted with irises. Another day we hosted a clinic several hours walk from the clinic. We followed the valley floor along a river, saw a local water powered grist mill in use, and managed to get in a swim on the way home. We barely made it back before dark as we had chai at several houses along the way.

Now that we are back in Chikar, we will work on some public health issues (iodine, prenatal care, etc) prior to leaving for another outback trip next week.

Lots of love and we love getting emails on the occasions when we get on the internet.

Peace,
Helen and Judy