Save the Texas Prairie Chicken

We've been given so many papayas that they're actually starting to rot before we're able to eat them. They cost the equivalent of 25 cents, and papaya season is in full swing, so it seems that people have to give them away to get rid of them. I don't even want our papaya tree to produce its fruit because i wont know what to do with them. They're hanging there half ripe just teasing me. What am i going to do with 8 papayas, in addition to the ones currently in the kitchen. One (of the three) that we have right now has gone bad, but I cant put it in the compost pile because our gardener boy's mother gave it to us. He'll see it and think we aren't grateful. Its just that people can only eat so much papaya. even this many pineapples, which are my favorite, would be hard to eat. I did mention how much i love avocados and that our trees haven't produced yet. Hopefully the avocado cadeaus will come soon.

We had a meeting with a bunch of community groups in Tibati this past weekend with the help of Abdul. My predictions ere that no one would show up and those that did would ask a lot of questions about money. In reality, there were about 30 people from 18 different groups who came and talked to us about what it is they do here. There were quite a variety of groups: women who work on a collective farm; a group who works with orphans; an environmental protection group; women who teach other women about HIV/AIDS; a group for the advancement of girls education (even after they have been married and have kids before they are finished with high school). There is definitely some interesting groups out there. I hope to go to at least one meeting for all of them and figure out who I can work with. I'm particularly interested in the groups who works with orphans and the one who work with young girls and young mothers.

The health office has seemingly been abandoned by all staff. I heard from Brian that my counterpart was back in town after being away since december. I also heard that he is leaving again tomorrow to go back to Yaounde. I guess i can't blame him, considering he hasn't been paid in 4 years and is just trying to get the government to give him his money. So I went to work today to see him before I forget what he looks like ( I already can't remember what exactly his name is). I found two nurses from the neighboring clinic sitting on a bench outside with the old man who's official job seems to be to wave at people in the street and sweep the porch. No sign of any work being done (all the doors are closed and no one was there). Maybe next month....