Hi,

Here in Batie, a rural, agricultural village, most everyone has their own little plot of land that they cultivate for sustenance (mostly beans and corn that I have noticed).  Sometimes, if the harvest is very good, they have a little left over for sale at the local market for a little extra money.  It is mostly the women who do this very hard work of clearing and hoeing and planting and harvesting, all with a hand tool that looks like a bent in half shovel which forces them to be bent over for hours in their fields.  In their spare time, they take care of their multiple kids, wash clothes (bent over buckets), cook, clean and basically work from morning till night taking care of husband and family. The men sometimes work during the day if they have jobs and are heads of the household and don't necessarily have to give any of their money to the family....and quite often don't. It is a very hard life for women here. They are basically responsible for everything.  Some men take multiple wives here and they have many many children who (especially the females) help care for the family too. So, I'm thinking you can guess who I will be trying to help....

I am, of course, still learning and know very little in the whole scheme of things.  Maybe I will come to understand this whole system better in time. Suffice it to say that most (not all)  people do have full bellies most of the time around here, but the nutrition is very poor....it is always about filling the belly with very little else considered.  Medical care is poor, if they can even afford any.  There are traditional healers around but still have to learn more about them before I can comment....

The other day, when it was raining very hard, I found two women on my front porch taking shelter. I introduced myself and invited them in.  I gave them some apple juice to drink and we talked for a while....they were returning from the fields.  One had a two month old adorable baby with her.  I asked if they wanted to play cards while we waited for the rain to stop.  They were delighted and taught me a game.  I asked what the name of the game was and they said simply that it was "les cartes".....cards.  Huh.  In any case, I now have two (and a half) new friends in town.....

So that is basically what I have learned so far......much more to come.....P!