Day 13

The rain has let up and just in time. We really needed to be able to get around and finish the projects we had in mind. Alex has been getting so much done! She is doing water-color painting projects with each of the grades, some of which will be brought home to New York and mailed out to sponsors. Check your mail boxes in November student sponsors!

She is painting the logos for the funders of the farm project on the base of the well stand and going to paint an abstract mural on wall at the Primary School. It's so great that she is here, personally and professionally. Having a talented creative type to bounce ideas off of has been an asset to Kate and my logistical mindsets.

We visited the health clinic in Maveuni yesterday and it is in need of some construction and a fresh coat of paint for sure, but looks good and is in a beautiful, rural area. We found out that the Community Development Fund (CDF) was just out visiting the site to pick up the project! The CDF is an office of the government whose charge is to conduct community projects. This was great news, but we wondered when they would actually start and complete the work.

We found out that they will finish bringing the building up to code by the end of the year. That would have been the most expensive part for us. So then, they will pass it over to us, we will furnish it and then we will pass to the government and it will open.

Today was the a huge meeting with all of the parents present to receive their students' final exam scores for the term and to discuss whatever issues are on hand. Today was the day where I presented the US / fundraising side of things. Alex (awesome Alex) made a poster board with pie charts and tables that was posted next to me during the talk.

The whole thing was trying, but also truly amazing. I think we reached our goal in informing people fully of our work on the US end and taking one more step toward local ownership. We hope the newly created parent's advisory committee will begin reviewing budgets and proposing decisions in January.

After that, we had a staff meeting where each of the staff members discussed the challenges to their jobs and requested support for the work they do. There are many needs from shoes, to fences, to spotlights, to trainings, to loans for further education, to water taps, etc. etc. My mind is still reeling from the number of things that are needed. Everyone wants big salary increases because the inflation here is such a HUGE problem.

Much to be done.