Itchy Feet and High Waves

28/12/04

Hello Everyone. This is my first real "Blog" so please be patient as I explore how it works.

My time at home has been... good. It has been wonderful to be with family and friends. I took some time to canoe up north a little in October for thanksgiving (Great Turkey and Turkey oven Chris), then a short trip out to see Trevor in Winnipeg. November went quickly too. Many pints with friends and a few home repairs to fill the time too. Near the end of the month, I traveled out to Germany once again to visit Christina. I think we both know now we will be friends for a long time, but not more than friends as we have different pursuits in our lives now. December: back to chilly Toronto to experience my first glance of snow in three years! Eyio, it is cold here!

My time at home has also been a bumpy ride too. Adjusting to the two different worlds I lived in (Sudan and here) is difficult. Values in one, are not important in another. Specific, detailed comments about my personal health are not appropriate answers when someone asks, "how are you today?" Greeting perfect strangers gets funny looks here. Also, I am sadly overcome by the abundant riches, yet the lack of happiness here. It is more true to me now than ever that, money, excellent medical care, free education, smooth roads, cold beers, great foods, high speed internet, fast food, disposable everything, etc, cannot buy happiness. It has been bumpy coming home.

Through my time in Germany, sorting out my next step in my career, I was asked to go to Somalia to fill the position of Project Coordinator in the starting up of a Tuberculosis (TB) project. In a largely nomadic and insecure environment, current protocols to treat TB in Somalia are not working. MSF has developed a new way of catering to nomadic and insecure populations for treating TB. This project is a one year trial of this new method and methodology. Currently in Somalia, approximately 10,000 people get infected with TB every year. And there is almost no working TB programs to deal with this medical problem, and no other medical organization attempting to start TB programs in the near future. As such, I think this endeavor is very worth my time. After many specific questions were answered, I accepted the position. The contract would be for 6 months initially, and start at the end of January.

With this decision behind me, I could relax and enjoy Christmas at home. Wonderful!

December 26th, an earthquake and tsunami struck Asia. As many of you know, I worked in Sri Lanka before Sudan. Some of the places I traveled to and vacationed at, on the Island, were on the east coast, and were hit heavily by the waves. This disaster has made me realize that the more I travel and work overseas, the more personal these disasters overseas become. Those dead people aren't poor strangers, used to suffering/surviving, on the other side of the world anymore, some of them are my friends.

On one project I worked on in Sri Lanka, every Sunday and even on Christmas day, we would go to the beach on the east coast. There was a dirt path that we could drive on that lead to a small fishing village, then we were on the beach. We would park by the church (a small palm leaf shelter) then walk with whoever wanted to walk with us, along the beach; picking shells, learning from the kids the names of the fish and crabs in Tamil and laughing all the way. There is something beautiful about walking with some kids, or adults, not having more than 10-20 common words between you, and filling your time with jokes and just good times. Once, a lady came up to us and gave us some food. She had a very large smile and insisted we eat (a very welcoming gesture in a hungry small village). A few minutes later, our doctor recognized her as a previous patient of his, but much better now. I haven't felt so welcome on a beach before, or afterwards. A wonderful sanctuary from the tiring work week.

Well, this village is right by the sea and there is no protection from waves as large as those reported. I don't know what has happened to that village, or other ones I know. On the web, I have read reports tonight of close to 10,000 Tamils dead. (20,000 Sri Lankans in total.) This is quite personal to me.

MSF has teams assessing the damages and needs in the countries affected. As many of you heard in the news, the same amount of people or more will die in the coming weeks and months, as did on December 26th when the waves hit. There are millions (one million in Sri Lanka apparently) that are displaced, without food, clean water, medicines, proper latrines etc. The death toll and numbers of displaced people in Darfur, are close to these amount in Asia today, but Darfur had occurred over the last year (or two), this happened in hours, and will get worse due to increasingly bad water and sanitation conditions.

I have been getting in touch with MSF about postponing my time in Somalia, so I can go to Sri Lanka now. More than any previous motivating feeling I've had in the past, for anything, I feel I must be in Sri Lanka, with the people I worked with, lived with, laughed with and now need help more than ever before. I don't know what will happen, or when it will start, but I'll be heading out again soon.

As I may be leaving soon, and as I miss you, my friends and family, when I am away. I'm throwing a party in Toronto at Einsteins. I also miss having a gathering of like minds, a little music, some cold drinks and nice food. So:

Saturday January 8th, 2005, in the evening till late, Einstein's Cafe: www.ein-stein.ca on College near Spadina will be the place of gathering. Oj has been kind enough to open the doors for many many of us, and there is plenty of room, so please feel free to bring a friend, or several. All are very welcome.

There may be a chance I will not be able to make the party. If I can go to Sri Lanka before then I will. If I cannot make the party, I would be disappointed if you didn't come, toast to good health and enjoy the gathering of like minds, and meet the rest of the good people in Toronto. Unfortunately, I just don't know at this point when/if I would go, so I want to make plans now for everyone to make plans for this night.

So that is an update on my recent events, thoughts, motivations and possible opportunities. I'll let you all know more when I do.

Cheers, love,

Steve

P.S. Many people now have asked me where they should donate money to, for the Asia crisis. Here is my brief advice.
- I've experienced much personal reward in giving to others less fortuate. I think it is wonderful thing to do I hope this advice helps you find the right way to give.
- If you want an organization that follows some of your religious, medical, engineering or other criteria, then do a little looking for one that you would be happy supporting. Here is a listing of some organizations that are involved in the Asia crisis and a brief description of what they are doing there. http://www.alertnet.org/thefacts/reliefresources/110409431212.htm
- Do what you can. Some people donate lots of money and no time, some donate lots of time and no money. I think everyone should do what they can, and what makes them happy.
- Some webpages like www.msf.ca have a very simple online donation form, and you will get a tax receipt right then too.
- Personally, I like what MSF does, where and how they do it. As such, I have chosen to spend my time with them. They keep admin costs low, but they do spend money where it is needed. I think it is important that there is a professional base and good administration that keeps things efficient and effective. I could see that organizations that only take volunteers (non-paid) and put all costs to the populations in danger, may be inefficient in their operations, and slow to deliver aid when urgently needed (as in Asia, now). Good people leave good organizations when not paid. I think MSF has an excellent balance of that. (In fact in 1999, MSF received the Nobel Peace Prize. Part of the reasoning, I was told, was for the logistical abilities to respond to emergencies quickly and suitably. I think that is a reflection of their professional abilities. Also of note, MSF was founded by some Doctors working with ICRC. They were frustrated by political tape holding them back from a population in need. They formed a group called, Doctors Without Borders, and proceeded to access the forgotten ones, and speak out about human rights violations when others thought it was more suited to be quiet and not rock the boat. I think the international communities observation in Darfur would have come later, if MSF did not start speaking out about the problems there when they started (months before the headlines caught on). There are many other examples where this accessing the forgetten corners of the world, and speaking out against wrongs that happen there. Check out www.msf.ca for more.