Thursday, July 26, 2007




our last lunch together was sober... great kid pictures, but there was a sense of oh.. .after all this work together, we like each other... it was a quiet, thoughtful time... i think normal might be the word... the kind of feeling you wish you had in the middle of an experience... not so much at the end... it's amazing to me that after observing and entering into the lives of these 7 or so women that you leave feeling that you are in fact leaving sisters... Didi, begali for sister, is a word we heard often.."didi, she does have a husbad and he sells drugs"!, "Didi, take this baby until it walks, and then i will come back for it", "didi take this kid for a minute while i eat lunch".."didi, green saree?!?", "didi, baby milk?!?".. today it was "dede, you come back"? ... that is the nice thing to say to someone who is leaving i know ... but its a fascinating thing to recognize that someone else "knows you were there" .. it's not so much about "making a difference" or "having and impact"9whatever that means).. but maybe it's a selfish realization that you were there to watch a transformation, or a realationships develop and most importantly, you were there to witness... to really tear apart and wrap your brain around a system whose symptom is babies and moms sleeping on the same sidewalk you try to avoid walking on if only for its filth... back at marist, where even the grass looks vaccuumed, i am so thankful for such sweet smelling air....but i can't imagine them here, in this environment... not only does that disconnect lead me to think something is very off in the world, but also reminds me that this is just another finidng in coming to discover alternatives for people...

2 comments:

Pat & John Preston said...

Dear Jaime,

We gather you have come to the end of your mission and may indeed be home by now. We are back from Ireland and just now catching up on reading the most recent episodes of your Blog. It was great to be able to follow your work and share in your feelings and observations. We look forward to seeing you in person and hearing more soon. Your documentary will be awesome.

Well done, Jaime, and well said! (and written)....
Love and peace,
Pat & John

ciaderosa said...

Jaime,
I loved reading your blog and want to keep in touch. What happened to the baby and the charity place? I'm on pins and needles?

Write me on my e-mail soon! I want to hear more about your plans.

Christine