This won't be long..

So, this last week has consisted of many mornings where I stay in bed as I try to get over whatever is is that I've contracted. Last week, for one day it felt like the flu, with body aches and feeling frozen. Then I was better and visited more houses for the next 2 days. Then my throat really started bothering me and my grandmother insisted that I rest more and stay in the house more. Plus, I have time to catch up on writing things. Downside, I feel terrible and just want to sleep and not do any work. Yesterday, I really felt a lot better. But after being in the cold last night (for an incredible dinner with the aim to start unifying the pastors of Carcova) for several hours, I returned to the house feeling worse than ever and this morning I really could not will myself out of bed. My grandma is going to see if her doctor can make a house visit, but as for now, I'm housebound with the precious time I have left slipping away every second that I stay in the house.

How ironic: at the beginning, I was housebound due to a lack of connections and ability to enter Carcova without the connections. But I was perfectly healthy. Now, I have to cancel meetings with people or going out into the cold because I'm sick. And I feel like a wimp for not going out and working. Especially while I can stay in my house and be warm while other people are in the villa without real doors for their houses, in the cold, without heaters and sick like I am, and sharing their bed with the rest of their family.

-Please pray that I will get over whatever it is that I have so can get out there and interview more people.

-Please also pray for the people of the villa who are sick with the flu or pneumonia without heaters or warm houses.

--The health care system is socialized, so there are free clinics for even the poorest of people to go to, but the people of the Bajo, the poorest part of the villa, alot of times don't go to the free clinics when they're sick. Andres told me it's because they feel like less than the trash that surrounds them and so they won't go to a free doctor to get better. And in times of flu, especially with the chance of the swine flu, it could mean death for some of these people when they don't receive the proper medical care.

-Finally, please pray that I'd take advantage of this time that I have at home to start analyzing the data I've gathered and see what else I need to do before I leave.

Thanks everyone.

Love,

Claire