In this blog I
fully intended to describe todays distribution in Ramdung and tell you
all about the almost 3 hour journey it took us to get there. You would
of read about little villages waking up, children getting dressed in
their school uniforms and farm workers making their way across the sugar
fields to start the day. I also was going to mention the interesting
fortress which dates back to the years
when Britain ruled India.
However instead I am going to share with you
our adventures on our return to the hotel. Sometime on the long trip
home we decided we needed some "down" time and felt a Belgaum shopping
spree would be the answer. Bill had his afternoon planned and Jim
needed rest so the
remaining female team members, Allison, Kristen, Helen and this writer
convinced a rather reluctant rickshaw driver to accommodate 4 and with
the help of the front desk instructions to the city market, off we went.
Not that Bill was concerned, but he did arm us with the team
telephone, Dilip's card and of course the hotel card to show the driver
where to bring us home. On the way we had to hold the door closed so
Allison wouldn't fall out but it was a short trip and we managed to hang
on to her. When we unfolded from the rickshaw it took us a little
time to source out the shops and after making a few turns we found
exactly what we were looking for, Indian dollar/rupee stores, glitzy
imitation jewellery to go with our Indian fashion for the 25th Belgaum
anniversary "gala" and of course some semi tacky souvenir shops. We
bought so much in the "dollar store" the clerk that stuck with us
through out
the shopping received a commission. For our return we flagged another
rickshaw and reversed the process but this time Kristein crouched, I had
to find a location for one leg as there wasn't room for two and again
we held the door closed. You can call this team building or just plain
crazy but we did have fun and considering the very long days we have had
on this distribution, fun was exactly the remedy we needed. I think
collectively we spent the equivalent of $50 but the memory of the
afternoon will stay with us for a very long time. 
Something else that
will stay with me for a very long time is a remark one of the mothers
made to me during today's interviews. The interpreter told me the
mother wanted to be sure that we realized that " It would take me an
entire year to earn the money to buy all these things for her family and
now she can use her money for food."
Today's interviews were done
with three
mothers who came into the room together with a female interpreter from
Rotary. When we all sat in a circle and discussed the bedkit contents
the conversation developed I could feel a connection building. Besides
having the opportunity to check the contents with the user these
interviews at times generate a connection between the woman and
hopefully foster mutual support. All together it was an amazing day.
