The Storm after The Calm

The last two weeks have been what we were told to expect - full of a whole lot of nothing. That’s not entirely true - but the last couple of days, I’ve read three full novels and although I’m loving how my library keeps expanding, I’m getting restless to do something profound. Today was the day - it exploded!

In true Belizean fashion - there was no warning. This morning I met with the director of the foundation to talk about perhaps doing something internal while I waited to see what external volunteering would come my way. I walked away from the meeting with the distinct impression that I’d been ‘handled.’ Like when you pay a cab driver $50 for a trip that was meant to be $10 and they drive away with a loud “Woohoo!!!” Looks like I’m going to be re-vamping their Volunteer Program here at the foundation. I’m to create a comprehensive Volunteer Manual, stream-line the current program, paperwork and information, organize the program areas and work with the woman who does the website to change the information. It all sounded really exciting to the part of my brain that’s a neurotic, obsessive-compulsive-personality-disordered, controlling, organizing freakshow. And then...

I received a call from the local women’s shelter, Mary Open Doors, for a meeting in the afternoon. I met with the head of the board who was thrilled to have “western professionals” and it looks like they would like me to work for them in a consulting capacity. I gathered that this means I will be helping them organize and streamline their current efforts, implement new programs and build relationships with the schools for the children who are experiencing violence in the home, and provide consultation regarding specific domestic violence cases. They need assistance with everything - from establishing intake paperwork to training for their crisis counselors to providing ideas for funding and community resources. And then...

The foundation received phone calls from the Chairmen of four outlying villages around San Ignacio - to do presentations in their communities. They want parenting workshops - and as the resident psychologist, I was voted in. But thankfully, Helen got dragged into this venture too and will be headlining with me, talking about healthy relationships and domestic violence while I focus on parenting education and skills. The excitement of reaching the outer villages was buzzing in the office and before I could escape, I found myself signed up to do two more workshops here in San Ignacio for the Women’s Group on parenting as well. I got to fumble my way through Microsoft Publisher and made some rockin’ flyers - ready to send out to the villages tomorrow morning!! (I was clearly working on Western time here).

And just in case I don’t feel busy enough - I have a meeting scheduled with the president of the local hospital to work in their mental health department. She’s been waiting for me to get a copy of my degree faxed here and assumes I will be a full-time addition to their over-worked counselors. And there’s a social worker in the schools who thinks I’m going to be providing some aid in her direction to ease the burden of her 30+ caseload. Oh, and I almost forgot - there’s the lovely 18 year old who I promised to teach how to read and write.

BOOM!! That’s the sound of the storm after the calm. What a riot!! I love it....I love the energy of it - how it swirls around in bursts of exciting movement towards change and progress for both agencies and individuals in this wonderful community. I have no doubt my hands will be full - actually, I think they might even be invisible. But I’m also certain that I will be involved in projects that are sustainable and life-changing. Ready or not, here I come!