We're in November. How did this happen?? I am a mere two weeks from home--from my 奶奶, Chinese food, 60-degree winter...
Going into my third month here, I'm noticing how my perception of my time here is changing yet again. Now that I've seen a few brigades come and go, my frame of reference, both in time and people, has become defined by the people here, and when they leave.
Last night, I met the famous Dr. Ed Zuroweste--a remarkable (of course) family physician who has devoted the latter half of his life to migrant workers. He and his wife--to whom he is adorably dedicated--have their own migrant health clinic, and also serve as "consultants" to various public health organizations...including the WHO. He travels to various countries to help establish and improve global health organizations, and decades ago had to make the decision: work with Partners In Health in Haiti with Paul Farmer, or Shoulder to Shoulder in Honduras with Jeff Heck? Since then, over twenty years later, he and his wife have made countless trips down to rural Intibucá, helping with paquete básicos and seeing us through the growth of our Santa Lucía clinic and the subsequent construction of our Conce clinic.
Listening to him speak about his various experiences, I remember how again and again, the people who keep Shoulder to Shoulder going are these types of incredible, selfless people. And each of them--Art, Dick, the Tepes, Ed--lead their lives in very different ways, but all equally admirably. Again and again, I think to myself, I want to be like them someday...
And then I remember, that's what a friend told me two months ago, and he's already on that road. It really is that easy.
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