This morning at the 8 AM meeting as the staff gathered to share information gathered over the past day(s) we received a call from Kinari (one of the founders of this entire effort) reporting that there has been either an initiation or an increase in illegal logging in a village (Tanjung Gunung) near the national park we are near. The village is near the coast and through the village runs a road which leads to a research station in the park as well as the sought after trees. It is one of the most pristine, not logged areas in the park and the challenge to the ASRI staff is to come up with a plan. So, I look around the group and think what in the world can this really small group of people do?
When this information was given there was an audible moan/gasp from the group and this continued as more information was heard. What was translated for me is that the national park staff is insufficient to adequately patrol the park and there is also a "mole" in the village who alerts the loggers when the park patrol will come to their area. The villagers have said via a meeting with the ASRI staff previously that they wouldn't log if they were given cows because then they could farm more efficiently. But there is another problem and that is flooding from the sea which would take an expensive dam to build to control. And the area the dam would need to be built in is in the national park and thus prohibited. Talk about a Catch 22. So, as we start the clinic day, Hotlin (the second founder) and the man responsible for the reforestation/organic farming program (I think) are huddled in a back room around a cell phone talking and planning. I am reminded that the effort being expended to protect the forest is being done for all of us...for the climate...for the wildlife diversity and for the knowledge that is gained from the research i.e. new medications?? An update will come later...
NEWS FLASH!! Two nights sleeping with out ant bed visitors. On Monday after the clinic but before the shops close between 4 and 7 PM we high tailed by bike to the local "department store" With the help of the dictionary we found a spray which we used in spite of the warning of the newest volunteer to arrive, Patrick, that we should be careful with such sprays in developing countries as they may contain substances banned in the US. We sprayed, closed the doors to the room, and sat outside enjoying a cool drink waiting for the fumes to dissipate. This isn't a problem as there is no direct contact between the walls and the roof except for some supporting frame . It seems to have worked in the room we are in, but there is still evidence in the other bedroom. But we are celebrating at the moment!
Life with ants is interesting...we basically keep everything free of food/crumbs sweet drink rings etc. When Yani, the helper for our house, leaves us our evening meal, all the dishes are sitting on plates filled with water. This creates a barrier as evidently ants can't swim.
Patrick arrived two days ago and is a grand addition to the crew. He is a repeat volunteer i.e. 3-4 times, and comes with a wealth of skills in the construction/electrical/
Jason and Nadi left last Thursday and we will be receiving another Johnson and Johnson scholar (internal med. resident) from Stanford this weekend who will go to another national park where there are feeding stations for orangutans. We also hope to see probiscus monkeys plus many others. . Jim and I gathered at the boat dock and saw then safely loaded into the narrow speed boat. We also "met" what looked like a horse shoe crab but is called the turtle of the sea. Huge, and very interesting. It had been caught right by the dock. I hope to send a picture.
Another new experience...yesterday I went to school with Etty. She conducts classes for the children in the 23 villages surrounding the national park This program is called ASRI Kids and is the program I am writing a report for to go to the donors. Interestingly, this program was in response to daughters of a previous volunteer who asked why the children who lived near the park didn't get to see it and the wildlife in it. In fact, when Etty did some pre-testing using a blowup globe and asked the kids to put stickers where orangutans lived. The US, Australia plus many more countries received stickers. Once they learned that ONLY Borneo and Sumatra have orangutans plus other wildlife and people come from all over the world to see their treasures, the kids were proud and in post testing have shown a much greater understanding of why and how the forest needs to be protected. Etty's course which is continually evolving is a once a week course for 2 month followed by 1 and 2 month monitoring. Each class is two hours and takes place at the school in the afternoon targeting 4 and 5th graders. School is out for them at noon, so they have to return and they absolutely love it. They learn about dental hygiene, the forest and the animals that live there, the importance of protecting this special place, trash and how to compost organic trash, the importance of and how to plant and care for trees (actually receive 4 seedlings to take home) and much more. Yesterday we were making paper out of "trash" - used paper. Picture a large wash tub filled with "blenderized" soggy paper and being mixed by lots of eager hands (only a little flicking of sticky paper at each other). Then screens attached to a wood frame were lowered into the mix, lifted flat with the water draining ou and the pulp on topt, decorated with flowers and leaves and then put against a drying board and a "presser" used to press out the water while the frame is held in position. Once the frame is removed the pulp sticks to the drying board and at the next visit, paper is removed. Talk about eager kids! They are also learning English too so we had fun with a few phrases. One little girl dressed in pink told me that her name was Linda...that one I could remember.
Making paper is a way to teach children that what is trash can have other uses. They will be the next forest guardians!
Now on to fashion....There are lovely ways to wear the head covering but I have yet to discover how it stays in place. BUT I can not imagine how hot it is. As for the men...long fingernails at least one per hand are considered a fashion statement. I had thought there was a utilitarian purpose such as starting the pealing of various kinds of fruit. WRONG
A man for whom we did some dental work yesterday had one little fingernail that was an inch long and two others including a thumb which approached that length. I bet he doesn't do dishes!
As for the electricity forecast of yesterday. It didn't go out until suppertime which was about 6:30 by which time it is totally dark. So we ate some kind of soup and fresh bread and pineapple followed by rice pudding made with left over rice for Jim and a piece of chocolate for me. The electricty appeared fairly soon afterward. It is interesting to note that all the blubs, house, shops, clinic etc are CFL's. The only problem is that they are suspended too high which makes lighting after sunset challenging. For a while last night I was reading by head light while Jim enjoyed his IPAD. I'm saving a few books on my Kindle as down loading here would be a real trick.
New challenge. Disposal of left over dental filling material which contains mercury. At this point there isn't a procedure..we will need to persue. Also another young woman who prefers a tooth extraction to a root canal followed by dentures. So hard for Monica and me to understand their lack of desire to preserve their teeth.
All for now! another dental patient and the report to finish. And in an hour we will see what is for lunch at the yellow house (which may actually become yellow thanks to Patrick's efforts) which we may enjoy or else there is Amadi's next door. More about the food later.
Love to all!
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