the rat and africa

Usually rodents are rather skittish
But this rat was just standing there
in the middle of my office patio
it was about 3pm
when there is a lot of people around

I am sure she was sick
Otherwise she wouldn’t be there
Just sort of balancing from one side to the other

My first reaction when I saw it
Was a little of surprise and fear
But right away I felt this huge sorry for her

I had a headache and the knee hurting
And some cramps too
the headache, although thankfully not a migraine
has been in my head for about 5 days now
So I related with another earth fellow
The rat!
I know how it is to be sick
And I feel sorrow for the animal

Then again came to my mind
The thousands of human beings
And kids that are sick and poor
All over the world
Suffering from hunger, sickness and cold
some mistreated by either war
or their own families

And I felt miserable for complaining so much
Sometimes
I complain and complain when I have a roof
Over my head and more food than what I can really eat
when i have a somehow healthy body
I felt empty thinking of all the things I have
And others don’t, and I still complain
while my head might hurt and I write all this dark stuff at the blog
after all I live in heaven compared with most of the people out there
and I am thankfull for that

That’s why I was talking about Buddhist
And giving up selfish dreams that just focus on myself
And my own pleasure, instead of trying to give back something
To life…

And I remember then the original dream!

A while ago I had this dream
That I didn’t give up but sort of left for later

Strange that the sick little rat at work
Was the one that made me think of it

The dream, a neat help project in Africa
About 9 months ago, this was my travel plan
Then the plans switched, but I might just back to this one
sooner than what I thought

The African dream!
I wanted to go as a volunteer for 2 or 3 months
To develop a little help project in Africa
This organization finds a way to help women from Ghana
While you volunteer working on your own career
For example, if you are textile designer
Your job might be help African women to develop
Garments and or clothing to sell and help themselves

If you are a chef, they might find you a project to
Help an African woman opening a little lunch restaurant

Here the link
http://www.womeninprogress.org/
And this brief description
Women in Progress is an international volunteer organization promoting volunteer work abroad through volunteer vacations. Our international volunteer programs help the growth of small businesses in Africa through voluntary work abroad.
Through a short-term volunteer vacation, you will be able to use your skills to help others and make a difference in the future of women and their families in Ghana.
Please visit this link too!
http://www.womeninprogress.org/volunteerhighlights.asp#
with examples of some of the projects

I can’t believe that
An awkward moment
With an earth fellow the rat
Brought back this beautiful dream to my mind
This dream is one I should never give up
No matter if I can do it soon
Or later in life

I need plenty of money for it
The plane ticket is expensive
And you do have to pay for your stay
to support the center
also I don’t have that enough vacation time
therefore I would have to ask a permit without salary at my job
while I still have to pay my home’s rent

although I figure it out that with about 3, 000 dollars
I can cover all the expenses! So it might not be
That unreal after all!
The goal
To create a little fund among friends and family
Or anybody who wants to cooperate with my trip
One dollar or two might help
After all is to help African women

Ah! I will need a good camera too, to photograph
A place like Africa…
One day, I do hope I can be there…

Oh! And the rat, after an hour or so
She was gone… probably she hid again
or not sure if she's with us anymore
I hope if she had a purpose in life
As any rodent might have
That she fulfill it before she got sick and depart
Or who knows? I might find her around the office again
Happy and hiding behind trash cans…
I'll let you know
tonight I go to bed tired but with a half smile
the one of having hope of maybe being able to help some
another woman one day, one the other side of the world