Semana Santa in Bilwi

After a week holiday we all came together on Sunday with renewed energy. Therese, Johan and Maaike had left on Saturday before Semana Santa. Gerjanne, Sandra and myself stayed here, partly to work and partly to join the activities in Bilwi, if possible. Having the whole building to ourselves was the first hurdle to take, it appeared to be easy.

We were taken out to do a research on the disco’s in town. Aura Luz and her friend took us under their wings...We cooked our own dinners, and decided we would cook “Dutch” for Aura Luz, Mery, and Solanita, three woman from the constrcution site and Brigida, who cooks the meals for our whole group, and her children.

As there are sufficient carrots, onions and potatoes here we chose to make hutspot! We added meatballs and beetroot salad as we had traced some beetroots at the supermarket. It was a great success. Not only did they like the food we brought to the picknick on the beach, we also had a relaxing afternoon playing soccer and swimming. We were quite surprised that 3 of the “girls” had never been into the sea before.

Brigida actually made hutspot with meatballs and beetroot salad for the whole group on Monday! What a nice thing to do for us. Mind you, we decided not to tell her that in Holland we eat hutspot in the middle of the winter! Who cares!

To continue our Semana Santa activities: The evening after Anneheleen, one of the “new” therapists and Anniek and Hugo arrived, we stood on our balcony to watch darkness drop in. On the middle of the school ground people arrived one by one and gathered together around a pile of wood which was lit . A church principle stood in the middle and the first part of the mass was held. We joined, the light was spread , apparently everyone had brought a candle. In a procession the group walked through the main street of the town, to end in the catholic church where the mass continued.

Easter Sunday some of us went to the church to discover beautifully dressed girls and boys, high heeled ladies with hats and luckily also some casual dressed Nica’s. At the end we were greeted heartedly and hands were shaken. How special and at the same time quite natural. When we returned Anniek and Hugo were painting Easter eggs for all of us. Quite a job!

Saturday Maria had arrived and Monday morning Marjan joined the crew of therapists. As therapists often are quite fast-forward and enthusiastic we had a meeting on Monday morning. Main goal was to make all noses point in the same direction (a Dutch expression), probably almost impossible……I said, almost…

Tuesday was a day of visiting new children at their homes. The night before we checked al our “test “ materials, discussed the usefulness of them. And again we took time to discuss, listen and make plans.

In every project insights change along the way and adjustments are made. That is definitely necessary in a country so different from ours, where our expectations have to meet the local facts to make things work. It is actually a proof of quality if you have the guts to make adjustments that are necessary . Especially if it means that you have to let go of your own expectations. I feel all of us, therapists, builders and scientists are going through that process. Being part of this process and finding your own way of handling might actually be the gain for ourselves on this project, something to take home.

I will leave you with these thoughts and you will hear more from us next week!

Wilma (fysiotherapist)