Ups and Downs

It’s the day after the presidential election and the passionate Jamaicans are as excited about Obama winning as they were about their Olympic track team’s accomplishments. Certainly, more of them want to talk with us about the meaning of this win than they did the feats of Bolt, et al. They are proud of Obama and glorious about what the “white” Americans have done. It seems to be a statement about each of them as individuals and their legitimacy as much as recognition of America’s and the world’s need for the promise Obama’s leadership hopefully will bring. We’ve got our fingers crossed he is able to follow through on what he seems to stand for.

There have been some ups and downs in our projects. We’re home helping our host mother, Mrs. Rumble, prepare for the first ever Chapelton Senior Citizens gathering. She’s been inspired to start one after the early success with the Citizens’ Association. We’ll keep you informed as to whether or not it blossoms in to a viable organization.

The Citizens’ Association has its second planning meeting tomorrow night and it’s first full community meeting next Wednesday evening. We’re not as confident we can muster sufficient participation to make this group effective. Their first planning meeting went well but last week was supposed to be the second meeting. It didn’t go off because it rained. We’ve learned that Jamaicans DO NOT GO OUT IN THE RAIN…….EVER!!!
Since this is the “rainy season” it’s a little difficult to plan and keep momentum going but we’ll see. Can’t figure out why they don’t like rain but it’s clear the custom is spread throughout the culture.

The shoe collection efforts seem to be going great guns, especially on the west coast. Thanks to those of you who are contributing. My sister, Aimee, has set a goal of 1,000 shoes and has made contact with a Jamaican-American Association that may try to help with shipping and possible donations. Like John and me, it must be in her genes to dream big. I’m excited to see what she’s able to pull off.

The shoes will be used first for those in the community who want to begin exercising. The second group will be those who participate in the Wellness Project Evaluation. We’ll be able to give them a necessary tool to carry out the prescriptive lifestyle recommendations we make. We have a pilot run-through on five volunteers next Wednesday. If all goes well we’ll launch at both hospitals beginning January 15.

For those who are familiar with the Fitness Evals we used to do at BU, this will be a hybrid of that. Available equipment is limited so there’ll be some field test screenings like a Step –Test for cardio-fitness rather than a treadmill or bike test with an EKG monitor. We won’t be able to estimate fat volume, lean body mass or strength so we’re doing BMI and waist girth instead. But we are confident we’ll have enough risk info to estimate chances of chronic diseases and levels of wellness. Along with what’s been mentioned we’re doing resting EKGs, blood lipids and glucose, flexibility, posture analysis, nutritional analysis, oral health exam and depression screen.

We’re coming home for Christmas!!….. well, it’ll be the day after Christmas, for nine days. If any of you are in New England and are dying to see us, we’ll be in Greenwich, CT at Johns from 12/26 to the 30th, then in Hardwick, MA with Art Dell Orto until 1/3. Then we’ll return to John’s for a Jan. 4 departure for JM. We’re delaying our JM departure to the US to participate in a “Jamaican Christmas”. Apparently it’s a bigger event here than in the US. We’ll let you know what transpires. Todd may also join us for a while and bring Riley. It will be wonderful to see the boys and hug them.

Tek cyar, Margaret