what's your emergency?

Thanks to my supervisor's spectacular management skills I didn't go home until 2am last night.  The late night combined with the knowledge that it would have been avoided if someone hadn't given me the assignment with only 48 hours notice made for one sad and sorry woman when the alarm clock woke me up for another day of joy.  I sent SB to take his shower ahead of me while I tried unsuccessfully to become one with my pillow.

A very few minutes later I was roused by SB's distraught yelling.  I shot out of bed and ran to the bathroom, expecting him to lying in a pool of blood, only to find him standing perfectly upright. "What's wrong," I rasped, my heart still in my throat.

SB turned from the mirror to face me. "My nipples are lopsided," he wailed.

Great.  After thirty-nine years of blissful ignorance you notice this now.  Right now.

I was so unimpressed that I didn't even bother to respond and stomped back to bed.  Unfortunately I was fully awake and my snoozy time was over.  SB followed me into the bedroom, dripping water all over the floor for me to slip and fall on (at least one of us should manage that pool of blood that woke me up to begin with).  He made me analyze his nipple placement and indeed one nipple is an inch or so higher that the other.  I wasn't surprised by this so I must have noted it on a subconscious level before.  "I can never take my shirt off again!" he wailed some more.  Oh puh-leasssse!

I told him that nobody is symmetrical.  Why did he care?  His shoulders are lopsided from where he broke his collarbone much more noticeably.  Anyone looking at him directly can see that he's broken his nose and that doesn't seem to bother him.  In fact I was pretty sure that my nipples weren't perfectly symmetrically located either.

So at 7:30 this morning SB and I were standing side by side in front of the mirror like two boobs comparing our boobs.

Ate's Amazing Adventures: Playlist

Masarap ang tulog ni Kirov pag pinapatugtog ko ang playlist ng mga paborito kong kanta, kaya tuwing tanghali, naging routine na namin na mag soundtrip pagkatapos ko syang paliguan.  

Sa araw-araw na pagpapatugtog ko ng playlist ko, na-memorize na rin pala ni Ate ang mga lyrics nito.  Akalain mong bumirit kanina si Ate ng "Alfie" at "Come on Home" ng EBTG, "Killing Me Softly" ni Luther Vandross, "Nearness of You" ni Norah Jones at "Half Crazy" ng Freestyle habang nasa banyo.

Ikaw na! ;D

trash talk

I had stopped picking up my free issue of the subStandard for several months.  I was having a debate with myself of whether the small bits of local news were worth having to suffer through the highly partial writing style or the peanut gallery who have somehow managed to find employment as journalists.

The editor is a disgrace.  Never one to give up an opportunity to suck up to her feudal masters she attempts to ridicule anyone who won't tow the party line.  Remember when she compared the railway protesters to the Na'vi, having clearly just seen Avatar and wanting to write something related, except in her version the blue guys were in the wrong?  On second thought, maybe that piece was one of her (unintentionally) more brilliant writings.  It would explain a lot about her line thought.

This week I wasn't quick enough to say no thank you and was left holding a copy of the paper.  I couldn't help myself and looked inside.  Clearly I had not learned Pandora's lesson and so I paid for it.  To that bald idiot opinion writer who took the easy way and wrote an article blathering on about how confused he was about why women are dressing in skimpy clothing and protesting I would like to thank you for ruining the ten minutes of bus time that I usually use to check Facebook.

If you were a man of moderate intelligence you could Google the Slutwalk and find out that it was originally organized in response to an idiotic statement by Toronto Police Constable Michael Sanguinetti who stated that "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized."  It was a protest by women and men against victim blaming ('scuse me while I climb onto the pulpit).  Any person who slightly understands the concept of free will can understand that we are accountable for our actions.  This is why we brag about being "civilized."

Please let me ease your confusion, Mr. Vittachi.  Women with short skirts are not asking for it.  Even if the skirt is worn with high heeled shoes.  Even if a women chooses to objectify herself.  It does not imply consent for others to objectify or assault her.  We learned these lessons in kindergarten somewhere between keep your hands to yourself and don't take what doesn't belong to you.  Maybe you were too busy eating your own crap to have paid attention that day so I am happy to explain it now.  Class dismissed.

Ate's Amazing Adventures: Sewing Kit

Matagal-tagal din akong napahinga sa pagpopost ng mga Amazing MisAdventures ni Ate gawa ng lintek na internet namin na lagi na lang nagloloko. Dahil dyan, may bagong ibig sabihin sa aking ngayon ang PLDT.

Palaging La Dial Tone.
Nangyayari ang ganyan sa tuwing may bagyo, na para bang kasamang tinatangay ng malakas na hangin ang dial tone at DSL connection namin.  Feeling ko, grounded ang linya namin na hindi naman masolusyunan ng mga contractual na mga kablero ng PLDT kahit memorize na nila ang pasikot-sikot sa aming kabahayan.  

At sa kabila ng ilang bagyong nagdaan nitong mga huling linggo, tuyo pa rin ang utak ng kasambahay ko.  O posible kayang grounded din ito?

Tingin ko, hindi malayo.  

Alam nyo bang si Ate lang ang bukod-tanging taong kakilala ko na nakapayong pa habang nag-aalis ng sampay?  Malakas ang kutob ko na may lahing mutant si Ate, o di kaya ay gremlin na takot dumami (dito, saludo ako kay Ate).

At kanina, hindi ko alam kung bingi lang sya o talagang may angking yun na.  Heto, kayo na ang humusga:

Me: "Ate, nasan na yung sewing kit natin?"

Tumingala si Ate sa kisame, nag-isip.

Ate: "Ano yung sewing kit, Madam? Panungkit?"

Magka-rhyme nga naman kasi...

Flood Concerns Continue in Dakotas

A home in Minot, North Dakota, is overwhelmed by floodwaters from the Souris, or Mouse, River.
Photo: Courtesy of ND Dept. of Emergency Management

By Rev. Lee Gale

In my capacity as disaster response coordinator covering North Dakota for the Dakotas Annual Conference, I went to Bismarck, the capital, and nearby Mandan this week to see what the mighty Missouri River is capable of. Both the Missouri and the Souris, or Mouse, River are swollen with rainwater and melting snowpack, as they overrun their banks and cause massive flooding.

I learned that the pressure from the release from Garrison Dam has deepened the channel, and the Missouri’s current is very strong. Also, the river is changing its course, which may put more property at risk. There is a large area of Bismarck that has the potential for flooding should the dikes break.

Bismarck is now a city of contrast. In one section, floodwaters lap against homes, causing a great deal of concern on the part of the homeowner, while a few blocks away, another person’s greatest worry may be how low to cut the grass. It's a definite contrast in the same city. This year’s flooding will be a long-term issue for Bismarck/Mandan as it will be, also, for the communities down river.

On the Souris River, the town of Minot is seeing flooding it hasn't seen since 1889. Right now there are some 600 homes that will most likely need to be destroyed, as the high water level in them will remain way too long for them to be structurally saved. The water is slowly going down, but the possibilities of additional rain in the area and in Canada upstream continue to cause great concern.

The Dakotas Conference is partnering with other organizations to prepare for cleanup when that time comes. I have contacted UMCOR to put out a call for Early Response Teams that may be able to bless us with their volunteers when the green light is given to enter these areas. Any team that is interested can please call our Conference Office at 605-996-6552. We will compile the necessary information so that those willing to come to North Dakota may be contacted on a timely basis.

NPR & Women "Priests" - Will They Cover The Other Side Too?

This NPR article is so obviously one-sided and absent of important information for people to become knowledgeable of the topic:  Female Priests Defy Catholic Church At The Altar

Heresy

I listen to NPR sometimes.  This was truly disappointing.  So I wrote to them.  Here is what I said:

Dear Sir/Madam:

How about having an interview, and writing an article about, the all-male priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church, similar to this one that I wrote:  A Woman In Support Of An All-Male Priesthood

This would clarify the errors and one-sided perspective in Lily Percy's recent article, and give people balanced information on the topic. If you would like me to tailor an article for your organization, I would be happy to do so. I would be of any assistance you need. Please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Laplante
contact info included

P.S. I've also written this article, Roman Catholic Womenpriests - Not!


image - http://www.npr.org/2011/06/12/137102746/women-priests-defy-the-church-at-the-altar

Ate's Amazing Adventures: Alaga

Wala pang replacement ang nasirang cellphone ko at hindi pa rin naaayos ng PLDT ang pobreng landline namin kaya may mga pagkakataon na nagpapakiramdaman na lang kami ni Ser kapag nasa labas sya at gagabihin sa paguwi.

Kadalasan dumarating si Ser ng bandang 730PM at ang pinaka-late na uwi nya ay bandang 930PM na.  Pumatak ang alas otso, at inisip kong bigyan pa hanggang 830PM si Ser bago mag-decide kung mauuna na kaming kumain ng dinner.  Nakita ko naman kasing nagmeryenda si Ate kaninang alas seis, kaya kampante akong busog pa sya.

Hindi pa man nag-iisang minuto, umeksena na si Ate at sinabing:


"Madam, kain na tayo.  Gutom na ang alaga ko."


Gustuhin ko mang tumanggi, nangibabaw na lang din ang takot kong ako ang gawin nyang hapunan.  


At kahit gutom na gutom na nang dumating, nabusog naman si Ser sa katatawa nang maikwento ko ito sa kanya.  


"Comic relief," sabi pa nya.

Florida's Law Requiring Pre-Abortion Ultrasound Goes Into Effect Friday



Women receiving ultrasound
from a doctor



This is good news.  Florida's law that requires women who seek an abortion to have an ultrasound beforehand, goes into effect this Friday.  In the article referenced below, it is said that 85% of women who have an ultrasound before an abortion, change their mind. 





Image of baby during ultrasound




I bet many women change their minds. How can you ignore the baby, the child, the human being, the person inside of you?  Florida thinks you can't and is hoping to lower the denial that goes on with abortion.






"Starting this Friday, women in Florida will be required to have an ultrasound done by a doctor before having an abortion, a bill Gov. Rick Scott signed into law last Friday."  Progress, but we have a long way to go: ==>  "Oklahoma is the only other state that requires ultrasounds before abortions".  - http://www.news4jax.com/news/28371908/detail.html

Unfortunately, the passing of bills like this is quite a battle.  The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) and Planned Parenthood are two organizations that don't want a law like this to go into effect, e.g. CRR recently filed a class action lawsuit against the ultrasound bill that passed in Texas.  CRR Files Lawsuit Challenging Texas Abortion Sonogram Law

I am saddened by some of the ProChoice explanations I read.  For example:

“This law is patronizing to women in Texas. It is based on outdated stereotypes that women are too immature or too incompetent to make important decisions,” said Northup. “It’s as if the politician has charged into the doctor’s office and told the woman, ‘Honey, you just don’t understand what you are doing. Let me explain it to you and tell you what to do.’”

I am reminded of my own ProChoice days.  I had a similar attitude.  Someone must have prayed for my conversion, because I wasn't looking to be hauled out of my seat of denial.  So, let's continue praying that the people involved here will have a conversion of heart too.


images - http://us.fotolia.com/id/8651231
http://www.pregnancydiary.net/Ultrasound.html

Supplies of Hope

Mery Davituri and her fourth-month-old baby, who reside at Tserovani IDP settlement, register to receive a two-month supply of baby formula.
Photo: Judith Santiago

At the Tserovani settlement of internally displaced persons (IDP) in the Kartli region of the Republic of Georgia, Mery Davituri and her four-month-old baby stand in line to register to receive a two-month supply of baby formula. The formula, provided by the US Department of State, with distribution and logistics managed by UMCOR, helps mothers like Mery provide their children with the nourishment they need until mothers can breast feed again.

Most mothers, following the South Ossetia conflict along Georgia's border with Russia, were unable to lactate due to stress incurred in the war. UMCOR has been distributing baby formula to more than 30 regions throughout the Republic of Georgia since that time.

Mery is one of 7,000 people who live in the Tserovani settlement who cannot afford to purchase baby formula on their own. Today, some 160 families are receiving some relief along with a brief consultation with Ludmila Lomia, a nutritionist contracted by UMCOR.

Lomia instructs the mothers to use the food they are about to receive as a supplement, and strongly encourages lactation through breastfeeding. She tells the mothers to introduce cow’s milk to the baby after they turn one year old, and speaks to them about mixed feeding—the use of supplements together with breastfeeding.

Tamuna Kokhsaidze, who has two children, 3 and 9 months old, shares, “I still have trouble breastfeeding, but I am happy and thankful for this program. I can’t imagine what I would do without it.”

Dali Koraeri from South Ossetia proudly shares with UMCOR that she married a Georgian after the conflict. Together they have one child. Most of the people in Tserovani settlement are originally from South Ossetia, and the subject of this war is still a sensitive issue that most choose not to discuss.

Later, we traveled to Bazeleti IDP Ambulatory, an out-patient clinic constructed in 2010 with funding from the US Department of State and UMCOR. The clinic serves more than 400 people and includes a small educational area for young children. Today, about 165 families receive UMCOR hygiene kits.

It is like a distribution of hope, and many hearts are encouraged and eyes light up when they are reminded that they are not forgotten.

Tomorrow, I travel back to the Georgian border and on to Armenia for a few more site visits, before heading home to the United States in a few days. The days have been long, but it has been an invaluable experience to see UMCOR at work in the lives of so many people.

*Judith Santiago is media communications associate for UMCOR.

When the Music Fades

Doctor Tamila Silagadze, who distributes medicine for UMCOR, apportions the much-needed medicines that arrive at the clinic four times a year.
Photo: Judith Santiago

Today I visited the Patriarchy Policlinic in Tblisi, in the Republic of Georgia, which has been operating since 1995. The clinic distributes basic medicines to the elderly, single mothers, and internally displaced people who come to seek relief from various ailments. In 1994, the Gregorian Orthodox Church allocated the room space for its operation.

Every quarter, a shipment of medicines arrives from UMCOR funding partner IMA (Interchurch Medical Assistance).  Doctor Tamila Silagadze, who distributes medicine for UMCOR, works quickly to assess the patients' needs and then apportions the necessary medicine, which can include pain killers, high blood pressure tablets, vitamin supplements, hygiene kits, and cardiovascular and allergy medications.  Most of the people who arrive at the Patriarchy Policlinic suffer from hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular and joint diseases.

Dr. Silagadze has to use wisdom in distributing medicines. She sees an average of 140 patients a month, and the quarterly distribution of medicines has to last until the next shipment.  There have been times, she says, that the clinic has run out of medicine, and she has had to turn patients away.  I saw how this breaks her heart.

I met Crocha Mairsara, 48, who just received medicine to treat his hypertension.  He says the medicine helps and he notices a difference in his health.  Crocha is married and has one son.  A veteran of the war, he bitterly describes how the war was thoughtless and only served political ambitions at the expense of countless people who lost everything.  Later, I asked him to take us to a nearby internally displaced persons (IDP) settlement, where I witnessed for myself the deplorable conditions that many women, children, and men are living under.

Vladime Devnosadre, 74, has problems with his eyesight and difficultly with his joints, but the medicines provided here will not ease much of Vladime’s condition.  He, like the other patients in the room, live on a small pension and cannot afford the in-patient care at the hospital.  Vladime says that the pharmacies are too expensive. Dr. Silagadze herself gets frustrated when the needs of the patients outweigh the limited available medicines, and yet the patients are very grateful to UMCOR and IMA for what they can receive.

Later in the afternoon, we visited a Tblisi IDP settlement where festivities were taking place in celebration of the arrival and distribution of UMCOR hygiene kits for 400 vulnerable families.  A musical band was playing traditional Gregorian music, and the children danced, clapped and rejoiced.  Many were dressed in their best clothes.  The scene temporarily masked the real conditions in which these families live.

When the kit distribution began, the children barged through the doorway of the very small room which housed the UMCOR boxes of relief supplies.  Each child made sure she or he got a kit. It was a blessing to see the smiles and excitement on their faces.

The Chairman of Abkhazia Parliament in Exile, George Gvazava, was sort of the “master of ceremonies” of the event.  He invited George Gedevanishvili, head of mission for UMCOR Georgia, and me to a table full of sweets, vegetables, breads, cake, fruit, and more.  After several toasts, I was warmed by the Georgian culture.  They spend hours at a table toasting one another in honor and respect of what that person brings to ones’ life and community.  UMCOR was honored that day, but as the toasts and conversations continued, the sounds of children playing rang in the background.  I couldn’t help but run back out to be with the children and the other families.  After all, that was the reason why we were here. I took pictures, laughed with the children, held them, and told them they would be in my prayers.

One woman shared her life with me. She looked tired and wearied and seemingly lost all hope.  There was no translator with me, but I did not need one.  I held her and assured her of my prayers.  I felt the helplessness and wondered what a normal day was for them, or for those who received medicines earlier in the day.  I pondered their day when the music fades.   When the medicine runs out, or after the thrill of receiving a new kit dissipates, what then?   How long do they wait for another bit of relief to come their way.  I breathed and was assured that God has not forgotten these lives, in fact, He was showing me what He knew all along.  So, when the music fades, pray.

On Monday, June 27, we travel to Tserovani IDP settlement in Kartli region for a baby food distribution; then in the afternoon, we travel to Bazaleti IDP Ambulatory and Daycare, which is part of a small reconstruction project.

*Judith Santiago is the media communications associate for UMCOR.

sunday mornings

We spent a great deal of Sunday relaxing because the previous two nights were un-relaxing. Despite our best intentions of leaving two parties at a reasonable time we found ourselves dragging our carcasses through the front door as the sun was beginning to peek its head over the horizon. We clearly had underestimated how entertaining our friends are. And I have never found a pitcher of Sangria that I haven't immediately befriended, including the storage bin filled with suspiciously purple colored liquid at the Christmas party.

Fortunately I was a member of a rugby club during university and knew exactly what I needed after two nights of debauchery. I lived with three teammates during my final year who were also completing their studies. One was a civil engineering major like me and the two others were completing a doctoral degrees in microbiology and neurology. Our weekend routines consisted of rugby on Saturday, partying on Saturday night and then waking up on Sunday with a lot of work to complete. One of the roommates had to routinely slaughter mice on Sunday. There was no laying about in bed and crying over your pounding head. Every Sunday morning we would each consume one cup of coffee, a diet coke, lot of Gatorade and something greasy. Sunday morning was the one time each week that I would indulge in pizza, tacos or a burger. After the mixture of caffeine, sugar, electrolytes and grease the day seemed more bearable.

Ten years later I woke up on Sunday morning and dragged myself to the Starbucks, 7-11 and McDonald's. I wonder if my roommates still have to do the Sunday routine. I would like to imagine that I'm not the last to grow up.

Mary, Jesus, Pope John Paul II and Fr. Corapi

My last post had Mother Teresa in it.  This post has Pope John Paul II and more.  I guess I'm going for the heavy hitters.

While cleaning today, I came across a prayer card that I appreciate now more than ever.  The photo is wonderful.  Mary, the Mother of God on Earth, collects His blood in the Chalice for the rest of us to become like Him.  I am so thankful to have a spiritual mother.  She is always there when I need her.  She is always there when anyone needs her.

The prayer on the back is Pope John Paul II's Prayer For Life.  He was so humble.  He was so holy.  He was ProLife.  He  loved ProChoicers with the love of Christ.  He was a man of the world. He brought Jesus everywhere.  He celebrated Mass every day.  He prayed.  Today, I think of the situation with Fr. Corapi, and I pray that we as a Church, can follow in his footsteps, apply this Prayer For Life, and not let the Devil divide us.

Seeing the Hope in UMCOR

Jorik Papayan lives in peace these days at the Narek Elderly Home. He collects fresh flowers from the field and gives them away to other residents.

Photo: Judith Santiago

Today I visited the Narek Elderly Home in Abovyan City, Kotayk Marz. It’s a center for the homeless or displaced who have no immediate family members to care for them. The residents are mostly refugees who fled the countryside because of the war. UMCOR supports its cheese program, provides relief supplies, and through partner Foods Resource Bank, provides cows, chickens, and beehives to help support the dietary needs of those residing at the center.

Shoger Mikaelyan, who runs Narek Elderly Home with her husband Fridon, says that she is very grateful to UMCOR because without its support the center would not survive. She acknowledged that Narek is living at the expense of UMCOR.

I met briefly the first resident of Narek. His name is Jorik Papyan, 79 years old. Shoger says she found him picking through trash to find food. When she offered him money and he reached out to receive her generosity, she noticed that Jorik could not see. At the time, Jorik was living with his brother-in law after the death of his beloved mother, whom he witnessed getting beaten to death during the war. But Jorik himself was brutally mistreated and starved by his brother-in law. When Shoger learned Jorik’s story, she took him in and made sure he received medical attention. Later, an operation would give him better eyesight. Today, he spends his days gathering flowers from the field and giving them all away.
While she related Jorik’s story, a resident danced outside. The center has become a home and a family in which the elderly can share their stories and live out the rest of their lives.

Fridon and Shoger run the elderly home mostly on their own, but have additional support from their daughter-in law, Arevik, and their grandson, Narek. Working with special-needs and bedridden residents, it’s a wonder how Shoger and her husband manage to stay on top of things. When I asked her how she does it, she replied, “It’s something in our blood, or maybe I got it from my sister who cared for other people.” Whatever the reason for the passion behind her work, she says, it gives her peace.
Afterwards, we drove to Semyonovka village to meet with a few Foods Resource Bank beneficiary families, who have received training and either sheep, chickens, or beehives. Twenty-four families were identified as the most vulnerable in this village. The head of the municipality, whose first name is David, relayed to us that he had a difficult time narrowing the number down to 24 families when so many others needed assistance.

Karina, has five daughters, two grandchildren and a husband who cannot walk because of a war injury. She relies on the chickens provided to her that produce approximately 10 eggs per day. With no access to water, she must walk many kilometers four times a day to obtain enough water to prepare food, wash clothes and bathe. One of her daughters offered to milk her neighbor’s cows in order to earn some money for the family.

One woman, named Mazus, saw the UMCOR van and ran to Karina’s house thinking that another UMCOR training was taking place. We all laughed together. She shared her gratitude for UMCOR’s support and looks forward to the multiplication of her livestock next year.

Since the start of my journey with survivors of trafficking to today’s elderly home visit there is not one need that can be passed over. The needs are great and they are everywhere. It has been a privilege to meet with UMCOR beneficiaries on many levels and assess their needs for survival. UMCOR is greatly respected everywhere we have visited. I saw how UMCOR was a beacon for those who have received so little in life and how a simple sewing kit can turn sorrow into hope. Maintaining the level of service UMCOR provides comes with great responsibility, compassion, and generous, faithful giving to serve the most vulnerable. As United Methodists and people of God we must do more and do all that we can corporately and individually, so that one day we may hear these words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Tonight, I am in Tblisi, Georgia, and on June 24 I will visit in the Patriarch Policlinic and later a settlement of internally displaced persons (IDP) in Tblisi where UMCOR has provided relief supplies.

*Judith Santiago is the Media Communications Associate for UMCOR.

smells like

One of the women on the lift was wearing a perfume that smelled lovely. It was light and floral, very different from what I would wear. I found myself wondering how it would smell on me. This got me to thinking of my own history of perfume. I can distinctly recall events of my life through my perfumes. They have their own special timeline of moments and occasions; I think that other women must have their own fragrance timelines as well. Here is mine:

Charles of the Ritz, Jean Naté: Technically a body splash and powder, not a perfume, this was given to me when I was eleven or so by Aunt Jane. It is said to be spicy and floral. I recall that it could be deemed invigorating. I have fond recollections of splashing it on before my first cotillion. I wore it to school once or twice but I don’t think any of the boys noticed; they were too busy grabbing my butt and running away.

Top notes: er, let’s just skip this one.


Giorgio Beverly Hills, Wings: It was the summer before I began high school. I invited by some cross country girls to their pre-season training. I liked running, really liked competition and was thrilled to be accepted by upperclassmen becaue they were notoriously fond of hazing the freshmen. The girls took me to breakfast after our runs and then to the mall where I eventually found the perfume counter. To a fourteen year old girl this floral and fruity fragrance by Jean-Claude Delville was the mark of my debut into high school. Halfway through the year I met my best friend and discovered that she also wore Wings. I chose to keep my relationship with her and broke up with Jean-Claude.

Top notes: gardenia, lily, passion flower, rose, osmathus and marigold;
Middle notes: cyclamen, orchid, lilac, jasmine and heliotrope;
Base notes: sandalwood, amber, musk and cedar.


Borghese, Il Bacio: Marsella Borghese provided me with a young and flirty floral perfume that soon found a bee. One of the boys on the wrestling team started walking me to class between sixth and seventh period. He was perfect: relaxed, confident, and popular- everything I was not. He leaned into me and told me that I smelled good. These were the most romantic words that anyone had ever spoken to my teenage heart. He snuck me into a bar to listen to live music for our first date. He drove me home an hour past my curfew. My father hated him.

Top notes: Freesia, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Lily-of-the Valley and Rose;
Middle notes: Melon, Peach, Plum and Passion Fruit.
Bottom notes: Musk, Amber, Sandalwood and Cedarwood.


Guerlain, Samsara by Jean Paul Guerlain: I kept my sweet kisses until university. Then I finally decided that I needed a more mature scent and I sure found it. Aunt Jane took me to the massive makeup counter of a Texas mall and after almost two hours of attacking the testers this scent stood out. It is a scent that will stand up when your sense of smell has been under assault.  I still love this scent. I wore it religiously for almost seven years. It was only in my mid twenties when I began to wear my own skin comfortably that I realized how heavy it is. It is described as warm and clean but it is also paradoxically seductive and exotic: the final beatitude that transcends suffering. I still adore Samsara but it is not my regular scent anymore; it is tiring being sexy and mysterious all the time.

Top notes: Jasmine, Ylang Ylang;
Middle notes: Jasmine, Sandalwood, Narcissus;
Base notes: Tonka, Iris, Vanilla


Estée Lauder, Intuition by Alberto Morillas: My best friend returns for this next chapter of scent. In 2003 she called me up after a second date to tell me that she had met her future husband. After finishing the conversation I strolled into the living room of my friend’s house and casually asked if anyone wanted to go with me to visit Chicago. Eighteen hours later I arrived with my new friend Ryan. While my best friend worked during the day Ryan and I toured the city. On our last day we went to the famous Marhall Field’s and he helped me to find a new scent. It was a bit less dramatic than marking the occasion with a tattoo or piercing (which I had done on previous big trips). It was warm and spicy, which I enjoyed, and had a wonderful amber note. It went on too sweet but settled well on my skin. Unfortunately the Intuition lotion stays sweet and never quite settles into the warmth that first drew me in. SB met me during the winter when I was slathering it on my hands and feet and associates that scent with me. I wish he wouldn’t. I would like to think that I am far more multi-dimensional.

Top notes: mandarin, bergamot, grapefruit, fresh green garden
Middle notes: gardenia petal, freesia, Chinese rhododendron
Base notes: amber


Calvin Klein, Euphoria: We had a small flirtation in the spring of 2008 due to a sample in a magazine. It checked all of my boxes as far as exotic, warm and amber however it wasn’t quite me. My twenty-five year old self would have worn it well but it was too sweet and light for a woman who was close to thirty. Just to be sure I tried on a sample and brought it to Uncle Jon. He said it was not me.

Top notes: Pomegranate, Persimmon, "Lush Green Accord" (whatever that is);
Middle notes: Lotus Blossom, Champaca Flower, Black Orchid;
Base notes: Liquid Amber, Black Violet, Cream Accord, Mahogany Wood


Prada, L'Eau Ambrée: Dissatisfied with the lack of dimensionality in my Intuition I went back to the perfume counter. This time I had done some research and carried a list of perfumes that carried the base note of ambergris or sandalwood. This perfume by Daniela Andrier is mesmerizing. Not sweet at all but comfortable. I can’t describe it very well except to say that it first appears to be one thing and then settles into this subtle presence that you can detect like an aura of warm musk. The scent actually gets more and more beautiful over time. This is the scent I wear the most. It is the most versatile and comfortable. I am trying to retrain SB to recognize me with it. So far it isn’t working. There is a woman on his minibus who wears a scent similar to my cloying Intuition winter skin lotion and he sits near her sniffing and thinking of me.

Top notes: cedrat lemon, mandarin neroli;
Middle notes: May rose, benzoin, gardenia jaminoide;
Base notes: modern amber, warm patchouli, opoponax, vanilla.

Precious in God's Sight

Ruzan Avagyan, head of Gyumri Children’s House, stands outside the fully equipped playground and expresses gratitude for UMCOR’s longstanding partnership and support.
Photo: Judith Santiago

“After putting His hands on them, He went on from them.” (Mathew 19:15)

Anahit Gasparyan, coordinator of UMCOR’s Nutrition Department in Armenia, led the days’ activities which included two home visits to survivors of trafficking, and a visit to Gyumri City, where UMCOR and the US Department of State support a cheese distribution program to a special-needs orphanage. Today, I will focus on my experience at the orphanage.

After a few hours of driving, and nearing Gyumri, you can see the aftereffects of a devastating earthquake which took the lives of some 20,000 people in 1988, according to Gasparyan.  To this day, people live in makeshift shelters of tin, with no bathrooms or running water.  Once known for its industrial capacity, textile business, and food industry services, Gyumri now faces high unemployment, with only a fraction of shops open for business.

We arrived at the orphanage and met with Ruzan Avagyan, head of Gyumri Children’s House.  She invited us in for coffee and sweets, as she discussed the history of the orphanage.  Later, Gasparyan, Izbella Simonyan, shelter manager for UMCOR’s Anti – Human Trafficking Program, and I joined Avagyan for a tour of the orphanage.  We were not allowed to take photos and when I met these children, I understood why. 

Many of the children were left behind by parents unable to support their child’s physical or emotional disabilities, or who could not handle the shame and social hardships associated with raising a special-needs child.  These children had facial deformities, lost limbs, Down ’s syndrome, nervous disorders, and lost sight.

As we entered one room where the older children (3 - 4 years of age) resided, the children greeted us with a song.  One lovely girl who had no hands and unusually large, light brown eyes caught my attention.  As she sang with a smile, I bent down to greet her, held her wrist, and gave her a long warm embrace.  Actually, I held her a few times. There was just something about her…

One boy observed my every move and then bursted out laughing. He was so funny that I joined him in laughter.  Another child began to cry, while yet another sat quietly watching.  One young boy just wanted to stay close to me. He kept touching me and reaching for my camera case which hung over my neck.   One boy, who lost his eyesight, just kept on singing while the other children focused on us.  He was the strong one, the independent one, who continued to sing and did not need assistance when we went down the stairs.

We also visited a “baby ward” that had about 16 beds.  We held and touched babies.  I prayed as I laid hands on them.  I witnessed the healing power of touch that stopped a child from crying, turned the gaze of a child to something new, and saw the emotionally starved eat from every touch and every glance.   I did not expect the impact this visit would have on me.  I was greatly burdened for these children, while at the same time, I realized how precious they are in the sight of God.  I did not want to leave them. I wanted to give them every ounce of love I could pour out. My arms and heart were open very wide.  But for now, I did what Jesus did – I placed my hands on them before going on my way.

The orphanage currently serves 130 children with only a handful of nurse assistants to care for their physical and emotional needs. They are by far short-staffed, but, they say, they would not trade in their jobs for the world. 

The orphanage is also highly dependent on in-kind contributions such as layette and hygiene kits that arrive from UMCOR’s Relief-Supply Network. UMCOR provides about 42 kilos of cheese per month — 20 grams of cheese each day — to help fortify their diets.

The orphanage is one of eight state-run institutions that UMCOR is supporting country-wide. The organization procures locally made cheese from producers and allocates the cheese to the elderly, boarding schools, special needs schools, retirement centers, and mental hospitals, with the goal to improve nutrition country-wide, as institutions are unable to provide this kind of support on their own due to inflation.

Avagyan shared that after the earthquake, several relief organizations came and went, but UMCOR has remained with them some 12 years.  She shared her heartfelt gratitude for UMCOR’s longstanding support for these precious children.

Tomorrow, I visit the second nutritional program supported by UMCOR and Foods Resource Bank, called Fighting Hunger through Sustainable Livelihood Development Project. I will meet with beneficiaries and learn about another cheese program.  Tomorrow evening we drive to Tblisi, Georgia, where the UMCOR Head of Mission will meet me by the Georgian border.   I will learn of a distribution point at the Patriarchy Policlinic Boarding School and visit settlement of internally displaced persons (IDP) in Tbilisi.

*Judith Santiago is the media communications associate for UMCOR.

these are a few of my favorite things

I had to take a picture of the lift control panel at my office.  You can see which button gets used a lot and which is still as pristine as when it received its factory finish.  This morning we slammed the doors shut on an elderly couple.  We do that often; the Board of Management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries is located in our building.  That's what they get for trying to arrange their final resting places during business hours.  The nerve.

Later in the morning I was in the Immigration building assisting a newly landed friend when I was compelled to take this picture.  We were looking for a seat while waiting for her number to be called and thought we had found one but the whole row was apparently occupied by this woman and her young daughter.  The whole row.  She was a fantastic actress, a convincing Helen Keller when we moved in closer to see if she would move some of her possessions and allow us to sit. 



Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.


This poem was posted on the wall at Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta. It is based on Kent M. Keith's poem, The Paradoxical Commandments. It really resonated with me tonight.


image - http://www.carina.cc/2011/05/20/anyway-by-mother-teresa/

A New Gift

Kindergarten children in Khor Virap village, Armenia, receive with gladness gifts of UMCOR school kits and health kits.

Photo: Judith Santiago

Today I visited the Sustainable Cooperative Extension and Agricultural Project (SCEAD) in Lasarat village, Armenia, where the Ararat Mountains offer a breathtaking backdrop. The site visit was led by UMCOR’s program coordinator, Armen Khaladyan, and included a visit from the mayor of Lasarat, Daniel Hakobyan, who demonstrated pruning techniques on the program’s fruit tree demo project.

The visit included a look at the agro machinery provided by UMCOR and USDA, and a discussion on the production of 15-minute films that provide agricultural advice and techniques for famers. The films are produced by the SCEAD program Mobile Extension team, and are broadcast in Amarvir, Ararat, and Voyats dzor Marzes.  

The next stop was the Lasarat Ambulatory Clinic where UMCOR personnel met with Medical Mobile Team (MMT) doctors, health volunteers, and expectant mothers who completed mother-to-child HIV transmission awareness training. We discussed the high prevalence rate of HIV, Tuberculosis, and more in Armenia, as well as the importance of continued support from the UM Global AIDS Fund and UMCOR for more training of community health volunteers.

I then visited another cooperative, called Khor Virap, which began in 2003 and has about 76 members. Here, I met a 120-member group of women cooperative members, who expressed their desire to give back to the community by distributing in-kind gifts through UMCOR.

The highlight of the day was when I witnessed a distribution of 50 school kits and 140 health kits from UMCOR Sager Brown to 190 kindergarten students. Nozik Vaskanyuan, the village mayor, attended the distribution event and publicly thanked UMCOR for its continued support in providing assistance to vulnerable children in Armenia.

Tomorrow, I once again will visit Armenia’s Anti – Human Trafficking Project to speak with a survivor who has successfully reintegrated into society.  I will also visit a cheese distribution project, which includes a drive to Gyumri City and a visit to an orphanage there. Gyumri City was devastated by an earthquake in 1988 and I understand that remnants of that earthquake remain. 

The evening came to a close with a re-cap dinner with Gohar Grigorian, UMCOR head of mission for Armenia.  We enjoyed one another’s company and discussed life, God, and the gifts that often lay dormant within us.  As the children in Khor Virap received their new relief-supply gifts, I believe Gohar and I received one too — friendship.

Judith Santiago is the media communications associate for UMCOR.

Beauty for Ashes

Arts and crafts pieces beautify the shelter that provides refuge for trafficked survivors.
Photo: Judith Santiago

June 20, 2010

The day started early. I arrived in Yerevan, Armenia at 4:30a.m. Karine Harutunyan of UMCOR’s Armenia office greeted me at the gate with a big UMCOR sign.

As I was driven to the hotel by Arthur, UMCOR’s designated driver, I looked forward to taking advantage of the few short hours of rest before visiting UMCOR Armenia’s office. The trip is part of a two-week assignment to visit UMCOR-NGO projects in both Armenia and the Republic of Georgia.

I wondered what this day would bring. I was there in part to meet survivors of trafficking in an undisclosed shelter. What will the survivors share? What will be the response? Whatever was to come, I readied myself to lend an ear, extend a hand, and be a voice to speak on their behalf. While I anticipated being a vessel of strength for them by sharing a relatable, personal story, they became the strength for me. I honored and admired each one’s courage and fortitude to keep hope alive despite their daily struggles to overcome their past. I witnessed a quiet humility and strength that breathed hope for each of the four women I met. And, I saw glimpses of dignity begin to emerge as they shared their experiences.

One survivor displayed her arts and craft handiwork on the walls and on the shelves of the main living space. Her gift for creating center pieces or adorned frames was greatly encouraged. Her face lit up as we spoke about how talented she was, and how she could one day leverage her new found talent by starting her own business. I admired her pieces of artwork, and realized the pieces expressed the “beauty for ashes” (Isaiah 61:3b) that God gives each of us in the place of our brokenness. When you’re broken there is a something so bittersweet when expression comes from a dark or painful place. In this case, beauty and hope was expressed in the artistic arrangement of flowers. And, isn’t this the expression of Jesus in our lives – that out of the heap of our pain and sin hope emerges? In this shelter, hope was shining everywhere. Smiles instead of despair, joy instead of mourning, beauty instead of ashes…

I was warmed by all of UMCOR’s staff, and I realized that although we were countries apart, we spoke the very same language of compassion for one another as the work continues forward to keep the shelter operating for those yet to be found. More than 85 women have journeyed through its doors and into a more normal life. Some have maintained their identities; others have had to hide theirs; while still others wade through the dark waters. But, even though we don’t see them, it doesn’t mean they’re not there.

Tomorrow is a full day of meeting community health workers, mothers to-be, women-run cooperatives, and volunteers. As part of the trip, we hope to visit the USDA-supported Sustainable Cooperative Extension and Agricultural Development Program; the organization’s HIV/AIDS work, which is funded by the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund; and UMCOR Health, as well as the US Department of States’ Pharmaceutical Distribution Program and Small Reconstruction Projects. I look forward to see what the day will bring.

Judith Santiago is the Media Communications Associate for UMCOR.

pushy people

I have written before of my bewilderment while watching fellow bus and tram-goers rushing to alight at a stop as though the vehicle was on fire only to commence shuffling like geriatric tree sloths once off the vehicle. It seems that the slightest indication of a queue forming will cause frantic behavior no matter that there is no urgency at all.



Last night as the tram arrived at the Happy Valley terminal I heard someone yelling for a fellow passenger to stop pushing him. I peered from where I was standing in the back of the tram to see what looked to be an actual tree sloth- a pale, slightly stooped individual with fuzzy ears and droopy eyelids. The tree sloth was much more animated than I expected and shook his small bag of fruit at a middle aged woman behind him. "Give me some respect; I am almost ninety years old," exclaimed the folivore at the interloper of his personal space, "you stop pushing me in the back!"


The woman ceded the tiniest sliver of space between their two bodies and they continued down the aisle until he was almost at the front of the tram where she apparently couldn't help herself and closed the distance. I was still leaning against the back of the tram so I was unable to hear the exchange but there was more grocery bag waving. Then the aggrieved old man finally disembarked and shuffled along (at a much more rapid rate than the other passengers might I note). I was curious to know what kind of a person would crowd an octogenarian but the woman didn't look anything unusual. In fact, she looked like every other typical passenger as she plodded along without the slightest look of embarrassment on her face.

I wonder what Edmund Leach would have made out of all of this.

Kudos To Visitation House of Worcester, MA

.

I recently received the semi annual newsletter from Visitation House in Worcester, MA.  They are in their 7th year of operation!  That's fanatastic.

Visitation House is the only Catholic home in Massachusetts for women in crisis pregnancies.

According to their newsletter, over the past six years, they have been home to 107 women, 47 babies, and two toddlers, and, they are expecting four new babies in the next few months. 

So they do not put themselves in a position where they might be pressured to compromise their pro-life values, they do not accept any government funding.  They are a 501(c)(3) private non-profit organization with operating expenses ~$22,000/month.  Along with a doctor and other lay people, they have deacons and priests on the Board of Directors.

These things, however, do not necessarily make the house Catholic.  When I visited several years ago, among other things, I noted crucifixes on the walls, celebrations of feast days, and the enforcement of traditional Catholic morals.  My guess is that these organic evangelical features are all still in place - and more, influencing the clients in a real and positive Catholic way. 

May God continue to bless them in their ministry.

All newsletters can be accessed here.

Kathleen

.
image - http://www.visitationhouse.org/index2.html
.

get out the map

I am not sure if I properly remembered our excursion last week but this is the map that I drew from the best of my recollection.



Part 1 (yellow dots): from home in Happy Valley to Parkview.  I would cut this part out on a hot day.  You simply walk up the road for 30 minutes.

Part 2 (orange dots): the beginning of the trail to Tai Tam.  Take the trail to the right of the entrance, to Mount Butler, which begins to climb almost immediately.  If you enter the picnic area you have missed the trail. 

Part 3 (black dots): bushwhacking down the stream.  At the bottom of a large set of stairs is a stream crossing.  Go South and whack away.  Remember to look for options and don't just take the path in front of you.  There are several "escape" paths where you can skirt obstacles in the stream below.

Part 4 (pink dots): Tai Tam reservoir.  Once the reservoir comes into view there will be maintenance paths for the slopes. 

We walked to this interesting structure (can anyone tell me what it is?) and then climbed up the slope to the maintenance path.  It brought us back to the main trails.

What is this?

View from the end of the stream hike

Maintenance trail

Where we found the trail again



Sean Cardinal O'Malley, Archbishop Of Boston, Blogs About Homosexuality

.

Cardinal Seán O'Malley

Divine Providence is at hand.  Sean Patrick Cardinal O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap. Archbishop of Boston, Massachusetts, just blogged about some of the same things I did in Part 2 of my series, Separating The Sin From The Sinner - and on the same day.  :-)

Here are some excerpts:

"I want to begin this week addressing a very important issue. [emphasis mine]

Some say that the Catholic Church hates people with same-sex attractions. This is not true. In fact, if there are any members of the Church who hate people because of their sexual orientation, they need to go to confession..."

"As Catholics, we must oppose the hatred and rejection of homosexual persons that exists in our society. We do not want them to be the object of discrimination or violence. We believe, however, that God’s law is written in our hearts [natural law] and that to lead a fully human life we need to embrace His commandments."

"The Church’s efforts to defend the institution of marriage has been interpreted by some as an indication of the Church’s hostility toward homosexual persons. The way that the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts framed the issue is unfavorable to Catholics or others who do not oppose anyone, but rather support an institution which is the cornerstone of society."

"It is encouraging that a number of Catholics who are homosexuals have expressed to me their conviction that marriage between a man and a woman is important for children and therefore for society." 


"Sometimes we are told: 'If you do not accept my behavior, you do not love me.' In reality we must communicate the exact opposite: 'Because we love you, we cannot accept your behavior.'”


It is worth reading his blog post in its entirety.

.
images - http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/
http://www.imarksweb.net/642/written-on-the-heart-the-case-for-natural-law
.