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7
July 2007
Dear Friends,
Well, I've now been back in Mongo for just over three weeks
and thought it would be a good time to be in touch and let
you all know how I'm doing. I had a lovely three and a bit
weeks in Scotland in May / June, catching up with many family
and friends, including various newbies such as my niece,
Niamh and my younger brother's fiancee, Jenna and going
to the wedding of good friends, Pauline and Fraser. I thoroughly
enjoyed the cooler weather, the many cakes and the good
chat with many of you!
Here in Chad it's now the start of rainy season with rains
every few days. People are busy preparing their fields but
are waiting till the rains become heavier and more regular
to start planting. Pray for good rains and abundant crops
this year for the region so that each family will have enough
millet for the coming year. With rainy season things become
rather humid and uncomfortable but also the landscape changes
to become very green and beautiful. Flowers and greenery
spring from nowhere, it seems.
In terms of work, rainy season is the time to plan and prepare
for the 2008 literary season. This means I will be helping
many of the established language groups hold their planning
meetings and work on new publications that they will need.
One such publication is an interesting shell book (a shell
book is a book already prepared in French on the computer
which just needs to be adapted to the local language) called
'The Advice of Mariam Bay', written by a Chadian nurse and
giving sound and simple advice on how to look after babies
and young children and protect them from disease. This book
has had a good reception elsewhere in Chad so we want to
give it a try here too. The infant mortality rate is very
high here. I am also helping the newer language groups get
their reading books ready for preliminary checking with
a literacy consultant - this sounds fancy, but really involves
lots of typing, scanning pictures, doing corrections, doing
back translations into French etc. We're also publishing
a book on bush animals in these languages to raise interest
among the various communities about reading in their own
language. So, lots to keep me busy for the time being!
In August, I travel to the UK once again, this time for
just two weeks to attend my brother's wedding, which as
a family we are all looking forward to. After that, I will
return to Chad for between 6 and 9 months, depending on
when I decide to finish my contract here.
As many of you will be taking holidays over the coming months,
I'd like to wish you 'Bonnes Vacances!' And don't forget
to be in touch with your news.
Take care and lots of love,
Caroline :O)
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