Well. Never dull, being me! After all earlier trepidations, I was right on track. Made an action plan involving heaps of sports and fundraising, was preparing my last week at my current job, first days at the new job, a King’s Day photo booth… And then it stopped, or rather: I stopped, as I couldn’t walk anymore. During aikido practice, I was sadly victim of a little dojo accident, resulting in a fellow aikido’s full weight ending on my poor right foot: strained and hurting like hell. For the last eleven days, my life involves crutches. Bad luck.
Crutches turn out to be hard work, a sports in itself! It also teaches me humility. The world is never enough for me, but now — all of a sudden — the supermarket is a bridge too far. I am slowed down. I can barely leave the house. I hobble and I try to not be impatient or to despair. I have to ask for help: for shopping, moving around and distraction. And worst of all: I don’t know for how long. Alongside, I have to practice not being overtly grateful, as this makes ‘helping me’ (which is natural) into ‘care’ and ‘charity’ – as one of my friends told me earlier this week.
It is difficult to be dependent. There are more obstacles to the impaired than I ever imagined. People desperately want to help, but often they just need to let me go on with it in my own slow, excruciatingly slow pace. It makes me consider the situation in the developing countries again; they cannot be happy to be dependent. They must hate asking for support as much as I do. And at the same time, they must battle – like I do – with appreciation versus annoyance, eagerly moving (forward?) at their own slow space.
It shows the importance of local involvement in projects supported by Western money. Plan emphasises local involvement in their projects and work with as many local partners as possible; this is why I placed my trust in their efforts. Please support me on the road to Zambia and make a donation. For more infomation, see ‘Cycle4Girls: Zambia’. Thank you.
Do you want to learn more about Plan, their international organisation and their aims?
For English: www.plan-uk.org
For Dutch: www.plannederland.nl/resultaten/land/zambia