Journal by: Mimi Gendreau

“Teach this triple truth to all. A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.” ~ Budda Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta

This morning all of us started out on our assignments: Eric and I started out in the Kitchen with Moses; Ryan and Eiten taught English; Garza and Carlos tried to help in the baby clinic and also prepared for Spanish class in the afternoon.

After lunch, Eric and I walked with Edward to school for meeting and on our way we were met by a Eastern Green Mamba slithering towards the AIDS Clinic. YIKES!! Edward quickly called for Moses to bring a stick. Moses ran with a long bamboo pole and hit the snake with it to break its back. Then he hit it again to kill it. Edward told us that children are taught by their parents to hit to break the snake’s back first to immobilize it and then hit its head to kill it. Of course, Eric quickly got out his camera and got a picture of the snake before and after death. This was the second Green Mamba snake we have seen on this trip. Edward told us that they are not as bad as the Black Mamba because if you are bitten by a Green Mamba you have time to get to Iringa and die! J Actually, there is a local salve to apply and then you can get to Iringa for treatment but let’s not test this claim.

After the excitement, life continued as usual. Only the volunteers seemed excited about the snake. The local folks seemed to take it as nothing too unusual. They are accustomed to living and dealing with Green Mambas. We continued to our meeting and conducting interviews about the water project for the Global Volunteers office and lining up more for tomorrow. Ryan, Eitan, Moses and Mohamed went to the water project trench to dig a hole to put another air valve box. It was another fulfilling day in Pommern.