Missoula Family YMCA International Committee

Back from Makeni on Friday and had lunch at Christian’s apartment.  His wife Massa is expecting in October.  The Kasava Leaf soup cooked in cocanut oil became David’s instant favorite African rice chop.  then to the US Embassy for a meeting with the Deputy Chief of Mission, Glen Fedzer, as thte Ambassodor was out of town.  We had hoped to explain the good work the SL YMCA is doing, and see if there were any opportunities for funding assistance from the Embassy.  We also hoped to get their assistance in exchanges of staff and Y members.  Struck out on both counts.  The Embassy is more policy than development and only serves as a conduit for the administration of funds from other sources.  Occasionally they will get a Congressional authorization for a specific program like AIDs prevention (The Aids inffection rate in SL is only 1%.)  All visas are handled by the Consular Affairs Officer whi must adhere strictly to Immigration laws that became much stricter after 9/11.  The only way you can “prove” you are not a “flight risk”–that is that you will not try to stay illegally in the States–is to have a good job here with a history of employment, maybe a house and family responsibilities.  Most people that work for the Y a) don’t make much money, b) can’t afford a house, and c) have to support a lot of family such that it would look like a great way to escape a difficult life situation.  Fortunately, Christian already has a visa and so there is no problem for him.  An exchange program “go be difficulto.”

Last night, we talked with Christian about his personal experiences during the civil war.  In short, we were all incredibly moved by his difficult path–and I had heard the story before.  Imagine yourself coming to a point in life where you were willing to stand in front of the YMCA and face down a large group of rebels ready to burn down your building, as they had the buildings next door.  Christian had just decided that what the Y was doing was more important than him being the one to carry the work forward, if that’s what it came to.  Fortunately he was able to convince the rebels that the YMCA was there to help young people–just like themselves–and that they must not burn down this structure.  They turned back and left the building untouched.

Today, Saturday we had a day off and went to a wonderful beach, spent time in the surf and had fresh grilled barracuda!  Chris