Tag Archives: work

best of intentions

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

August 29, 2010 Iganga Town, Uganda Finding the balance is treacherous. Somewhere between apathy-inducing sympathy and hypocritical heartlessness I have to believe lays the way to help people help themselves. I have no delusions of grandeur. No belief that I … Continue reading →

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thunderstorm lullaby

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

It has been raining for hours, a symphony on a tin roof lulling to the patter of flowing tears. I should be sleeping. This is my favorite lullaby. The night wrapping me in a moist embrace and singing sweetly to … Continue reading →

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colonial me

Posted on August 21, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

August 21, 2010 Iganga Town, Uganda I haven’t mastered this pseudo post-colonial era in africa. In truth, this is my first true interaction with the way things probably were. I have a high fence with broken bottles glittering in the … Continue reading →

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Mabira evening

Posted on August 15, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

August 14, 2010 Mabira forest, Uganda The plastic smoldered, drew itself up from clear blue womanly shapes and bright yellow shopping bags to black jewels glistening on ashen logs. The Ugandan interns burned the plastic we’d all collected – the … Continue reading →

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commissioning water

Posted on August 7, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

August 6, 2010 We angled the car into a space under the dappled shade of a tree. The dust settling along the dirt road we’d traveled. A cluster of women rose to their feet and began ululating and dancing – … Continue reading →

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permit city

Posted on August 7, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

The air is thick and chewy like old gum. Trucks belch black smoke and trash burns in invisible fires in the distance. Bodas (motorcycles), immune to laws of traffic and good sense, weave between cars and -when time and lack … Continue reading →

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polio wars

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

They were scattered beneath the sprawling shade of a lone tree reaching for the far-flung gray clouds in a blue sky. When our Toyota pulled up and we all clambered out, no one shifted anything more than a gaze. A … Continue reading →

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it's been a long time coming…

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

Change gon’ come… Time is so relative, despite appearances to the contrary. Sixty seconds to 60 minutes to 24 hours…and days turn into months turn into years. Neat. Orderly. The same for everyone. Except it isn’t. For the last five … Continue reading →

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food in the time of leprosy

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

In a throwback to biblical times or movies about India, the training took place on a Leprosy and TB rehabilitation community. The turn off of Ganta highway and down a dusty road passes a series of what appear to be … Continue reading →

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the work i can do

Posted on April 6, 2010 by Linnea Ashley

“what are the symptoms of malaria,” he paused here and looked around the classroom, “we are all affected by malaria every day so give me some symptoms.” The trainees began to list off the various symptoms that I’m currently recovering … Continue reading →

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