Much as I may consider myself the best thing since sliced bread, I suffer
occasional bouts of realism. [Realism is like malaria in respect of recurring
in bouts, though I am glad to say I have no personal experience of the latter -
nor, if Sue is to be believed, much experience of the former.] While suffering
from such bouts, I realize that I am the sidekick on this trip.
I will, I hope, make a useful contribution to the quality of diocesan
bookkeeping. But a far larger contribution may be made by the sessions Sue is
scheduled to hold to train local women in various handcrafts that Sue’s research
suggests can readily be sold in the US. If those sessions are successful, it
will be possible to offer various handmade items at attractive prices while
still providing the women income that would be significantly ahead of Malagasy
levels. [Of course, there’s more to it than that – international shipping,
import/export permits, taxes, etc – but let’s check first that there’s a show
worthy of being put on the road.]
It’s exciting to think that we might play a part
in economic development for some of the world’s poorest. Sue and I are very
grateful all those who, sharing this excitement, contributed all kinds of
thread, beads, and so on to bring with us. More on all this in future
posts.
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