Goodbye Somaliland...

Well, I attempted to spend my last Friday in Caynabo, Somaliland packing...That hasn't exactly gone very well. I feel like I just have thrown everything where I can see it, attempting to convince myself that I don't have as much stuff as I think I do.

As the thought of leaving slowly sets in, I reflect on the past year and what a crazy ride it has been. A year ago, I was at headquarters of a new organization, after leaving another one that I had come to know so well for almost 2 years. I can still remember the nervousness I felt, of "is this the right decision? what if these people don't like me?" Over the past year, I have just been reminded that it was the best decision for me at the time. I am in love with Medair. What a great organization to work for. I truly believe that. It's just so funny to think that when I first started in humanitarian aid work in 2008, I told myself I would go anywhere EXCEPT Darfur and Somalia. I mean, I like helping people and alleviating poverty, but I'm not crazy.

Or so I thought. This past year, I found myself in those exact places and oddly enough, I know that I was supposed to be there at those times. The peace that came over me knowing I was supposed to be there.

As I already wrote my goodbye to Darfur, this post will be my goodbye to Somaliland.

Well, Somaliland, it has been a crazy 9 months. Setting up new bases, emergency response projects, watching the many people that have come and left....I leave you Somaliland, absolutely exhausted in every way possible. I hope that if anything, that just means that I gave you as much as I could...I (in that natural aid worker feeling) feel as though I didn't give enough sometimes, that there is still so much to do. I guess this is where final reporting has helped me to have a better grip on what has actually been done.

Over 17,500 people now have improved access to water availability by having rehabilitated berkads or wells....Over 44,000 people have received hygiene messages....1500 Households have access to clean water by ceramic filters....Water trucked 839,000 liters of water to drought stricken villages before the rains, 1865 families have received shelter materials...all in 9 months.

Usually when I talk about that, I'm automatically reminded of how many times the shelter materials were delayed 3 times, and how we didn't have room in the warehouse for the filters, and how many people got in fights over water trucking. But as of now, I don't. It is what it is.

This past 9 months has been full of frustrations, and hurts, and some good times thrown in there too. I can tell that I've definitely grown as a manager and as a person. One thing I appreciate about the field (sometimes) is that it gives you an extreme sense of self awareness. Being under constant pressure all of the time, it is easy to see who you really are and what you are made of. I think it was CS Lewis that said something along the lines of "you can tell who a man really is when he is caught by surprise" ok...i don't have my current copy of Mere Christianity, so that is a very loose paraphrase....but it's true. And there have been moments that have caused me to stop and think...why did you say that? or why did you do that?

Somaliland, I feel that it was a privilege to be here. To see the normal people that you don't hear about on the television. To hear the stories of hope, of sorrow, of joy and laughter from a piece of land that many people have deemed for decades as hopeless. Somaliland, I hope that when you think of me, you see someone that gave you everything she could for you.

Well, soon I will have much time to reflect and think about it. I am really excited and nervous about going home. After living overseas for 2.5 years straight, I think there is always a time to come home. Even though none of it will really be familiar, "everybody has to leave their home and come back so they can love it again for all new reasons". (Donald Miller: Through Painted Deserts).

Here's to finding new reasons,

Until next time,
Patty