In an attempt to keep fit (and to try and not put on too much weight) Malcolm goes for a 3 mile walk every morning, usually before breakfast. Because the hospital is at the bottom of a valley this is 1 ½ miles, and 1 ½ miles back along the same road. As the sun rises between 6.30 and 7am this means he starts out in the dark.
Most of the people he meets are school children. Schools
start very early here, with many children getting to school by 7am. The school
day is much longer then in the UK with lessons ending about 5pm, just in time
for the children to walk home before it gets dark
As Malcolm walks the
same route at the same time every day he has become a familiar sight, greeting
the children in English and sharing ‘high fives’.
Last Thursday most of the children were carting gardening tools, presumably so that they could do some digging to help tidy up the school grounds. Some of the children were carrying traditional hoes. Others were carrying large machetes; knifes over 40cm long used for cutting grass, and which would be regarded as a dangerous weapon if carried in the UK.
Today is Palm Sunday. Here palm trees are plentiful so
members of the Hospital chapel brought them to the service.
When Malcolm arrived he at first wondered if all branches
had to be left outside.
He needn’t have worried. The branches were outside so that
those who forgot to bring their own could pick off a few leaves to wave during
the hymns
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