When you’ve only got one things to utilize why wouldn’t you utilize it? Over the past year and a half I have been attempting to “help” people by sharing ideas, demonstrating techniques, and adapting to a foreign culture. I have had some successes in setting up gardens, becoming proficient in a language and sparking interest in ideas that could improve people’s day to day lives. However, my most profound finding is that no matter how hard you plan, no matter how many times something gets discussed, and no matter how much someone says they want something that thing will never happen unless they take the initiative and do it themselves. I believe it was Ghandi that said something along the lines of, a great leader’s work is plentiful and hard for his people but when the work is all done it is the leader’s people who claim the work to be their own. I could find the actual quote online but the internet is slow and well I need to prove to myself that my reading comprehension is at the least still there. As many of you know, I have begun to build a “reading room” for my village to have the necessary materials to continue their education after the school year has ended or gone on break. I solicited moneys from you guys and drew up an agreement for my village that once the allotted monetary amount was met the village would commence building. My project timeline for the construction of this 4x4 meter room was a month start to finish. I thought the biggest hang up in the construct process would be my lack of resources in bringing out cement and other materials for completion of the room. To say it bluntly I am probably the hardest worker pushing to complete the room now. The project has been funded for over a month now and the village has only gotten the foundation done. The hang ups range from them having to do other work, worries of someone moving in after I leave and just plain laziness. I’ve become a broken record in asking, “Do you guys actually want this? Why aren’t you just doing it? All you have is your energy! Use it to make something you can eat, sell or develop!” The words only get a smile as they give me some extra because they think the extra food will cheer me up. However, with a bit of patience and the will to continue things usually work out in Senegal. Only having labor to give is sort of a double edge sword in which it truly is your choice on when and how you are going to complete something. For now, I share the beginnings of the Togue Reading Room before the foundation was built.