Putting Genie-Dumpty Together Again

At the end of today, after conflict and concession, argument and anger, I had a crust covering me. The work day was filled with Russian words and emotions, confrontations and compromises and my exterior crust having negotiated, examined and strategized was ready to fall down.

Some days, like today, I feel like the crumbling, crusty buildings around here must feel. Saying "I'm ready to give up, fall down". Most of the buildings have already fallen down. They too have endured more than they were meant to endure.

Humpty had all the Kings horses and all the Kings men to put him back together again. All Genie's friends and all Genie's family put me back together again. Although I have to pretend the hugs and the love are here, because the truth is, they are far far away. I have to put myself back together again, everyday, we all do. The hugs and the love are imagined. They are real in my heart, but most days I have to DO SOMETHING to get myself back together again.

The SEA helps me do that. Every evening, even with the safety concerns some days, I go to the sea. It helps to repair, to cleanse, to empty my crusty, crumbling body that probably looks like some of the buildings.

We are closing the program for frail vulnerable people in Abkhazia, by the end of August. I have been asked to do this. The national staff who have been here doing this work for years, (some for 8-9 years), will be devastated. How could MSF do this “to us”. How could MSF abandon these poor people?

Closing missions has troubled MSF for years. It is difficult to come to an area, be a critical player to assist a crisis and then to assist a community, or county to “take back their duties”. Many are accustomed to the assistance, and expect on-going support.
Peace agreements between fighting parties do not necessarily mean “Normality” will return anytime soon. And in Abkhazia where “peace” is not guaranteed at all, it raises questions about why is MSF choosing to close. Other NGOs (non-governmental organizations)focus on capacity building, ie leaving behind structures, knowledge, skills, and economic opportunities for the communities to work with. MSF has typically taken a more urgent and emergent need-filling role.

I have already had several meetings with International Commission for the Red Cross(ICRC). The local entity ,Local Red Cross, (LRC)will assume much of the social care of these frail, vulnerable folks for whom we now provide both medical and social care. The director is French and speaks excellent English and Russian, thank goodness. It is good to be able to have preliminary conversations without using my translator who would otherwise immediately return to the office and tell everyone the content of our discussions. It would be OK except there are "sensitive" issues. One of which has to do with the director of the LRC in Sukhumi. The LRC’s director is sister in law to the Minister of Labor and Social Welfare (MoLSW) who happens to be a (rhymes with brook, starts with a "c"). GOT THAT? We are obliged to deal with numerous entities in this closure. The good, the bad, and the really bad. Also the LRC is not recognized by Geneva Convention because Abkhazia is not a country, just a territory of Georgia. The ICRC is here to assist this local entity that calls itself a local Red Cross, but really isn't. There are financial issues as we close the mission that complicate the matter further because the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare wants to take over the LRC in 2010. Do we hand over to an entity that is functioning now, but is likely to function poorly, or not at all in a year?

This is complex, many players trying to juggle a tense, fragile culture, with "brooks" for leaders (as if that hasn’t happened around the world for centuries), no resources.......
Despite the curiosities and frustrations, I remain honored to be apart of this complex mess.

And, excuse me for a while, I am going to the sea to put Dumpty-Genie back together again.

I will catch all your love and hugs you are sending in the sea-breeze………………
Later, g