Some of you know I bring books to schools and libraries in Jamaica. The last shipment went to the Negril All Ages School in Negril. With postage, shipping and the uncertainty of packages actually making it to their intended destination, it's actually easier to load up suitcases of books and carry them down there by hand. I went on vacation to Jamaica about 15 years ago for the first time, and while I had no interest in the resorts or beach parties, I did find myself wandering up in the hills and meeting many many many small children who were like bright shining little stars, eager to learn and know more about the world, but many of them without access to books.
Once I was in a tiny grocery store in a small village standing in a long line waiting for the cashier. (In Jamaica there aren't "lines" so much as people bunch up around the counter and muscle their way in.) While waiting, I felt a tickle on my arm and I looked down to see a little girl, maybe six years old, who was wearing a pink dress and riding on her mother's hip. She was earnestly studying the freckles on my arm, lightly touching my skin. She'd never seen a white person before and she was trying to figure out what I was. She studied my freckles, and looked up at my red hair...and then back to my freckles until her face lit up. "Giraffe!" she said.
The whole place cracked up. Her best, most logical guess, was that I was a giraffe. As I told her mother, I thought that was just about the most intelligent idea possible. After all, a giraffe had a heck of a lot more business there. I'm a lousy tourist and also the whitest woman on earth, with little reason to be in a such a hot, sunny place..but what can I say? One Love. The little girl asked if I would send her a Nancy Drew book and I said, "Honey, I'll bring you every Nancy Drew book there is."
So I went back to Jamaica with books. Again and Again. I feel like I'm helping a great nation in my own small way. A truly great people. There's this great documentary called "Africa Unite," in which Bob Marley's family travels to Ethiopia for the first time to celebrate Bob's 60th birthday. ( or as they say eee-tee-OH-pee-ah.) They're there to celebrate, perform and promote the Africa Unite movement, which aims to break down barriers and clashes between tribes. It's a great documentary, covering everything from The Queen of Sheba's link to Rastafarian's to Hallie Selassie's great speech at the League of Nations to candid family interviews with Bob Marley... Both men are saying the same thing. Get up, Stand up, don't give up the fight...
This, plus C. and I saw Sean Marley perform in Key West this past February...he performed on this giant dock that stretches out over the ocean (boaters pulled up alongside and danced till their boats rocked...although some of the rocking didn't look like dancing...) anyway, it all makes me want to slap some 300SPF sunscreen on my peach butt and get to Ethiopia. Here comes the Giraffe!
