i received an email from a friend who is a priest in rwanda. this was welcome
news, because even though telephone and electrical service is very "iffy" it
is better than waiting for letters, which aren't exactly reliable either. i
had written to him earlier that if he ever saw any reps for you-know-what
companies in rwanda, to alert me and try to run them out. (what was that
phrase from the sixties, if you see the buddha on the road, kill him?)

he replied to me that, first of all, he had found out about the highest value
rwandan stamp. what does this have to do with breastfeeding, he asks me? well,
this stamp has a drawing on it of a breastfeeding mother. it is the 500
rwandan franc stamp, and it says in french "international conference on
nutrition." of course i am now quite anxious to have one, and hoping he can
send me one.

the other news is more serious. he says that he sees many women breastfeeding,
and never sees any evidence that anyone does anything else. good! however,
"everyone" has been made aware of the "dangers" of transmitting AIDS through
breastfeeding, and there is much talk of using formula instead. he is quite
aware, however, of the difficulties of such a plan, even if the formula is
free, that is to say, water and fuel, etc.

so i wrote him back immediately (the wonders of email, it takes quite a while
for a letter to possibly get through) and mentioned the known mortality rates
of formula feeding in such an environment, and other things. i can only hope
he will take on the task of speaking up for the people there is such a plan is
proposed. i am sad to think that the only good news i have heard yet about the
terrible events in this country is that it must be so unsafe that even the
formula companies have stayed away. . . .

carol b.