baby mascot

at our coach training this week there is a pregnant girl participating. there was a bit of discrepancy on whether she would be ok to participate in the activities or not bc they are fairly active, and she is fairly close to looking like she's going to pop. but during the interview process she assured us she would be fine.

after the training the other day i was walking with her to the bus stop and talking. i finally asked her how far along she was in her pregnancy, and she said she was 9 months pregnant! i couldn't believe she was still so cheerful, energetic, and active.

zambian women don't seem to let pregnancy stop them from doing anything, though. they continue to walk miles each day to get where they need to go. they don't stop working until it is time to actually have the baby. and then, when it is time to have the baby, they don't get all sorts of special treatment like women in the us do. they go to the local clinics, many times sit on the ground while they wait during their contractions, and then only when they are ready to deliver do they get placed up on one of the few beds in the clinic.

also, most times the men are not present for the birth. it isn't customary for them to be in the delivery room.

very different.

the girl, juliet, said if she had the baby during the training, she would name the kids "grassroot soccer." i'm keeping my fingers crossed....