cold and wet, another day in Dili

we have just escaped the rain into the 'superfast internet cafe' its totally a lie its crappy and slow, but thats how it is here. it is absolutly pissing down, tropical rain for over an hour now, and it doesnt look like stopping, aparently there is going to be massive storms for the next couple days.

this morning we again went to see Dr Dan, because it is easter weekend there is no where as many patients there. the avearge amount of patients is 300 a day for this clinic, today there was probably only 80-100. he works with no resources, its amazing what he can acomplish. i brought my little photo printer to timor with me, so we printed some of the images of the people at the clinic that Mat had taken the day before, they were so excited ands happy to receive them, these are quite possibly the only photos of their kids they will ever have.  becasuse of how poor the country is no one has cameras and therefore no photos, it is even more important to the parents at the clinic because there is a chance their kids wont live.

were we are staying is close to a cemetry, the graves are the most incredible structures i have ever seen at a cemetry. they are every colour that you could imagine, and made from anythign from wood to ceramic tiles, to concrete that has been coloured and painted. as amazing as they are visually they are absolutly devastating when you read the inscriptions. we found one that was a childs grave, they had lived for only 4 days.
i will put up some photos when i get back.

yesterday was Good Friday, (Friday, Friday, Friday) so after we had been to the internet cafe we were walking around and we came across the massive cathedral in town. there was so many people there, i swear most of Dili was there. we decided to go in to have a look, every single pew was completly full of people, what would usually seat 5 people was seating 9 or 10. they had set up extra seating whereever they could fit it in the church and it still wasnt enough, people stood around as well as spilling outside into the grounds. it was a really strange experience, we could understand a single word that was being spoken yet it was an incredible sight, especially when everyone stood up and sang, something that will stay with me.

tomorrow for easter sunday we are supposed to be going with a few locals up to the statue of jesus which is up on a hill not too far from Dili.  apparently all the locals go up here and replay or reinact the stations of the cross. again i think this would be an interestign experience. though i said to Mat if its raining like it is at the moment there is no way im going, i dont feel likel hiking in the pissing rain.