Arrival at the carnival... err, Capitol.

I should probably not be listening to wistful acoustic music as I write this, given my propensity to be ridiculously emotional, but too bad. Amos Lee will keep rocking.

Sunday the 21st we finally arrived in DC. Emily and I were driving the support car ahead of the riders to the church that was hosting us, and as we entered the city, I didn't feel the exhilaration I was expecting (this comes later); instead I felt claustrophobic, harried, and cranky. Other cars kept honking for no reason and suddenly I identified with all the patients back in Seattle who were intimidated by the experience of driving into the metropolis. Where are the open roads of Nevada and Kansas when you need them?

Sunday evening we attended a Candlelight AIDS vigil, and I got to deliver some "remarks" at the ceremony, a fun opportunity to talk to a lively crowd, though the occassion which brought us there was serious.

Monday morning was one of my favorite experiences on the trip - Deirdre, Heather, and I went to Christ House, a facility that acts as temporary housing and nursing services for homeless people who have been discharged from the hospital but continue to require medical attention. Without reliable housing and employment, their recovery would otherwise be complicated. The typical stay lasts no longer than 4-6 weeks. Christ House gave off such a positive energy - it was clean but didn't have that sterile and institutionalized feeling one often gets in that type of setting. About 10 or 12 of the guys staying there joined the 3 of us R4WH ladies for a slideshow of our journey, and they had lots of questions about their health that really demonstrated they'd put some thought into what was going on with their bodies. One younger guy had even perused a book on herbal supplements for the liver at Whole Foods. It was awesome to have candid discussion on how their limited resources impact the health choices they're able to make. We also showed the PIH video. Deirdre observed several of the men crying, one of them a man from Haiti who'd be returning to his family on the island in a week. Charles, a 40-something African American with both his legs in casts, shared with us that the values of "patience, courage, and love" in the video reminded him of his priorities. It was moving and fun, all at once.

We also had some other events at Howard University on Monday, and a lot of us enjoyed talking to the med students there, many of whom are from African-origin countries like Nigeria and Kenya. I hope some of them choose to do R4WH their 4th year, particularly since they have a lot of insight into the issues of poverty that PIH and R4WH are seeking to address.