The Volunteers: Ewa (Eva)

Ewa Habel is the other elder of the community not only because she is the oldest at 28, but because this is her second tour of duty in voluntary service. Ewa was previously a volunteer for VOICA in the Togo mission where she stayed for a year working in a school there. After her year of service was complete she returned to her home in Poland and received a Master's Degree in Theology focusing, of course, on missions. In the process she has learned several languages of which we don't have an exact count(4 or 5), but she can usually translate when we meet someone from Europe that doesn't speak English. After finishing her degree, She returned to the VOICA program this time signing on for three years. Here at Bakhita, Ewa is the utility player of the complex because she does just about everything. Her main function in the school is running the library of which she has complete controll and has totally reorganized since she's been here. She also teaches the religion classes for Form 2 in the secondary school. Given her experience, maturity, and not to mention her international drivers license she has become the official driver as well. While Kateri does some driving, the Sisters usually ask Ewa if they need to make a last minute trip to anywhere whether it is Balaka, Lilongwe, or Blantyre. The driving reponsibilties also include trips to the market and to the Primary school for firewood. But Ewa's job isn't done yet because she is our "community leader" meaning she helps us keep track of dates, community meetings, and handles the tedious task of official communications between us and the Sister's. I'm not sure how she manages everything, but she just keeps going. She does posess a certain intensity that I have noticed in the other Polish people around here, along with their sense of humur, that might have something to do with it. Some of the same language/cultural/communication issues exist with Ewa as with Gaby, but we've been together longer now and I think things are getting better. For us interested in a little history and politics (just a little), Ewa was a teenager during the time when Poland was shifting from communism to democracy. Every once in awhile we get some percpective on it and what it was like living in a communist country