April 12, 2013
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Tired
I just watched “New Girl” and ”Modern Family” instead of working on blog postings. It has been a long day, and I am tired. This morning Pastor Flavio’s car broke down so I went to Mussurepe alone and ran the program with 20 kids. I got a free ride over the bumpy long ride into the small town, but had to walk the rest of the dusty way. I visited Arthur, who broke his leg and so hasn’t been to Living Stones in a couple months.
My feet turned brown and I’d forgotten sunscreen this morning. Getting a ride home was another problem. After walking the long way through the town, there were no motorcycles to be found. I was glad I’d brought a book. Until it started raining. Then I was glad I’d brought a poncho. The men sitting at the bridge with me had never seen a plastic poncho: congratulations, the American just got weirder. But, she stayed dry as she rode the motorcycle in the rain. 30 minutes to wash my feet and eat lunch and off to Guadalajara.
20 girls is fine, but almost 40 boys for two workers? A mess. And it was one of those days when they just can’t stop dribbling to listen or pass the ball that doesn’t smack someone in the nose. And Daniel, with Downs, kicking everyone he could reach. The boys I had to ask to leave didn’t, they threw rocks at the door instead. And I have to act all tough with them and sometimes I need to stop and listen but it is hard to know when and I made the one little boy cry instead.
And I want to relax and do nothing but I feel guilty. I want to do so much more. I want to be so much more than this girl sprawled out on her bed, tired. It has been a good week, working with almost 300 children now, planning ahead to have things just right when my mom and friend come. Who am I fooling? I can’t plan anything! Just the other day the Kombe stopped and they told us to get out. This is what I saw:
The main road cut off by protesters because there were no doctors or supplies at the hospital. It was a royal mess that ended up with me getting a popsicle and then walking through town until I found a motorcycle to take me around and through side roads since all the main ones were blocked. After going on trails you couldn’t even call roads, we got through to the other side where I got a ride from someone else who had given up trying to pass through the city. Hum. No, I can’t control things. And sometimes, I just get tired.
