Thursday, September 20, 2007

Well today I woke up and got the worst news that I could have gotten while I was here. A very good friend of mine died on Wednesday and I really really want to be in the states right now to go to his memorial. For those of you who are Williamsport residents, I am sure you have dealt with him several times. His name was Anthony Mazzei, aka Tony, aka the old door man at the movie theatre. If you have not read it yet or would like to read it, here is the link for his obituary, http://www.sungazette.com/obituaries/articles.asp?articleID=22659. He lived such an amazing life and was a volunteer and made everyone else’s lives easier up until his last day. I am very sad and will miss him a lot. Mike and Teresa made breakfast for the Americans today and we shared scrambled eggs and muffins in their house this morning. It was really nice to just sit around and talk in English and fellowship. After breakfast I spent some time responding to some emails and talking with Erin about what is going to be going on today. Some guys were here today repaving some spots in the dining hall and it was shooting concrete everywhere. It was kind of fun to dodge it all day, made it like a game. At about 10 Roland, Vogley, and I decided to get rid of the rest of the toys that I brought in with me. So the first stop we made was the nutrition program. They all loved getting toys to play with while they waited. The children got cars or animals (based on gender) and the adults got bracelets that say I love Jesus, I also passed out 2 or 3 blow up beach balls for them to hit around. After we were done there we went down to see the granmoun (nursing home). They almost all got bracelets because I figured they would not want cars and animals. However, I ran out of bracelets with 4 to go so I handed out a few animals. I also left them a few beach balls and most of them posed for a picture. After that it was lunch time so we took a little break and during lunch Mike and I decided that we are going to wait to finish T-mans windmill because neither of us are sound enough electricians to be comfortable with hooking it up ourselves. The 1st week of October there is an electrician coming in to work on some things for the mission so we are going to see if he can help, or T-man said he knows someone who might be able to do it so we passed it off to him, we just did not want to risk ruining his machine. So between lunch and going to Sonel’s house, I chatted a little bit with some friends about Tony passing away, and then at 230 Roland, Vogley, and I took a walk into town to finish giving away the toys and beach balls. It was really fun to do, but also very sad because they are just all over you wanting one of everything you have and to be fair you can only give one thing to each child, and when you run out you have to say no. So we did our best to be very discrete about it so that we did not have to turn any kids away. We got back to the mission at about 330 and found Melissa just about ready to go to Sonel’s. Before we went however, I had her bandage my burn from yesterday because it turned in to a really big blister and was a little dark. She said it was fine, but wanted to cover it up and antibiotic it anyway. After I was all patched up, we gathered everything we had for Sonel’s and Mike, Teresa, Vogley, Melissa, and I headed on down to the house. Our contents for this trip included: all Mel’s medical supplies, an egg carton (for his bed), an air mattress (to go under the egg carton), some cookies for him and his family, peanut butter for him (protein), and a radio (that we all pitched in and bought him). While we were there Mike read a devotion for him, and Mike and I talked with his father and his uncle about the best way to hook up an exercise bar for him so that he can stretch and strengthen his muscles. He was really super excited about his new bed additions, his cookies, peanut butter, and especially his radio. He had asked for that like a week and a half ago but the cheapest one we could find that was good quality was 60 Haitian dollars and that is easier to split 4 ways instead of only 2. After we played ball for a little bit and danced and he was in fresh bandages, we headed back for dinner. Dinner was all American tonight; we had green beans, cheese noodles and chicken wings. It was really really good, not that the Haitian food is bad, because believe me, it isn’t, it was just nice to have an American meal. After dinner we got around and the 5 Americans played Shanghi, which is really just apparently, Rummy and Phase 10 used as a model when they were created. It was a good time and took about an hour and a half. I came in second, which really just means I was the first loser, but I was still pretty happy about that because it was my first time playing. I told them I was going to teach them hand and foot, and then we could really get into. Well that pretty much finished the night out for most of us, a little conversation took place after that but really we went our separate ways. I hung with Roland a while, while he was checking his mail and the news and then finished my journal. Since, right now it feels like my equilibrium is not right or the Earth is spinning wrong I am going to take to Ibuprofen and go to bed. Peace