from bullets to bazookas

changes for Ramadan

Here at Waterloo, there has been a change in cabin crew. Both Bros. Emmanuel and Kelvin have been transferred elsewhere, and they have been replaced by Bros. Paul and Samuel. The thing which I greatly feared has come upon me. Two sisters have been moved here permanently. That wasn't enough. I was asked to go out with them yesterday on our visits. Our visits yesterday took us up the mountain. After visiting with one family, at around quarter to seven, as we were leaving, right there in front of me, to the West was an absolutely clear sky. The moon was a crescent (incidentally, it is Ramadan, the Muslim month of fast. Jimmy, Abdul, don't forget me.), and there was a lone star Northwest of it. Behind me, to the East, there was a spectacular lightning show. Mother Nature shows off all her grandeur out here.

This morning, at 7AM, I was asked to go out and buy half a dozen eggs. It came out to Le4400. On my way back, I ran into Thomas who has begun coming to church lately. I used to visit his family when I was here in Waterloo for the first time. Thomas who is 22, his slim, shy, wife Nancy aged 15, their 10 month old son Thomas Jr., and Thomas' younger brother all live in a very tiny clay shack. The entire shack must be about 14ft x 9ft. The little munchkin boy is absolutely adorable. Nancy was proud of him when I took a picture of the mother and son. "Ma boy fine Oh!" she said, when I showed her the picture.

Well Thomas ran up to me this morning and said: "Benjahmin, you came the right time. I have a problhem. Please you most help me. You see, I don't have a good shoe and I wont to get shoes. Can you help me please?" I didn't know how much shoes cost and I didn't have enough money with me anyway, so I told him that I will go back home, talk to the others and see what I can do to help him. I asked Bro. Samuel about it and he said that a decent pair of used shoes would cost about Le15000. I was a bit turned off about buying used shoes but he said he buys them himself, and it's just the way things are done here. Not many people can buy brand new shoes. So tomorrow, I'll give Thomas the money for shoes. My mom had send me one of my nieces discarded toys - a balled cat with a heart shaped button on it's stomach which when pressed, meows and moves as it vibrates. I'll give that away to the little boy. I have not a clue as to what I should get Nancy.

Bro. Samuel and I went out to get two gallons of fuel for the generator this evening. On our way back, the clouds gathered around like a bad omen declaring imminent doom. No sooner did we reach home, the flood gates were opened. That was at 7PM. It's past 9PM now and it does not look like it will let up any time soon.

There is a new peril upon us. Just out in the back, right where we wash our clothes, a swarm of bees have begun building a hive under a papaya leaf. I am afraid one of these days, the leaf will break from the weight just as we're washing clothes.

The work on the site should begin next week. As of Thursday, my jaw has been healed. Thank you for your prayers.

posted by bthomas24 @ 1:18 PM