8-22-2001

1:00 PM

Well, I just finished lunch, came back to our room to find the power out in our room.
I went to ask about it and it is that the power is out to our compound and should be back anytime...
Billy scored a room fan last night from Debbie Rezendes' room, since they didn't need it and our room at 8:00 PM was about 88 degrees. Moving the air was wonderful relief and apparently a mosquito deterrent, as they don't stay around moving air like that. Travis brought this sonic unit which is on constantly, a frequency that I can hear, but most apparently don't. Mosquitoes feel it and stay away...I'm thinking about one for home...hhmmm...

I found out about the constant burning, something you may have already thought of, but it is some accidental fires and mostly people cooking and staying warm at night. They burn anything and everything; plastic, rubber, wood, paper, cardboard, cloth, etc. I asked our accompanying resident doctor, Dr. T, what I can do about it for myself and unfortunately, there isn't much, other than some Benadryl he gave me to help with the nausea.

As for this morning, I woke up around 7ish, and got dressed and went to breakfast. One of the women who serves here as a waitress and such, just looked blankly at me when I asked for 3 eggs scrambled, apparently most only eat one...but I'm a growing bald man, not necessarily growing taller, but growing none the less. Actually, I have not eaten much and my quantities of food are smaller so maybe I will come home with a new eating pattern, which will definitely work for me. It's hard to be hungry here, for me anyway, many things are hard here. I digressed again...

Finished breakfast and went to the room and got my clipboard and laptop and went back to the meeting room where we had a devotional led by pastor Monza. I like him. He was in charge of the pastors meeting yesterday, a meeting that is non-denominational which is so very cool. I wish our city would embrace that, let alone our nation. He noted that he purchase a very nice looking suit which he uses as a tool for getting into places and getting necessary attention, because most who own suits are loaded with money, influence and power, so he uses this tool to get help for the needy and such just by visiting them in the hospital or otherwise. People don't know him to be a pastor, they only look on the outside, see his suit and figure they better serve him or he may use his power against them. Very interesting from all angles.

The meeting lasted the morning and during that time we had some worship, pastor Monza spoke, Pastor Tomas spoke, Pastor Ron spoke and Dr. T spoke. We also went around the table and said who we are and why we think we are here...some are certain of their mission, others not so sure, but certain they are to be here. Some of the folks who introduced themselves said they are anxious to get out there and make a difference, to do something...I struggled hearing this because inside of me, I only want to leave to accomplish whatever I need to and then get back to the "safety" of the compound. A phrase I heard while on our way to the Vineyard Lodge from the airport, a phrase that didn't take lightly, was "we are pretty safe here during the day, but bad things happen at night." It sunk in very deep. That's probably all I can say about it.

Actually, in keeping with that, last night our driver, Douglas, cut off another driver in a pickup and the other driver followed us most all the way back to the lodge, tailgating and using his high beams out of anger and frustration. Fortunately, he turned around and chased no more just as we reached the street we had to turn onto. Makes you think of movies where that stuff happens, only this ain't no movie. (Pastor Friday later explained that this driver, had we stopped, would have confronted us and demanded money for his inconvenience, not an experience I wanted to see played out. Pastor Friday said it would not have been good)

Lunch was a local version of mac & cheese, rice, broccoli and carrots and chicken. I had 2 small portions of mac & cheese and rice. Carbs here I come.

Debbie, Ron and Billy and most of the other folks are heading to an orphanage in a few minutes...another education awaits I'm sure.

The power's still out and it's getting warmer.

Turns out, I am probably the only one of the delegation who did not go to the orphanage. God forgive me if I was supposed to go, it is just not a place I personally want to see. The despair and conditions, as I have understood them, are beyond comprehension in most cases and most of the children are losing to AIDS.

Billy just came back in (10 minutes or so after leaving the room to go to the orphanage) to say that Francis and Rich just got back and that Billy and I and Francis or pastor Friday will head over to Bread of Life church where we will be doing the evening services next week, and we will go now to look at the system they have installed there to see if we need to bring any equipment there or not.