Strange happenings

This week has been so busy. I almost don't have any time that isn't allocated to some project or responsibility. That is wonderful from one standpoint because boredom was one of my fears coming here. Oh, but that has not been a problem. Boredom has been eradicated from my recent days in peculiar ways:

New experiences filled my days and nights: 1.Slam Poetry. I have maybe heard of this in passing, but in reality, I had no idea what it was. It was the Wednesday night activity of a church youth group. I left feeling motivated and enthralled at the great power of words. How thrilling to see the tongue (such a painful weapon of destruction) being used to motivate and encourage those that heard.

Thursday held some moments where I was scratching my head wondering "really?" A man who started a business to help nonprofits came into the coffee shop. He makes crosses and sells them in the coffee shop. One of the regulars was sitting in the shop talking about Obama's most recent speech. He was livid about Obama's new plan. However, this cross maker said that people just need to prioritize their finances. this is how the conversation went:
Regular: Tell me this who does the idea of having to have car insurance hurt?
Cross-maker: No one
R: Are you kidding me, a single mother has to feed her kids so she has to have enough money for gas and food to feed them, but if she is having to pay insurance she isn't able to feed her children. She gets stopped by police gets a ticket for no insurance and then can't pay anything else. Her car gets taken away and she has no way of working to feed her family.
CM: She just shouldn't drive then
R: She has to go to a job and to the store and to school.
CM: She has feet doesn't she?
R: Are you kidding me. Is anyone able to get a job these days? The jobs in walking distance are in the clubs.
CM: Silence
Jamie and I (thinking): really, are you serious. Do you ever take a second from your sheltered life with your wife being the worker to look at others in this world?

The conversation was way more heated and longer than that, but that was the main part. If the regular hadn't been here, i would have had a hard time not telling this guy off as well. The ignorance of this man made me so sick.


Thursday I also got to experience HGM's girls night. What a fun gab fest that turned into, surprisingly, I sat back in silence in order to soak it all in. On the foggy drive home, I hit a brick or a curb so hard that it tore two holes in my brand new tire's wall.

I walked to work friday morning to have enough time to play skipbo and talk with the regulars. Shortly after, Jamie came with her daughter and we journeyed home to attack the kitchen. With rain boots and big yellow gloves i was prepped to handle the thing that i hated so much: Roaches. Around 30 secs into our quest, I was done. It was at that point that Jessi opened a drawer and what can only be described as a herd of roaches ran out. I turned and walked straight into the living room. I chose to do work on the carpets instead. Jamie and Jessi quickly discovered the tribes of roaches and they did their best to gather courage and handle the situation. This was far worse than I have ever experienced. However, I honestly think this challenge is good for me.

Like John had said to me, it is easy for people to talk about helping and serving the poor. Rarely is it seen someone who can live like and with the poor. Although i would consider the house i live in to be on the up end of the neighborhood, i am definitely experiencing the "bug of choice."

On a different note: Jamie and I are in brainstorm mode trying to figure out how to go about getting into the clubs. As of now, our idea is to get woman-friendly gifts. Pray for our journey and the way to be completely paved.