July 22nd-23rd: Wednesday-Thursday
I woke at 6:00 the past two days. Wednesday I got up early to talk with Jim. We ended up just making breakfast (pancakes) while we talked. Generally I am really good about not worrying about the future. I can usually just bloke it out and not worry about it all. However prompted by an email from home and several other issues I had been worrying about it a lot the last few days. I am unsure what I want to do with my life and thinking about paying for college and making some sort of life altering descision scare me. Jim and I talked though about trusting in God’s providence. His ability to work everything to his glory and our good. Also how we can’t screw up his plan for our lives. A very encouraging and syrupy talk.
The project to finish the bandas has been postponed because we are out of bricks. Craig ordered more last Saturday but Systo, the driver, is late. Last time he was a week late. In theory the last load should have been enough to finish the project but the second to last load was dumped using a dump truck and the bottom 300 bricks wer crushed and worthless. While we waited for Systo to arrive Wednesday we shoveled dirt from the sides of the road to fill pot holes. It was incredibley hard work and rather unsatisfying. With about two hours to go in the afternoon Emily brought us a cold pitcher of kool-aid/lemonade mix. Rather like a modern day Molly Pitcher. Lodim Paul thought she had brought us ngagwe which is the local alchohal. I told him it was Mzungu ngagwe.
Thursday morning Systo finally arrived but he got stuck in the mud that had formed when we put dirt in the still water filled potholes. Craig had to pull him out with the Kabotu. After that we unloaded 300 bricks onto the trailer to take to the clinic and then loaded the rest of the load out by the Wrights were Jim’s house will be built. Then after taking the bricks needed to complete the banda to the clinic we loaded all the broken bricks from the earlier load and dumped them in the huge hole in the road to the clinic. For the rest of the day I layed bricks and we finished the banda by 4:30. initially I was uncomfortable laying bricks because I worried about messing up and ruining the banda and even though I did make some mistakes by the end of the day I had gotten the hang of it and I really enjoyed it. Brick laying is nice because you can see your accomplishment. Its nice to build something by hand. I feel more and more at ease and comfortable with the work crew. To the extent that I feel more comfortable than with these new visitors.
Thursday after work Albert who is a clinical officer at the clinic and Mark came over to play football (soccer). I decided to play instead of going for a run. Mark, Peter, and Johan also played and it was really fun. Mark and Albert played in flip flops and the rest of us played barefoot. Mark and Albert are really good. Albert is just incredible. Johan’s also really good. I was definitely outmatched but no one seemed to care and it was fun. I was absolutely drenched in sweat by the time we were done.
That night was also Jame’s birthday party. He turned 13. the team went over to the Tricaricos for dinner and we had spegetti in bacon and red wine sauce and garlic bread. Then we sang James happy birthday and had his birthday cake which was actually brownies.
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