Feeling Better

Jean--the Guatemala mission is not like Habitat for Humanity, but the woman they are building the home for does help where she can--like making Mexican meals for them.  A lot of laying cement blocks and construction like that, so mostly the guys do the heavy work.  It is just a one room, with one window structure--I think no bigger than a two car garage.  Karen and Mark had to buy all the supplies to build the structure = $2,000.00, plus pay for their plane tickets down there.  We all chipped in something to help buy the supplies.  Even I managed $50.00. :-)

They were not allowed to take anything too glamorous with them, as gifts for the family.  They are not allowed to say anything like, "I wish you could come visit us," or talk too much about how we live here.  They are there to help the people, not make them more aware of their poor standard of living.  Madeleine did call beforehand and ask Karen if she could bring a lined tablet and two pencils for a young girl she knows.  The girl uses paper bags or any paper she can find and sews them together to form a tablet.  She is a copious writer and writes down all the English words she hears and then the Spanish word next to them.  Karen said she thought she could afford a $1.00 tablet and a couple pencils.  Karen said when Maddie gave the girl the tablet, you would have thought they had given her the most wonderful gift she ever had--and it very well might have been.

This is a MISSION trip-to help others, but it gave them an opportunity to be with Maddie this time.  It really is no different than what they do around here with feeding the homeless, or cleaning up the old tires dumped in the vacant lots in Detroit and building community gardens in Detroit.  Pammie constantly crochets blankets and hats for the homeless in Detroit and I make baby afghans for a place up the road that gives supplies to unwed mothers.  I used to sponsor a little girl on an Indian reservation in Oklahoma.  Jennifer buys dolls and makes doll clothes for the Old Newsboys distribution in Detroit.  My sister Susan knits lap prayer blankets for the elderly. My Mother used to sew dresses and clothes for the poor kids at our school back in the '50's and '60's, so I guess it is a family thing.   A kind of WWJD sort of thing?

Karen posted this on Face Book this morning.

"Guatemala house is complete & dedicated to Blanca & her son. The goodbyes were difficult & tear filled! Madeleine stays for another 3 months to continue God's work. Thank you to all who supported us with donations of prayers & money. May God bless you! "

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A kind of normal calendar month:

My calendar for this month:

I visited the Chiropractor this afternoon--he used the "rachet" thingie, also got a good session with the "thumper", and the "muscle stimulator" (TENS pads) and a nice rotation of my neck.  I feel great.  My shoulder bone doesn't hurt tonight and I can turn my head in all directions without any pain and no crunching!

Dar came over for an hour and we actually had a nice conversation!!!  She told me about her visit to the doctor on Monday and asked about my visit to him on Tuesday.  It was really quite normal.  Hm-mm.

This weekend weather prediction is sunny and in the sixties.  You know I will be outside--raking up a few leaves, filling up my bird seed can and feeders and getting my Baltimore Oriole feeder in place.

This house is a complete mess also and I wanted to start on my spring cleaning and rearranging.  Gotta get my heavy winter drapes off my windows and my summer sheers up!!