Monday, June 28th -- Love Never Fails

Today is Julia’s 20th Birthday! We ate breakfast and then went to the school where everyone was so excited to wish her well on her special day. Julia went into town to pickup her friend Michelle who is coming to visit for the day. She is spending 10 weeks in Kenya working for Maasai Girls Education Fund. The fund gives families of girls the amount that they would receive in a dowry for an early marriage in the form of a scholarship for education. Many Maasai girls are not educated and this program seems truly brilliant in their work.

I went into the giant construction container (basically a dumpster with a top on it) at the school. It was donated to the school and is being used for storing stray books. I began this large organizational project of taking inventory and sorting through the hundred of dusty books that were all mixed together in sacks and cardboard boxes. I separated them by subject and grade level. “Pole, pole” (slowly, slowly) I made a dent in the stacks upon stacks of books. These books will eventually be able to be a library for the students! Since I uncovered a surplus of text books in there, many teachers will be able to use these in their classes so this will also save the school money. What could have been painstakingly tedious and mundane in the dark and stuffy dumpster was not that way at all. I kept thinking about how wonderful of a resource it will be once it is organized and cleaned.

One part of life that has been difficult for me to grasp is the use of cell phones. The poorest of the poor have cell phones. Many land lines are no longer in existence. The homes on top of the hill where we are located do not even have the option of having a landline. About 2 years ago, the landline companies were unreliable because people used to steal the cables that connect the bottom to the top of the hill. The cables are valuable items to sell. They were phased out over time since the phones would only work 50% of the time. Also, the poor keep their phones since that is their only means of being contacted if work is available. Some homes with electricity charge 5 shillings to let people charge their cell phones for those that do not have the luxury of electricity. Hence, cell phone companies are thriving!

Two of the girls stopped by our house with a card for Julia. I went with them to play football (soccer) on the field. It was one of the most intense games I’ve ever played. I can honestly say this after playing on competitive teams from the age of 7-18. The hard ball we used was very worn out with the stitching for the seams no longer in existence. The field was solid dirt which did not phase anyone. Everyone wore their school shoes, flip flops, or went barefoot. No shin guards. No water breaks. And certainly, no orange slices at half time. These teams were relentless, competitive, and filled with raw talent. Knowing too well how so many boys and girls on Long Island spend hours upon hours with private trainers, special select teams, top of the line equipment, and so much money spent in the pursuit of becoming a better player. The boys and girls I played with today are much more talented without any instruction than so many people I have played with. If they are given any of the perks we have at home, their potential would be outstanding. Being around all the boys and girls for a few weeks, I am not surprised by how tough they are. The ball we played with was so hard it really hurt every time I kicked or headed it. Rather than complaining, if someone really felt the ball hitting them like a bullet, they would just laugh it off. No sympathy points in the football games.

I showered quickly and then went with Julia and Michelle to the Sister’s convent for our weekly Monday dinner. Mango and banana pancakes with potatoes and chicken sausage were on the menu for tonight. The sisters picked a bouquet of flowers and made a banner for Julia. We sand Happy Birthday and had cake #2. Before dinner, we said Grace and Sister Remea picked out a special reading that she read out to us with soft music playing in the background. This reading, which is often read at weddings or funerals, has always been special for me but has taken on a whole new meaning for me.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the TRUTH. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. LOVE NEVER FAILS.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

This was very fitting for the time and place. I feel like I have joined the family at Our Lady of Grace. The love they have shown me is apparent in every second of every day. Love keeps belief, hope, and endurance alive. The interests of one person are the interests of another. Failing to believe in the truth is not even an option. The love here is selfless and invigorating. Whether it is in giving my teammate a high five after her goal, rocking one of the babies to sleep to give her mom a break, or encouraging one of the boys in class, I hope so much that what Julia and I are doing here is nurturing them in some way. It’s hard not knowing what I do or say will sink in and stick with them.