Ox

Day two is under way. Very busy. Ray decided this morning that he wanted to paint the house. The tank on the roof has gone bad since the last time we were here. We went tile shopping, bought some electrical parts to fix broken switches, visited an orphan girl who had been injured at the church property, and purchased paint and supplies. The cracks in the wall are being fixed as we speak. The plywood just arrived to build my mud tank for drilling the well at the property, and Jim’s supplies to set a new kitchen tank just arrived as well. I feel a little lost at the moment, my right hand assistant is really ill. I call Kelly my ox! (Lovingly of course!) He is a diligent and active role on these trips into St. Marc, and while he can be a bit rowdy, he fills a very important role. He rolled over on the mattress at one point this morning and said to me, “you killed the ox!” Whatever! He is down for the count right now, so keep him in your prayers today. To put it scripturally, “the Ox is in the ditch." Where is the good Samaritan? It is very hot right now, and I am hoping that will help him fight off the bug. As those know who have been here, the first few hours are a rather taxing part of the journey; emotions are being taxed like muscles you have not used for a long time or even ever. Lameness sets in. The poverty and the presence of this culture, mixed with a vast change in your normal daily routine test ones ability to compensate and jilts your personal Richter scale. But they are adjusting quite well. God goes before us; everything is in His control. I understand this better and better as time goes along. It’s a bit like my old piano practicing days; practice makes one perfect, as human perfection goes. Every day I continue to practice my musical score of faith, and every day I am improving. I am not so bold as to profess I have arrived, for in that moment I will suffer the humiliation of God’s proof of my incompetence! I really can’t afford that right now! So back to work I go, break is over. Blessing until later.