Molly and I needed to do laundry, so when we need a break from planning our days away we got our stuff and walked down the street to the laundry mat. To try to explain how far it is, I would guess that if I wanted to do laundry back at LSU; From room 537 to the laundry room by the parking lot door down stairs would have been the equivalent walk, however here there are no stairs to get to the laundry here.
Once we go there we put our stuff in and just sat. I forgot to bring anything, but that was okay because sooner rather than later children were peaking into the laundry mat. There were two girls looking in, big eyes and full of giggles. They would look over the window seal into the laundry mat and stair and molly and I. We would smile, wave and say hello. They would say hello back and then quickly duck to be out of view. This game when on for the duration of the wash cycle. After about 10 minuets of it, we couldn't help but laughing. Then right before we switched our clothing from washer to dryer a girl came in, brave, with her baby brother. It was amazing how friendly she was. We were trying to talk with her, but she didn't know a lot of english. So we tried to communicate in other ways. When molly went out to get more quarters for the wash,the girl just handed her brother to me. I was scared she was going to drop him. So I grabbed him quickly and had him on my lap. He was a very happy baby. Molly and I would make funny faces and noises and he would just start to laugh. I held him for a while, many things were going though my head, but I couldn't process them fast enough. Once Molly came back she was able to hold the baby, She took it and spun in circles around the laundry mat, the baby was loving it.
The girl came to sit next to me, I tried to ask her what her name was, and how old she was. She looked at me with such a confused look.( Meanwhile there is now about five kids in total looking through the window at us) So I turned to say hello and wave and I tried to ask them the same question. Finally one of the boys said his name was Joseph and he was five years old. Two of the other girls held up five fingers too. And so in a matter of minuets all of the children were in the room. They were playing tag and talking in Marshallese, I was still trying to talk with the kids and after a while they all were laughing. I am pretty sure at me, not with me. The girl that couldn't speak english was getting closer and closer to me until she had placed the chair right next to me and she wrapped her arms around my waist. She sat there for a very long time, I hugged her as she was talking to me in Marshallese, trying to explain what the other children were saying. I still have no idea what any of them were saying.
We got our washing done and went back to our apartment, to hang up many of the clothes that were not fully dry. Then back to Lesson planning. During that time the internet was working well enough to skype with my brother. We talked about a few things, and before I had to leave to go to another meeting he told me that he was not going to cut his hair until I get back. I am kinda excited. Just a little bit :)
We had a meeting with the wellness center at 3pm, we went to hear a lecture about the diabetes on the island. 7 out of 10 people on the island have type 2 diabetes. It is so sad, because it is preventable. They were talking about how many of their blood sugar count is over 600, when it should be between 80-90. We are trying to push the health message, however with a diet that consisted of very unhealthy donuts covered in syrup for breakfast, top ramen covered in Kool aid for a snack or lunch, just a plane Kool aid pack for kicks then white rice and fried chicken or fish. The odds are not good for lowering the blood sugar, to help prevent and fix the problem that is killing them. The wellness center is an amazing place, and we learned a lot, however during the presentation there was a huge spider. I am not usually scared of bugs, I just don't like them. This spider however was HUGE, about the size of a small orange with the length of legs. ( chills) Because it was so distracting ( my feet quickly made it up, on to the chair, just in case it was going to make it across the room). The instructor came in with bug spray and a fly swatter, finally spraying it to death ( or so we thought) he stepped on it. I released my feet, and as soon as I did it moved again and started to walk towards all of the student missionaries. I was on the front row, my legs went up very fast. I was content just watching it criss-cross apple saws from my chair but some of the other girls were very uncomfortable. So the instructor picked it up and threw it away. A few minuets later, when we were talking about healthy food, because of the bug spray a cockroach came out of the wall, and started walking towards me, So once again I lifted my legs to get them out of the way, some of the boys were laughing. but it decided to walk into the next row and many of them just stood up.
After all of the bug issues were done, we were still taking. It was a very long lecture. We got a frozen chocolate and nut covered banana, It was very good. Or I was just very hungry, probrably both.
Then we came back, and once again worked on more lesson plans. Then went to bible study and were told that afternoon that we had to go to a meeting in the church because the Paster from Guam came to visit. He knew that he was coming for weeks, however no one decided to tell us until the day of. We all were super tired, and we thought that it was only going to go from 7-8pm. Well the Pastor's talk did, And I didn't agree with they way that he was presenting the information or the application to his audience. I might have been a little critical, but I was very confused at how anything he was saying was able to be applicable to Island, the Staff or the SM's. Then write before he was done he said I would like to invite my wife up to speak. Looks went around the SM's, And so we spent another hour listening. Once again I was confused at how her stores were able to relate to the people in the building. However she made some good points, but if you didn't know the context of what she was saying, I don't think that you would take the right message away.
I was praying a lot during the program, for patience and understanding but also for all of the SM's. Prayer is a wonderful thing. And If you are going to church this week or have a hymnal, I would like you to turn to 505 and think, and please pray for all of the SM's around the world. We are struggling with many different things. Our islands alone is going though so much, and I know there are places worse off that we are. Please pray.
At the very end the Pastor of our church informed us that there would be a three hour meeting tonight (friday), a three hour meeting on Saturday and a two hour meeting on Sunday. Looks went around our rows again. Knowing full well that we are expected to be at all of them, and knowing full well that if we went to them we wouldn't get anything done for our classes. Schools starts on Monday. Mumbling to my self, I don't think this plan was thought our very well. " T-rex, I have a big head and tiny arms... mumble mumble..."
-When your problems are too big, God is too small in your life. And when your problems are small, God is big in your life.-
There is always more to say, and explain about the days here but I don't have the time right now... Got to get back to the lesson planning.
Love and Prayers sent from Majuro <3
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