Seriously....is that thing even on? I can remember that when I woke up this morning in a pool of sweat on my pillow. I could see there were two lights on the air conditioner that said what seemed to be a lie. There had been a bit of an argument (A friendly "christian" version) the day before between us and the other group - they seemed to think that using a fan to funnel the cool air onto their side of the sleeping room was a good idea and saw no problem with the issue. OK - it can't be that bad, right? heh heh.....
We were awakened by Barak (pronounced "bear-ick"), one of the Nextstep leaders, playing guitar. I can't remember the song now, as I was too focused on the heat. I figured I'd just get dressed and hit the mess hall for some breakfast.
Wow, what is it, like, 85 degrees in here?
Is that a cockroach? I think I actually said hello to the cockroach.
I am also pretty sure that he responded.
I put on my work clothes for the day and opened the door.
Have you ever pre-heated an oven for 500 degrees in preparation to cook a pizza, or heated the barbecue grill on HI until the thermometer was pegged....and then opened it? Yeah, this was like that. The air conditioner was definitely working in the dorm. It was so hot that when you opened the door you had to step back and resist the urge to use profanity. You actually put your arm in front of your face instinctively to protect yourself from some unseen enemy. Instant sweat. I didnt think I could produce sweat like that so quickly.
We migrated slowly to the mess hall and sat there, staring at the empty table. After a couple of uncomfortable minutes we made lunch - peanut butter and jelly - and we ate our breakfast. Pancakes? Hmm...not bad at all...
Then we took our devotional (hereafter called "devo") and found a corner. The devo was about God the Craftsman. About how He created everything. I remember thinking "including this heat".
The bus ride was eye opening. The houses we saw on the way were either tiny or huge or a pile of rubble. Local reggae style music on the radio proclaimed "I Love Jesus!". Outside proclaimed a world of misery and poverty or filthy rich. If you think that the US has no middle class any more you are sorely mistaken...there are two classes on New Providence Island - High Class and No Class.
Garbage was everywhere. You can't describe the smell, but you can imagine how garbage left day after day in the sweltering heat would smell. Yes, Cleveland was experiencing a heat wave right now, but this was no heat wave here - it is like this day after day, everyday.
Mr. Smith took a left on to "Straight St.". The road disappeared into what appeared to be a jungle. We all noticed the houses disappear. We also noticed the bus was heading toward a hill and noticeably speeding up then at the crest of the hill it felt like the road dropped out from under us and the entire bus screamed, followed immediately by an uproar of laughter. Being an adult with 10 kids in my care and no seatbelts, I'm pretty sure I wasn't laughing. I do admit I was smiling.
We headed through broken gates and a once grand entrance to "All Saints Camp". Straight street ended in a round about. AT the end of the street was a barn-like chapel, weather beaten and empty. Once beautiful ponds now filled partially with stagnant water and mosquito larvae sat under a huge banyan tree. The tree offered shade from the sweltering heat, but the humidity mocked that very shade. I felt like I needed a snorkel just to breathe.
There was no beauty here.
We staggered out of the bus, looking a bit like a gaggle of tourists who stepped out into times square. A little bit of awe and a lot of trepidation.
Oh the smell.... I remember Brigitte commenting that that was the "smell of sick people". We split into our work groups, each individual had a different task, mine was the "devo masta"...I had to lead the lunch devotional time. Not a problem.
In the midst of the dilapidated shacks was a small home, no bigger than perhaps 350 square feet under construction. That is where I would be working along with Waverly, Elizabeth and several people from North Carolina. I remember looking at the shacks that were falling apart and thinking "OK - these must be the shacks condemned to be torn don because they are unlivable".
Until I saw Dawn and her 10 month old daughter Winnie walk out of the left hand door and watched us get ready to work. People live in those? Then Lillian walked out of the other side. I was later informed that the house was a duplex, with someone living on either side. There is no running water, no air conditioning.
Suddenly my morning complaints seemed a little ridiculous. The 350 square feet home we were building would more than double the square footage they were currently used to.
Power lines ran on poles down the center of the camp, but hung just a few feet over our heads. The power and water in the camp often didn't work, relegating our use of power tools to only occasional use.
Waverly and I were given instructions and got to work right away hanging the ceiling on the porch area of the new home. The learning curve was evident for all the workers as we learned how to deal with the tools and new construction terms, as well as the surroundings. It seemed like we got almost nothing done when they called out that lunch was ready.
We ate and laughed, drenched in sweat and seemingly famished. A local resident named Vincent who was HIV positive and now blind sat with us and told his story. The thick accent made understanding him difficult though not impossible. He told of hope, happiness and the truth that is God's love.
God is Love according to the book of 1 John. If God is Love, then what is this camp? THIS is love?
I led the afternoon devotional and we got back to work. Sometime in the afternoon I walked across the sidewalk to visit with Dawn and Winnie. I wished I had brought my camera, but we were told to leave them at home the first day out of respect. (The picture below was taken at a later time) I introduced myself and Dawn said "hello". She had an open bible on her lap that she began to explain she was reading "back to front", starting with Revelations. Wow....way to start with the good news...
The she said to me "I am HIV positive....that's okay, right?"
"What?" I asked, unsure if I heard the question.
"I am HIV positive....that is okay with God, right?"
Dawn has this way of not actually looking at you when she asks you a question.
I stood up from my crouched position next to Winnie and said "Of course it is. God loves you with or whether you are HIV positive or not"
Satisfied with the answer she went on to explain the bible, but I was still trying to wrap my head around the question.
Did she doubt that God loved her? Was this a test....a question she asked only the new shipment of workers? Or was this God putting the question right there in front of my face to answer.
Of course it is okay. Of course He loves you.
Of course He loves me.
Of course He loves all of us.
Suddenly, my work had new meaning, new vigor. The heat seemed to be no more than a buzzing mosquito in my ear, the sore shoulders just an annoying side effect of God's work.
Of course God Loves you....he sent us to help you.
He sent us.
We have so much work to do.
No comments:
Post a Comment