I was so excited to get back to work on Monday! Normally I can't stand it when they ask a bunch of adults to do hand gestures with songs. It's a very Honduran thing to do, for little kids and adults alike. Yesterday I was hand gesturing and singing away at our weekly devotional.
The topic was so interesting. Since we are a group who works for justice, the topic was about explaining things that aren't just. The co-founder of my organization did the best job I've ever heard explaining why God allows things that aren't fair to happen.
First he told us a story.
We were to imagine that we were about to have a baby. We had to decide between two fates for the child. In once case, the child would have no free will, but would always do the right thing. They would be respectful, loving, kind, helpful - everything good. In the other case the child would have free will. The question he posed was which life would we choose for our child.
All but two of the 150 people chose free will.
Then he talked about all of the unjust things that have happened to members of our organization lately. Sometimes even when they, themselves, made good choices and were fighting for what is just, they were killed as a result of someone else's bad choice (the choice to kill them).
We talked about how free will makes everything more significant. Making a good decision means so much more when you know it would have been easier to choose the "bad" option. Having your child choose to hug you and kiss you means more when they are not duty bound to do so. Hearing "I love you" means more when you know you fought hard for that love.
We talked about how Jesus had free will but still chose to die for our sins. Adam and Eve had free will and even they got messed up in a world much simpler than today's.
So, we can blame God for things we don't understand but in one way or another injustices can be traced back to free will. He even covered hurricanes and cancer. I'll have to ask a coworker about those because I forgot, but I did understand at the time.
After the devotional, as always, we divide into our individual projects. My boss talked about all of the new plans for Impacto Juvenil. Some of them are great! We are going to offer tutoring, build another library and have reading clubs in each library, offer classes up to sixth grade for kids who dropped out. Those things will all be great.
But there is another plan developed by people who sit behind desks and come up with ideas that sound great in theory or look good on paper. Those people don't understand the reality of our work. So, we'll do our best and see what happens. I understand why the office people think the kids will benefit from their plan, but I believe the reality is that people who were already drowning in work will now have a lot more work with few positive results. I hope I'm wrong.
We've been trying to celebrate Isa's birthday for two days. She was sick Sunday and Monday so her mother gave her antibiotics, of course. Today she went to the doctor and was diagnosed with "allergies to the weather". That's Honduran for "she caught the cold that is going around but we like to blame it on the weather because it's easier to blame it on allergies than to educate people about germs, how they are passed, and how to keep from getting sick." They gave her acetaminophen and anti-parasite medicine. Tomorrow her brothers go back to school but Friday is a holiday so we will celebrate Isa's birthday then.
My coworker and I had plans for tomorrow. We were going to schedule the clubs for the year to come. However, she just called to say that she and the psychologist are doing home visits instead. Since I can't do home visits yet I'll be resting tomorrow. It's still frustrating! I hate to feel like I am not able to contribute. But my ankle did hurt a lot today so I know it's best.
Tomorrow I am going to call for another doctor appointment. Everyone is telling me my ankle should look better than it does. I am going to ask if this is normal and get more specific instructions as to what I should and should not do. I can feel it healing. I think it just needs more time.
My friend won a trip to Jamaica for having the third highest sales at her job in the US. It's all expenses paid, plus resort credit and she can bring a guest. Guess what? She's bringing me! She said it was easiest because her other friends can't argue if she tells them she is bringing a missionary from Honduras who needs pampering. Hurray for free trips to Jamaica!!!!
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