One week from today, at this time, Leah and I will be boarding our plane.
It’s crazy how fast time has gone. It almost doesn’t make sense. No, it doesn’t make sense. Just
last week we were stepping off the plane into this foreign country, this foreign country that we
now call “Home”. This foreign country that we have grown to love. This foreign country that will
forever be apart of us, in one way or another. I finally stopped and thought the other day, “This
is my town. This is my home. This team is my family. These people here are my friends.”
Now it’s time to get things ready, and go home for Christmas. Which, doesn’t even feel like
Christmas! Well how can it, when its 80 & sunny everyday? I’m sure reality will hit when I walk
out of the airport in Detroit! Hopefully my parents bring me a jacket.
Well, enough of this stuff. I guess I have a few things to share.
This past week I haven’t felt too good. First stomach problems, then a cold/allergies. My good
friend at the nursing home, Fransisco, hasn’t been feeling too well either. Infact, he was
coughing up blood, and not eating for a couple days. So Thursday afternoon when it was time for
our internships, I decided despite my health to head to the nursing home. I wanted to bring
Fransisco a juice, and see him for a little bit. Em and I got to the nursing home, and I
immediately went back to Fransisco’s room. I found him in bed, laying in the fetal position,
sleeping. He looked so frail. The room reeked something horrible, something so thick. I set the
juice down and went out to see everyone else. After a little bit of visiting I found the nurse,
Altagracia. I asked her what was going on with Fransisco, she said he hasn’t ate in 3 days and
barely drinks any water. She also told me he has lung cancer- what I have been suspecting for
quite some time. She gave me a surgical mask and walked me back to his room, she told me we had
to wear them because of some virus or something he has. We went into the room and she showed
me the basin next to him. A basin full of blood. His blood. My Fransisco.
Needless to say I didn’t
stay in the room long. We walked out, I found Em, and told her what Altagracia
had shared withme. I was struggling to keep my composure infront of everyone and just wanted to
go back home. So
I went to go grab my umbrella and handbag, and my handbag was gone. I asked around and someone
said a man who was there, who own the horses across the street, took my bag. I talked to the
same nurse about it and she took off after him. Inside the handbag was our cellphone, the house
keys, like 7 pesos and my chapstick. By this time I don’t even have any emotions to give, I
couldn’t even get angry. So Em and I left and came back to the house to wait for Miguel and
Kristen to get back with the spare keys to our house. We ended up having to change every lock
on the house- 5 deadbolts and a new door knob. We tried calling the cellphone- the guy PICKED UP,
and talked to Miguel. We never ended up getting any of the stuff back.
The funny thing is, is the cellphone is as good as useless. Its battery lasts- from fully charged
to DEAD, about 1 hour, MAYBE. And it can’t place calls out, or send text messages. So the only
thing it does is recieve calls, and if you don’t have the phone charger (Which he doesn’t) it
is worthless. He stole a worthless phone. Worthless keys. But some darn good chapstick.
Oh, something I didn’t share was when Miguel went to the nursing home to talk to the people to
get info- no one said anything. No one knew what he was talking about.
Please keep this situation in your prayers. Keep this guy in your prayers, who obviously needs
money, but more importantly Jesus.
I love you all, and I appreciate your prayers AND comments!!!
