What kind of a world do we live in?

When I got home (to the states) a few days before Christmas my mom asked if I had heard about the man who was trampled to death as he opened Walmart's doors early morning on what has become affectionately known as "black friday." I had not heard and was instantly sickened by the news. What was our world coming to? 

That sickness only grew as I looked up the story online. There were pictures and a full story of how the 34 year old man was stampeded as he attempted to open the doors. The discount crazed customers ripped the doors from their hinges and literally ran over top of the man standing in front of them. Not one of them stopped to help him up. On top of the death 4 others were injured ...including a women who was 8 months pregnant who lost her baby. Yet the story gets worse. When an announcement was made saying that the customers needed to leave the store, that an employee got killed, and they were closing the store no one listened. They started shouting about how they had been waiting in line all night and morning. Others completely ignored the announcement and just continued shopping.  Are we really that materialistic that the life of another comes second to our "needs" of the "needs" of our children? At best those people saved a couple hundred dollars on a new t.v. or child's toy. They went in intending to shop for a holiday (Christmas) that they obviously know so little about. What has happened to the real meaning of Christmas? 

Then in true American "its not my fault" mentality we tried to blame everyone but ourselves. Articles popped up of people pointing fingers back at Walmart. Suddenly it was their own fault that WE literally used a man for a floor mat. People (we) claimed that Walmart should have anticipated such action and had better security in place. People blamed the consumer world for "creating" us to be this way. While others said that Walmart was obviously to blame for having things discounted so much for such a limited amount of time. People are quoted saying they "hope that this story doesn't make international news because it would paint a terrible picture of Americans." Still others claimed that they "would never have acted in such a way. They "would never be that materialistic" and would obviously have "helped the man up." 

As saddened as I was about the lose of a life I was even more so frustrated by the HORRIBLE display of humanity by my fellow Americans. Personally I hoped they would run the story on the front page of every paper in the world for a year straight. I hoped that this mans death would cause us to stand back and reevaluate life, values, and right from wrong. I prayed that we would finally take ownership for our mistakes and faults and turn from the path of destruction we were rapidly moving down. Instead of feeling anger and blame towards Walmart and the consumer world we should have felt shame. To those who claim to be above and better than those few hundred people that ran over the man...how can you be certain? Have you ever snatched the last item off a shelf before the person beside you has a chance to get it? Have you ever walked out of a store and realized you forgot to pay for something....did you go back in and do the honest thing? Have you ever gotten mad because an item wasn't the price you thought it should be or because a store didn't carry something that you "needed?" We can justify it in our minds or claim we are being frugal by fighting to get the best price...but the truth is we have bought into this quicker, better, cheaper mentality. We want more and more. Worse yet we think we are ENTITLED to more. 

I'm not just talking about those people in the store that day ...and I'm not talking just to you all. I'm repeating these questions over and over again to myself. I had to stand back and really think about my own mindset. How often do I "cheat the system?" Would I really have helped that man up that day or would I have rushed in and not noticed him like all the others? How do I view Christmas? What do I do to celebrate the TRUE meaning of Christmas? What do I do that forces others to stop and look at Christmas as something more than a day of gift giving/getting? How many people have I "trampled" on in my attempt to fill my wants and desires...my "needs" I know that this blog is months after the event actually happened but I can't get that poor man and his family off my mind. Weekly something reminds me of him. It doesn't matter that I don't know him...he sticks with me as a reminder of how far our nation has truly fallen. He serves as a reminder of how far we will go to secure the "American Dream" ....and how wrong our values have become. So I challenge you to not just let the death of this man pass us by. Stop and think of him. Let his life, and even his death, be a lesson to us. Try hard to remember the important things in life. 

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/11/28/2008-11-28_worker_dies_at_long_island_walmart_after.html

Rosita

In a couple of weeks Rosita will be going to a school for the deaf. (Happy Hands) A couple of the workers came out a couple of days ago to give us papers, a book and a sign language cd to be practicing. While here they mentioned that Rosi was a bit behind ...especially in math. They asked if we would try and work with her to help her catch up. So today I got out pencil and paper, blocks with numbers on them, and plastic eggs. Armed and ready I sat her down and began basic addition. I quickly learned that she didn't even know 1 +1. The blocks seemed to confuse her so we worked with the eggs. I would set one egg in front of her and ask her how many were there. Then I would set two in front of her...you get the idea. After an hour or so she started to catch on. We even managed to do a bit of addition. It was fun watching her get so excited as she figured it out or got an answer right. Now if only my sign language skills were up to par. That is something I'm going to work diligently out these next few weeks. Please pray that we are able to catch her up and that school goes well. I want so badly for her to succeed at this. She is such a bright girl. 

25 Random things...

So lately there has been a facebook "note" being circulated. One of your friends will type up 25 random facts about themselves and then tag you in the note. After reading about things you may or may not have known about that person you are supposed to type up a list of your own and tag more friends. I have been holding out...refusing to take the time to tell people about myself. Well today after about the 15th person tagged me in their note I finally broke down and did it....I just wanted to publish it here for all of you to read as well. I figured for those of you who don't know me very well this will help you get to know me. For those who know me well...this will probably have you laughing or nodding as you agree with what I've written. Hope you enjoy.  

1.     I hate feet and am terrified of birds

2.     Fall is my favorite time of year. I love watching the leaves change, the weather, the smell of burning leaves, and of course a new football season.

3.     I love the feel of a brand new pair of socks and old worn in jeans

4.     I ask stupid questions. I don’t do it on purpose or in an attempt to annoy people …I just ask things as they come to mind…usually without really thinking it through.  I’m random and crazy. My mind is a scary place to live!

5.     The sound of rain on a tin roof is one of my favorite sounds in the world

6.     I love movies and am becoming a t.v. junkie….my celebrity friends think I’m cool

7.     My feet are always cold so I am constantly burrowing them underneath something…or someone

8.     I love reading. I find it easy to get lost in a good book. I am now obsessed with the Twilight series  

9.      I love playing games….settlers, rook, etc….doesn’t matter what the game is I’m always in!

10.  I recently learned what a swinger was. Yes I know…shocking isn’t it?!?

11.  I once ate doughnuts out of a dumpster. Don’t act like you wouldn’t do it…Krispy Kreme throws away all of their leftover doughnuts at the end of the day. It would be a shame to let them go to waste!

12. I love warm drinks…tea, hot coco, coffee, chai, etc. They are my comfort food.

13.  I’m a small town girl…and I love it. My girlfriends and I once had a “notebook night” and literally lay down in the middle of the street and watched the stoplight change colors. 

14. I love doing laundry and dishes

15.  Unlike so many from our area …I LOVE MoCo. The perfect summer could only be described when talking about MoCo….. spending my days muddin in the jeep, going to dinner and a movie with the boys, swinging on the swings, watching dance dance revolution, (better known as So You Think You Can Dance) going to the Blue Bell, the festival/fireworks, etc.

16. I am the worlds worst speller

17.  I’m obsessed with football …especially Buckeye football. I’ve spent ridiculous amounts of money meeting the players/staff, decorating my room, and buying Ohio State merchandise. 

18.  I once played volleyball against Jim Tressel’s daughter….and won.

19.  I love peanut butter…reduced fat Jif to be exact. I can eat it on anything. I love bologna/peanut butter sandwiches, carrots, apples, celery, crackers, pretzels, oreos etc. dipped in peanut butter, peanut butter in my ice cream, and so much more.

20. Few things are better than Sunday afternoon naps

21. I love the smell of baby powder, Vicks vapor rub, gasoline, burning leaves, vanilla, Old Spice red zone aqua reef deodorant, fertilizer as it is spread over a field, freshly mowed grass,  and baby lotion.

22. God blessed me with the most amazing best friend the world has to offer.

23. I don’t…and really have never used deodorant. 

24.  I love watching movies with the subtitles turned on.

25.  I’m in love with this place called Honduras. Some of my happiest moments and closest friends came after I moved here. I want to become fluent in Spanish and I want to adopt a little brown baby some day. 

 

Pictures

I wanted to add some photos of our day in Nuevo Oriental

Me and Jorge

Jorge trying on his shoes...the perfect fit! 
Santos, Kalie, Heti trying on shoes 

Jealousy all the way around

Let me just start out by saying BOY AM I JEALOUS OF ALL THE SNOW YOU ARE GETTING! Of course Mother Nature waited until after I left to dump a foot of snow onto the ground. I've seen the pictures but it just isn't the same as that feeling I get when I wake up and look out the window to see the beauty that was unveiled while I slept. I've watched videos and heard stories of you all sledding, sitting inside watching it snow with a cup of tea in hand, etc. So when you want to complain about the weather please remember that I SOO badly wish I were there playing in it. 

On the flip side ....let me take a few moments to make YOU all jealous! :) 

Since being back I've gotten to spend time with the 5 brothers, Carlos, Eduardo, and Saul. I spent time with Sam (before she left) David, and Jen. Thursday we went out to Nuevo Oriental (my favorite village) We spent time in the feeding center making tortillas, dishing out food, praying with the kiddos, washing hands, etc. The feeding center feeds 200 kids a day. Though it is only one meal...it is one meal more than most of those kids would have had otherwise. More importantly it is a balanced meal and they get a vitamin and much needed love/attention.

We also got to spend time with families that we have taken special interest in...families that have stolen our hearts. For me I had no choice in my special family. Months ago I was standing up near the feeding center when I noticed a filthy, bone thin, darker skinned boy. Unlike the other children, he was wearing normal clothes instead of the typical white shirt/blue pant school uniform. His skinny frame did little to fill out the, 2 size too big, clothes he was wearing. Yet none of that is what initially grabbed my attention. What I noticed first was that he was cornered and being picked on by a group of other boys. They were calling him dumb, black (just as offensive here as it is in the states...maybe even more so) and other such names. The boy was yelling back and trying to act like he didn't care what they thought. Yet as I watched I could see longing in his eyes. Longing to be one of them...longing to be wearing a school uniform and going to school....longing to simply fit in. 

I made my way towards the boy and as nonchalantly as I could I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and asked if there was a problem. The boys weren't as brave once I had made my presence known and they quickly left. Underneath my arm I could feel that the boy was even more frail than I had once thought. Upon closer evaluation I could see that his feet were bloody from walking the mountains barefoot. Every time he moved he had to reach down to tug his pants back on his hips and his shirt was worn through in spots. As I started talking to him and prodding him for information I found out that his name was Jorge and at 12 years old he had never been to school. He lived close by with his parents and 5 siblings. Although his father worked (hard) he barely made enough to keep them from starving so school was completely out of the questions. 

I spent the remainder of the day with him by my side. Since then I barely get to the village before his smiling face finds mine. He has manifested himself into the deepest places of my heart. I can't explain why I feel so connected to him...maybe it is that I can relate. Not that I know what is like to be poor and starving....or to be picked on for being dumb. Yet I do know what it feels like to be backed into a corner by the expectations and accusations of the world. I know all too well the feeling of being different or inadequate. I remember well the day I felt God's arm circle my shoulders. I remember hearing His silent promise that He wasn't going to let go and that no matter how out of place I felt in this world He LOVED me...ME. He saw through my grime, my anger, my awkwardness...and He saw my longing. 

I know I don't walk it out perfectly...I fail miserably most days...but if I can be God's arm around that boy than I will do so joyously. I will love him the best I know how. I will remind him as often as I can that someone thinks he is special. 

So it is that boy that had me begging David to go Nuevo Oriental (not that I had to beg much he loves the village as much as I do!) for the day. While I was home I was able to go shopping with Vicky for a few hours. On our shopping adventure we found flip flops on sale at Old Navy. They were discounted enough that we just couldn't pass them up. We grabbed as many pairs of shoes as we could carry and headed to check out. Most of the pairs were brown or black but I had found one bright blue pair in Jorge's size. Seeing as how blue is his favorite color I couldn't think of anything better!

While in Nuevo Oriental I was able to not only give Jorge his shoes but also managed to dig out flip flops to fit each of his brothers and sisters. I got to sit on the floor of their one room house as they tried on flip flops and oohhhed and ahhhed over each pair. Santos (Jorge's brother) debated over whether he wanted brown of black and Heti (Jorge's sister) promptly jumped up and walked around admiring how they felt on her feet. 

Jorge's job is to take the tortillas his mom makes each morning and sell them around the village. They sell 2 tortillas for 1 Lemp ...which means for 20 Lemps (one dollar) you could buy 40 tortillas. When we arrived at 8:45 Lily (their mom) was just finishing up the days tortillas. She had made close to 300 tortillas! As I asked if the kids could run off and play with me for a bit I could see the battle going on within her. Though she wanted to let Jorge play she knew that he needed to sell the tortillas so they would have a little money. I was afraid to offend her but I selfishly wanted to drag Jorge off to be with me for a few hours. So as gently as I could I asked if I could purchase the tortillas. I found out what the going rate was for tortillas and offered her twice as much....explaining that we needed tortillas at the house. I told her that one day she was going to have to teach me to make tortillas but until then I was going to have to just buy them. So at the end of the day I walked away with close to 100 tortillas. I paid 200 Lemps ($10) total... 2 Lemps for one tortilla...but it was more than worth it for the few hours I was able to spend with Jorge. 

In the past months I've searched out the name and number for the director of the school in the village. I called him and in my broken spanish I sought (begged) for permission for Jorge and possibly Heti (10 year old) to be able to attend school this coming year. He graciously agreed even though they normally wouldn't let kids of their age start this late. I'm not sure how it is all going to work out but I'm willing to help them try. I have to purchase uniforms, school supplies, etc. I also have to pay school fees and bills. I wish I could send all of them to school but there is no way I can afford that. So for now at least I'll settle for getting Jorge started in school. If anyone would like to donate to help me with Jorge's schooling or the schooling of his siblings please feel free to donate. You can make checks out to Belpre Church of Christ and write my name in the memo line. Mail the check and a note explaining what the money is for to Teresa Lauer at 3515 St Rt 266 Stockport OH 43787. School starts in a week so I'll be frantically trying to get his uniform and such bought and ready for him to begin on time. 

Small town living...

Ok so it is apology time...I did a TERRIBLE job of blogging these past few weeks. I was home doing life with my family and friends. I got to spend time with that beautiful nephew of mine and with my sweet grandmother. Clayton is doing great...he has gotten so big. Grandma has good days and bad days. She seems to be forgetting more things by the day. (including who I am) I ask that you pray for my family as she continues to decline. 

As most of you know I live in a very small town...it is literally 8 blocks long with NO stoplights. There are roughly 500 people living within our county and it is mostly farm land. Yet these are just the obvious reasons as to why my town falls into the category of a "small town living." It also doesn't even begin to grasp why I love it so much. 

In my town: People still wave at everyone they pass...just because

"                  " It isn't uncommon to follow a tractor/major farm equipment down a main road 

"     " if you get pulled over by a cop you usually know that cop by name 

"     " find two cars stopped in the middle of the road while the drivers catch up on life 

"     " we have to drive 45 minutes to get to the closest interstate 

"     " cows and other random livestock often find their way into the middle of the road

"     " we have as many cow (and deer) crossing signs as we do other road signs 

"     " if you are short on cash stores will mail you the bill or "credit your account" 

"     " we have one high school for all the kids in the entire county

"     " we get out of school for the first day of deer season, for our county fair, and any time the weather gets even slightly bad enough to make the back roads icy

"     " we have an official "drive your tractor to school day" 

"     " our county newspaper once had an article in it about the great omelets my dad makes....they obviously only run the big news!

I could go on all day! :) The point is .... I LOVE my small town life. 

Winter Wonderland

After two winters away it was nice to get to play in a little snow for awhile. Although it wasn't enough snow to completely satisfy my snow cravings....it certainly helped. :)