Life

It is always good to be back in PBO. Life here is like anywhere else in many ways. There are all kinds of people here, like where you are. People are dealing with all kinds of events and situations. I am always happy to be a part of this community. 

A lady in our town has been paralyzed from the waist down. A hospital could find nothing wrong. She came home and cried for her 3 sons and husband who need her. She visited another hospital in Port and still knows nothing. Meanwhile, a man who lived in our town years ago has spend 9 years in prison. He was tangled up in guns and threats.  In prison, he trusted his life to Christ. People say he is filled with reformed ideas nowadays. He is out...got out this week unexpectedly.  Smiles adorned his family, though he has decided to NOT live in PBO anymore.

Church groups and other groups are adapting to a new reality here. Teenagers used to be free from 1:00 in the afternoon until tomorrow morning. School days were short, and choirs, teams, and groups were easy to organize. Nowadays, schools don't send kids home until 3 or 4 in the afternoon. It makes a huge difference. Kids come out of school hungry and tired. They need a recovery time before they even think about attending a rehearsal or practice.  Lots of groups are affected.  ASAPH's Brass Band rehearses with about 1/2 of its members. The soccer team attendance is down. We'll adapt eventually.  That's life.

Christmas vacation is usually a long break here.  School sometimes close up around the 19th of Dec. and don't fire up again until mid-January. Not so this year! With so much missed time already, we hear some schools in the cities will close up December 24th and reopen on January 6th.  That is almost USA-like. Not at all normal for here.  But, that's life. 

I consider it a privilege to go through daily life with the people around me. I try to be a light in any way that I can. Kids here lack involved parents.  Teachers are often remote and busy.  I am happy to have every conversation with every person who drops by.  Pray that I will remain available to all who need a bit of help.