Day2

Awoke this morning to the sun rising and the street vendors setting up their day's sales. The occasional goat or child playing also filled the noise. It was a decent nights sleep that actually got cool at night. Felt refreshed this morning. While everyone continued to sleep in their tents, a couple of us early-birds sat out on the roof top to take in the scenery of incredible mountain view and remarkable human endurance. All people, old and young..male and female, were starting their days as they always do. I sat for 1 1/12 hours taking in the beauty that is this "simpler" life. The heat is no problem for me, as I am no stranger to sweating it out in humidity. The sleeping quarters don't bother me as I can fall asleep just about anywhere. And the atmosphere of "poverty stricken nation" doesn't bother me, as this is where I am most drawn to. These people live way below the 'poverty level' as far as the US lifestyle is considered. Even a homeless man in the US could not imagine this level of poverty.

However... here's the catch: They're happier.

Do you think you can be happier without these luxuries? It seems like a stretch, I know. Especially considering we get upset if we miss the big game on TV, or our favorite TV show, or McDonald's stopped service breakfast and we really wanted a McGriddle! But, I assure you...go against logic here. Less is better! A simpler life leads to a happier life.

Ok, off the soap box...but promise you'll think about it, deal? :-)

On task for today:

Breakfast in the AM (oatmeal)

"Quiet time" for an hour afterwards (most are using this for bible reading and prayer...I am doing a little of that but also writing this)

Heading to the orphanage to coordinate learning games with them

As I write this, I am sitting on the rail of the 2nd floor balcony, overlooking a rather small "tent city" and the rest of this neighborhood is a hybrid of tent, tarp & building. Curious kids scamper all around looking up and shouting "hey you!" to get my attention. Every time I look up from this paper, I catch about 4-5 sets of eyes. Across the street is a small building which seems to be the local water supply. People are stopping by throughout the morning with their jugs to pay a girl, that looks no older than 8, through a bared window for her to turn the water on. People traveling by foot up and down the street. Many vendors with baskets full of goods on their heads pass by shouting out what they have, as if I'm at the braves game ("Get yer peanuts here! PEANUUUTS!")

A few minutes ago, I got to witness boys being boys. 2 of them (1 maybe 10, the other maybe 7) started pushing and shoving then it went to the ground and the older kid was winning. All the other boys, doing what boys do, just watched...oh yea, so did I. lol. They were broken up by an adult, but the little guy didn't have enough and started it up again. This time, it stayed on the feet and they were going to blows. A man in about his 30's hollered at them to stop but they didn't. That was their 1 and only warning. As he's hollering at them and walking towards them, he's doing the 1-hand-technique to yank his belt off in the smoothest of fashions. He folded it in half and starts to go to town on both of them! I was laughing (well, inside...outside, i just smirked) as they scampered off like when you turn the hose on 2 fighting dogs. I'm sure they'll be playing together again later today. Ah, boys. :-)

Going to take in a little more of the atmosphere and head out in a minute. Uh-oh...just saw little guy walking around with a stick in his hand, looking for trouble. haha - some kids never learn. lol.

More later.