WEEK 3 UPDATE

Someone has to do it! At this non-smoking facility cigarette butts multiply rather quickly and someone has to pick them up to keep the property looking clean to the glory of God. I spent a day and a half doing that. Also scraped a flat roof for re-taring and some plumbing work. It was a great week.

I love the guys I am working with here. My boss is Swiss and married to a local and has been here for many years, two other Swiss volunteers (a painter who has been here for many years who originally worked in Yemen and a carpenter who is fulfilling his military service through charitable work). Then the regular work crew who are Egyptian mostly Orthodox Christians from Upper Egypt. They are hard workers. The work day for them starts early, sometimes at 6 depending on what needs to be done. Then at 7:45 we meet with all other staff and workers in the main lobby of the hospital for a song, reading of the Daily Light, and a prayer, so my work day starts around 8. At 10 the maintenance staff meet for breakfast break and in the afternoon for a Pepsi break, finishing the day around 4. No lunch is needed with a fine morning break/breakfast.

 Most evenings at 5 there is a good news meeting for the patients, one for the men and one for the women, which is well attended and sometimes features passionate debate between religious beliefs. We sing a few songs in Arabic and then a study is given by different staff members and workers. I love the direct words to their rather unmelodious songs. Here is a sample. We also were accompanied one evening by this odd 12 string instrument.

Last night I was invited out to a local Yemeni restaurant. What a feast. I did not enjoy eating while sitting on the floor but the food was delicious. Three bowls of different meat served boiling hot, another meat dish served cold, a plate of rice with two half chickens on top, eggs with cream on top, yogurt, various dipping sauces, a large pita for the four of us to rip apart, and two delicious bread pudding type desserts, one with white bread, dates and honey and the other with brown bread, banana and honey, water, pop, and finishing off the meal with a hot Indian style chai tea. The foot in the picture is not part of the meal.

I has been spiritually refreshing to meet with my friend and talk, pray and share scripture together. I am glad to be part of the great work of God here.
Well I hope to see you all soon. Remember Jesus is Lord and you are called to serve him with a loving, godly attitude, in good works and words, to the glory of God the Father.