Worms and Scorpions

The church group left this morning and it was sad to see them go. They were troopers through everything we did to them. Saturday night after my last post, my friend Steven and I staged an earthquake. We through rocks up on the tin roof and yelled. We told them they had 30 seconds to grab anything they could and we evacuated them to the slums. The slums is a place on the farm constructed from wood pallets and old tires. We put a few old mattresses out there and an old couch. They were given a basket with a box of match, a hammer, a few nails and two tarps. We told them they were not allowed in any buildings, only to use the compost toilet. Communication was now cut off from the world. It was hard to do because they had 2 kids with them and they cried during the earthquake. They next day they thought they were going to be picked up for church but no one came. They waited for about an hour and then held their own service in the slums which is what the picture is. It's hard to see so sorry about that. They continued a normal day and then that night we staged a riot. We had Rene who is from Africa go to them and yell at them in his own language and explain in broken English that they need to go and he wants his house back. Rene left and came back with 5 guys with machetes and BB guns. Faces painted, rolled cigarettes, bandannas. They yelled at them and stole some things and made them back what they could. Then marched them up to the north of the farm. 5 or so guys harassing them and then 2 guys following in a truck honking and yelling. (Where are the kids you ask... Right, they were at home safe and sound. So don't worry) Then me, Annali, and Katherine were waiting at the top of the hill. We had 2 Christmas trees drenched in diesel behind us and we lit a match as the got closer. We stood in front of it with pitchforks and as they got closer we tried stealing anything we could from them. Flashlights and sleeping bags. We marched them all the way up to the old school bus and they stayed there for the night.

Then Annali and I sat on the swing outside the dorm and I was cracking pecans and eating them. I swore I got a worm in my mouth and Annali swore pecans don't have worms. I was in the dark so I couldn't prove it. Then we went inside and I continued to eat them. I cracked one and there it was. Worms. Little whitish, yellowish worms eating the pecans. I ended up finding like 5 before I got totally grossed out and gave up.

This morning I woke up and did my usual. When I came back from the bathroom, I went to pick up my socks that were drying on top of a bag that was on top of a tub. I noticed something was on my sock and looked closer. It was a scorpion!!!! I picked up the sock and put it on the floor and told my roommate to come look. She immediately grabbed a shoe and smashed it four or five times. We stood there in our pj's and looked at out clothes on the floor. We looked at each other and I said, we can't live like this. We shook out all our clothes we were wearing for today and checked our shoes numerous times before putting them on. We got so paranoid. When I talked to David this morning he told me he has been stung like 4 or 5 times. One time his wife put on a t-shirt and got stung on the chest and she found one under her pillow as well. That's creepy.

We had devos with the church group this morning and got to hear from their side all that they experienced during their stay here. It was awesome to hear all they learned about living in poverty.

Yesterday I was helping Bronwyn, who is from Canada, weed the lettuce. It was a true blessing and encouragement to spend time with her. It was encouraging to hear that she struggles in the same way I do with the view of Christianity here. Works are placed above Christ here. It was awesome to listen to another person on this farm who really has a heart for the Lord and loves Jesus very much. We both agreed that even if we never farmed another day in our lives that as long as we preached Christ, that was more then enough. The answer is Jesus to anything and true changes from the power of God. I'm so sad that Bronwyn is leaving on Friday. It has been such a blessing rubbing shoulders with her and now she is leaving and I am alone again. Well I can no longer think of any thing to say. Good night, I have to milk at 6!