I came to raise the flag

7/4

Today has been a truly difficult day. The workout I enjoyed this morning was not enjoyable. I worked with Josh which was good. We got a lot done, but still it was physically demanding. I met an old woman outside the school when I was coming to meet Josh. She told me a story about how she was wanting to go to Veracruz (wow another one for Veracruz) and how she had been robbed and assaulted. The police brought her to the school to get help (I think that speaks well of the school that the local police believe that people can get help here) I went inside assuring her that if there was anyone inside I would let them know she would like to talk to them. No one was inside, so I got a pitcher with water and cup, and some of the money I had with me to take to her (she hadn’t eaten in a number of days. I told her no one was in said maybe Monday, told her to come by the church tomorrow if she wanted some help. She said she would, but would take any water. When I held out the money her eyes lit up and said thank you. It seemed that money was her salvation (I don’t want to judge and do hope she is well but I feel stupid and weak just offering my money). I left Josh and went to meet the kids in the park. We threw the football around for a couple of hours, walked to the cathedral I went to with Miguel and Pedro, and then on to the zocalo. We then walked back to church where I was to help Jorge but up the banner outside advertising the VBS next week. I scaled the ladder to a fairly dangerous height (feel on the top rail hands grasping the tree). After much struggling, pulling with the teeth and sap, we raised the banner.

I guess that is what I came here to do.

The 20 something group invited me to go for tacos. I was incredibly tired but hadn’t had the opportunity to spend any time with them recently so I went. Jorge went to pick up Mrs. Moran (my Spanish teacher from Harding) at the airport. She was flying to help prep for VBS before the group comes this Friday. Jorge brought her by the taco shop and I went with them to drop her off at the house of one of the ladies from church. I went home then thinking about how many of my friends spent their 4^th of July and how I spent mine. I wasn’t thrilled. It was very frustrating and saddening (and I’m not a huge patriot (though being out of the country makes you more patriotic)).

When I was walking with the kids toward the zocalo we past by a religious parade and there was someone shooting off fireworks without the fire work (basically rockets that exploded). So I guess the day wasn’t without celebration even though I wasn’t with my family and friends.

I thought I would go to Tule once we got home and celebrate for the remaining hour of the day, but everything was closed. So I sat alone in the park looking at a huge tree that had seen so much it probably did care about the kid on the bench looking up into the sky.