Note to friends and family: My e-mail server is down for some reason and I can’t send or receive e-mail. Little hard to communicate with tech support from here. If you sent me a note and it bounced, that is why. Also, I am having a hard time getting responses out to e-mail I did receive.
PAYING THE PRICE
To make amends for my food choices yesterday, I headed right back to the squid stand.
I pointed at the squid. Held up one finger. Got out my money.
They grilled the squid. Dipped it in sesame seed oil. Then asked if I wanted the spices.
Yes! Yes I did!
Normally, they would use the paintbrush and spread a little of the spice on. This time they shoveled it on. The two guys cooking looked at each other and laughed, thinking “We are going to get the silly tourist.”
It was my penance for yesterday performance.
It was hot.
It was spicy.
It was awesome!
HOT! HOT! HOT!
A question from “W” in Casper, WY:
The answer is yes! Here is the hour by hour for today:
And the next 7 days here in Chongqing:
FATHERHOOD?
I heard a phase today that I didn’t expect. “Congratulations, you’re a father!”
We did group pictures today. Not a choice I would have made with 14 babies under the age of 18 months.
We did an everyone photo, a mothers with babies photo, a fathers with babies photo, and 14 babies all together.
There are two single mothers in our group. One is traveling by herself (a heroic task). I am an extra set of hands and have help out from time to time. When it came time for the fathers picture, all of a sudden baby was in hand and I was a “father”.
But for only 2 minutes.
HEROIC TASK
I am having a really good time. I always do. I am also having a unique experience, in so far as my responsibilities. I am a friend. I am hands. I am uncle Gene. Not just for Brad and Joia, but where ever I can.
At the end of the day I return to my private room. English Premier League soccer games on Hong Kong ESPN. Big bed. Quite room.
There are 14 families who are doing an amazingly difficult thing. They are opening there homes and hearts to little girls who’s lives are being turned upside down. In the long term an awesome thing. In the short, scary.
14 little girls with fourteen different personalities. All taking this in different ways.
Some laugh. Some cry. Some are quite. Some poop all the time. Other only with medical help. (I have overheard more conversation about BM in the last 4 days to last a life time).
All of them just want to be home.
But they can’t. The days are filled with waiting. Waiting for paper work.
It would be different if the days were filled with this and that.
But they are not. It is out of all our hands. We are just in this hotel. In a very foreign land. Wanting to be home.
It is an amazing thing to open your family and your life to someone new. I have always been impressed by that.
I now have a great appreciation for these amazing families who are also doing this heroic thing. Two weeks in China, creeping to a normal daily life.
Love them. Thank them. Pray for them. They are amazing people.
I am so blessed to be here.
SELFISH
I needed to add one selfish picture.
