Wednesday
Papa's Pantry
On Wednesday when I went in for my shift at 1:00 I was told there were no pantry appointments scheduled, however there were some people who needed help with technology. I volunteered to do one-on-ones and small group help for people who need very basic skills...like how to set up an email account and use it, how to attach files, how to create a resume, etc. Very basic skills that most people in the world already possess, yet skills that these people in need do not have.
Only one woman stayed for my help, and unfortunately the internet had gone down prior to my arrival. So we worked on her flash drive...how to save files, delete files, rename files, copy and paste, etc. We worked together for about an hour and then she broke down. She cried and cried and cried and told me that she is used to being on the volunteer end of things, not the receiving end of things. She told me that on July 3 she went out, got drunk, and was about to be raped. She said she felt like her only two choices were to stay in that location and get raped and/or killed, or get in her car and escape. She chose to leave, wound up getting in a car accident and arrested for driving under the influence. Since then her work (she is a RN) has put her on unpaid leave, what little family she has has turned their backs on her, and she has no money to pay this months rent, car payments, cell phone bill, or gas. She said she has no friends, either, so when she gets evicted, she will have no place to go and be homeless. She has found some free counseling through a church, has attended some domestic violence support groups but didn't find they were exactly helpful since they didn't focus on rape, and she has landed at Papa's Pantry and is taking advantage of partnering up with us and all of the privileges and help that entails.
Mostly I just listened, but occasionally I reassured her that there is a higher plan for her in all of this, that people are out there who want to help her, and that she should be confident in the decision she made that night since she felt it was the best option at the time. I told her this was all going to work out just fine in the end, but that in the meantime it would be hard and lonely, but that there will be a light at the end of this rain. Then, her phone rang. After being unemployed for over two months and applying at numerous places, she got a call for an interview at a pediatric office. So things ended on a positive note. I don't know if I'll ever see her again, or get to hear how her story plays out, but I was glad that I got to be a small part of her recovery process. It also helped me remember how
ridiculously blessed I am to live the life I live with all of the unconditional support and love from family, friends, and co-workers.
Tutoring
Due to my Papa's Pantry schedule I am tutoring from 8-10pm on Wednesday nights. I thought the girl's name was Jenny. Turns out it's Ginny, as in Virginia. Ginny Lee to be exact. I just call her Ginny. I actually really like this little girl. She is super cute, friendly, sociable, polite, fun, educated, and wants to learn. However when the mom, Emmie, and her are both in the same room, they each talk a mile a minute at the same time over each other. And they're both talking to me. My head spins from person to person while I think surely one of them is going to stop talking to me because they see the other person is already talking to me. Nope. Chaos that I uncomfortably wait out. Then the mom tells me to feel free to keep Ginny on task and not let her start chit-chatting. I wonder if the mom really is clueless that she does the same thing? By that time at night, Ginny is a little "punch drunk" as she keeps telling me so it is somewhat hard to focus that late for her. And honestly, for me too ;)
This is a view of their house from when I enter the gate. I know it's not a great view... but I can't very well bust out my camera and take snap shots while they're looking at me!
Thursday
Baby Kennedy
Today Leslie had her baby. I got a text in the morning from the proud papa announcing her arrival. Kennedy Elise Baker is the only girl the arrive in the Baker family thus far!!!
Tutoring
Today we tutor in a different room from the one we've normally been in. We've been in the formal dining room so far at this HUGE, round, elegant table reminiscent of the Godfather. Today we are working in the office. The walls are made of protruding blocks of wood about 2ft by 2ft, with perhaps 3in borders all around them. If you look closely, on every wall except one there is a secret door that you otherwise would not notice. One door goes into a closet, which is the most visible with the hinges in plain sight. Then there is one door that goes into the master bedroom, one door that goes into a formal living room, and another door that is another closet. It's like in a movie!
Square Dancing
Ryan and I went square dancing again tonight. Apparently we are now enrolled in the Thursday night class. Yee-haw! On the enrollment form there was a space labeled for Ryan and I's relationship. I wrote he's my "baby daddy". There were some pictures of us from the first night we went square dancing, but Ryan has been a slacker on sending me them so I can't post them. I do have footage of the experienced "angels" as they call themselves dancing at the end of the night though. In one year, they say, this could be us! To see the video, look at the post above this one.
Friday
Ballroom Dancing
Tonight Ryan and I went ballroom dancing. I'm not sure of the name of the dance we learned, but it was not pretty. I mean the dance is pretty, Ryan and I attempting to do it together was not a pretty sight. He is definitely not as skilled at ballroom dancing as he is square dancing! And me, well, I'm just great at everything of course =) After that we went out to eat and then back to his house so I could bake a Green Bay Packer's cake for Jason's birthday. I used Ryan's kitchen earlier in the week to bake cookies for my brother Michael's upcoming birthday. Now I used it to bake Jason's cake. I feel bad about it because Ryan always gets excited thinking I'm making this stuff for him and then I give him the evil eye, like, if you touch it - you're dead meat. So I got a little creative with this cake to please both parties:
I'm not sure why the picture is upside down but oh well. So I cut a 1/4 out of it out for Ryan and his roommate/cousin Grant. I also gave Ryan a mini lesson on cake decorating techniques so he could decorate his own:
Saturday
Tennis
Ryan is an avid tennis player and is in a league almost year round. This morning was his first match of the season and I went with him to it. He picked me up at
8:15AM! He is a superstar on the court but I totally think I could take him. He and his partner easily won their game.
Before leaving I saw the cutest snail I've ever seen:
Challenge Day
I just got a phone call from Erin Moure with Penn High School. Penn is hosting several Challenge Days on November 2, 3, and 4 in Mishawaka. They are putting 900 kids through this program and they need a TON of adult volunteers to help for one day, school time hours. You do not need to be a teacher, anyone can volunteer. I participated in this last year at Penn High School and it was an awesome experience. So awesome that MTV has now made a tv show out of it called "If You Really Knew Me". Erin needs to talk to you within ONE week if you are interested in helping. Tell her I sent you and call her at 574-252-5589. You will not regret giving one day of your service to this amazing organization!!!
