Less Than a Week (written 7/26)

It’s hard to believe, but this time next week we’ll be in Sierra Leone teaching away! It’s a very stressful time right now because we’re all rushing around tying up loose ends. I just got back home from a family trip to Florida, so I don’t have any time to waste. Unfortunately I was locked out of my primary e-mail account while out of town, so I’ve had to spend some good time digging myself out of e-mail jail. Our final concern this week involves rounding up group supplies. We’re going to need things like clipboards, lanyards, nametag covers, pens, pencils, paper, scissors, and any evening art projects require us to bring all needed materials like paint, yarn, crayons, colored pencils, etc. While I was in Florida, I actually looked up the phone numbers for office, educational, and art supply stores in the Tulsa area. I ended up cold calling eight different stores asking for donations. It was a learning experience, and let me tell you—by the third or fourth call I had my speech down pat! I found that larger chain stores either only donate to one charity, or they subscribe to online charitable websites where an organization must petition electronically for donations. Smaller stores like Mardel’s Christian Bookstore and Appletree give donations early in the year, but it’s first come, first serve. Anyhow, if this is truly an ongoing project, we may begin requesting supplies earlier in the year from them.

The day before we leave (this Friday) I’m driving to Stillwater (about two hours from my home), picking up a couple team members’ suitcases, then heading over to Oklahoma City (another hour away) so the suitcases can be packed with various supplies for the 4-HIM orphanage in Sierra Leone. See, since each of us is taking an extra suitcase with items just for them this is a great opportunity for 4-HIM to get much-needed supplies to their orphanage.

So, after Oklahoma City, I’ll head back to Stillwater to stay overnight with a team member so that we can all leave together for the airport in OKC the next morning. Another challenge is that my dad’s car suddenly broke down right before I came home from Florida. Since my mother is out of town, I have the only operational car in the family. So, it looks like I’ll lend him my car while I’m in Sierra Leone—it’s a long story, but he can’t rent a car in his name at the moment—which means that he’ll have to tag along with me on Friday when I’m buzzing around the state. That will be interesting!