Whew...just got home from a day of delivering school supplies and back packs. Everyone was very excited to receive and everyone expressed gratitude. Kids being kids, it was hard for some to accept that everyone received different things, different amounts, etc. Just like my sisters and I when we were young! A few kids and teens have back packs/supplies "in the pipeline" , will likely be turned back in next Sunday from whomever was generous to take their name tag. So if there are any questions, feel free to check with me and I'll let you know if it's coming, or if possibly I missed a student. I did get some requests, from TBC attendees, for students not associated with TBC, so had to explain that if I have things left, I'll try but no promises. I had no success resisting the four year old Bhurmese girl in the parking lot at Thomas. She could have been in an ad for Worldvision or Christian Children's Fund.

Two funny stories:
1. I took Mondip Sanyashi for vaccinations on Friday. He handled it like a champ, but didn't want to move his arms. As we exited the building he came to the door, which opened with a push bar. So I told him to push the bar with his hands. He studied it a quick second, then bent over and pushed it with the top of his head, keeping his arms still perfectly straight. Hilarious!

2. This one is on me: after the Food Value Club yesterday there was a half a ton of pears left and some bread, so we loaded it up with some bonus boxes and I delivered to various familes. It was so hot by 11:30 am but I didnt' want these pears cooking in my van so I was determined to get rid of everything. I saw Nishan Yogi's mom, who is deaf and has cerebral palsy, in the courtyard so thought she'd be a good candidate for the bonus box and lots of pears. I thought I did such a great job communicating if she wanted the box and then followed her a long ways to her apartment. I was so distressed about the condition of her apartment I actually had a dream about it last night. Everything was a mess, no decent furniture, all the couch cushions were missing. The kitchen was a shambles. But I found a small corner that was empty and left the box of food. I thought it was so sweet she pulled out one bag of chips and motioned that she was going to give them to Nishan, who wasn't home at the time, and off she went. Today I went back to the same apartment to deliver Nishan's school bag and supplies (and a cool cement mixer truck...he's only 4!) and found the apartment empty! Totally empty. So now I'm standing in the 111 degree heat wondering where on earth they moved and how could they have moved so fast??? As always, someone's radar was working and another Nepali came over and asked me who I was looking for. It took several minutes for me to understand.....that was NOT their apartment at all! That was Monorath's apartment and they had been in the process of moving out on Saturday!!! The Nepali man who was helping me also lives with Monorath and we had a good laugh when I explained that I had left the foodbox, and he told me he had wondered where the food had come from. He helped me to find Nishan's family and I delivered his bag of goodies, and they have a very nicely furnished apartment, by the way. Apparently some of the Sharma's live there, at least until they move to Oregon. So much for my nonverbal communication!!!

Carla