Memories

As my day comes to an end, I find myself looking back over a memory from earlier this year, in late February. To paint you the mental picture, let me just fill in a few blanks:

I started my day today in the pan handle of Maryland, sandwiched between West Virginia, and Southern Pennsylvania. All up in the Appalachian mountainside, in the booming metropolis of George's Creek (approx. 15 houses). For those more interested in details, you'll find it due south of I-68, exit 34 on SR 36 near Frostburg, which is just east of Cumberland, MD.

This morning started like every other morning, except as I walked outside my hotel I felt the brisk air send a chill through my body. I'm not sure of the actual temperature, probably around 60 degrees. Now this doesn't sound chilly on the surface, but since last week was in the 90's, it felt chilly to me. I broke out a hooded sweatshirt for good measure anyway. Around 9am the sun rose enough to began sharing it's heat, I took off the jacket for a few hours, just to put it back on again later.

My project ended early, so my crew and I headed north to Johnstown PA, (near the Flight 93 Memorial site) to prepare for tomorrow's project. When we finally made it to the hotel, I checked us in and went to my room to clean up for supper. (We had Cozemels Mexican by the way.)

I hope this next part is not TMI, but I'll share it because it's crucial to understand the point of my story. I wasn't over my chill yet, so I took a quick hot shower to warm up. Before I got out, I turned the water to my usual luke warm to cool, and then it hit me!

Our minds work like an intricate spiderweb; made up of ideas, memories, sounds, smells, and thoughts. Many of which are interlinked like files in a hard drive, touching but not always connected. As an example, when a certain song comes on your favorite radio channel that is from your childhood, or maybe your teenage years, you instantly remember a moment in time, a date, a dance, some lost love one, or something having nothing to do with the song, but represents a time in your life story. This is what happened to me.

As the cool water hit my skin from the shower I remembered a day in late February earlier this year in the Dominican Republic. I was in an apartment provided for me by G.O. Ministries while in Santiago. It didn't have hot water, at least not like we think of here in the states. They use something known as a widow maker to make hot water. Let me explain; instead of a usual shower head we think of, the shower head is bigger and has electrical wires coming out of it, wrapping around the pipe and into the wall. As the water comes through the head it's heated, sort of, but not heated enough to suit my wife if you know what I mean. The good thing about them is this, you never have to wipe the fog off the mirror.

Anyway; even in February it's hot in the Caribbean. This particular day I had come in from my daily trip out to one of the ministry sites and jumped into the shower to freshen up for the evening. The cool water felt good since it was hot, and a thought came to my mind. The children at the feeding center I had spent the morning with have never known a shower like I have at home. Never had the opportunity to spend lots of time absorbing the hot massaging waters we have in America. Since my widow maker barely provided what I would call a sprinkle, I reflected on the moment. Most of the children do not take showers, but rather a bath out of a pot of cold water. As I stood in the shower both today and in early February my heart was on those children.

We have life so good, and most of us totally take it for granite. Life is full of those we have forgotten. Children who don't know the privileges we have here. McDonalds on every corner, Walmart, good education, food to not only eat, but to gorge on. Life in the Dominican to me is easier and harder at the same time. The don't have the luxuries that we don't even notice, but also have a simpler life because of it. My two weeks in the Dominican last February was physically exhausting, mentally challenging, and an emotional roller coaster, but was the best adventure of my life. To use a word I use a lot, it was impactful. So much so my heart and dreams always seem to find me thinking of these children and a place so special to me, that I want to leave all of this world behind, and trade it for that one.

I've been ask by many that know me personally 'Why would you want to leave here, to go there and live in poverty?' I can't really put it in words other than this; Why would Jesus leave all of Heaven to come here? Because he could and did make all the difference.

My quest in life is simply this: Be a loving husband to my wonderful wife Felicia, Be a loving Dad to two awesome daughters, and change as many lives for the better as I can before I die. To spend this life, in such a way, that at the end of life's day I will be able to say I did my best. Using every resource, every opportunity, every day to bring God glory. Call me a radical? let me quote my older brother on this one; "I may not always be right, but I'm am always convinced." I know what I believe, and if I'm wrong, it was worth helping people anyway, so what.

To all my friends and missionaries with G.O. Ministries, and to my friends in Africa, I thank God for your passion to care for other people. To look beyond yourselves and into the lives of others, providing hope and love to all of God's children. For feeding the forgotten, housing the unwanted, building churches for those with nowhere to go, your sacrifices do not and will not go unnoticed. To quote my friend Pastor Elijah Wafula "You are an ambassador from another kingdom. And that kingdom is God's." Thank you for all that you do.

My day has came and gone, my only hope is that tomorrow will bring me the opportunity to brighten someones day. Maybe to share God's good news, or maybe just bring someone a smile, either way I end this day as I began it, with some time in prayer, and leaving it in the hands of an Almighty God to use as he wishes.

Remember Look Up, Live Life, and Be Thankful

Kevin

Do you want to get a room?

“Do you want to get a room?”

“I don’t know”, I said “what do you think?” “Well I’ll stay if it’s decent, I don’t want to stay at a dump.” “Me either.” We travelled up the banks of the Ohio River towards our next destination in Chester, WV.

Travelling has become as natural to me as brushing my teeth when I get up. Sometimes I forget where I am, as the fog of my mind tries to focus and find clarity at 5:30 in the morning. My phone usually wakes me with my two daughters saying “Wake up Daddy; it’s time to get up.” I use them as my alarm ringtone to start off my morning. I’ve found the usual Hotel alarm clocks aren’t always reliable to start my day with.

As we come up SR 22 from Cambridge, OH and I77, we finally make a decision. The hotel chain we usually stay at has an unusually high daily rate, so we rely on the sole opinion of the project engineer we met last week. Our home for the week will be above a restaurant in downtown Chester, WV. We call and make arrangements for a late arrival with the clerk, which entails them leaving the keys (and I mean real keys, not the plastic magnetic strip type) outside behind a screen door.

What we found when we arrived was a quaint little town of Chester, has some of the most polite and hospitable people around. Call it southern hospitality or what ever you want, but if I couldn’t read a map, and didn’t know we were only 30 miles from the Pittsburgh airport, I would think we were a long way from what I’ve come to realize is an east coast charm.

We arrive at Connie’s Restaurant and Lodging on Carolina Ave at 11:45pm to find our keys and rooms waiting our arrival. We park in our rooms for a short night before our usual long days.

We awake to a beautiful morning of fog rolling off the Ohio River, and crystal smooth water. Chester mirrors the Ohio city of East Liverpool, and as opposite as a mirror image is the city of East Liverpool is of Chester. East Liverpool is a bigger but older more run down city. It looks similar to Old Louisville before the renewal projects. Both cities revolve around industry, steel mills, and the world famous Fester China, a product of the Homer Lauglin China Company.

At the end of our first long day, we thought we would give Connie’s Corner Restaurant a try, with hopes of finding a good home cooked meal. Without changing clothes we walk in to find warm smiles. As we waited to be seated, the owner Connie offered us a table. I ask if we were too dirty, or too late since it was 7:30pm and they close at 8pm. She assured us we were welcome.

The menu offers a variety of great home cooked meals, from pasta to burgers, steak to breakfast. I opted for a light breakfast to finish off my day. I even ask our waitress if I could go ahead and order my breakfast for the next morning since I was just staying above the restaurant. She laughed and told me she wouldn’t be here to put the order in. Connie’s doesn’t open up till 7am, which is about 30 minutes too late for us to eat breakfast there, but when Connie came over to great us she assured us that if we would like some coffee in the morning just come around the side of the building to the kitchen entrance and coffee would be ready. True to her word, Connie met us there at 6am to start breakfast, and had 3 black coffees ready to go.

I have travelled to 37 of the 50 states and 3 foreign countries. I spend a lot of time eating at restaurants while I travel, and Connie made us feel as if we came home. To Connie and Bob Hissam, the Restaurant and Lodging staff, a big Kentucky thank you for going the extra mile. The best part is the week has just begun; we’ll be here until Friday.

If life’s road ever finds you in Chester, WV, you should make a stop at Connie’s Corner Restaurant and Lodging, you won’t be let down. I recommend the home fries.


K note:

I like to think of myself as an observant person. I pay particular attention to people. No one in particular, just Joe Public’s mannerisms, they way they act when they don’t realize anyone are watching. That is why I mentioned the East Coast Charm earlier. My observations are these: We as Americans in the Midwest and the east coast regions are for the most part very impatient. To prove a point, go to any Wal-Mart in our part of the country and you can see people frustrated because the front row parking spots are all full. Another driver making the laps in the parking lot trying to park by the door. Ever have one of those drivers behind you at a stop light that when the light turns green their horn starts blowing before you even have time to release the brake. As if ‘Big Daddy’ Don Garlits (a drag racer) just missed the tree at the IHRA nationals. Where has our patience gone?

The first two days in Chester have proved to be the exception instead of the rule, friendly people, and great service. I find people pointing out to me the fact that I use or sir (old military habit) a lot. I was raised to be respectful and polite. I wish the y generation had such habits. My wife and I decided before we had children to pass that kind of respect on to them. It’s quite a surprise to the older generations to hear 10 and 12 year olds being polite. It’s out of the norm.

I believe that if my generation (X) would focus their minds and use the resources available to us; we could make an impact on this world that would change the course of our planet. We have the opportunity to do good in more places in the world, than ever before in history. We possess and employ the world’s best technology; we only lack the drive and motivation to do anything about it. My generation suffers from selfishness, and apathy. Now I’m talking on the whole, don’t take offense if this is not how you live your life. Try an experiment, spend one day this week and make an additional effort to be polite and kind, random acts of kindness.

Make today a good day; show someone else that you care.

Remember Look Up, Live Life, and Be Thankful

Kevin