After we had missed two previous visits to the center, as a result of transportation reasons, we finally returned to the smiling faces of the people in the Marie Atkins Center Community. We were greeted with some of the familiar faces, as well as some new ones, all of which were happy and grateful to see us. We had realized that we had an increase in people at the center, most of which were "visitors," people who didn't live at the center. Normally, we would carry up two boxes of juice, 40 cartons in each box, but now we would need to increase that number, to another box of juice to satisfy the increase in people there. Also, we would need to increase the amount of money donated to the center to increase the amount of food cooked by about twenty percent.
This really shows how the economy is affecting everyone, as there are people who are dressed in suits, or polo shirts, who look like they left with the clothes on their back, or a small set of clothes to wear with them. This amplified the idea that you could lose everything you ever worked for in an instant, and the whole global problem of financial dilemma, showing how many people are just thrown on the street, having to fend for themselves because they can't get a job in this day and age.
On top of which, I had come to the center with joint pain, and a cold, so this was a lot harder than it usually would be for me to focus on the people there, and lend a hand as quickly as possible. But when I got there, and started working, it seemed as if the pain and tiredness had just disappeared in an instant, letting me work at my usual efficient rate, while thinking about who got what, and who was a resident and should get juice, and who was a visitor, and was of a lesser priority.
Peter
Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel
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