Pics #9





Update 9



It's truly incredible that this home with 29 men, most in diapers & many whose bed is wet each morning…smells so clean!  The thorough daily cleaning and mounds of laundry handing to dry each morning is the reason.  Men shower probably daily and those who can't are lowered into a bathtub.  Today 2 young guys came to give haircuts and fresh shaves.  The nuns do most of the cleaning.  They will often stop doing whatever they're dong to visit, tease or just pat the men.  Often they have joined them in the activities we are providing adding laughs & smiles.  Today we had some men kicking a round an air powered disc (think air hockey puck).  Several nuns did some kicking too.  Coloring is still the activity of choice.  Rog & I often sit next to individuals who can't or choice not to sit at the table.  Using a tray as a table, we encourage them to do puzzles (even the 4 piece is a challenge), stack of circles toy, shape sorting ball, magnetic shapes & duplos.  But the one that wear us out the most is Zip Ball because we have to stand opposite the man and make the ball go back & forth…until usually we quit.  All the nuns have taken turns too.  Great exercise for all!  On Wednesday, a local man came & had several men paint on wood that had a picture traced on it.  He also had some sawing to make legs for small tables they plan to construct.  Sister Anita brought over a broken guitar for him to fix and then got a few lessons.  So now she's a singing nun who can strum!  

Our slowest day is Thursday as it's the nuns "day in" and as one of the local helpers says as he plays his transistor radio loudly…when the cats away, the rats will play!  I was able to have a nice conversation with a couple men who could talk to me using Google translator.  It was good to learn something about their story.  One was boxer & the other a jockey.  Both felt they had successful lives.  When I said I thought they must feel bad about losing that life, one said " 

You certainly can't call these men lucky…but at least they are living in a clean environment, wearing clean cloths, sleeping in clean beds, eating nutritional meals and getting excellent care with much love added!  We are impressed!