Football and cigars!

Yesterday turned out to be a nice day as I had a good experience with the group of truck drivers that left me feeling good.

At the base there is an area that they call the holding pen. This is where the trucks that make it through the gate come before the go out into the base. The Drivers are kept in an area away from the trucks until their escorts arrive. At the end of the day the trucks and drivers are brought back to the Holding pen until they all are taken off the base.

Yestersay the three drivers that I had were all in their twenties and a little more talkative than usual. Talkative is relative as we tend to communicate in sign language and basic words. Generally people ignore the drivers or treat them kinda poorly, which bothers me, so I always try to interact as much as possible with them and show them some compassion. I have not gotten to the hugging with them yet! Anyway, from the start these guys were peppy and joking with me and each other.

Once we brought them back down to the holding pen the fun began. There is a football that one of the interpreters was throwing around and one of the driver Hakeem asked if he could try and throw it. I showed him how to hold it and believe it or not after a few attempts he was actually throwing it well. This brought the attention of the crowd of drivers that were still inside the pen. Eventualy, because of a couple of bad throws some of the other guys had an opportunity to give it a try. The great things is that they could laugh at themselves as they tried to throw the ball.

Eventually we had to go but as we loaded ouselves back into the Mule (ATV Vehicle) one of the drivers asked for a cigerette. Now I don't smoke, but Doug does, cigars! So Doug pulled out a big one and walked it over to him. This kids eyes were hudge and the confused look on his face was pricless. He didn't quite know what to do with it. The interpretter Rock-O came and explained to him what to do, bite the end off, and light it. He also warned him not to inhale. Oh the look on his face when he did.

After a few puffs he began to share his cigar with his friends, they passed it around each experiencing something new. It was funny in a way to see them with the cigar, snickering and having fun. But I was also impressed, as I have been several times, in the fact that they love to share so openly. They have no problem with letting their friends have what they have, food, or cigar.

Yesterday I was down about not having fellowship and missing out on normal social interaction and at the end of the day I was seeing how community and sharing works. It transends social gaps and economic status. It brings paople dramitically different, together.

Something as simple as a fottball and a cigar brought a group of men together who normal would have nothing to do with each other.