On Monday, I interviewed with the Hope Resource Center (HRC). This is a crisis pregnancy center located on Painter Avenue, (relatively) near campus. As a volunteer, I will be counseling men who think they either have obtained an STD or have gotten someone pregnant. In one briefing, my vocabulary has already been enhanced significantly based upon STDs alone.
In their groups’ assertion that it is her body and as such her choice, Pro Choice groups have often neglected the important role that men play in the abortion process as the man tends to have a strong impact on the woman’s decision. I hope counseling these men will be an outlet in which God uses me to positively impact people in crisis.
My previous conversations with HRC had been by phone with LPQ, but on this day she was occupied. In her absence, I had the pleasure of meeting with LEB. She observed my McAfee hat and noted that she had worked for years in summer camp with my old linguist friend from seminary, WMA. It was nice to have the connection. I reminisced that my first memory of WMA involved his massive Backstreet Boys CD collection, complete with imports. She did not seem surprised.
It was nice that, for once, being a male actually benefitted me. There is a shortage in male counselors and for obvious reasons, advisors work with people of the same sex. So, no Mom, this is not a good way to meet women!
I spent the night supporting JTH and company in the slow break basketball league at church. On this night, they did not need any support. JTH actually outscored the opposing team in both halves! The halftime score was 35-12 led by JTH’s 14. The game mercifully ended with a final score of 62-19. JTH finished with 22. He often camped at his spot in the corner and hit his first five three-point attempts. (I love this picture because it looks like one of his teammate’s wives is photographing his gluteus.)
The other team actually asked me to play for them. You know things are going badly when I am called in for help! In fact, this may be one of the signs of the Apocalypse...
More important that JTH’s great shooting performance was the fact that he recreated one of the great moments in church league basketball history by “doinking” KWL. “Doinking” is the act, nay art, of grabbing another man’s nipple unexpectedly whilst saying “doink.” Years ago, JTH did the same thing to an aghast KWL during a game, and was prodded to relive the moment by a fan in the stands. That fan shall remain nameless.
I love going to the games to fellowship with everyone. On this night, I especially enjoyed RLH’s devotional during the second game. He spoke of his work with Vine International, a mission organization that sends medical supplies to Guatemala. He recalled a time that, despite packing supplies tightly one box just would not seem to fit. Undaunted, he waited until he was able to cram the final box in. When he crossed the border, he was delayed. The moratorium was to take 2-3 days but ended up only taking 8-9 hours. While stalled, he met a young Guatemalan man who happened to be in need of formula for his newborn child - the contents of the crate that almost did not make the trip. The story was uplifting, especially due to the sincerity of the man who told it.
Afterwards, JTH and I met at Chili’s. We ran into JTH’s old church friend, ES who was as friendly as ever. JTH had been raving about a specific chicken dish he previously eaten there and convinced me to try it. So he ordered one for both of us. Unfortunately, having forgotten the name of said dish, he ordered the wrong meal. The grilled chicken was still great though.
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