Little pumpkins.

 Happy Fall, friends.

I hope that you’re all taking time to savor the changing leaves and the crisp air of autumn (if you are somewhere where this is occurring, that is). I do love this season! The mornings here are a bit chillier than I’m used to at this time of year, but the days have been turning out to be pretty gorgeous. Yesterday, my house went pumpkin picking at a place called Sauvie Island here in Portland. I had a caramel apple—well worth the $3—and chose a few great pumpkins for carving and pie-making. It was an absolutely beautiful day; the sun was out, the place was full of families and cute kids, and a few of us bravely snuck into the corn maze because we were unwilling to pay, so that was fairly amusing. All in all, a successful fall adventure, as you’ll see in the pictures. We do love having our photo taken, you know. But, as usual, we’re short one! Jenna missed out on this particular outing.

This past week has been pretty crazy! The weekend before last, I caught up with two friends (separately); first, Tim and I met up at a gigantic used book sale, where I found a few very reasonably priced treasures. We then headed to Southwest to find a place to eat. After wandering around for a bit, we were verging on that exhausted, apathetic, moody phase when we stumbled upon the perfect Thai restaurant. My red pumpkin curry dish was absolutely wonderful, and Tim was generous enough to pick up the bill. It was great to see him and it was very nice of him to treat!

After that, I actually met up with another friend, Stephen, and Jenna joined me in having dinner with him and a few of his friends from med school in Arizona. They were in town to run the marathon on Sunday, and I brought Jenna along to ask them all sorts of med school questions as she is in the midst of that application and interview process. It was a really nice evening. The next day, despite the pouring rain, Jenna and I dragged ourselves out of bed and into the rain to watch Stephen & Co. in the big race. We cheered so loudly we almost lost our voices. A few hours later, when slow runners and the walkers were still going, we were joined by Jillian, Lindsay, and Linds and we five handed out water to the marathoners—a first for me, and a fun experience. I love the adrenaline of race day, and the event actually made me consider training for a marathon at some point. We’ll see about that. I might not be cut out for that, but I’ll surely do another half-marathon in the near future! (Ahem. Molls!)

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Handing out water at the marathon. The sun came out!

That day, we actually had to head straight home because Anthony, our Area Director for JVCNW, was arriving at our house to begin his first of two area visits throughout this year. Anthony has been with us for eight days (today is his last) and has been interacting with and observing us as a community. He talked with each of us individually, something I found really helpful. He also facilitated some discussions between each of us and our respective supervisors. I realized once again how lucky I am to have Sandra and Barbara, two incredibly supportive supervisors. I feel incredibly comfortable with them, and they’re really affirming but also willing to tell me what I can do better. It was a good meeting. Anthony also facilitated a Spirituality Night with our community, something that we need to get better at doing regularly. It’s the goal of JVC that we do both a Community Night and a Spirituality Night each week, but we’re alternating so that we do one of those two every week. I’m excited to try more Spirituality Night activities because we’re naturally much better at Community Nights.

So we snuck into the Corn Maze. Judge all you want.

This past week was also the busiest week yet at work. In three days, we had two dental van clinics, one Legal Aid clinic, and an energy outreach marathon at EPH. We processed over thirty applications for energy assistance at our little office last Friday, and I was “in charge” of the whole event. I feel like it went really well, and I’m very happy with our results because we exceeded my expectations in terms of how many clients we helped. We also spent about $6000 too much, soooo we’re looking into remedying that. Today, Sandra and I called our “dear friends at the County” (her words) to ask about covering our negative balance. It shouldn’t be a problem because we’re getting more money eventually anyway, but we just don’t know when. How about, like, yesterday? Ha. All in all, the day went really smoothly, but I was absolutely DRAINED at the end of it all.

The Legal Aid clinic also went pretty well, although it’s always sort of frustrating because the lawyers can’t take cases for people who aren’t citizens or legal residents. This includes a lot of our clients. They can, however, come to our office for these monthly clinics and give our clients some much-needed legal counsel, a service that I still consider to be worthy of their efforts and time. I think we all wish that more could be offered.

This is a common theme, as I also came to realize today during the dental clinic. I actually got to do some translating (thought of you, Mom! Abre la boca!) for patients who were getting fillings and extractions, the only two things that really happen on the dental van. The problem is that some of the problems have progressed too much, and in certain cases the decay has reached the nerve, necessitating a root canal, a procedure that is absolutely out of the price range for many of my uninsured clients. So, I have to tell them that their options are to try to save the tooth and search for some sort of discount on the root canal (slim pickings) or they can have the tooth pulled and be relieved of discomfort but also probably miss that chewing tooth a bit. They’re literally not given any other choices, and many of them choose to “sacarlo” (pull ‘er out!) but that’s a choice made out of desperation—AKA not a choice at all—and that’s what bothers me.

This of course is not an issue exclusive to those I work with; plenty of people in this nation and in this world lack access to medical and dental care and/or insurance. What are we going to do about this? The issue is enormous and recent politics haven’t seemed to result in any viable solution. I continue to struggle with the fact that the systems and structures in this country are just plain inaccessible to so many people. In the meantime, as my community discussed last night, we must continue to do “band-aid” or charity work; there are problems that we can help with or heal, at least for the time being, in the immediate present, and that IS important and essential while we continue to look for a more permanent fix. Sometimes it seems like what we’re all doing is so small—after all, I can help someone with their light bill, but they’ll just get another one in a few months and they’ll be struggling to pay that one at that time—but the alternative (just don’t do anything) is simply not an option, now is it?

Thanks, Gustavo.

There were two definite highs of my week, and neither of them relate directly to my work. First, one of my clients (Gustavo) brought me a pair of moccasin slippers that fit just right. I told him that I absolutely loved them—and I need them because our house is SO COLD!—but I insisted upon paying him (how, I’m not sure) the $20 that he normally charges for these pretty little creations. He told me that they’re a gift, but I said that it’s only right that I pay him for his work. His response was, “You don’t get paid!” which, although a valid point, seems irrelevant to me when I know quite well that he doesn’t make a whole lot of money either (read: almost nothing). Now, I’m wondering if it’s in fact insulting to insist upon paying him when he was trying to offer me a gift? I talked to my community a bit about this, and some of them suggested that I should graciously accept the slippers without paying Gustavo because that puts us on equal footing: I offer him a service and he offers me this product of his handiwork. That makes us friends, equals, humans on the same plane whereas my insisting on paying him sort of keeps our “power” differential intact, that is, I am still the one who provides for him—energy assistance or fair compensation for a job well done—and he can never do anything to even things out. Thoughts? Anyway, the slippers are absolutely wonderful. See photo.

Daniel!

The other “high” of the week was the MINE RESCUE IN CHILE!!! Praise be to God! Last Wednesday was an absolutely beautiful, beautiful day. The first miner I saw rescued was the thirteenth or fourteenth, and I started crying on the elliptical at the gym. I proceeded to spend most of the day watching the live coverage on my computer at work (on mute) and tearing up each time they pulled another miner out. I’ve never connected with anything on the news in such a deep and real way before—I probably cried half a dozen times! The women, who had all gotten their hair and make-up done for the event, and the children, who cried and cried when their daddys emerged from the darkness in the Phoenix, and the rescuers, who bravely went down into the mine to save each of the thirty-three men, one at a time… it was all too much for me. The national pride was beautiful. The composure of these tough and humble men was astounding. The sense of community that I felt, not just from Camp Hope but across the whole world, was marvelous. It made my day, and I beamed when my mom texted me in the middle of Youth Group to tell me that the last rescuer had been pulled out—every single one of them, safe and sound, finally free after their 69-day ordeal. If that’s not a miracle, I’m not sure what is.

After a busy, busy week, I was excited for our potluck on Friday. We hosted a little dinner event for our support people (MaryAnn made two incredible pies: a rhubarb one and a peanut butter custard that was to die for). It was wonderful to have them all at our house because we rarely get a chance to return some of the generosity and support we get from them. Having Anthony at our house has been less stressful than all of us thought it might be. He’s a pretty easygoing and understanding guy, and we’ve all been so busy going about our business that we almost feel like he wasn’t even around! Of course, we have spent time with him, playing Bananagrams, chatting around the table two hours after dinner, and choosing the perfect pumpkin. It’s been a good area visit, and tonight he wraps things up by chatting with us about things he thinks we’re doing well and areas for growth for our community. This Friday, we are all off of work and partaking in a retreat through Monday afternoon, so we’ll be seeing him again soon. I’m really looking forward to a short work week, a get-away, the chance to see some other JVs (Beth!!), and just catch up on some R&R with my community. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Aside from retreat, other up and coming excitement:

Sufjan Stevens concert (the one that cost me ½ of my September money… and I have no qualms about that!): Oct. 29^th

Halloween parties with St. Henry’s and Morris House (I wish I could tell you what we’re dressing up as, but you’ll have to wait patiently): Oct. 30^th

And, in November: dinner with the Jesuits, Thanksgiving, various birthdays—including mine!—and a teeny trip to Spain to see Brittany!!  

Good things, good things. I wish you all the same!

Amanda