75%

So, why is the title 75%? First, when you see a glass, is it half empty or half full? A pessimist says it's half empty. An optimist says it's half full. An engineer asks, "Why is the glass twice as big as it has to be?"  Our mission is 75% over. It's 3/4 full, so thinking like engineers, we wish we could just have a bigger glass.  However, since we can't make the mission longer, we'll cram in all we can, and also look outside the glass to what is coming when we return home. 

Monday I had a dental hygiene appointment scheduled in the morning, as well as a conference call in the afternoon. However, I woke up feeling cruddy with my cold, so I just cancelled stuff and stayed home to rest. After a brief late morning nap, I felt quite a bit better, but I was cold and tired all day. I finished reading One Candle, plus did some other reading and a bit of lesson prep for Friday. Otherwise, my day was pretty laid back, never leaving the apartment at all, which was probably the right thing.

Dee carried the torch for us, taking the subway to the Institute for the day. She hasn't driven since she broke her foot over six months ago, and she didn't feel comfortable starting again without me after all this time. In the morning, she walked up to Todis but didn't find everything she was hoping for (e.g., tortillas). The Benincosas would give the FHE lesson their self-reliance program, and Dee made dessert. Then they accompanied her back on the subway to the Jonio stop and drove her the rest of the way home.

The Benincosas knocked it out of the park! Their presentation on self reliance is a real hook, with humor, serious questions and a promise of a brighter future. They help young people get jobs--nine so far at the Friendship Center alone. The kids were really excited.

Riccardo had a terrible cold but came anyway, even with the heavy rain. About half a dozen GANS braved the storm. It shows how much they like being at the Institute together. Ugo's vision that brought the Institute to life has been a great blessing here.

Dario picked this quote for the FHE, which I really liked: “If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is a grass in the beginning.”

  ― Vincent van Gogh

It was raining, but I still enjoyed my walk to the metro. I bought a bigger umbrella on the way, which ended up being the perfect one for Dario.

You may know that the EU enacted the right to be forgotten. When a referral comes into the mission office, (e.g. someone asks for the missionaries to visit them), the office staff has to copy it down right away, because in 15 minutes it disappears from the computer screen. Amazing.