I'm so proud of these men.

Folks, I am working alongside a group of very lucky individuals.

These people are changing lives, little bit by little bit. The residents don't like some of the things that are going on, and some of the residents resist the efforts, and they get angry, and they try to make life easier by cheating, and all kinds of other dramatic things go on regularly....

BUT...

The men that the staff at Yeldall Manor works for are incredible. I am so proud of each and every one of these men who have put the world on hold and taken time to get their lives back on track.... These men are incredible. I don't know how to describe the feeling that I have when I think about the amount of growth that some of these men must have experienced before I arrived. The stories that some of these men have to tell are funny, but others are traumatic. It's a wonder they aren't dead, some of these guys. I can't believe that the world is such a terrible place, but I can't believe the light that shines out of the cracks and crevices that exist in the imperfect darkness.

One of the residents told me today that he's so thankful that I'm here, and that he really enjoys having me, and that he isn't aware of any other volunteer quite like me (I can believe that, seeing as I'm a bit off my nut). He told me that he hasn't heard one bad thing about me from the other residents, and that others agree with him that I'm doing a great job and that they like me and that I've assimilated well into their culture and their family. Even though I don't have a history of drug addiction or alcoholism, and even though I don't smoke, and even though I haven't been arrested or in any sort of trouble with the law, I am still able to relate to these men and make jokes and offer encouragement and express myself properly and show God to these men...some of whom have God, and some of whom do not. There are many men who are thinking about God...trying to figure things out. I encourage their questions, and I encourage them to find their own answers.

It's 1:11 AM here, but I absolutely had to take some time to just say that Yeldall Manor has some incredible residents, and an incredible staff who loves the residents...even if the residents don't understand or don't like what the staff is doing.