A Best Day

Rise early

Big day ahead

Hot sun

Rising above azure blue

Heavenly coffee

Exotic fruits

Expensive indulgences back home

But now wonderful fuel

For what lies ahead

Pack my lunch

Peanut butter and jelly

On white bread

Gather with the team

Plan the day ahead

Jump into the van

Starter won’t work (again)

Everybody push

A very strange bobsled

In a tropical world

Third gear

Release the clutch

Engine sputters to life

Hit the clutch again

Don’t kill the engine

And off we go

Steering wheel and shifter

All on the wrong side

But it’s the right side

In this new world

Stop for supplies

Donated bits of mercy

And then start up the mountain

A superhighway

But nothing more than a rickety narrow country road back home

Back home

Where we have EVERYTHING

Yet we complain about having NOTHING

Jungle

Cliffs

Right off the side of the road

Pay attention

No guard rails

Five hundred foot drop

Don’t look down

Just keep driving

Get the team there alive

Arrive in town

They know we’re coming

Folks wave and cheer

As they know what our arrival means

Long line before we even arrive

All ages

Swollen faces

Yet such a look

Of Hope

Of Gratitude

Unload the van

Get set up

Get to work

Hot

So hot

Soaked through my scrubs

But keep going

Never quit

In a beautiful jungle

On the side of a mountain

Stop for lunch

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich

On plain white bread

Hot and gooey

Yet tastes better

Than the finest steak

At the finest restaurant

Hydrate

But don’t drink it all

Gotta make that bottle last

Back to work

Soaked and hot

So much work to do

So little time

But there’s only so much we can do

Yet there’s SO much gratitude

For whatever we can do

End of the day

Load up the van

Beautiful cloud burst

A clean mountain rain

Let the rain

Wash away my sweat and grime

Soaked before the rain

Soaked after the rain

But oh so refreshed

A baptism in the mountains

Start the van

Nope

Pushcart team

Just another ritual

On this Mission of Mercy

Drive back down the mountain

Don’t kill the team

White knuckles

On a steering wheel

And a shifter

All on the wrong side

The right side

Delicious supper

With my team

Laughing

Talking

Sharing

Reveling

In the good we did

That day

And the good we’ll do

Tomorrow

Steel drum band

Red Stripe

Rum

Cuban Cohiba

The sound of waves

And the wind

In palm trees

And bamboo

Don’t take me back home

Let me stay

Let me continue

To make a Difference

Too much bullshit back home

Too much greed

Too much selfishness

Please let me stay

Where I can Be The Difference

Please let me stay

Where my efforts are appreciated

Please let me have

Another

Best Day