Pennies...

I have realized in the last few months that the only reason that Calah, Jonathan, and I will be going to Haiti this summer is because people have an ample amount of pennies that they want to get rid of. I am not sure when the penny became such a problem for people but, that is ok with me because people are giving them to us. I am not sure how many I have counted in since we began collecting "donations", (whatever helps you sleep at night, I know you hate your pennies...) I think that I have counted at least 1800 pennies. I am not exaggerating either. That is $18.00, just in pennies. I counted 955 just last night, which makes me think that we have counted closer to 2500 pennies. Thats $25.00. 

I remember hearing once that they, whoever they may be, wanted to do away with the penny as currency. HA. Like they could really do that, it is convenient to have two pennies when the change on your bill is like .22 or .02 exactly, then you don't get more pennies back. I laugh a little when people say that they only have like two pennies after we finish our little speech saying what we are doing. The conversation goes a little like this:

"Hi. My friend, Calah, and I are going on a mission trip this summer to Port Au Prince, Haiti. We will be there for two months and we will be working at an orphanage for part of the trip. We are going around asking for donations of spare change to help raise money for supplies for the kids and to actually get us there. Is there anything that you would like to donate?"

"Yeah! Let me look...........................I have like three pennies?"

"That is great! Every little bit helps get us closer to our goal!"

That is about how the conversation goes. But, there are some people that have mountains of change that they give. I mean like eight dollars in change, its crazy. Some people have given us $20 bills when we are just asking for spare change, college students have given us $20 bills and checks for $50. We are so grateful of the kids here on campus. They are all so willing to give. Even when you start slurring what you are saying and tell them that you are paying to get their change or that you are collecting supplies, instead of collecting change. You think it would be easier to repeat the same thing 300 times but you my friend are wrong....11 pm does not agree with my brain and I tend to be incomprehensible but people still hear what I dod or did not say and they give. We have two more dorms to go to and I am hoping that they are as generous as the last 8 that we have been to. 

Then we have to go to all of them again next week to sell dinner tickets...it is going to be great...all in one night... 

The power of the penny amazes me, all day.