Often when I meet with Brenda she has a few questions she has held for me to answer, based on experiences she has had since we last met. A couple of weeks ago I stopped by her house and she enthusiastically asked if she could show me some things she had been given that she didn't recognize.
She pulled out a red, old, dirty, rectangular, and flat plastic tackle box. After dusting it off a bit we opened it to find a fairly established first aid kit. It contained small packets of antibiotic ointments, bandages, an eye patch and many other items that Brenda has no idea what to do with. I assured her that it was all good to have on hand, and is for times when she or Becky may have minor injuries at home.
She then showed me a small cardboard box that I immediately recognized. She pulled it out and while placing it in her underarm she asked, "For this?" "For when Becky get sick? I do like this?"
I could have laughed but didn't.
I said, "No you pee on it. It's a pregnancy test."
She couldn't believe it. "Why would you pee on it?"
I explained if you pee on the stick it will let you know if you are pregnant."
She was the first to laugh. She thought it was a thermometer and thought she could take her and Becky's temperatures with in under the arm. She laughed and laughed and laughed, referencing this story a number of times that day and many times since.
She wanted to make sure I wrote about this experience in her blog so we never forget this humorous misunderstanding.
Lesson Learned:
If you donate items to resettled refugees, make sure they know what they're getting.
Brenda & Emily
This was the day we told Brenda that we'd support her through school.
