I am so excited. Each year during this same week, there is an outreach effort in Winston to the men and women who travel the country working for the fair. I volunteered during two previous years with this outreach and today I'm bringing another person to get the experience!

I have always been interested in the lifestyles of people who travel for a living. I spent almost a year of my life backpacking around the world by myself, staying in youth hostels and meeting other young travelers from all over the world. I worked at a homeless shelter for one year, and I regularly volunteer at Samaritan Inn when our students go there each semester. My family owned a campground when I was growing up, so we were the ones who stayed put while people form all over the US set up camp for a few days before moving on. In a way, working on campus is similar, as I stand at the doorway to Davis Chapel every Sunday while students have come and gone from campus, seeking their own fortunes and futures elsewhere.  I love this dynamism.

At the Fair Outreach, I have done interpretation for the Spanish speaking employees of the fair as they go see the volunteer dentists and doctors who give their time and see people in the medical trailer that is brought in. I have a story I like to tell of another volunteer whose Spanish abilities limited her to being able to say "Dentes:Adios" to patients by way of explaining to them they were about to experience extractions. Fortunately, my skills are a little better so that I can nuance this scary news a little more. Who wants to hear that news in any language, though?  Another aspect of the outreach is passing out "hygiene kits" which have inclkuded towels, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, sweatshirts and a comb. I love this! There are so many interesting men and women who travel from town to town, whose job it is to operate the rides I love (Himalaya, Pirate Ship) or sell the food I love (deep fried snickers bars) or hawk the games I cant resist (squirting a stream of water to make my horse go faster 'round the track).

I hope that this week I get to see a couple I have met over the years of volunteering with the fair ministry. They own and operate a food truck that makes delicious sausages and more. I loved their stories of working in China, traveling with a carnival there. From them, I learned that in a Chinese grocery store, you wont find just chicken eggs, but every kind of egg there is! We've had great conversations about Christ and I once gave them a San Damiano cross and a parchment with a Franciscan prayer, since they are devout Catholics. I have found a few booklets I'm going to give to them this time around, as well as a book I read about recovery from addiction called Parched (if I can find it in this jumble of books in my office). Please pray for them and for all the pepole who work with the fair.

 I am intrigued by this life and I have enjoyed reading Under the Big Top and the fictional Water for Elephants, both of which give a glimpse into the lives of people who travel.

I am especially excited that today I will be joined by one of our WFU students who wants to volunteer as well. I cant wait to point out the trailers and rv's where some of the people live, to introduce them to my friends and for her to get to talk to some of the fascinating people who live this lifestyle of travel!

Thanks for reading! I'll update this after volunteering. I'm going today and Thursday. Pray for us!!