Hope's Crossing

An easy 65 mile morning delivered me to Watonga, OK, where I now write from the public library. Here's what's been happening...

300 miles in 3 consecutive days brought us to Oklahoma City Sunday afternoon. After a mellow evening, we woke the next morning to work with Central Oklahoma's amazing Habitat for Humanity chapter. Every year they pump out 45-55 homes, most funded completely by current mortgage collections and Revitalization Station consignment stores. Of the 582 homes they built since 1990, only 4 homeowners have defaulted on their loans, a tribute to their careful screening process. Thanks to some valuable contracting partnerships, OKC Habitat is the city's leading producer of energy efficient homes. All homes now are created LEED certified and powered by geothermal technology. With better insulation and construction materials, electric/energy bills can be as low as $40 a month, making it possible for these families to build financial security. Our day was spent in Hope's Crossing, a 60 acre neighborhood designed for 217 Habitat Homes. 8* have been completed so far, and children already swing and climb on the development's central park's jungle gym. On our house we did framing, putting up all the walls and sheathing. All hands were busy and active on site, our team uniting under a common purpose. One day of work transformed the space, changing a slab of cement into a tenable shelter. I felt recharged. Photos of this transformation are upcoming.

In the evening, some of us ventured downtown to see the OKC Hotel Bombing Memorial. While a beautiful tribute to a horrific moment of terrorism, it brought up a engaging debate on what to commemorate. I voiced my concern that while these 168 deaths are tragic, so many thousands and millions die without a second thought of preventable diseases or malnutrition. Where is there memorial? Why are immense amounts of funds put into this land art when it could save lives elsewhere? Many reiterated the answers I already knew...the suddenness and randomness of the event scared a generation, the media attention of the cold blooded trigger man, and the desire not to build over the physical site of the tragedy...but it left the questions coming. What would I want funds to be used for I was the victim of such random tragedy? What will this space mean to our country in 20 years? Comments on any of these would be welcome.

I think I am a picky reader. Though I've finished four books, I've also read 60-70 pages into three other books before shrugging them off. The latest was the Pulitzer Prize winning The Life of Oscar Wao, a story of an overweight Dominican geek toiling in loneliness. My new pickup is Nicholas Nickleby, which grabbed me mainly because of a theatre poster my father used to have in our old house. Let's hope Dickens doesn't lose me!

The next ride is into Arnett and should be around 90ish miles. It is dedicated to my mother Stacey. Mom, you are my role model for so many things; juggling family and career, voicing honest opinions, doing behind the scenes legwork, and cooking mastery (I need some recipes for medical school, by the way). I am an admitted mama's boy and I hope I grow up to be much like you. Thank you for everything. I can't wait to see you (and the whole Kole clan) in Colorado Springs.

Speaking of which, here is a mind blowing tid bit for ya...Within this month of June, I will have gone from South Carolina to Colorado. I must like to ride my bicycle, huh?