Wasps and Rats!

I took a call today from a distraught mom who'd received an email from her son yesterday telling her that he hasn't been feeling too good, has an ear infection and that he'd done a service project yesterday cleaning a bunch of rat cages. Ah, yes, the rat experience! I've heard about this from several missionaries who've been "blessed" with this "opportunity."

From what I understand, these aren't the little white rats that are barely tolerable as pets in cages. They're more like brown rats, wharf rats, common rats--icky, filthy, nasty sewer rats! It's a Rat Rescue run by a sometimes active, sometimes less active member who needs help cleaning which would give time for said member to attend church. That's all I dare say about that. As Bronson will say--Eeeew!! Elder Mecham said he actually cleaned cages for 18 straight weeks. What a guy!

Fortunately Elder Myers, the Zone Leader in the rat area, was in the office on exchanges with Elder Mecham when the call came in, and he spoke to the mom about it. He has a wonderful way of speaking to people and told mom that our mission nurse has requested that the missionaries no longer be involved with the project. Good call, Sister Nurse!

Since we were talking about service projects, Elder M shared one of his stories. He and companion were mowing the lawn for a less active member when he rolled across a nest of guinea wasps--at least that's what they call them in the south, which is mainly where they're found in the US. They build their nests on the ground. The first time Elder M mowed across the nest he noticed some activity, but it wasn't until the second time that they got really ticked and started to sting--they counted 29 times! They'd gone under his clothes and stung legs, arms, chest. Not a happy experience for Elder M. The elders returned one evening when all the little wasps had gone to bed and poured gasoline down the hole. Got 'em, or at least so they thought.

Two weeks later they returned again and discovered they'd built another nest, but they didn't figure it out till Elder M mowed over it and they swarmed around his legs. He took off running. This time he only had 9 stings but said that one arm swelled up to twice the normal size. He called Sister Wall, and she recommended he take benedryl immediately. There wasn't any in the apartment and he didn't want to spend $9.00 to buy it. Three days later it was back to normal.

Only the grandson would dare tangle with this creepy looking insect

I was about to ask if they returned to the same house for a third round but was interrupted by a fed ex delivery of 25 bike racks.