Today was a super great day, from start to finish. It was full of challenges, but I loved it! I've decided that I enjoy living outside of my comfort zone and that I am bored unless challenged. I think that, and the love, and the closeness with God that I feel here are all reasons why I am so happy here.
At church I was asked to speak about things I am grateful for. I didn't get nervous, but I would have preferred a little heads up, as opposed to being asked as the music began at the start of the service. First she called up Josue. He, of course, is grateful to be alive after God brought him back from death. I thought, how can I ever follow that? The next girl was grateful because she had never been the type to go to college. But God changed her heart, she began studying, and now she will attend a Christian College in the states! I went after her. I was grateful that after 3 years of prayer, God has allowed me to be in Honduras. I was grateful that God has given my family peace about me being here. (Although later my mother clarified, she does not have peace, it is more resignation. But once she did tell me she had peace, I swear.) I told the church that I am also grateful for the way they welcome me and make me feel like they genuinely care about how I am doing here. Also I said I was grateful to serve the breakfast program. I said that I love each smile and each hug, and that the children are serving me by filling my heart with love and joy, just as much as I am serving them. After church many people thanked me for sharing my testimony.
The service was about miracles. Jairo said he never writes things down, but this week he did. What he had was a list - 2 pages front and back - of all of the miracles that have happened within this church. I am pretty sure these miracles were all withing the past 2 years too, because I know of more things that have happened which were not included but they happened more in the past.
After the service Jairo asked what I thought about church today. I said it was awesome that all of those things happened within this little community. He asked me to type the paper and send a copy to my church in Salt Lake so they can know how God is moving here. I will definitely do that!
It was cloudy all morning and looked like rain, but the sun came out as soon as I got home, so I decided to wash some of my lighter clothes that would dry quickly. I got the laundry done and was walking out the door to do my first independent grocery shopping trip, when I heard a loud CLICK, then another. It was raining. But my clothes couldn't get any wetter. It was one of those hard rains with huge raindrops, so I figured it wouldn't last long. I walked down to the corner, feeling like I was in the middle of a war. The rain was so loud on the tin roofs! At the corner there were no cabs and it was raining harder, plus the wind was picking up, so I decided to wait under an awning with some other people and a motorcycler. A few cabs went by and beeped, but I waited.
Finally one pulled right up close to me, so I ran out and asked him how much he would charge to take me to the super. His price was exactly what I expected so I hopped in and we took off. He was nice and I made it there safely. I needed cash, so I got that first. I figured if anyone was going to follow me and steal my cash, I would notice while I was shopping. Then I pretended to leave the store, but really I was going outside for a cart. Security guards stand at the door, so I thought it was a safe move. And when nobody followed, that was a good sign. I grabbed a cart and took my time shopping. For once, there was nobody else walking with me, waiting for me to make a choice of which beans I wanted, etc. It felt great! I hoped by the time I was done shopping the rain would stop. But I was very, very wrong. It was still raining just as hard, and now the wind was even stronger. I walked outside where everyone was standing under an awning. I wondered what they were all waiting for. I hoped they were not waiting for a cab. Two empty cabs were in the parking lot. I hoped I could get one of them to take me home, but realized they were probably off duty. I made a vow never to grocery shop in the rain on a Sunday again. I knew I could not take the bus, or a collectivo (shared cab) - too dangerous. I was starting to think about who I could call to beg for a ride home. A cab pulled in, but there was a lady in the front seat, not the back, and she sat there talking rather than paying the driver, so I figured it was her husband. I stared at them and waited, but gave up and went back to watching traffic, trying to decide if I should go out to the street and stand in the rain, hoping a cab would pass. Then the lady from the front seat came up to me and asked me if I needed at taxi. Whew!! I ran over, but not too quickly but waited outside to get a price before I got in. He offered a fair price, even in the rain and took me back home safely. He even taught me the names of the flowers outside my house and how to explain most clearly to a driver the directions to my house. I ran through a river that was pouring out of my driveway, and got home safe. My mother was not as thrilled as I was about my exciting excursion.
I mopped the floor, then enjoyed a huge dinner with my new groceries. As I was talking to my mother I was confused to find a puddle of water in the kitchen, but since I am not used to using those long, stringy mops, I thought I had probably left the water there while mopping. When I cleaned it up and it reappeared I realized I had a leak in my ceiling. They neighbors in the front house are gone for the week, so it was only natural that the lights went off for the first time too. But I had candles and a flashlight, so it was no problem. Just funny that the only day I have any problems at home, I'm all alone. It's nice that I do feel so safe there, because the lose of electricity and minor flooding were no big deal.
I got two responses from friends regarding the letter I sent yesterday. Both are passing the information along to others, which is so helpful. One is also offering a monthly sponsorship. Thank you Molly Russell Shew!
Today gave me a taste for how it will be if I really live here on my own permanently. I liked it.
