Today was very relaxing for me. I sent out some overdue emails and talked with my friend Robin on the phone. Afterward I realized that this week, since that time of prayer in the conference, I have been able to truly release my worries and even my hopes for the future into God's hands. Right now if I were trying to do things of my own will I think I might have gone nuts. Thankfully, God has blessed me with good friends and a patient mother who support me when I am having a hard time releasing things to God.
Today I was alone most of the day. Laura continued to vomit so Fany decided to take her to a nearby clinic. I let them borrow my car, which was good because they just got home at 6:30 p.m. It is dark here at 5:30 these days and this evening is raining. They were grateful for the car and I was happy to lend it.
At about 2 p.m. Fany sent me a message saying she was really sorry they were taking so long, but the clinic was full and she was number 30 in line. She said it was an absolute nightmare at the clinic. People were coming from other doctor offices and clinics because they were turned away.
The problem, she said, is that everyone either has this same flu Laura has or they have Dengue. Between the two things running rampant, the doctors' offices are overflowing. Fany said that she saw people turned away too. In fact the doctors accepted their last patient and said no more people could be seen. The next person in line was the sister of the last patient. The told the sister she couldn't enter the building and had to come back tomorrow morning. They only allowed one patient and one other person to enter the building, so Santos had to wait outside all day.
Meanwhile inside the waiting room Laura vomited in Fany's hand. A baby was having seizures. At 5 p.m. a lady walked out of her appointment (after seeing the doctor) with her eyes covered saying, "I can't even stand to look at this line. I have been here since 5 a.m."
The doctors required everyone with a fever to get blood work, which took more time but was necessary in order to eliminate the possibility of Dengue.
On Monday, Edgar, a boy at Buen Provecho, said he had Dengue. He was frustrated because he didn't have the strength to play fútbol. He tried to play but didn't even last a minute. He looked like he was on the mend overall though. Dengue is especially dangerous for our Buen Provecho kids because they don't have drinking water and can so easily get dehydrated.
So the good news is Laura does not have Dengue. The bad news is, everyone is out of amoxicillin and people are dying of Dengue.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Super Amigas
We have a four day weekend in Honduras. There were two or three holidays this month. Nobody has been able to tell me when the actual holidays were or what they were for. Anyway, the people in charge put the two holidays together and gave us a four day weekend.
I went to a conference given by a Canadian guy who goes all over the world speaking specifically to missionaries. It was nice to be in a room with English speakers. There were two other speakers as well. The whole day was good.
At the end we had a time of prayer. God spoke to me more powerfully than He has ever spoken to me before through one of the speakers who prayed over me. Afterward I opened my eyes and the man who prayed for me was in front of me. He asked quietly, "Are you okay?" I said, "Yes, I am fine." in Spanish, which was odd I think. Then he said, "Yes, you are fine. I can see it in your eyes you are strong. Stronger than you even know."
At that conference a lady I know introduced me to almost all of the rest of the ladies. One of them asked if I am going to the retreat next weekend. I said no. She said too bad it is already full. She goes every year and really loves it. It is called Revive. A group of woman from North America come to Honduras to serve women who are missionaries in Honduras. She said she would try to find a way for me to go. I said it sounds amazing, like something I need. I knew if God wanted me to be there, there would be a way for me to go.
She contacted me the next day to say that she talked to the organizers and there is a person who can't attend, so I can go! As I read over the registration form I was shocked to find that everything is free. When you get there Thursday they will have a little day spa time before the conference. The North American ladies will be painting nails, doing make up and fixing hair. Then the conference starts Thursday evening and goes until Sunday. I am really excited to go and be "Revived".
I also spent yesterday preparing for Fany's birthday. Santos's car broke down so he was stuck at this parents' house. He had offered to take his wife out for her birthday, but it seemed like he may not make it back. So it was up to me to make sure Fany had a nice birthday.
Her day didn't start out so nice. Laura and I both have this sore throat/cough/chest cold thing that everyone else here has. It lasts about 2 -3 weeks. Laura's is accompanied by throwing up all of the phlegm every time she lies down. Fany was up all night with Laura coughing and then had to strip the bed yesterday morning and again last night because Laura threw up in it. Glad I don't have that part!
Fany got messages from lots and lots of people all day. Her cousin came and brought a little Tres Leches cake for us. I made dinner and baked a cake. Santos came home just as we were sitting down to dinner. Perfect timing! I think Fany had a really nice day. Santos took Laura home and put her to bed. Fany and I stayed up laughing and talking until late last night. I walked over to her house to help her carry the rest of the food and cake. As we were saying good night she hugged me and said, "Thank you for being my SUPER amiga" in Spanish. Yay! I am someone's super amiga! And she is a super amiga to me too.
I went to a conference given by a Canadian guy who goes all over the world speaking specifically to missionaries. It was nice to be in a room with English speakers. There were two other speakers as well. The whole day was good.
At the end we had a time of prayer. God spoke to me more powerfully than He has ever spoken to me before through one of the speakers who prayed over me. Afterward I opened my eyes and the man who prayed for me was in front of me. He asked quietly, "Are you okay?" I said, "Yes, I am fine." in Spanish, which was odd I think. Then he said, "Yes, you are fine. I can see it in your eyes you are strong. Stronger than you even know."
At that conference a lady I know introduced me to almost all of the rest of the ladies. One of them asked if I am going to the retreat next weekend. I said no. She said too bad it is already full. She goes every year and really loves it. It is called Revive. A group of woman from North America come to Honduras to serve women who are missionaries in Honduras. She said she would try to find a way for me to go. I said it sounds amazing, like something I need. I knew if God wanted me to be there, there would be a way for me to go.
She contacted me the next day to say that she talked to the organizers and there is a person who can't attend, so I can go! As I read over the registration form I was shocked to find that everything is free. When you get there Thursday they will have a little day spa time before the conference. The North American ladies will be painting nails, doing make up and fixing hair. Then the conference starts Thursday evening and goes until Sunday. I am really excited to go and be "Revived".
I also spent yesterday preparing for Fany's birthday. Santos's car broke down so he was stuck at this parents' house. He had offered to take his wife out for her birthday, but it seemed like he may not make it back. So it was up to me to make sure Fany had a nice birthday.
Her day didn't start out so nice. Laura and I both have this sore throat/cough/chest cold thing that everyone else here has. It lasts about 2 -3 weeks. Laura's is accompanied by throwing up all of the phlegm every time she lies down. Fany was up all night with Laura coughing and then had to strip the bed yesterday morning and again last night because Laura threw up in it. Glad I don't have that part!
Fany got messages from lots and lots of people all day. Her cousin came and brought a little Tres Leches cake for us. I made dinner and baked a cake. Santos came home just as we were sitting down to dinner. Perfect timing! I think Fany had a really nice day. Santos took Laura home and put her to bed. Fany and I stayed up laughing and talking until late last night. I walked over to her house to help her carry the rest of the food and cake. As we were saying good night she hugged me and said, "Thank you for being my SUPER amiga" in Spanish. Yay! I am someone's super amiga! And she is a super amiga to me too.
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| Fany's Birthday Dinner at my house |
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
New sneakers!
This week has been interesting at Buen Provecho. Usually I am busy doing other things and I really don't go down to the soccer field (ie. parking lot) often. But yesterday Belinda notified me that she could not be at the church.
I got there on time and there were already a group a kids outside. I parked and went down to let them in. As they came through the gate a little guy who is fairly new told me that an older boy and his younger brother were new today. I welcomed them and told them I hoped we would see them from now on. They asked if they have to come every day. I said no, but it is best.
The whole group wanted to play soccer, so I figured I would go down with them. Especially since the biggest, strongest boy was brand new. Soccer on the streets is different from soccer in the church and the new boy could not be expected to understand the rules of the church on his first day.
They didn't end up playing soccer. They ended up sitting and talking with me. It was fun and funny. We are all sick with colds, so we were coughing and sniffling. The new big boy (Cristian) was there with another boy who has only been coming for a week (Junior). Both are rough around the edges, streetwise, and have younger siblings who are more calm. Lucky for me, they both took to me right away and I had no problems with them at all. I did have to tell the biggest boy not to smack his little brother in the head. But he understood and that was that.
They had clearly been taught excellent manners somewhere. The little brother was the only one in a whole group of kids crowded around me who knew (after two years of us teaching this in the program) that the magic word is "por favor". When I complimented him on his manners he said he always says, "Por Favor, De Nada and Gracias". I will enjoy smoothing out the rough edges of these sweet boys.
Junior, who brought the two new guys, is so funny! He has only been coming for a week or two. He kept trying to tickle me and he was full of jokes. He put flowers in my hair. He told me to touch my nose, then he honked my nose. He pulled up the front of his shoes, the part that should have covered his toes, opened it up like a mouth and told me that his shoe was hungry. Lucky for him, he said his shoes like spaghetti, which is what we ate yesterday. I can tell he can really be a handful, but for me it was almost love at first sight. Kids like him are always my favorite.
Junior's younger sister is Julisa. She is very pretty but clearly malnourished. Last week she couldn't eat the fried tortillas because her teeth are so bad. She can eat only soft food. She is seven years old. Yesterday Junior told me he is 12. But today when I introduced them to Belinda, he said he was eight. I said that is strange because yesterday he said he was 12. Belinda asked whether he was eight or 12. He is a tiny little guy, not any taller than his seven year old sister. But much more street wise. Junior said he is 12, but he is embarrassed to say he is 12 because he is so small. Belinda and I assured him that he will grow taller soon. He just needs to be patient and not ashamed of who he is now.
Today I went down to the soccer field again. I was the first to arrive, as were the soccer players, and I figured it is best to keep them supervised. Junior, his sister and his older buddy came back today. The younger boy was not there. Both Cristian(the biggest) and his Moses (the younger) seem well nourished and have nice clothes. They wore Air Jordans which they said their father sent from the US. Maybe they do not need physical nutrition, but it is clear they can use socialization and spiritual nourishment.
Cristian, the older brother, knows quite a bit of English and knows a lot about the US. Actually he knows more about the US than any kid I have ever taught. He is looking forward to being part of my class. It will be interesting to see how things unfold if Junior and Cristian continue to attend Buen Provecho. They both seem open to learning, but you can feel how hardened they are in certain ways. It would be beautiful to see God soften their hearts. I am glad I have had extra time to spend with them today and yesterday.
Here are some of the photos I promised from last Friday:
Two weeks ago Riley, the son of Eli and Lindsay from K2, left his sneaker with us for a kid who needs them. Lindsay apologized because they were stinky, but they were still in good shape. I let them sit outside in the sun until finally I felt the urge to bring them in to the church. Pretty sure God had this plan in mind today:
I got there on time and there were already a group a kids outside. I parked and went down to let them in. As they came through the gate a little guy who is fairly new told me that an older boy and his younger brother were new today. I welcomed them and told them I hoped we would see them from now on. They asked if they have to come every day. I said no, but it is best.
The whole group wanted to play soccer, so I figured I would go down with them. Especially since the biggest, strongest boy was brand new. Soccer on the streets is different from soccer in the church and the new boy could not be expected to understand the rules of the church on his first day.
They didn't end up playing soccer. They ended up sitting and talking with me. It was fun and funny. We are all sick with colds, so we were coughing and sniffling. The new big boy (Cristian) was there with another boy who has only been coming for a week (Junior). Both are rough around the edges, streetwise, and have younger siblings who are more calm. Lucky for me, they both took to me right away and I had no problems with them at all. I did have to tell the biggest boy not to smack his little brother in the head. But he understood and that was that.
They had clearly been taught excellent manners somewhere. The little brother was the only one in a whole group of kids crowded around me who knew (after two years of us teaching this in the program) that the magic word is "por favor". When I complimented him on his manners he said he always says, "Por Favor, De Nada and Gracias". I will enjoy smoothing out the rough edges of these sweet boys.
Junior, who brought the two new guys, is so funny! He has only been coming for a week or two. He kept trying to tickle me and he was full of jokes. He put flowers in my hair. He told me to touch my nose, then he honked my nose. He pulled up the front of his shoes, the part that should have covered his toes, opened it up like a mouth and told me that his shoe was hungry. Lucky for him, he said his shoes like spaghetti, which is what we ate yesterday. I can tell he can really be a handful, but for me it was almost love at first sight. Kids like him are always my favorite.
Junior's younger sister is Julisa. She is very pretty but clearly malnourished. Last week she couldn't eat the fried tortillas because her teeth are so bad. She can eat only soft food. She is seven years old. Yesterday Junior told me he is 12. But today when I introduced them to Belinda, he said he was eight. I said that is strange because yesterday he said he was 12. Belinda asked whether he was eight or 12. He is a tiny little guy, not any taller than his seven year old sister. But much more street wise. Junior said he is 12, but he is embarrassed to say he is 12 because he is so small. Belinda and I assured him that he will grow taller soon. He just needs to be patient and not ashamed of who he is now.
Today I went down to the soccer field again. I was the first to arrive, as were the soccer players, and I figured it is best to keep them supervised. Junior, his sister and his older buddy came back today. The younger boy was not there. Both Cristian(the biggest) and his Moses (the younger) seem well nourished and have nice clothes. They wore Air Jordans which they said their father sent from the US. Maybe they do not need physical nutrition, but it is clear they can use socialization and spiritual nourishment.
Cristian, the older brother, knows quite a bit of English and knows a lot about the US. Actually he knows more about the US than any kid I have ever taught. He is looking forward to being part of my class. It will be interesting to see how things unfold if Junior and Cristian continue to attend Buen Provecho. They both seem open to learning, but you can feel how hardened they are in certain ways. It would be beautiful to see God soften their hearts. I am glad I have had extra time to spend with them today and yesterday.
Here are some of the photos I promised from last Friday:
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| Mary, who gave the classes every day |
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| Michah, whom everyone appreciated for his sense of humor |
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| Mrs. Osberg's mother, Grace Ann |
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| My new friend Becky and Arnold. who normally is a tough guy and doesn't like hugs |
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| Add caption |
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| A good hug between Barak and Roberto |
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| And then Roberto is surprised when Barak lifts him off his feet! |
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| Receiving gifts |
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| Everyone fell in love with Maryorie. This is her second week with us. |
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| Arnold shows his softer side |
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| My two buddies, Becky and Maykol |
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| Jeff and Pastor Tim |
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| Mary and Daniel |
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| Anderson showed up wearing one school shoe and one sneaker. He said that's all he has. |
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| Now he has a pair of sneakers and they fit him perfectly! |
Monday, October 27, 2014
Sunday Sunday
Two weeks of team hosting is over. There were a lot of tears shed on the second group's good bye. It's funny. You never know how God is working in people.
I will miss sitting on Don Juan's bench and greeting the kids each morning with Becky. That was my favorite part of the day. We'd watch the kids climb up the hill and I'd share with her a little story about the kids while we put on their name tags.
Things that I just take for granted now struck her hard. That is why it is good for me to have groups around. She had never heard a child pray, "Thank you God, for one more day of life." - the traditional prayer opener of almost every kid I know.
We didn't get to talk that much about ourselves, we mostly talked about the kids. But I think we are kindred spirits. And we both have black cats.
I was invited to visit them where they were staying in El Hatillo at nice retreat center. We had dinner, a time of prayer and I shared some stories with them. Then we played cards. The retreat center, they said, served mostly North American style food. I had pizza and it messed up my stomach that night. Apparently my stomach is not used to North American food any more.
This morning they came to church and then I met them later at CCI, an English service. I haven't been there in a while, but I still recognize a lot of the same people who have been attending there since 2009. They are doing a lot of cool things. I have always been told by the people of Iglesia en Transformación that I should feel free to attend the English service at CCI if I want to. Until now I never wanted to. But having two teams in a row and spending time with North Americans has made me realize I do miss that in my life. There are some things that I will never "get" about the Honduran culture and some things they will never really understand about me and my culture. Sometimes it's nice to be with people who speak the same language. (I don't really mean that literally.)
Between the two church services I had lunch with a lady from Iglesia en Transformación and her family. That was really nice. Then Fany and her family came back from their home in the country this evening. It is nice to know so many people care for and about me. No matter what is going on, there are always people here I can turn to. That is a huge blessing and not something I take for granted. In the US it was easier for me to feel alone. Here, people make a point to tell me that I am not alone, I am loved and appreciated. How often do you hear those things? I hear them almost every day.
Today was my last day of speaking English for a while. Spanish isn't such a struggle anymore, but sometimes it is nice to be able to say exactly what you mean and know that your point should be received as you intended it.
Pictures from the last day of serving with the team to follow...
I will miss sitting on Don Juan's bench and greeting the kids each morning with Becky. That was my favorite part of the day. We'd watch the kids climb up the hill and I'd share with her a little story about the kids while we put on their name tags.
Things that I just take for granted now struck her hard. That is why it is good for me to have groups around. She had never heard a child pray, "Thank you God, for one more day of life." - the traditional prayer opener of almost every kid I know.
We didn't get to talk that much about ourselves, we mostly talked about the kids. But I think we are kindred spirits. And we both have black cats.
I was invited to visit them where they were staying in El Hatillo at nice retreat center. We had dinner, a time of prayer and I shared some stories with them. Then we played cards. The retreat center, they said, served mostly North American style food. I had pizza and it messed up my stomach that night. Apparently my stomach is not used to North American food any more.
This morning they came to church and then I met them later at CCI, an English service. I haven't been there in a while, but I still recognize a lot of the same people who have been attending there since 2009. They are doing a lot of cool things. I have always been told by the people of Iglesia en Transformación that I should feel free to attend the English service at CCI if I want to. Until now I never wanted to. But having two teams in a row and spending time with North Americans has made me realize I do miss that in my life. There are some things that I will never "get" about the Honduran culture and some things they will never really understand about me and my culture. Sometimes it's nice to be with people who speak the same language. (I don't really mean that literally.)
Between the two church services I had lunch with a lady from Iglesia en Transformación and her family. That was really nice. Then Fany and her family came back from their home in the country this evening. It is nice to know so many people care for and about me. No matter what is going on, there are always people here I can turn to. That is a huge blessing and not something I take for granted. In the US it was easier for me to feel alone. Here, people make a point to tell me that I am not alone, I am loved and appreciated. How often do you hear those things? I hear them almost every day.
Today was my last day of speaking English for a while. Spanish isn't such a struggle anymore, but sometimes it is nice to be able to say exactly what you mean and know that your point should be received as you intended it.
Pictures from the last day of serving with the team to follow...
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Week Two of Team Hosting
Last night I was awake until after 4 a.m. Finally at 1:37 a.m. I realized that God was trying to get me to pay attention to Him and seek Him regarding some possible changes that could occur in my life. I've been praying about it, but not the kind of stay up until 4 a.m. praying that apparently He wanted me to do.
Today I have a lot more peace about the possible changes. The one thing I do know is that right now God is telling me to be still. So that is what I will do. My prayer didn't reveal anything new. But the sense of peace I have today made the lack of sleep worthwhile.
I was able to smile without Eunice pestering me. I was able to be around people who don't like me without feeling uncomfortable. I felt like I could handle what life is throwing at me and God is just asking me to be patient.
Today someone asked if I am open to making friends, implying that she believes I am not. I said yes I am open, but it is hard because people always tell me not to trust anyone. However, I do have 2 friends. Ana and Fany.
The person immediately started telling me not to trust anyone. I said see? You are telling me that I am not open to friendships but when I tell you I have friends you are telling me I shouldn't trust them. All I can say is that for almost 3 years Fany has proven to be a trustworthy friend and in the one year I have been friends with Ana, I have found no reason not to trust her. So until one of them gives me a reason not to, I will continue to count them as my friends. I do have other people here whom I know I can turn to, like Karla and Jose, or Lucy. Or my former landlords. Or my current landlords. But Fany and Ana are my day to day friends whether others approve or not.
The swim coach has been calling. I am horrible about keeping my phone with me. At the church I never carry it with me because I will lose it, or it will be stolen. Half the time I accidentally leave my phone at home. So, needless to say, contacting me by phone is not easy. I am sure he needs help with his Saturday morning lessons. I need to talk to the church leadership and get permission if I want to do that again. But it would be a great opportunity I think.
I went to the gym after being quite gluttonous with food over the past 2 weeks. The man who used to be my trainer looked at me and said, "Your metabolism is changing." He handed me weights and told me to do five laps of lunges, then gave me a hard upper body workout. All for free! I guess it pays to walk into the gym with a fat belly.
The visit from the second team is going well. We are all together in one group every day. A lady who is a teacher prepared lessons about the life of Moses. It makes me proud when the kids are able to tell what comes next in the story before we even say it. The kids at Buen Provecho are well educated about the story of Moses. She is tying in themes every day like "You can always trust in God" and "He cares for you."
A cool thing happened today. The team had to leave after the first group of kids because they had to serve somewhere else. But all of the kids except six were released from school early. So the team got to teach and do the craft with almost every kid, which was nice and unexpected. The poor man who was washing dishes today said he thought he was doing something wrong because he couldn't keep up with all of the dishes. But that was because we had over 70 kids in the morning group alone.
One man on the team is a lawyer. I like him. He is a really nice guy. But you can tell that he is also a tough lawyer. Today he said that he was making a conscious effort to relax and let other people take the lead on this trip. I think he is enjoying himself even more since he is sitting back and able to be relaxed.
He also mentioned that when they announced the members of this team he said, "Wow. There are a lot of strong personalities on this team." It is interesting to hear other people think about how their team is going to work together. I spent so long praying from the team from my home church, K2, to be tightly united. He said things are going really smoothly on his team, even with all of the strong personalities.
He also said he was surprised when Kelin tried to take his Rolex off his wrist yesterday. I was not surprised, but was disappointed when he told me that. We talked to Kelin and her sister before the groups came about not asking for things.
With a previous group Kelin asked some special friends for a bike. In the end her special friends decided it was best not to buy the bike. But I was shocked Kelin asked for it. It put us all in a tough position. This time she didn't wait for a translator. She kept saying something he didn't understand. And finally she reached down and tried to unhook his watch from his wrist.
Kelin and her sister both have a sense of entitlement that we are trying to address. We talked to them each specifically because her sister wanted the first team to bring her a tablet. Apparently the talks haven't sunken in yet. Why Kelin would want a men's Rolex is confusing to me. But it does go along with the general attitude of 'take as much as you can get' that I see so often here.
Today I did see progress when one of the Moms helped the kids with crafts. Yesterday the same mother got mad at me because as I was handing out the crafts she asked for one for herself. Meanwhile she was holding her 2 or 3 year old niece on her lap. I told her that we need to help the kids do the crafts first. She was not happy with that answer. She did the craft for her niece, even though other kids the same age were able to do the craft themselves with a little help. Today, however, she did not even sit down. She walked around to each table and helped the kids. After we finished today's craft I hugged her and told her thank you. Progress!
Today I have a lot more peace about the possible changes. The one thing I do know is that right now God is telling me to be still. So that is what I will do. My prayer didn't reveal anything new. But the sense of peace I have today made the lack of sleep worthwhile.
I was able to smile without Eunice pestering me. I was able to be around people who don't like me without feeling uncomfortable. I felt like I could handle what life is throwing at me and God is just asking me to be patient.
Today someone asked if I am open to making friends, implying that she believes I am not. I said yes I am open, but it is hard because people always tell me not to trust anyone. However, I do have 2 friends. Ana and Fany.
The person immediately started telling me not to trust anyone. I said see? You are telling me that I am not open to friendships but when I tell you I have friends you are telling me I shouldn't trust them. All I can say is that for almost 3 years Fany has proven to be a trustworthy friend and in the one year I have been friends with Ana, I have found no reason not to trust her. So until one of them gives me a reason not to, I will continue to count them as my friends. I do have other people here whom I know I can turn to, like Karla and Jose, or Lucy. Or my former landlords. Or my current landlords. But Fany and Ana are my day to day friends whether others approve or not.
The swim coach has been calling. I am horrible about keeping my phone with me. At the church I never carry it with me because I will lose it, or it will be stolen. Half the time I accidentally leave my phone at home. So, needless to say, contacting me by phone is not easy. I am sure he needs help with his Saturday morning lessons. I need to talk to the church leadership and get permission if I want to do that again. But it would be a great opportunity I think.
I went to the gym after being quite gluttonous with food over the past 2 weeks. The man who used to be my trainer looked at me and said, "Your metabolism is changing." He handed me weights and told me to do five laps of lunges, then gave me a hard upper body workout. All for free! I guess it pays to walk into the gym with a fat belly.
The visit from the second team is going well. We are all together in one group every day. A lady who is a teacher prepared lessons about the life of Moses. It makes me proud when the kids are able to tell what comes next in the story before we even say it. The kids at Buen Provecho are well educated about the story of Moses. She is tying in themes every day like "You can always trust in God" and "He cares for you."
A cool thing happened today. The team had to leave after the first group of kids because they had to serve somewhere else. But all of the kids except six were released from school early. So the team got to teach and do the craft with almost every kid, which was nice and unexpected. The poor man who was washing dishes today said he thought he was doing something wrong because he couldn't keep up with all of the dishes. But that was because we had over 70 kids in the morning group alone.
One man on the team is a lawyer. I like him. He is a really nice guy. But you can tell that he is also a tough lawyer. Today he said that he was making a conscious effort to relax and let other people take the lead on this trip. I think he is enjoying himself even more since he is sitting back and able to be relaxed.
He also mentioned that when they announced the members of this team he said, "Wow. There are a lot of strong personalities on this team." It is interesting to hear other people think about how their team is going to work together. I spent so long praying from the team from my home church, K2, to be tightly united. He said things are going really smoothly on his team, even with all of the strong personalities.
He also said he was surprised when Kelin tried to take his Rolex off his wrist yesterday. I was not surprised, but was disappointed when he told me that. We talked to Kelin and her sister before the groups came about not asking for things.
With a previous group Kelin asked some special friends for a bike. In the end her special friends decided it was best not to buy the bike. But I was shocked Kelin asked for it. It put us all in a tough position. This time she didn't wait for a translator. She kept saying something he didn't understand. And finally she reached down and tried to unhook his watch from his wrist.
Kelin and her sister both have a sense of entitlement that we are trying to address. We talked to them each specifically because her sister wanted the first team to bring her a tablet. Apparently the talks haven't sunken in yet. Why Kelin would want a men's Rolex is confusing to me. But it does go along with the general attitude of 'take as much as you can get' that I see so often here.
Today I did see progress when one of the Moms helped the kids with crafts. Yesterday the same mother got mad at me because as I was handing out the crafts she asked for one for herself. Meanwhile she was holding her 2 or 3 year old niece on her lap. I told her that we need to help the kids do the crafts first. She was not happy with that answer. She did the craft for her niece, even though other kids the same age were able to do the craft themselves with a little help. Today, however, she did not even sit down. She walked around to each table and helped the kids. After we finished today's craft I hugged her and told her thank you. Progress!
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| This is Maryori (pronounced Margorie) She is one of the new girls in my class |
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| Another new girl |
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| Teacher Mary with Milagro |
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| Micah with Tania snuggled up |
.JPG) |
| The kids and the team |
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| The team with Belinda and me |
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
My New Favorite Team
I have a new favorite team. I don't know most of their names yet and I have no idea what church they are from, but they think that I am in my 20's. So they are my new favorite team.
At lunch they were asking me about where I came from in the US. I said I grew up and went to college in NY, then spent 15 years in Chicago. Before I could even tell them about the 2 years in CO and 6 years in SLC they said 15 years in Chicago! You can't be that old!
When I told them I will be 44 in a month they were shocked. They all said they thought I was fresh out of college. One lady thought I was about her kids' age - 27. So they are now my favorite team.
We are all back to uniting in one big group for class and I am doing all of the translating. It feels a lot different than last week. Not better, not worse, just different. There is no schedule divided into 15 minute increments. Just a note from the team about what time they will arrive and what time they will leave. We also get a PBJ option with our lunches, which have been pupusas and catrachas so far. Yum! I haven't had space for a PBJ, but I will make room by the end of the week. Although the menu all week seems pretty awesome. I think Baleadas are tomorrow!
At lunch they were asking me about where I came from in the US. I said I grew up and went to college in NY, then spent 15 years in Chicago. Before I could even tell them about the 2 years in CO and 6 years in SLC they said 15 years in Chicago! You can't be that old!
When I told them I will be 44 in a month they were shocked. They all said they thought I was fresh out of college. One lady thought I was about her kids' age - 27. So they are now my favorite team.
We are all back to uniting in one big group for class and I am doing all of the translating. It feels a lot different than last week. Not better, not worse, just different. There is no schedule divided into 15 minute increments. Just a note from the team about what time they will arrive and what time they will leave. We also get a PBJ option with our lunches, which have been pupusas and catrachas so far. Yum! I haven't had space for a PBJ, but I will make room by the end of the week. Although the menu all week seems pretty awesome. I think Baleadas are tomorrow!
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| Lupe, Milagro and Lourdes brought us flowers today |
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| Mrs. Osberg's sister, Becky, and Milagro |
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| Erika and baby Marjori |
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| A new boy |
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| Junior enjoying his new toy |
.JPG) |
| Me and Fabiola |
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| Vitamins |
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| Naun hard at work |
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| Mary is teaching the class every day |
Monday, October 20, 2014
Las Poderosas
What didn't hit me yesterday slammed me over the head today. I really thought the team had left and maybe I had expressed my sadness about their leaving to them, instead of feeling it after they left. But in reality it took an extra day to sink in.
This morning I was sad. I didn't want to get out of bed. I felt like by body was glued there. Finally when I did get up I didn't feel like showering, which was good because the power went out and I could have been left soapy with no warm water. My kitchen was flooded, which has never happened before. Yesterday afternoon was really hot. It hasn't been that hot in over a month. And then it rained and didn't let up until after dawn.
As I left for the church Fany said good bye. She said she was going out of town and my heart sunk more. If I had a bad day, and it felt like I was going to, I would have nobody here when I got home. I drove away feeling blue, you might say. Whatever that means.
As soon as I got out of my car Eunice started asking me. "Where is your smile? Where is the smile that you had last week?" I couldn't work one up for her. I'm sure she thinks I'm bi-polar.
The kids were full of hugs which made it better. I was happy that 2 new girls showed up and they say they are going to come every day. They were in my class and spoke out a lot as we talked about faithfulness and loyalty. They would be great additions to that morning class, which generally can be very shy.
Last week because the team was here, all of the mothers who occasionally help came out of the woodwork. Today there was Belinda, me, and one mother. (Ana was at home, still sick from a cold she got last Thursday.) I wonder how many mothers will show up tomorrow when the next team comes?
The good news is that I had some quality time with that one mother. She is Clara. She is the one who had Leukemia and was supposed to die but she stopped all treatment and God healed her completely. I was in the kitchen with Luis when I saw Clara sitting by herself eating lunch, so I went out to sit with her. Only Jired showed up for my afternoon class so I told him he was free to go and had a nice long talk with Clara.
I could feel God guiding the conversation. It was very pleasant and positive overall.
She told me that she is a much different person than she used to be. When faced with death, she said, you reflect on your life. As she was reflecting she believed that if she died her children would not have good memories of her as a mother. (I can't imagine that is really true, but that is how she felt.)
I knew her children missed her a lot when she was hospitalized. I spoke with one of her daughters, Karla, who was really struggling at that time. Some people thought Karla should be by her mother's side at the hospital. But Karla was in the middle of exams and trying to finish school. She felt confused because she was being told she was selfish for not being with her mother. I asked what her mother wanted.
Clara stopped me at that point and said, "I told her I wanted her to go to school. I didn't want her to lose a whole year of school because I was in the hospital. I would have felt really guilty and there was nothing she could do for me. I had food and a good bed to rest in. I told her to only come on Saturdays and Sundays."
That's exactly what Karla had told me at the time, so my advice to Karla was to do as her mother asked. If there was really nothing she could do at the hospital, she needed to focus on her studies as best as she could. But Karla got a lot of flack for that from other people.
This led Clara and me to talk about Honduran culture. I told her that in the US people respect the family structure and don't butt in to another family's business. If a parent makes a decision for their family, people outside the family don't normally try to undermine the parent. In Honduras I see the mothers criticizing the parenting of other mothers a lot. The child is not talking, or walking, or eating like others think it should be. Babies are carried too much, nursed too long, and spoiled. It is always the mother's fault.
In Honduras you don't know who is your friend and who is not. Clara said that last week someone asked her who is her best friend. Clara said she doesn't have one. She said she can't trust anyone. I said that I have spoken with ladies from all walks of life in Honduras who tell me the very same thing. They feel lonely and don't have anyone they can trust. I think this is very sad, but extremely common here. Almost every woman I know in Honduras has mentioned that they have nobody, or sometimes one person they really consider a true friend. Clara said that she has several people she spends time with but she knows they talk about her behind her back. I have certainly experienced that too.
People tend to be quick to criticize but not so quick with words of encouragement. I said we need to build each other up instead of tearing each other down.
I told Clara that even the team who visited for only 5 days from the US noticed the envy within the mothers at Buen Provecho. They didn't give names or even an example of what was being spoken of, but they could see that two mothers were talking negatively about another.
The saddest part is, we are within the church. We are adults who are supposed to be role models for the kids. We are not a team. We are not the best role models we can be. We are a bunch of broken individuals.
Clara said all of the ladies need to have a lesson about this. Then we both laughed. A lesson? We already know right from wrong. We don't need a psychologist to sit down with us and teach us that gossip and disrespect is wrong. We just need to choose to do what is right and not to do what is wrong.
I suggested to Clara that the two of us could be different. We could hold each other accountable. If we heard the other fall into gossip we could say to each other, "Hey. Stop that." So we made a deal. Clara and I decided that we will not gossip or say negative things about others. If one of us finds the other engaging in that behavior, we will hold each other accountable.
She said we will be the first two and hopefully the others will follow. I said I hope one day we can be the strong team God wants us to be. He wants us to be united and strong. To have each other's backs instead of talk behind each others backs. To be happy for each other when one person receives a blessing instead of envious.
Clara said our goal is to be "Las Poderosas". (The Powerful) I think that sounds great. I am happy I went to sit by Clara for lunch. Call me a hopeless dreamer, but I have a little more hope for the future after that talk. We'll see...
This morning I was sad. I didn't want to get out of bed. I felt like by body was glued there. Finally when I did get up I didn't feel like showering, which was good because the power went out and I could have been left soapy with no warm water. My kitchen was flooded, which has never happened before. Yesterday afternoon was really hot. It hasn't been that hot in over a month. And then it rained and didn't let up until after dawn.
As I left for the church Fany said good bye. She said she was going out of town and my heart sunk more. If I had a bad day, and it felt like I was going to, I would have nobody here when I got home. I drove away feeling blue, you might say. Whatever that means.
As soon as I got out of my car Eunice started asking me. "Where is your smile? Where is the smile that you had last week?" I couldn't work one up for her. I'm sure she thinks I'm bi-polar.
The kids were full of hugs which made it better. I was happy that 2 new girls showed up and they say they are going to come every day. They were in my class and spoke out a lot as we talked about faithfulness and loyalty. They would be great additions to that morning class, which generally can be very shy.
Last week because the team was here, all of the mothers who occasionally help came out of the woodwork. Today there was Belinda, me, and one mother. (Ana was at home, still sick from a cold she got last Thursday.) I wonder how many mothers will show up tomorrow when the next team comes?
The good news is that I had some quality time with that one mother. She is Clara. She is the one who had Leukemia and was supposed to die but she stopped all treatment and God healed her completely. I was in the kitchen with Luis when I saw Clara sitting by herself eating lunch, so I went out to sit with her. Only Jired showed up for my afternoon class so I told him he was free to go and had a nice long talk with Clara.
I could feel God guiding the conversation. It was very pleasant and positive overall.
She told me that she is a much different person than she used to be. When faced with death, she said, you reflect on your life. As she was reflecting she believed that if she died her children would not have good memories of her as a mother. (I can't imagine that is really true, but that is how she felt.)
I knew her children missed her a lot when she was hospitalized. I spoke with one of her daughters, Karla, who was really struggling at that time. Some people thought Karla should be by her mother's side at the hospital. But Karla was in the middle of exams and trying to finish school. She felt confused because she was being told she was selfish for not being with her mother. I asked what her mother wanted.
Clara stopped me at that point and said, "I told her I wanted her to go to school. I didn't want her to lose a whole year of school because I was in the hospital. I would have felt really guilty and there was nothing she could do for me. I had food and a good bed to rest in. I told her to only come on Saturdays and Sundays."
That's exactly what Karla had told me at the time, so my advice to Karla was to do as her mother asked. If there was really nothing she could do at the hospital, she needed to focus on her studies as best as she could. But Karla got a lot of flack for that from other people.
This led Clara and me to talk about Honduran culture. I told her that in the US people respect the family structure and don't butt in to another family's business. If a parent makes a decision for their family, people outside the family don't normally try to undermine the parent. In Honduras I see the mothers criticizing the parenting of other mothers a lot. The child is not talking, or walking, or eating like others think it should be. Babies are carried too much, nursed too long, and spoiled. It is always the mother's fault.
In Honduras you don't know who is your friend and who is not. Clara said that last week someone asked her who is her best friend. Clara said she doesn't have one. She said she can't trust anyone. I said that I have spoken with ladies from all walks of life in Honduras who tell me the very same thing. They feel lonely and don't have anyone they can trust. I think this is very sad, but extremely common here. Almost every woman I know in Honduras has mentioned that they have nobody, or sometimes one person they really consider a true friend. Clara said that she has several people she spends time with but she knows they talk about her behind her back. I have certainly experienced that too.
People tend to be quick to criticize but not so quick with words of encouragement. I said we need to build each other up instead of tearing each other down.
I told Clara that even the team who visited for only 5 days from the US noticed the envy within the mothers at Buen Provecho. They didn't give names or even an example of what was being spoken of, but they could see that two mothers were talking negatively about another.
The saddest part is, we are within the church. We are adults who are supposed to be role models for the kids. We are not a team. We are not the best role models we can be. We are a bunch of broken individuals.
Clara said all of the ladies need to have a lesson about this. Then we both laughed. A lesson? We already know right from wrong. We don't need a psychologist to sit down with us and teach us that gossip and disrespect is wrong. We just need to choose to do what is right and not to do what is wrong.
I suggested to Clara that the two of us could be different. We could hold each other accountable. If we heard the other fall into gossip we could say to each other, "Hey. Stop that." So we made a deal. Clara and I decided that we will not gossip or say negative things about others. If one of us finds the other engaging in that behavior, we will hold each other accountable.
She said we will be the first two and hopefully the others will follow. I said I hope one day we can be the strong team God wants us to be. He wants us to be united and strong. To have each other's backs instead of talk behind each others backs. To be happy for each other when one person receives a blessing instead of envious.
Clara said our goal is to be "Las Poderosas". (The Powerful) I think that sounds great. I am happy I went to sit by Clara for lunch. Call me a hopeless dreamer, but I have a little more hope for the future after that talk. We'll see...
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Nos Vemos K2
I have been dreading this day for the past week. Today the K2 team left. They were amazing. As many people here in Honduras pointed out - they are my "gente". My people. I only knew the two leaders and two kids a week ago. But over the past week I know I have made some lifelong friendships.
As I told the team, they were as much a blessing to me as they were to the children and families they served. God really brought some things to a head this week and I don't know how I would have made it through without the support of my "gente". Outside of my personal crap, everything went beautifully. The team was so open to new experiences. They adjusted quickly to a new culture and served with all of their hearts. God was present with them every day. It was everything I prayed for and much more.
Today we went to the first part of the Sunday service. Then we had to leave early to take them to the airport. My neighbors and I stayed to see them off. I was thankful to Fany and her husband for being willing to miss church and give a proper farewell to our guests. We waited until they passed by the big glass window and waved to them as they headed to the gates.
On the way home Laura, who is two, cried. She wanted to go on the airplane with my friends. Then we passed a bus and she asked if my friends were on the bus. I said yes, because I didn't dare remind her of the airplane for fear the tears would return.
You know how sometimes things happen that could only be the hand of God? That's how this entire week was. We saw the hand of God every single day in the most unexpected and beautiful ways. Sometimes it was in the connections the team made with the kids. One day it was a lady we met who has one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard. Sometimes it was the beauty of nature. Sometimes it was the timing of things.
I was hardly at home all week. I got to be with the team quite a bit, which was really fun. (Could someone please explain to me how your house gets so dirty when you are only home long enough to sleep?) I thought today was going to be difficult and very sad. But with the support of Fany and her family, as well as the love of my new and not new friends, it wasn't as hard as I expected. Or maybe I am numb.
I think there could be some big changes in my future. All of those days that I didn't post because I couldn't write anything positive, and the struggles that I have been alluding to are now on the table. God will move as He pleases and I will follow. Please keep me in your prayers. May God's will be done.
I thank God for the team from K2, or as we say in Honduras, "ka-dos". I pray they will have a safe journey home and keep the love we have for them in their hearts forever.
As I told the team, they were as much a blessing to me as they were to the children and families they served. God really brought some things to a head this week and I don't know how I would have made it through without the support of my "gente". Outside of my personal crap, everything went beautifully. The team was so open to new experiences. They adjusted quickly to a new culture and served with all of their hearts. God was present with them every day. It was everything I prayed for and much more.
Today we went to the first part of the Sunday service. Then we had to leave early to take them to the airport. My neighbors and I stayed to see them off. I was thankful to Fany and her husband for being willing to miss church and give a proper farewell to our guests. We waited until they passed by the big glass window and waved to them as they headed to the gates.
On the way home Laura, who is two, cried. She wanted to go on the airplane with my friends. Then we passed a bus and she asked if my friends were on the bus. I said yes, because I didn't dare remind her of the airplane for fear the tears would return.
You know how sometimes things happen that could only be the hand of God? That's how this entire week was. We saw the hand of God every single day in the most unexpected and beautiful ways. Sometimes it was in the connections the team made with the kids. One day it was a lady we met who has one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard. Sometimes it was the beauty of nature. Sometimes it was the timing of things.
I was hardly at home all week. I got to be with the team quite a bit, which was really fun. (Could someone please explain to me how your house gets so dirty when you are only home long enough to sleep?) I thought today was going to be difficult and very sad. But with the support of Fany and her family, as well as the love of my new and not new friends, it wasn't as hard as I expected. Or maybe I am numb.
I think there could be some big changes in my future. All of those days that I didn't post because I couldn't write anything positive, and the struggles that I have been alluding to are now on the table. God will move as He pleases and I will follow. Please keep me in your prayers. May God's will be done.
I thank God for the team from K2, or as we say in Honduras, "ka-dos". I pray they will have a safe journey home and keep the love we have for them in their hearts forever.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
K2 at Buen Provecho - Day 2
Today was really special. God was very present in both the morning and afternoon class with the teens today. I really like working with the K2 team in the classroom. Last night after dinner we came up with a plan for today and had a full class scheduled out. But in reality, we let God step in and take over, which made the classes a lot more fun and more beneficial for the kids.
The morning group did more playing. They are shy and don't like to talk a lot. The afternoon group did a lot of sharing. They really opened up their hearts and dug deep. It was exactly what each group needed.
Between the classes one of the girls pulled me aside and asked why one of the team members trembles. I said I am not sure, but I heard her say last night that she was diagnosed a year ago with something and today she said she has to take a lot of medications. The girls (Dilma) said the lady is funny. Dilma said the things she says are really funny. I said, "Oh, I thought you meant that the trembling was funny." Dilma became very serious and said no, the trembling is not funny. That would be cruel. We need to pray for her.
So we went directly to the team member and I explained that Dilma would like to pray for her. The strangest part is that Dilma is very shy. She is not usually outgoing. Even in the classroom sometimes she covers her face when she talks.
But today God took away her timidness and she listed to Him when He asked her to pray for Andrea, the team member. She said a beautiful prayer, which I translated for Andrea. Then the two hugged and held each other for a while. Andrea was very, very moved. She told me she has Parkinson's Disease. She said that her disease is nothing compared to what these kids face on a daily basis.
After lunch we went to visit a lady named Maria at her house. She is one of two who were chosen by the church to go to beauty school. She lives in what a North American would call a shack. It was three full walls of wooden planks with holes between the wood. The fourth wall had a door and a window with nothing to cover it. I imagine when it rains hard the whole house has to be wet since the boards didn't touch and there was nothing over the window. I also worry about safety. Maria lives there with her 2 sons. Anyone could crawl in that window. Now I understand why some days the kids tell me they could not come to Buen Provecho because someone had to stay at home in the house. Maria is blessed that her sister-in-law lives above her and her mother lives below her, so that provides some safety.
The home was one room. It did have a cement floor. And one bed and the cushion of a chair on the floor. The walls were covered with what looked like paper bag or something similar. But the whole place felt so cozy because her son's art work was carefully hung across every wall. Maria definitely puts a lot of love and care into her home. I didn't see a place to cook or any evidence of food. I am hoping maybe they prepare food at her mother's home.
It was so interesting because Maria said that she was very grateful for the basket of food we brought but kept emphasizing that what she was even more appreciative of was the love she felt through the church and through the people visiting her home. She explained she has felt very alone, even to the point of taking her own life. She has no way to provide for her two sons and cannot find work.
We prayed that her circumstances will change. I feel very hopeful since she will be able to cut hair and paint nails after she finishes beauty school. Without knowing any of this, I gave her a towel today. She needed it for her class because they are washing and blow drying hair. She does not own a towel.
Her oldest son is in my class. He is very quiet and to be honest he often does not pay attention. He is one of the students who is progressing least. I am hoping that by visiting his home and getting to know him and his family on a different level, that might change.
I received one of the highest compliments I can imagine receiving today. I asked the youth pastor from K2 for feedback after two days in the classroom with me and the teens. He said that he believes we are doing exactly what we should be. He said by investing in relationships with these kids I am giving them all they need to learn how to grow and how to be successful. He said he can see that the kids and I have a good relationship and they are listening and learning. To hear that felt amazing.
Eunice keeps saying every day that it is nice to see me so happy "with my people". I know she realizes I have been down lately. I think she wants to support me on my good days by saying positive things like that..
Well, as usual it is pouring rain.. The team was more tired today, I noticed. One girl has had a headache for over 24 hours and today it was really hurting her to the point where she couldn't eat and was just lying on the cement floor of the church. I told Robin I think that happens at least once every time a team comes to visit. Poor Kacy is usually full of energy, but today she was definitely suffering. Also one of the kids drank the tap water at the retreat where they are staying. Better than drinking the tap water in the city, but still not the best idea. His stomach was a little off today, but he seemed okay. They have antibiotics and stomach pain medicine if he starts getting diarrhea. And of course there is always Dr. Gustavo. Thank God for Dr. Gustavo.
It was pretty awesome to see God's hand touching so many people today, including me. Nothing has changed as far as the things I am struggling with, but it sure is nice to have some positive people around, being cheerful and doing happy things. I am enjoying every minute with the K2 team, even more than I hoped I would.
The morning group did more playing. They are shy and don't like to talk a lot. The afternoon group did a lot of sharing. They really opened up their hearts and dug deep. It was exactly what each group needed.
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| Naun and Oscar |
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| Circle of trust |
.JPG) |
| Trust fall |
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| Fabiola and Eli |
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| Playing tanks |
So we went directly to the team member and I explained that Dilma would like to pray for her. The strangest part is that Dilma is very shy. She is not usually outgoing. Even in the classroom sometimes she covers her face when she talks.
But today God took away her timidness and she listed to Him when He asked her to pray for Andrea, the team member. She said a beautiful prayer, which I translated for Andrea. Then the two hugged and held each other for a while. Andrea was very, very moved. She told me she has Parkinson's Disease. She said that her disease is nothing compared to what these kids face on a daily basis.
After lunch we went to visit a lady named Maria at her house. She is one of two who were chosen by the church to go to beauty school. She lives in what a North American would call a shack. It was three full walls of wooden planks with holes between the wood. The fourth wall had a door and a window with nothing to cover it. I imagine when it rains hard the whole house has to be wet since the boards didn't touch and there was nothing over the window. I also worry about safety. Maria lives there with her 2 sons. Anyone could crawl in that window. Now I understand why some days the kids tell me they could not come to Buen Provecho because someone had to stay at home in the house. Maria is blessed that her sister-in-law lives above her and her mother lives below her, so that provides some safety.
The home was one room. It did have a cement floor. And one bed and the cushion of a chair on the floor. The walls were covered with what looked like paper bag or something similar. But the whole place felt so cozy because her son's art work was carefully hung across every wall. Maria definitely puts a lot of love and care into her home. I didn't see a place to cook or any evidence of food. I am hoping maybe they prepare food at her mother's home.
It was so interesting because Maria said that she was very grateful for the basket of food we brought but kept emphasizing that what she was even more appreciative of was the love she felt through the church and through the people visiting her home. She explained she has felt very alone, even to the point of taking her own life. She has no way to provide for her two sons and cannot find work.
We prayed that her circumstances will change. I feel very hopeful since she will be able to cut hair and paint nails after she finishes beauty school. Without knowing any of this, I gave her a towel today. She needed it for her class because they are washing and blow drying hair. She does not own a towel.
Her oldest son is in my class. He is very quiet and to be honest he often does not pay attention. He is one of the students who is progressing least. I am hoping that by visiting his home and getting to know him and his family on a different level, that might change.
I received one of the highest compliments I can imagine receiving today. I asked the youth pastor from K2 for feedback after two days in the classroom with me and the teens. He said that he believes we are doing exactly what we should be. He said by investing in relationships with these kids I am giving them all they need to learn how to grow and how to be successful. He said he can see that the kids and I have a good relationship and they are listening and learning. To hear that felt amazing.
Eunice keeps saying every day that it is nice to see me so happy "with my people". I know she realizes I have been down lately. I think she wants to support me on my good days by saying positive things like that..
Well, as usual it is pouring rain.. The team was more tired today, I noticed. One girl has had a headache for over 24 hours and today it was really hurting her to the point where she couldn't eat and was just lying on the cement floor of the church. I told Robin I think that happens at least once every time a team comes to visit. Poor Kacy is usually full of energy, but today she was definitely suffering. Also one of the kids drank the tap water at the retreat where they are staying. Better than drinking the tap water in the city, but still not the best idea. His stomach was a little off today, but he seemed okay. They have antibiotics and stomach pain medicine if he starts getting diarrhea. And of course there is always Dr. Gustavo. Thank God for Dr. Gustavo.
It was pretty awesome to see God's hand touching so many people today, including me. Nothing has changed as far as the things I am struggling with, but it sure is nice to have some positive people around, being cheerful and doing happy things. I am enjoying every minute with the K2 team, even more than I hoped I would.
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| Kim and Junior |
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| Some climb mountains, Carlos climbs people |
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| Hugs |
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| Jovi with Tania |
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| Eli taking a sselfie with Kebelin |
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