I spent the whole day in training today. It was fun. My co-workers are the best. Hanging around with them all day is always a good time. Today we brought together all of the people who are, or who may, run the clubs in the communities we serve.
The super, super good news is that today we brought in new volunteers and one is my friend Luis!!!!!
I met Luis while I was serving at Iglesia en Transformación. He's a hard worker, punctual, and goes the extra mile. He is all of the things that my current co-workers are, so he will fit right in.
My hope and dream is that one day Luis will be a paid employee. But that is out of my hands.
Luis seemed to enjoy the day just as much as I did. He wasn't shy, as he can sometimes be. He spoke up and participated more than I expected. He laughed and joked with the rest of us. He seemed right at home! He told me everything was even better than he imagined when I first called and asked if he were interested in serving with me.
We are starting three groups in Los Pinos. That means we'll serve 75 kids there, plus 75 families! That is really going to make an impact. A part of me wishes I were serving in Los Pinos too. But I think it's best for me to be in Villa Nueva.
Another man, Erika's neighbor and a super sweet man, is also considering serving with us. He seems to know a lot about the history of the neighborhood and also the channels to get things done, so it seems like he will be a good fit too. He has always been really nice to me. I am hoping he chooses to join us.
Laura finished her first week of school today. All of her homework came home with "Sophia" written on it today. I pointed that out to Fany and she said she will talk to the teacher tomorrow. They did a Valentines Day project and everything said "Valentine Day". But so far Laura comes home speaking more English every day, so if I am here to correct the mistakes, she should end up on track. She really likes going to school and is excited every morning.
Fany is still really stressed. So far she has chopped down two trees with a machete while Laura was at school. Fany likes to chop things when she is stressed. The grass and the palms in the front yard are trimmed almost bare. The palm in the back yard is just a trunk and the lime tree is gone. She even dug out the roots! I am hoping Fany gets used to Laura being gone for the morning. Our trees are suffering.
