Saturday, January 30, 2010

Settling In







January 30, 2010

The past two days I have been trying to settle in here in San Salvador. That meant finding a grocery store which carried baking soda and not just baking powder. It meant finding an ATM to use. Figuring my way around at least my side of the city was another part of my task. I discovered this evening that I also need to figure out when rush hour is. I thought that 6:30PM on a Saturday would not be a bad time to run out, but traffic was worse than I had seen it yet. I had to love the honking of the cars around me when there was absolutely nothing that anyone could do to move forward.

I also settled into the Mission House where I am staying (see the photos above). For the most part I will have the entire house to myself but about once a month there will be a mission team staying here. Some work with La Casa de Mi Padre and others work with various ministries around the city. For me I think it will be a good balance of having alone time versus opportunity to visit with others.

Having unpacked all of my clothes, I then set out to iron them and hence get a headstart on the weekend. I am pretty sure I will be working long hours so I wanted to get out of the way whatever work I could during the weekend. I also have beans cooking in preparation for the week.

This morning I went over to the park (also in the photos) to run again and had the opportunity to meet a couple of the neighbors. The community takes care of the park and this man and his wife were out watering the grass. I discovered that there are mango trees, avocado trees, and another type of fruit -- all of which are for the community to enjoy. I am hoping that I can get to know a few of the neighbors over the next couple of weeks. Every time I make a lap around the park, I look with longing towards the road on the other side of the fence because I know that running on a few of the roads in the neighborhood would give me some variety to my run. But as I talked with my neighbor his recommendation was to stick with the park. And so I guess I will follow the recommendations of two people now and continue to run in circles.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Arrived



January 29, 2010

As you can tell I am very behind in my posts so this will be a long one. Last week I spent the week in Honduras wrapping up some details at the camp there and reconnecting with the staff, attempting to see people in the city as well. This past Sunday and Monday I had plans to visit with several Honduran friends in San Pedro Sula but in the end all of the plans fell through and I did none of what I had hoped and planned. I was able to see quite a few people at church though so that was good. My friend Emily was in the city already so were able to run errands and to hang out some that Monday before heading to the airport to pick up another friend, Justin.

From the airport we headed to camp which is actually on the way to El Salvador and stayed the night there. I was able to play one last soccer game with the staff and camp kids and also get in my goodbyes to the people there. My heart hurts for little Lisbeth because at her age it has to be so difficult to understand and say goodbye to people time and again. I was a part of her life nearly daily for 7 months and then I left for several months, only to return for a week, leave again, be back for a week and now leave yet again. She definitely seemed to understand that I was leaving again and did not want to have much to do with me as I tried to say goodbye. I am thankful that she and Evelyn have the consistency of staying on camp and having some family around. Hopefully it will help to make up for the losses of other people who have been in and out of her life.

Tuesday morning, Emily, Justin, and I began the journey to El Salvador. I had heard mixed reports on how the drive could be and the border crossing. We were surprised when all the border patrol did was look at our passports and then wave us on. There was no checking of the documents of my vehicle or anything. We stopped and went in just to make sure that we were not missing anything. I still need to figure out what this means for me keeping my car in El Salvador and if I need to register it here or drive it out of the country every 90 days or what. Hopefully that is something I can work on this weekend.

The drive took about 6 hours which was what we had expected. We had no map though so as we neared the city I called one of the staff members at La Casa de Mi Padre to find out how to get to the Multiplaza Mall where we were to meet up. I have since discovered that I am not very good with taking directions from people via the phone. We ended up driving through downtown San Salvador and after passing a different mall several times, decided to stop and wait there.

We went in and I bought a new chip for my cell phone so that I could make calls in El Salvador, and then we waited for the guy to come and find us. I since learned that the mall we stopped at is not a recommended mall to visit. It is suggested that you do not carry a purse and that you have a pocket ready with money to hand over should you get held up. Perhaps the ignorance was bliss because I was not too worried as we walked around. I did realize God's faithfulness though because on Wednesday evening we discovered that the back door to my Rodeo was not locking(the control box for the windows and door locks was changed last week and now everything is in reverse). So the car was sitting loaded down with stuff, computers, etc... in an unsafe parking lot and yet no one tried to break in.

We finally reached the Mission house where we were staying and where I plan to live for the year. There is a little park next door where I can sort of run or if nothing else get exercise. It only takes a little over a minute to lap around the whole park and half of it is stairs. Basically it will take a lot of laps for a 30 minute workout. This morning I ran there for the first time but combined it with a little shooting of hoops. I am thankful to have a green area next door and to not have to try and find a gym to go to for exercise.

Later Tuesday evening we went out to get something to eat and ended up circling the entire city just to get to a mall that was actually rather close. (And this time I had gotten the directions in person so maybe my problem is with directions however they come -- whether in person or on the phone). Getting home was slightly quicker but still not direct.

Wednesday we stopped in at La Casa de Mi Padre in the morning and then drove to the beach which is only about 45 minutes away. Well, it is supposed to be but I could not remember exactly where I had been before so we took the scenic route and had to backtrack. Just as I remembered from my trip there in October, the waves were big. I later found out that San Blas, where we were, is a surfer's beach. I did venture out farther than I normally do with hopes of riding a wave in. Instead I got so battered by the waves that I decided to just head back in. I have not gotten the technique down of diving into the waves instead of being crushed by them. As I was under the one wave I realized that I was not coming up very quickly, and I suddenly understood how easy it could be to panic and get worn out by the waves. I was very tired by the time I got to shore. The experience gave me a whole new perspective of Ps. 42:7, "Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfall; all your waves and breakers have swept over me." I remember reading those verses in Costa Rica at a beach and thinking more of diving into the depths of God's love, no matter what risks that seemed to involve. But this time I saw the waves as the psalmist seems to, the trials and challenges of life that can come upon us successively and wear us down. The psalmist goes on to speak of how God is with him. In the day God's love directs him and at night His song is with him. He says of God "my Rock." And how true it is. God is the Rock, the firm foundation that we can stand on even as the waves roll in and pound.

Yesterday I took Emily and Justin to the airport and somehow managed to get home and to several other places without getting lost. I know that I will get lost many more times in the coming days because San Salvador is a big city and I am not familiar with it. Today I hope to get some more info on whether I can fix my locks so that the whole car locks when I hit the control button. If nothing else though, someone did figure out yesterday that if I lock the back door with the key it stays locked no matter what I do with the control buttons. So I feel much safer.

Monday I will begin at La Casa de Mi Padre and I am looking forward to it. I was there for a little while yesterday and had lunch with several of the staff and today visited with a few of the chidren there. It seems like it will be a good group of people to work with. I know that I will learn a lot and I hope to be able to lighten the load of some of them because I know that they put in long hours. I am excited for what God will do in and through me in the coming months and for whatever adventures lie ahead with that.

Monday, January 18, 2010

January 18, 2010

Little did I know that a simple soccer game played in a small town in Honduras could be such a cross cultural experience. Apparently nearly five months (though not without a return trip) outside of Honduras was enough to allow me to experience some culture shock in my return her. Let me try to paint a picture of yesterday's soccer game.

Picture a small town, set in the countryside, just below the mountains. There is one paved street that runs through the center of town. This is Pinalejo. Like every small town in Honduras, Pinalejo has its soccer fields. The soccer fields are used almost exclusively for "futbol" (soccer) unlike the basketball court which becomes both a place to play soccer and a place to dry coffee beans. These fields are littered with trash and cow patties, the latter of which you try to avoid when running around.

Yesterday I joined my friend Evelin and her team in a game against another local team, the latter of which was composed of primarily high school age girls. I was given a uniform and the opportunity to jump in the game, no questions asked. The first real culture shock came when I approached the goal my team was trying to score in. There was no net to stop the ball which is a non-essential anyway. The distracting part was that no less than a dozen persons stood within the goal posts (some even leaning on the front posts)watching the game. There was no concern that an attempted goal might hit one of them in the face. I suppose that they were all prepared and alert. (At least I would hope so). Nonetheless there is something a bit awkward with shooting at a dozen people, among whom the goalie blends in. Boundary lines were non-existent but somehow the referee knew when to blow the whistle. I certainly did not know when to stop running.

I really am not that great a soccer player but I know how to run and so I ran and had wonderfull missed shots on goal. I prefer to pass rather than shoot which probably frustrated the majority of players who are more accustomed to the latter. Supposedly the two halves of the game were 45 minutes but the coach seemed think that the ref was not actually keeping time. It seemed that way to me, both as I played and then stood on the sideline. The team I played with won 8-0. We definitely had more passion for the game and quite a few of the girls had some good skills. At one point I saw one of the other team's players looking at her cell phone, hopefully only reading a text message and not sending one, during the middle of the game.

I enjoyed the game and the opportunity to see a bit of the life in Pinalejo that I had not glimpsed before when I was in Honduras. Though there were differences in the structure of the game and the rules, the heart of the game of soccer in Honduras is the same. I was honored to be able to step into their world for a few moments and participate with them.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Adjusting

January 16, 2010

Here I am in Honduras getting reacquainted with some of the joys and challenges. I awoke this morning at 6:00AM to the sound of Spanish over a loud system and I could not remember where I was – as in which country. Then I remembered it was the weekend and there is a group on camp. I have been excited that the temperatures are not as hot as some times and so going from a PA winter to the tropics is not so bad. It is still hard to remember that last week I was playing ice hockey on a frozen pond. This week the only thing I have been hitting at (with a mop, not a hockey stick) are giant ants which swarmed the kitchen.

Yesterday morning I headed to my mechanic to pick up my car. For the most part everything was working except that I now cannot put down my driver’s side window – before it was just all of the others that I was not able to control from my seat. I hope to get the window fixed before heading to El Salvador because anytime I pass through either a toll or police checkpoint, I will have to open my door instead of the window. It could be quite inconvenient at times. If an electrical shop cannot fix the problem, I will have to try and quickly order the part so that it can come down with one of my friends.

When I arrived at camp yesterday afternoon, there was no electric but thankfully it did come on in time for me to put my groceries in the fridge. I then headed down to Pinalejo with Evelin and several of the younger children on camp so that I could join Evelin’s soccer team in their practice. It looks as if I will be playing on their team tomorrow afternoon. Soon volleyball will be the only sport left in which I have not played on a team in Honduras (of the most common sports that is).

My other main challenge of the day was cooking. I went to town in the morning to buy a new chimbo (tank) of gas for the stove and planned to put a chicken in the oven to bake. That way I would not have to touch it much until after it was cooked. I hate the slime of chicken skin and parts so as little contact as I have with it, the better. Well, I turned the oven on to preheat and soon the smell of gas was overwhelming. Several people tried to help me fix the connection so that it would not leak and it was better but I could still hear gas escaping. I cooked the chicken for a while and then decided the gas would have to be turned on too long to bake it and so I pulled it out, cut it up and cooked it on the stovetop. What a mess! I suppose that the oven not working so well might help me to not do so much baking and thereby focus on more important things, such as people. In reality sharing baked goods with people is no substitute for sitting down and talking with people.

And that sums up the events, more or less, of two days back in Honduras. Oops, not quite. I was in bed ready to turn off the light when I noticed a block spot up on the wall -- a scorpion. And so I went downstairs in search of something to knock it down with and then set out to kill it, which I hate to do, though mostly because of the gore. And then I slept, without nightmares of scorpions.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

A Day of Snowflakes Vs. Snow Flurries

January 14, 2010

I know that I should not be starting an entry on snow from the Miami airport, but though the topic has been brewing in my head for weeks, I have not made the time to record it. Airports are good for that sort of thing.

About two weeks ago now, I looked outside the window one afternoon and saw lots of flurries blowing around. A few days later I drove through a light snow early one morning where the snow came down steadily enough that they settled down. When I watched the flurries blowing aimlessly around, never really finding a place to land or rest, I realized that I did not want to be like a snow flurry. They seem to lack purpose and just drift. There are never enough to accumulate and transform their environment. That is where the snowflakes (or really a day with snow shower) are different.

The snowflakes do blow around and as you are driving into the oncoming snow, you see just how much the wind directs them. And yet they land. They stick together. They turn a dirty, cold world into a beautiful place. They reflect the sunlight and at times even seem to sparkle. They bring transformation. I want to be snowflake. I want to be a vessel through which God transforms those around me because He is in me and is continuing to transform me.


Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Fare Thee Well

January 13, 2010

Today is departure day. Departure from family, the winter, friends, sports, and in many ways comfort. But today is also a new day and a day of beginnings. Beginning on a journey that I cannot see the ending to. The beginning of heading to a new country and settling down there for a year. The beginning of a new area of ministry -- exploring the field of counseling and intentional work with children and their families. And so the day carries mixed emotions.

Up until last night excitement was the emotion that most coursed through my body. I was ready to move forward and past the season of waiting. I was ready begin the new journey. Then last evening I held my little nephew and realized just how much he will change in the next 3 months to a year (depending on how much time elapses before I pass through PA again). Reality hit home as to all that I am leaving behind in Lancaster and with that the sadness came.

And yet today as I left, the excitement was there again -- just more tempered than before. I know that God has plans for me that require this new step forward even though there is pain in the letting go. He has been faithful in the past and will be faithful again to sustain me.

Tonight I arrive in Miami and will visit with the LAM headquarters tomorrow before flying out in the evening for Honduras. Then I will have almost twelve days in Honduras before driving to El Salvador. Thankfully many of the details for El Salvador are coming together and I should have a place to live. I have friends to do the drive with me and I am working on getting all of the papers I need for residency since the leaving the country every 90 days might not work if the government starts issuing only a 30 day tourist visa.

The journey has begun and I bid a fare thee well to all those I had the pleasure of connecting with during my time in the United States and to those who I was not able to see though I had hoped our paths would cross.

A Bit Disconcerting

January 13, 2010

Catch up time on blogs so here come a bunch of entries that I have wanted to write for some time. Last Friday afternoon I parked in downtown Lancaster and walked over to market to try and connect with someone about selling jewelry from Honduras. As I turned onto Orange St. and headed north towards Prince St., I noticed several cops on foot walking towards me. On the other side of the street there more more policemen and policewomen looking around as they walked along the sidewalk. Farther up the street more policemen scanned the roads and avenues, and I began to wonder who they were looking for and just what the person had down. I walked past the officers and rounded Prince, only to see a police car go by and then more police ahead. I was glad to get inside at the Prince Street Cafe and leave behind whatever was brewing on the streets of Lancaster. My conversation only lasted a few minutes though and I was back on the streets. As I walked quickly back to my car, well aware of my surroundings (and the fact that the police were still on the streets), my imagination ran away with the possibilities of what could happen if someone suddenly ran out with a gun right by where I was standing.

Thankfully nothing happened and hopefully the police found whoever they were looking for, but I did find the situation a bit disconcerting -- having never needed to be so aware of my surroundings in Lancaster. I expect it in Honduras or El Salvador but not so much in my hometown.

Monday, January 04, 2010

The Countdown

January 4, 2010

The countdown for 2010 is seemingly long past (4 days ago seems like ages ago), but the countdown for my departure for Honduras and then El Salvador is still running. Today I was able to confirm my meetings in Miami with Latin America Mission and so I bought my ticket for leaving PA next Wednesday. I am excited to be going and to see what all God has planne for me in the coming year. I sense that it will be a year of growing and refining as I am stretched by taking on new responsibilities and stepping out into new areas.

I will have a little over a week in Honduras before leaving for El Salvador on the 26th of January. As of now I have no idea where I will actually be living in San Salvador and am waiting to hear about apartment options. I think the first few weeks could be interesting and certainly not boring. I am looking forward to having some time to reconnect with friends in Honduras, use my Spanish again, and organize a few things at camp yet.

I cannot help but hope for one last snowstorm before I leave or if not that, then ice on the ponds for skating. Winter sports are still rare enough in my life that I love them. If I live to be 90 or 100, I hope to still be throwing snowballs at the least but preferably sledding, cross country skiing, and ice skating. One can dream...