August 30, 2010
Jumping back to Friday, I returned to my apartment in the morning and decided to try and get a little more sleep. As I was moving the bedspread, I discovered that it was all wet where it touched the floor and that there was water all along the bed. There was a watermark on the ceiling that I did not recognize from before but I could not remember for sure. It has rained all night and though my window had been closed, I wondered if the rain had been the culprit. I quickly cleaned it up and settled in for a morning nap. Perhaps twenty minutes later I heard the sound of dripping water. I looked up to find water pouring out from around a light set in the ceiling. It was clearly not rain because the skies had cleared up and the smell of the water told me it was not the cleanest water. I called the people I rent from and they placed a call to the owner. Meanwhile I decided to go upstairs and find out what kind of water was seeping into my bedroom. A maid answered my knock and when I told her how water was coming into my apartment, she said that she would talk to her employer but they had been running water in the kitchen. Many kitchens or laundry rooms have what is called a "pila" and is where water can be stored and then taken out to use for scrubbing laundry etc.... They are more common to have on a patio than in an enclosed apartment.
In talking with those in charge of my apartment, I discovered that the owner would be coming by in the afternoon so I changed my plans around to make sure I was present. And in the meantime I had more cleaning and laundry to do than I had planned.
The issue was not resolved when the owner came since the cause seems to be the apartment upstairs. To fix the problem (and now the ceiling) will take some time as said the ownner today and so she will probably wait until I am out of town for a while. I spent the weekend in one of the other bedrooms since I was not sure the upstairs neighbors would refrain from using their pila or get the issue fixed. I think I will stay put for a few more days since I do not fancy waking up to dirty dripping water.
Thankfully the rest of my Friday went well even though I was in the kitchen. The bread and other food turned out well and I enjoyed visiting with a friend that evening over her birthday dinner. The best part of the day though was getting news from another missionary friend that a situation I had been praying about worked out well and a friend had taken the confrontation calling her into accountability well.
Looking back on Friday with a Monday perspective, I see that my "disasters" are still so minor compared to many others. Today one of my co-workers had important documents stolen out of car while it was parked in front of La Casa. The other week someone stole the registration card out of our micro-bus. Those are situations with even more headaches than my leak which I am ultimately not responsible for. As things continue to happen that slow down ministry and program or discourage the staff, it does seem that there is spiritual warfare going on. Actually spiritual warfare is always going on, sometimes it is just more intense than other times. These past seven months I feel like I have seen a lot more of the warfare than at other times in my life. And so I realize even more the importance of wearing the armor of God and being equipped, praying in all occasions. Of course that is all much easier said than lived out, but I pray that the Lord will give me the strength that I need to stand firm in trials and to be a support to those around me.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Who Knew Sisters Could Carry On a Conversation in Their Sleep
August 29, 2010,
This past week I spent two nights at La Casa de Mi Padre while one of the tias was on vacation. I ended up with the four girls, ages 7-10, who also happen to be four of the most rambunctios girls. On Tuesday Claudia turned 8 and so she was flying high all day. Unfortunately it did not cut down on her tattling and fighting with the other girls and so lots of bickering happened between the girls. That night after a crying spell by one of the girls, they all slept pretty well, as did I. Thursday night for me was another story.
Thursday afternoon we had a group session with the girls to talk about how they were feeling with regards to the upcoming changes with one tia leaving and their tia moving to work with an older group. Every group session with them is one of a kind because most of them are in another world and ask questions that make you wonder if they have any idea what is going on. That afternoon was no different but we finally wrapped up the group with them excited to do one last excursion with their tia in the next weekend or so. Their desire is a sleepover at the house parents home. I thought of inviting them to my apartment but their is so much glass and their energy level so high, it might be dangerous.
Anyway that evening I had offered to wake up the medium girls at 4:00AM to start their showers even though my did not have to get up until 5:00AM. I had the whole day off on Friday so I figured I could afford an hour less of sleep more easily than the other tia on duty. Well, I discovered that I was awake at nearly every hour that night for some reason or another. One of the thing I noticed was lots of noises coming from the girls. The sisters, Abby and Erika, were frequently talking in their sleep and at least once I am pretty sure that they talked to each other. At 3:00AM I was so hungry from having been awake too much that I went downstairs to eat some oatmeal I had there. 4:00AM finally came and then 5:00AM. By 6:30AM the children were off to school and I was on my way home to rest at the apartment -- or so I thought. I will explain the new disaster in the next blog entry.
A Birthday Dinner
August 29, 2010
Since I could not be a part of my nephew's one year birthday party that took place today in Millersville, I will take the moment to catch up on a birthday that I did participate in last week. Last Sunday I invited the six Hernandez children to my apartment for the afternoon and dinner. They are still suffering from the loss of their little sister just over a week before and so I wanted to give them the opportunity to get away from La Casa and experience something different. The children range in age from turning 8 to 21 years old. As soon as they arrived at my place, they wanted to watch TV. But for me, to let guests watch TV for their entire stay (really any of it to be exact) makes me feel like a horrible hostess. Instead I got them all involved in the game of "Imagine If" in which I tried to translate the cards to Spanish -- on the spot. It went pretty well considering the constant translation.
Afterwards I let them watch a little TV while I finished in the kitchen with dinner preparations. Two of the girls decorated the birthday cake that I had made for Claudia who was turning 8 on Tuesday. We enjoyed a Mexican lasagna and then the cake and ice cream. Claudia was all smiles as she got to blow out the candles and enjoy her very own cake. Right after dinner we had to head back to La Casa, but it was a fun afternoon. One of the older girls told me that she wants to play the game with the older girls someday so I will try to work on translating the cards for real or better yet see if I can find the game in Spanish and then somehow get it down to El Salvador.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Minor Disasters
August 21, 2010,
I find it interesting that after seeing victory on Thursday evening in that we at La Casa de Mi Padre saw that God is going to bring good out of the terrible death of the young sister of children here at the home, my last day and a half have been filled with one problem after another. What is up?
Thursday evening and Friday we, as a staff, discussed the hope and faith that we have -- that which was intended for evil, God will use for good and for His glory in the lives. I am excited to see what God does in the lives of the children in the months to come. Tomorrow they come to my apartment for some food and fun. Considering there are 6 of them from age 7 to 21, it should be fun.
But beginning last night,I have encountered one disaster after another.(I recognize that the word "disaster" is a bit strong, but oh well.) After work on Friday I stopped by the grocery store and had checked out all of my groceries and pulled out my credit card but suddenly realized that my ID was not where it usually is. And there is no use of a credit card without ID. I went out to my car to look for it but in vain. I scrounged up what little money I had on hand and paid for 3 of my 20 some groceries. I then rushed home (as well you can in Friday evening San Salvador traffic) because I was sure that I had a Skype call for my class at 6:30. when I finally arrived home, I pulled out the chicken I had bought to prepare it for throwing in the soup I was going to make. I noticed a foul smell in the one piece but thought that maybe it was okay. Once I started boiling the chicken, I realized that it must be bad and so I had to throw it all out.
It turned out that I was wrong about the date for the phone call so I waited around the apartment for nothing before heading out to the store to go pick out my groceries once again. I then prepared a few things for the cooking I was to do today, but really I just wanted to sleep.
Saturday morning dawned rainy, but that was okay with me since I was planning to stay inside most of the day I walked out to the kitchen and discovered glass all over the floor. One of the glasses had fallen from the dish drain and shattered everywhere. As I was cleaning that up, I neared the freezer and discovered that the freezer door was cracked open and realized with horror that it was like that all night. Only the fruit in the door had begun to thaw out, but I was apalled at having wasted so much energy.
I proceeded to make my yogurt, which mostly went well. Mid-morning I headed out to go to the market for some fruits and veggies. I grabbed my keys and walked down the 4 flights of stairs to the parking lot. As I neared my car I looked down at my keys and realized that I did not have my car key. And yet it had been with the others when I picked them up at the door. I climbed back up the stairs and began to look around the apartment and in all of the bags that I was carrying. Nothing. Thankfully I found one of my spare keys, but I realized that I was not too happy to not know if I had dropped the key where someone else could have picked it up (even though only about 3 minutes transpired between my descent and ascent on the stairs). As of now I still do not know where the key and the remote to the car are.
Shopping was uneventful (thankfully)except that I do have to return a pan at some point because I discovered that it is already rusting and it was never used. Here in El Salvador returns are not so easy nor guaranteed like in the USA. I then spent much of the day baking and preparing some food for tomorrow with the children. I discovered the the muffins pretty much flopped but at least the birthday cake for one of the girls seems to have turned out okay.
The day is almost at a close and I pray that nothing more happens. I did not think I was stressed or over tired even though it has been a rather intense week. Maybe I am a little more out of it than I had realized. I am glad that as Anne Shirley says in "Anne of Green Gables", "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet." And even better is God's Word which talks of God's mercies being new every morning.
I find it interesting that after seeing victory on Thursday evening in that we at La Casa de Mi Padre saw that God is going to bring good out of the terrible death of the young sister of children here at the home, my last day and a half have been filled with one problem after another. What is up?
Thursday evening and Friday we, as a staff, discussed the hope and faith that we have -- that which was intended for evil, God will use for good and for His glory in the lives. I am excited to see what God does in the lives of the children in the months to come. Tomorrow they come to my apartment for some food and fun. Considering there are 6 of them from age 7 to 21, it should be fun.
But beginning last night,I have encountered one disaster after another.(I recognize that the word "disaster" is a bit strong, but oh well.) After work on Friday I stopped by the grocery store and had checked out all of my groceries and pulled out my credit card but suddenly realized that my ID was not where it usually is. And there is no use of a credit card without ID. I went out to my car to look for it but in vain. I scrounged up what little money I had on hand and paid for 3 of my 20 some groceries. I then rushed home (as well you can in Friday evening San Salvador traffic) because I was sure that I had a Skype call for my class at 6:30. when I finally arrived home, I pulled out the chicken I had bought to prepare it for throwing in the soup I was going to make. I noticed a foul smell in the one piece but thought that maybe it was okay. Once I started boiling the chicken, I realized that it must be bad and so I had to throw it all out.
It turned out that I was wrong about the date for the phone call so I waited around the apartment for nothing before heading out to the store to go pick out my groceries once again. I then prepared a few things for the cooking I was to do today, but really I just wanted to sleep.
Saturday morning dawned rainy, but that was okay with me since I was planning to stay inside most of the day I walked out to the kitchen and discovered glass all over the floor. One of the glasses had fallen from the dish drain and shattered everywhere. As I was cleaning that up, I neared the freezer and discovered that the freezer door was cracked open and realized with horror that it was like that all night. Only the fruit in the door had begun to thaw out, but I was apalled at having wasted so much energy.
I proceeded to make my yogurt, which mostly went well. Mid-morning I headed out to go to the market for some fruits and veggies. I grabbed my keys and walked down the 4 flights of stairs to the parking lot. As I neared my car I looked down at my keys and realized that I did not have my car key. And yet it had been with the others when I picked them up at the door. I climbed back up the stairs and began to look around the apartment and in all of the bags that I was carrying. Nothing. Thankfully I found one of my spare keys, but I realized that I was not too happy to not know if I had dropped the key where someone else could have picked it up (even though only about 3 minutes transpired between my descent and ascent on the stairs). As of now I still do not know where the key and the remote to the car are.
Shopping was uneventful (thankfully)except that I do have to return a pan at some point because I discovered that it is already rusting and it was never used. Here in El Salvador returns are not so easy nor guaranteed like in the USA. I then spent much of the day baking and preparing some food for tomorrow with the children. I discovered the the muffins pretty much flopped but at least the birthday cake for one of the girls seems to have turned out okay.
The day is almost at a close and I pray that nothing more happens. I did not think I was stressed or over tired even though it has been a rather intense week. Maybe I am a little more out of it than I had realized. I am glad that as Anne Shirley says in "Anne of Green Gables", "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet." And even better is God's Word which talks of God's mercies being new every morning.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Tugging at the Heart
August 16, 2010,
This afternoon I went with Kathryn and a family visiting from the United States to the government run children's home here in San Salvador that is like the first string of defense. When children are taken from there home, they usually end up at this group home before being placed in another temporary or permanent home. It is somewhat the equivalent of Child Protective Services. The children come and go so quickly that the staff doe not generally learn their names and little is done to work with them on their feelings and fears with being uprooted from their home and sent to an unknown place. Today we took crayons and coloring books with us to the home and ended up hanging out with the pre-schoolers and older girls with babies. I was interacting with two young boys who were clearly brothers and I noticed an older girl who was carrying for them. She said that they were her brothers. She is the oldest of seven children and they had all arrived there at CIPI this past Friday, or about 3 days ago. As I heard this part of her story, my heart hurt for her and her siblings. I had a feeling it was a pretty abrupt evacuation from their home. The little three or four year old boy, kept mentioning to me that his mommy and daddy were not there. Both of the boys had rather blond hair which in Latin America often reveals malnutricion because it is not the normal hair color.
After a while the one year old began crying and wanting his sister's attention. Because I doubted that she ever had much opportunity to be a child and color or do whatever, I offered to hold the little boy if it was okay with her. She nodded her head and so I picked him up. He immediately began wailing even more but I started walking with him and singing and just as quickly he quieted down. I probably walked for a good 30 minutes back and forth on the porch where we were, singing quietly to him. It reminded me of Honduras and singing to little Lisbeth. Though my arm ached by the time I returned him to his sister, I was thankful for that time with the little boy. It was a time to pray for he and his siblings. When I hear stories such as the ones of these children, there is a desire in my heart to take them all in to live with me. It would be impossible I know, but I also know that it is very unllikely that they will be placed together in the same children's home or in a foster home. I pray that their story will have a happy ending and that they will know Jesus love. Little Issac heard about it this afternoon though he is probably too young to understand.
This afternoon I went with Kathryn and a family visiting from the United States to the government run children's home here in San Salvador that is like the first string of defense. When children are taken from there home, they usually end up at this group home before being placed in another temporary or permanent home. It is somewhat the equivalent of Child Protective Services. The children come and go so quickly that the staff doe not generally learn their names and little is done to work with them on their feelings and fears with being uprooted from their home and sent to an unknown place. Today we took crayons and coloring books with us to the home and ended up hanging out with the pre-schoolers and older girls with babies. I was interacting with two young boys who were clearly brothers and I noticed an older girl who was carrying for them. She said that they were her brothers. She is the oldest of seven children and they had all arrived there at CIPI this past Friday, or about 3 days ago. As I heard this part of her story, my heart hurt for her and her siblings. I had a feeling it was a pretty abrupt evacuation from their home. The little three or four year old boy, kept mentioning to me that his mommy and daddy were not there. Both of the boys had rather blond hair which in Latin America often reveals malnutricion because it is not the normal hair color.
After a while the one year old began crying and wanting his sister's attention. Because I doubted that she ever had much opportunity to be a child and color or do whatever, I offered to hold the little boy if it was okay with her. She nodded her head and so I picked him up. He immediately began wailing even more but I started walking with him and singing and just as quickly he quieted down. I probably walked for a good 30 minutes back and forth on the porch where we were, singing quietly to him. It reminded me of Honduras and singing to little Lisbeth. Though my arm ached by the time I returned him to his sister, I was thankful for that time with the little boy. It was a time to pray for he and his siblings. When I hear stories such as the ones of these children, there is a desire in my heart to take them all in to live with me. It would be impossible I know, but I also know that it is very unllikely that they will be placed together in the same children's home or in a foster home. I pray that their story will have a happy ending and that they will know Jesus love. Little Issac heard about it this afternoon though he is probably too young to understand.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
A Very Long Week
August 15, 2010,
So, I am finally getting around to writing, but I am pretty much making myself do so. At the beginning of last week I had a bunch of things at my fingertips for writing about, but then tragedy struck and life became too busy to do anything but fulfill my responsibilities at work. When Saturday afternoon came and I was free to go home, I had no desire to do anything but curl up with a good book. Today I deterred from that a bit by taking time to journal and sort things out and to do some baking.
At the start of the week I was excited to see that my times of reading with two of the young girls was also turning out to be an opportunity to help them work through things in their life or better understand who Jesus was. Even though we had just finished a busy week with the mission team, I still had energy. Long evenings of class work and then unexpected bad news on Wednesday began to change my perspective and energy level.
I guess that I had never really considered how working at a children's home would not only mean walking with children through the pain of their past but also walking alongside of them in the new tragedies that came their way. The untimely death of the little sister (who was not living at La Casa de Mi Padre)of a sibling group shook us all up to some extent. In those moments, normal schedules and work hours go out the window. I stayed late several days and then Friday night stayed overnight to be an extra person on hand in case the children needed someone to talk to that night since one of the tias was out sick. Throughout the week I have been challenged to not keep looking at the problem, the pain, the injustice, or the trials but rather to fix my gaze on Jesus who is my refuge and strength. Of course it is much easier to say than to do. Yet if I do not look at Him I will be overwhelmed by the violence here in El Salvador and the pain all around me. He is the only solid rock in the midst of a world that often does not make sense.
Tomorrow, if all goes well, I will have opportunity to share more of Christ as the Solid Rock with one of the older girls. The current plan (which I know could change) is that I will be taking her to climb a volcano with me. A conversation several weeks ago unearthed her fear of climbing mountains and as we talked, it seemed like a climb would actually be a very good thing for her and a way for her to persevere through trial and fears. I am praying that tomorrow will work out (or another day sometime soon)and that it will be a good time of encouragement and challenge. This young lady is at a crossroads, not knowing where to head in life, and I am praying that God will show Himself and His plan to her.
So, I am finally getting around to writing, but I am pretty much making myself do so. At the beginning of last week I had a bunch of things at my fingertips for writing about, but then tragedy struck and life became too busy to do anything but fulfill my responsibilities at work. When Saturday afternoon came and I was free to go home, I had no desire to do anything but curl up with a good book. Today I deterred from that a bit by taking time to journal and sort things out and to do some baking.
At the start of the week I was excited to see that my times of reading with two of the young girls was also turning out to be an opportunity to help them work through things in their life or better understand who Jesus was. Even though we had just finished a busy week with the mission team, I still had energy. Long evenings of class work and then unexpected bad news on Wednesday began to change my perspective and energy level.
I guess that I had never really considered how working at a children's home would not only mean walking with children through the pain of their past but also walking alongside of them in the new tragedies that came their way. The untimely death of the little sister (who was not living at La Casa de Mi Padre)of a sibling group shook us all up to some extent. In those moments, normal schedules and work hours go out the window. I stayed late several days and then Friday night stayed overnight to be an extra person on hand in case the children needed someone to talk to that night since one of the tias was out sick. Throughout the week I have been challenged to not keep looking at the problem, the pain, the injustice, or the trials but rather to fix my gaze on Jesus who is my refuge and strength. Of course it is much easier to say than to do. Yet if I do not look at Him I will be overwhelmed by the violence here in El Salvador and the pain all around me. He is the only solid rock in the midst of a world that often does not make sense.
Tomorrow, if all goes well, I will have opportunity to share more of Christ as the Solid Rock with one of the older girls. The current plan (which I know could change) is that I will be taking her to climb a volcano with me. A conversation several weeks ago unearthed her fear of climbing mountains and as we talked, it seemed like a climb would actually be a very good thing for her and a way for her to persevere through trial and fears. I am praying that tomorrow will work out (or another day sometime soon)and that it will be a good time of encouragement and challenge. This young lady is at a crossroads, not knowing where to head in life, and I am praying that God will show Himself and His plan to her.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
August Vacation
August 8, 2010
Every August much of San Salvador shuts down as people head to the beach and enjoy what is known as "August vacation." Schools were closed all week so the mission team that was here from the USA had lots of opportunity to interact with the children of La Casa de Mi Padre. They put on a Vacation Bible School for the younger children while many of the older ones headed to camp with their church. Then on Friday we headed out to La Finca (the farm where the children's home will eventually move to) and played out there amidst the mud. Rainy season has continued to yield heavy rains this year and so although the mornings were dry enough to allow construction to happen on the new pavilion at La Finca, nearly every afternoon we encountered torrential downpours. The children enjoyed the soccer and volleyball at La Finca in spite of the muddy conditions.
I really enjoyed meeting this team from VA and the opportunities to share with them and be encouraged. One of the highlights was praying with a few of the girls before they left yesterday morning. We are planning to call each other in a year and see where God has taken us in that time. I also loved playing basketball last Sunday with the children and team at a park. One of the older guys keeps asking me when we will play again so I think that some Saturday when I am at La Casa for the family visit day, I will try to stick around a little longer and play some basketball with them.
Thinking about returning to a regular work week tomorrow seems a little strange, but I know that I will make the adjustment. I know that the week will hold it's own adventures, but they tend to be the less desirable kind because they often involve challenges. I guess you could say the week has already started off with an adventure in that I have no water in my apartment this morning and I have no idea why. Thankfully I discovered that before going out for a run and so I have postponed the run until a later time.
Though there is much more that I have wanted to write, I will have to do so at another time since I have some homework to work on for my Life Coaching course before church this morning. And maybe later my ideas will come back to me.
Every August much of San Salvador shuts down as people head to the beach and enjoy what is known as "August vacation." Schools were closed all week so the mission team that was here from the USA had lots of opportunity to interact with the children of La Casa de Mi Padre. They put on a Vacation Bible School for the younger children while many of the older ones headed to camp with their church. Then on Friday we headed out to La Finca (the farm where the children's home will eventually move to) and played out there amidst the mud. Rainy season has continued to yield heavy rains this year and so although the mornings were dry enough to allow construction to happen on the new pavilion at La Finca, nearly every afternoon we encountered torrential downpours. The children enjoyed the soccer and volleyball at La Finca in spite of the muddy conditions.
I really enjoyed meeting this team from VA and the opportunities to share with them and be encouraged. One of the highlights was praying with a few of the girls before they left yesterday morning. We are planning to call each other in a year and see where God has taken us in that time. I also loved playing basketball last Sunday with the children and team at a park. One of the older guys keeps asking me when we will play again so I think that some Saturday when I am at La Casa for the family visit day, I will try to stick around a little longer and play some basketball with them.
Thinking about returning to a regular work week tomorrow seems a little strange, but I know that I will make the adjustment. I know that the week will hold it's own adventures, but they tend to be the less desirable kind because they often involve challenges. I guess you could say the week has already started off with an adventure in that I have no water in my apartment this morning and I have no idea why. Thankfully I discovered that before going out for a run and so I have postponed the run until a later time.
Though there is much more that I have wanted to write, I will have to do so at another time since I have some homework to work on for my Life Coaching course before church this morning. And maybe later my ideas will come back to me.
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