July 24, 2010
Today, the final day of the week, I am finally taking the moment to blog about the most important events of the week -- the life giving ones because I know that I had the opportunity to be an extension of Christ's hands. Even though my travels to the States and Honduras were short and I did not rest physically, I seem to have come back refreshed in other ways and so while other staff members have been on the edge of burn-out, I have had the energy to press forward and help to balance them out. And I know that some day, they will be doing the same for me. Over the past week I have sat down with several of the older youth and chatted, sharing life stories and listening to where they are at in life. On Tuesday evening I hung out with the oldest boys, supervising them while the rest of the staff were having a group with the younger boys. Two brothers sat down with me to chat and after the one left, the other one and I talked for a long while about his anxiety over his upcoming graduation and then his desire to study missions. I discovered that at school he is nearly the only one in his class who does not smoke and drink and so he is daily faced with peer pressure and challenges. I was neat to get a glimpse into his life and to offer some encouragement to him.
Then on Wednesday I went with one of the older girls for coffee and we talked about how things are going for her at this point when her life does not seem to have much direction. I was excited to be able to share a story that I told for years during night hikes at Black Rock Retreat about considering that which we are actually listening or looking for. If we look for why our day is miserable, that is what we will see. Instead we need to look for what God is doing and learn to recognize the blessings from Him and His presence even in the midst of trials. Even as I shared with her, I was challenged to re-evaluate my perspective on things, especially some frustrations that I am facing for the week ahead.
One thing that I have begun to notice here at La Casa de Mi Padre is that God seems to bring different people into the children's lives at different times, based upon their need and who they will respond to. One week they connnect with a staff member and the next week, they do not want to talk to that person. I can definitely see the importance of the body of Christ with the various roles and gifts that can work together so perfectly to meet the needs of those around us and to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.
This week I also spent a lot of time doing English homework and reading with a young girl named Elba. We are currently reading "Charlotte's Web" but in Spanish. Yesterday I listened to the Charlotte's long defense of spiders and their importance in life (of which I needed to tell my housemate today because she saw a spider in the apartment and hates them). What stood out to me though in the chapters that we read was that though Wilbur, the little pig who was about two months old at the time, had a taste of freedom outside of his pen, he was overwhelmed by the vastness of the world and was easily seduced to return to the pigsty with the bucket of slops that the farmer brought for him. When he crawled back into the pen, he felt like his little "house" was not so bad after all and happilly devoured the slops. Of course the very next day he awoke miserable and feeling friendless. I was challenged in the reading to be wary of the temptations that come across my path which call me back to my comfort zone (even though it may be a "pigsty") instead of pressing forward in what God is calling me -- as unknown and scary that it might be. I do not want to settle for "slops and pigsty" when God wants me to pursue Him into the uncharted waters.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Loss of Communication
July 23, 2010
Many a day I wonder if I am still able to communicate with the world in any language -- be it English or Spanish. Today was one of those days. I was trying to help a nine year old with her English homework. Sadly at this moment she is so far behind that all we are doing is playing catch up which consists of filling in her workbook and never really taking the time to learn nor to understand the material. This afternoon she had to answer some questions about simple machines and one question was to identify the machine that records television shows. As I tried to help her with the question, I realized that I could not remember the word in English, nor did I know it in Spanish. I proceeded to ask one of the older girls if she knew the word since she is pretty fluent in English and her thought was video cassette. Knowing that was not the answer I was looking for, I went into one of the offices to ask a fellow American girl for the right word. Her thought was "VHS", which also was not what I wanted. About that time I went back into the study area and the children's tutor (a native Spanish speaker who knows some English) called out "VCR". And that was the word I had wanted. It is rather sad that two native Engilish speakers cannot come up with the word in their own language (It is very probable that the tutor found the word on the internet but still...). And yet so often I am at a loss for words in both English and Spanish. I feel that in some ways my communication with people in English has deteriorated over the past few months because so many times I have discovered that I have not communicated well the question or idea that I had. I guess that is a price to pay for filling one's mind with another language, but my goal is to communicate well in two languages.
Many a day I wonder if I am still able to communicate with the world in any language -- be it English or Spanish. Today was one of those days. I was trying to help a nine year old with her English homework. Sadly at this moment she is so far behind that all we are doing is playing catch up which consists of filling in her workbook and never really taking the time to learn nor to understand the material. This afternoon she had to answer some questions about simple machines and one question was to identify the machine that records television shows. As I tried to help her with the question, I realized that I could not remember the word in English, nor did I know it in Spanish. I proceeded to ask one of the older girls if she knew the word since she is pretty fluent in English and her thought was video cassette. Knowing that was not the answer I was looking for, I went into one of the offices to ask a fellow American girl for the right word. Her thought was "VHS", which also was not what I wanted. About that time I went back into the study area and the children's tutor (a native Spanish speaker who knows some English) called out "VCR". And that was the word I had wanted. It is rather sad that two native Engilish speakers cannot come up with the word in their own language (It is very probable that the tutor found the word on the internet but still...). And yet so often I am at a loss for words in both English and Spanish. I feel that in some ways my communication with people in English has deteriorated over the past few months because so many times I have discovered that I have not communicated well the question or idea that I had. I guess that is a price to pay for filling one's mind with another language, but my goal is to communicate well in two languages.
All In a Morning's Run
July 22, 2010
On Wednesday morning I set out for an early morning run and realized that a lot is going on at 6:00AM in San Salvador. Some of the sights that I see are rather disconcerting if I think about. As I ran through the neighborhood before entering into the park, I passed a house where three very armed men stood outside. I decided to cross the street at that point and not be too near any of them. It looked as if some important (or maybe just wealthy) person was about to leave in an SUV and the pickup truck behind that was probably to hold the body guards. I still have not quite gotten use to semi-automatic guns in the hands of so many people that I pass each day.
Leaving the armed guard scene, I turned the corner and came across a student driver and his instructor standing outside of the car which was parked between cones. Perhaps a greater danger than the armed guards on the roads that I run are the student drivers. The day before must have been trash day because the most common sight that morning was men rummaging through the trash bags in front of the houses, looking for plastic bottles or anything else that could be of value.
Once in the park, things calmed down and I enjoyed the beauty of the green area. I marvel though that I am the only person in the whole park who seems to run clockwise. I wonder if there is an unspoken rule about which direction traffic should flow on the sidewalk, but if there is, I am ignoring it. As it is, I find it difficult to pass people even when they see me coming. Sneaking up on them from behind would require even more waiting time as I would call out "permiso" every few seconds so that the walkers, three side-by-side, could clear a path for me.
Overall I enjoy the moments of getting out into the city to run and to pray. I have yet to run with anyone so my runs have turned into good prayer times. In some ways I hate to sacrifice that by finding a running partner though there is a girl in the neighborhood who I would like to run with one day.
On Wednesday morning I set out for an early morning run and realized that a lot is going on at 6:00AM in San Salvador. Some of the sights that I see are rather disconcerting if I think about. As I ran through the neighborhood before entering into the park, I passed a house where three very armed men stood outside. I decided to cross the street at that point and not be too near any of them. It looked as if some important (or maybe just wealthy) person was about to leave in an SUV and the pickup truck behind that was probably to hold the body guards. I still have not quite gotten use to semi-automatic guns in the hands of so many people that I pass each day.
Leaving the armed guard scene, I turned the corner and came across a student driver and his instructor standing outside of the car which was parked between cones. Perhaps a greater danger than the armed guards on the roads that I run are the student drivers. The day before must have been trash day because the most common sight that morning was men rummaging through the trash bags in front of the houses, looking for plastic bottles or anything else that could be of value.
Once in the park, things calmed down and I enjoyed the beauty of the green area. I marvel though that I am the only person in the whole park who seems to run clockwise. I wonder if there is an unspoken rule about which direction traffic should flow on the sidewalk, but if there is, I am ignoring it. As it is, I find it difficult to pass people even when they see me coming. Sneaking up on them from behind would require even more waiting time as I would call out "permiso" every few seconds so that the walkers, three side-by-side, could clear a path for me.
Overall I enjoy the moments of getting out into the city to run and to pray. I have yet to run with anyone so my runs have turned into good prayer times. In some ways I hate to sacrifice that by finding a running partner though there is a girl in the neighborhood who I would like to run with one day.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
What is the Cost?
July 18, 2010
Though it has been a somewhat long week because of working so much, Lara and I decided to have the older girls over to watch part 2 of the Anne of Green Gables Series which I had brought from the States. After discovering that we still could not get our DVD player to work with the tv, we resorted to putting the movie on Lara's computer yet again. One of the purposes of having the girls over was so that they could watch the movie for real without the voices of ten other girls overriding the sound. As it turned out hearing the movie was still difficult, but I know that they enjoyed the opportunity to get out of the house, laugh and be silly, and to try some new foods.
In the minutes before I took them back to La Casa, they offered to live with me when Lara returns to the USA at the end of this month. They, of course, do not want me to be lonely and so they said that I can be their "adoptive mom." My inner thought was, well, it would be nice to give them a chance to live in a smaller home and get more individual attention, but I quickly thought of the responsibility of getting them to school at 6:30AM and all the details that would go along with being an adoptive mom. There are many sacrifices to be made in the life of a mother. And I tend to forget about them when I casually think about wanting to take in children. Jesus' call to die to oneself is, in my opinion, exemplified in the life of many a mother as they put their needs last and invest in the lives of their children and husband. I am very thankful for the example my mother has given to me. (Actually I suppose this should have been a Mother's Day post for my mom.) So the cost of motherhood -- be it natural, adoptive, or even just spiritual -- is high, but it is an opportunity to live as Christ and to represent Him here on earth as one lives out the call in Philippians 2 to both look to the interests of others and to take on the attitude of Christ. Though there is a cost, the reward can be great as you see your children (again in the physical or spiritual sense) walking with the Lord and pursuing Him with a passion. I think we are all called to be mothers and fathers, at least spiritually as we pass on our faith to those around us and disciple them in Christ. And so with these girls here in El Salvador, I do want to be a mom, probably one of many, in their lives for the time that I am here and serve them and love them.
Though it has been a somewhat long week because of working so much, Lara and I decided to have the older girls over to watch part 2 of the Anne of Green Gables Series which I had brought from the States. After discovering that we still could not get our DVD player to work with the tv, we resorted to putting the movie on Lara's computer yet again. One of the purposes of having the girls over was so that they could watch the movie for real without the voices of ten other girls overriding the sound. As it turned out hearing the movie was still difficult, but I know that they enjoyed the opportunity to get out of the house, laugh and be silly, and to try some new foods.
In the minutes before I took them back to La Casa, they offered to live with me when Lara returns to the USA at the end of this month. They, of course, do not want me to be lonely and so they said that I can be their "adoptive mom." My inner thought was, well, it would be nice to give them a chance to live in a smaller home and get more individual attention, but I quickly thought of the responsibility of getting them to school at 6:30AM and all the details that would go along with being an adoptive mom. There are many sacrifices to be made in the life of a mother. And I tend to forget about them when I casually think about wanting to take in children. Jesus' call to die to oneself is, in my opinion, exemplified in the life of many a mother as they put their needs last and invest in the lives of their children and husband. I am very thankful for the example my mother has given to me. (Actually I suppose this should have been a Mother's Day post for my mom.) So the cost of motherhood -- be it natural, adoptive, or even just spiritual -- is high, but it is an opportunity to live as Christ and to represent Him here on earth as one lives out the call in Philippians 2 to both look to the interests of others and to take on the attitude of Christ. Though there is a cost, the reward can be great as you see your children (again in the physical or spiritual sense) walking with the Lord and pursuing Him with a passion. I think we are all called to be mothers and fathers, at least spiritually as we pass on our faith to those around us and disciple them in Christ. And so with these girls here in El Salvador, I do want to be a mom, probably one of many, in their lives for the time that I am here and serve them and love them.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
A Million Questions
July 13, 2010
Yesterday was my first day back at La Casa de Mi Padre after over a week of being out of the country. One of the tias was sick so I ended up covering for her during the day. After dinner with her girls, I felt that I had been out of the country for much longer because of all of the questions they bombarded me with. The dinner conversation ranged from questions about my family to questions about angels and demons. My favorite question from the one little girl Claudia was, "Do you and Lara (my housemate and an intern here for the summer) pray together every night before bed?" The custom in each of the rooms is to have devotions and pray together before bedtime. I explained that Lara and I go to bed at different times and so no we do not pray together. Her question got me thinking though about the many places I have lived and how I could be more intentional with my housemates about seeking God's face together.
During lunch today, I had some good conversation with one of the older girls who is on vacation right now. As we talked she asked about my studies in psychology and then she made a comment about how she always says things too bluntly. I shared the verse about speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and how it is important to be able to share the truth with someone and even confront at times, but it has to be done in love and with prayer. In some ways the girl and I are at the opposite extremes. Too often I err on the side of love or compassion and am afraid to speak the truth. She, on the other hand, speaks the truth but without the love. I tried to encourage her because boldness such as she has can be a great strength and God needs people who are unafraid to speak up. But our strengths are often our greatest weaknesses too and so I know that both she and I need to work to submit what comes most naturally to God and allow Him to shine through us because of a willingness to follow His call and not just what is easiest. I am praying for some more opportunities to encourage this young lady and to share with her more in the next few days.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Surprises
This recent trip back to the United States was another surprise visit for most of my family so I did not publicize the trip. I had originally planned to go to Costa Rica to renew my visa there but the people who I had wanted to visit were not going to be there over my travel dates and I needed to pass through Honduras so I would have had to add an extra flight or bus ride. I very much enjoyed seeing my family again, especially my little nephew Jack, who is nearing the stage of walking and is all around adorable.
I got in to Pennsylvania late Thursday evening and walked into my parents’ home much to the surprise of my mom. The next morning after playing basketball at Black Rock Retreat I headed north to a cabin where my family was going to be as well as their employees (many of whom are my extended family). In a grocery store in Williamsport I surprised my sister. I actually had walked off with Jack and my brother-in-law was going to tell Shana that someone had come by and asked to hold him and so he let the person wander off with Jack. Since I did not want her to panic, I decided to reappear before she could get concerned.
Finally I surprised Val there at the cabin. We had a good time in the creek and on the bike trail there in Slate Run. Early Sunday morning I headed back to Lancaster to share at New Danville Mennonite Church. The rest of the day I spent visiting with friends in Lancaster and from a distance watched the Long’s park fireworks. All week it was interesting to think that I had been in Lancaster last 4th of July but under very different circumstances. It had been immediately following when the Honduran president was removed from power and taken to Costa Rica. I went to the United States unsure of what was going to happen in Honduras in the next few weeks and months. Little did I know that a year later I would be living in a different country and working in a different field. I guess it shows how little we know of what lies ahead in our journey.
Monday was also a day of visiting with friends and also trying to get a little shopping done. My laptop recently developed a problem – it inserts commas when I type, thereby making me go back and erase them time and again. In talking with a few friends it did not seem possible to get the computer looked at in the short time that I was in PA but it was suggested that I buy an attachable keyboard. Since products such as that are generally twice to three times as expensive in Central America, I was glad that I had the opportunity to make the purchase in the US.
Tuesday I hung out at Black Rock and visited with lots of people down there as well as spent time with my family. And of course I was up late packing to get ready for my 4:30AM departure for the airport. I am returning to El Salvador with a lot more books since some of the girls are wanting to read the Anne of Green Gable series and are going to attempt to do so in English. I am impressed with them because for some it will be pretty difficult to read and understand the stories in their 2nd language that they are still learning. I am bringing some books in Spanish too, such as the Narnia series. I hope to use these stories with some of the children that I am working with in reading comprehension. All in all my time in both Pennsylvania and Honduras was good though short in both places. I always find myself trying to do too much and see too many people and so I return to work tired. I hope to get unpacked, do some homework and then get to bed early tonight, but we will see.
Back In Honduras
My time in Honduras went well though definitely it passed as expected – with the unexpected. Upon entering I got my 90 day tourist visa again which was what I was praying for. I arrived on Wednesday and as it turned out I was able to take care of my car registration and some residency paperwork that day when I arrived in Honduras and then first thing Thursday morning. My Plan A and B of rides out to camp had fallen through though and so it was with great joy that I learned some missionaries were headed out that way Thursday morning (40 minutes from when I got a hold of them) instead of that afternoon. And so I quickly packed and met up with them, making it to camp before I had anticipated. It was great to see the Williamsons again and the staff. The Williamsons were in the middle of finishing up the painting of the ceilings that had just been put in. I am happy for them that they should not have so many insects and animals entering the house because it is now sealed.
I was able to spend significant time talking with Evelin and hearing how she is doing. Before I left on Saturday, the Lord put a few things on my heart to challenge her with. In some ways she is doing well but in another sense she is teetering. I am praying that she will fully pursue the Lord Jesus Christ again and make Him her number one priority. I have struggled at different times in my walk with God to put him first. So often other little things creep in that I want to focus on. I can remember specific times when I had to let go of things like basketball because they were beginning to control my decisions instead of God. I pray that she learns, without too much heartache, how important it is to have God first. As He says in Exodus 20 when He gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, He is a jealous God and there is no room for other gods in our lives if we desire to follow Him. He continues to watch out and care for Evelin, including in some close calls on her motorcycle and I pray that she can see that and understand just how much He loves her.
Travel In All But a Boat
July 11, 2010
I am southward bound again. I have found travels to be interesting this past week as I have observed people. On the first leg of my journey last Thursday (July 1)
I found myself in a very long security checkpoint line after clearing customs. There was a security work near the front who would call out words of encouragement to everyone and try to lighten the mood. I think he brought smiles to quite a few weary travelers. When I finally cleared the checkpoint, I grabbed the tram to my terminal since I did not have much time left. I was there holding onto my pole when a jolt sent the man standing next to me falling in my direction. He somehow righted himself before completely falling and crashing on me. I realized that everyone around me was ready to spot me (they must have been on Ropes Course elements in the past) though really it would not have done much good had he landed on me.
I, like most others in the airports, am always trying to move quickly and to arrive in time to my gate or to quickly get my baggage and get out of the plane and airport. My return to Honduras was maybe a little slower pace with less need to hurry. I knew that I would be arriving in Honduras to the unexpected. I had specific details that I needed to take care of but I was not really sure when or how, nor how I would make it out to camp.
Today’s travels are that of the 7 hour bus ride from Honduras to El Salvador. So far things have gone well and when I take the time to look out the window, I am greeted by some beautiful views. Much to my delight the DVD player is broken and so the bus is not overrun by the loud movies playing – movies which I discovered from the last two trips are generally not ones that I want to be watching. I am enjoying the time to read, write e-mails and blog entries, and reflect on this past week’s travels.
I am southward bound again. I have found travels to be interesting this past week as I have observed people. On the first leg of my journey last Thursday (July 1)
I found myself in a very long security checkpoint line after clearing customs. There was a security work near the front who would call out words of encouragement to everyone and try to lighten the mood. I think he brought smiles to quite a few weary travelers. When I finally cleared the checkpoint, I grabbed the tram to my terminal since I did not have much time left. I was there holding onto my pole when a jolt sent the man standing next to me falling in my direction. He somehow righted himself before completely falling and crashing on me. I realized that everyone around me was ready to spot me (they must have been on Ropes Course elements in the past) though really it would not have done much good had he landed on me.
I, like most others in the airports, am always trying to move quickly and to arrive in time to my gate or to quickly get my baggage and get out of the plane and airport. My return to Honduras was maybe a little slower pace with less need to hurry. I knew that I would be arriving in Honduras to the unexpected. I had specific details that I needed to take care of but I was not really sure when or how, nor how I would make it out to camp.
Today’s travels are that of the 7 hour bus ride from Honduras to El Salvador. So far things have gone well and when I take the time to look out the window, I am greeted by some beautiful views. Much to my delight the DVD player is broken and so the bus is not overrun by the loud movies playing – movies which I discovered from the last two trips are generally not ones that I want to be watching. I am enjoying the time to read, write e-mails and blog entries, and reflect on this past week’s travels.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
The Call of the Ocean
July 7 2010
About two weeks ago my roommate and I headed to the beach one rather rainy, dreary Saturday and enjoyed a quiet day there reading, writing, and swimming. Swimming in the pool, not the ocean that is. I took a stroll along the ocean and found myself mesmerized by the violent waves that were crashing into the shore. In the time that I walked one length of the beach and began to return to my starting point, the tide was rising and I had to move closer to land. I knew that I could not even begin to fathom the power behind those waves. They had warned us at the entrance that the ocean was dangerous that day with its currents and the pull of the tide. The shoreline was strewn with large pieces of driftwood that had been washed ashore but were still buffeted by the waves from time to time.
As I walked along the ocean’s edge, I found myself wanting to enter into the water more than just ankle deep. It was as if the waves and water were calling me deeper. But I knew to enter in was just plain foolishness. A motorboat that had been trying to get past the point where the waves were breaking had struggled and I have less power than that for sure. And so although I wanted to try the waves and see how dangerous they really were, I kept walking and returned to my point of observation. My mind wandered a bit as I considered analogies and I realized that sin can have that same pull. Though we know better and good judgment says to stay far away, there can still be a strong pull, especially when we get to close to the place of temptation in the first place. The closer I got to the water, the more I wanted to get in and see just how well I could withstand the waves. And so I was reminded to stay far away from those things which tempt me to walk in the ways contrary to God’s calling on my life and his commands.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Summer Days
June 24, 2010
This week reminds me of summers long ago when I had vacation from school and life was carefree. Not that the week has been carefree in any sense of the word, but because the children are on vacation this week, my schedule has changed and I find myself with more time to enjoy fun activities with the children. There are no team meetings nor group therapy times. Instead we have planned activities to give the children a break from the normal routine. Monday night a few of the girls came over to my apartment for a sleepover. Wednesday I made soft pretzels with both the boys' and girls' home. Last night and tonight we are watching my favorite movie of all times, "Anne of Green Gables." I did discover while watching it with the girls that I have a new perspective on it as I try to perceive the movie through their eyes -- the eyes of children who understand the pain of Anne as an unwanted orphan. Many of them have felt unloved and unwanted.
Today we have a soccer tournament in honor of the World Cup. For me it has been a good chance to build relationship with the children and connect with them. I have always loved the quote, "You can learn more about a person in an hour of play and in a day of conversation." (or something to that affect) I seem to have lost my camera cord for downloading pictures to my computer so it may be a while yet til I can post pictures from the week.
The vacation week came at a perfect time because last Saturday the mother of three of our children passed away after a battle with cancer. The children and several staff members went to the burial service on Sunday. For these children it is a blessing not to have to jump right back into school and studies but rather to have some time to grieve and readjust to life. They are precious children and it is difficult to see their pain but I am thankful that they have so many people to walk alongside of them here at the home.
This week reminds me of summers long ago when I had vacation from school and life was carefree. Not that the week has been carefree in any sense of the word, but because the children are on vacation this week, my schedule has changed and I find myself with more time to enjoy fun activities with the children. There are no team meetings nor group therapy times. Instead we have planned activities to give the children a break from the normal routine. Monday night a few of the girls came over to my apartment for a sleepover. Wednesday I made soft pretzels with both the boys' and girls' home. Last night and tonight we are watching my favorite movie of all times, "Anne of Green Gables." I did discover while watching it with the girls that I have a new perspective on it as I try to perceive the movie through their eyes -- the eyes of children who understand the pain of Anne as an unwanted orphan. Many of them have felt unloved and unwanted.
Today we have a soccer tournament in honor of the World Cup. For me it has been a good chance to build relationship with the children and connect with them. I have always loved the quote, "You can learn more about a person in an hour of play and in a day of conversation." (or something to that affect) I seem to have lost my camera cord for downloading pictures to my computer so it may be a while yet til I can post pictures from the week.
The vacation week came at a perfect time because last Saturday the mother of three of our children passed away after a battle with cancer. The children and several staff members went to the burial service on Sunday. For these children it is a blessing not to have to jump right back into school and studies but rather to have some time to grieve and readjust to life. They are precious children and it is difficult to see their pain but I am thankful that they have so many people to walk alongside of them here at the home.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Country Wanderings
June 13, 2010
Today Lara (my roommate) and I made the hour and a half drive to the town of Suchitotto, situated on El Salvador's largest lake (but an artificial one). Since I was tired from the week, I was hoping that we kept it a rather low key day and that is exactly what we did. We got to see a little bit of the colonial town before hiking a mile outside of the town to see the waterfalls, Los Tercios. The guide who went with us shared about the history of the town -- a place torn apart by the civil war years ago.
Because the rainy season is only just beginning, the water falling over the rocks was not a ton but it was still beautiful. Many of the rocks were cylinder shaped or pillar-like, giving the waterfalls their own unique structure. I was able to go and stand at the very edge of the waterfalls and look down at the river below. Walking towards the falls it looked as if one might just drop off the end of the world. I of course was careful so as not to drop off. Standing there though reminded me that I feel as if I am on the brink of change in the light of the things that God has been revealing to me. He wants to change my heart and attitudes and even the way I relate to people. I am standing on the edge, getting ready to jump into all that God has for me, no matter what the risk is.
After the hike we went down to a restaurant on the lake and there we settled down for the afternoon, making time to read and journal. I will mention that I was going to that which I never do and order tilapia instead of my customary grilled chicken. I had placed my order and everything when I suddenly thought to ask the waitress if the fish came with eyes and head. It did so I quickly cancelled my order and returned to the regular chicken. At least I attempted to try something new though. I loved the view from the restaurant and the breeze and it was perfect some time of reflecting and praying about what God has been teaching me.
Anytime I drive somewhere new, I am met with surprises on the road. My first surprise today came when all of a sudden in the left hand lane there was a barrel and I had to get over to the right. Immediately after that I saw that there was now oncoming traffic in that left lane. The problem was that there had been absolutely no warning. No signs were in place mentioning that it would be a good idea to move over. No caution signs warned drivers to maintain there position in the right lane. There was simply no communication as to what the barrel stood for and so I saw the whole situation as potentially dangerous. On the drive home, we saw that there had been a landslide closing down the other two lanes and that was the reason for the traffic merging together. The changes were much more clearly marked coming the other direction.
Another discovery in my driving was that the small towns do not mark which streets are one way. It seems that you have to guess and hope that you are correct. I am sure that there are some rules, maybe rules that apply to every little town, but I have yet to figure out what they are. Thankfully I did not appear to go the wrong way on any street and all was well.
Upon our return to the city, we lost power for about 45 minutes. It came back on for a little and then went back off. I had resigned myself to an apple and granola bar for dinner since there was no electric and I did not want to open the fridge. But then the power came on and stayed on. From what I am hearing there was a blackout in all of El Salvador and Honduras. I have no idea of the reason but it reminded me of my many days of power outages at camp in Honduras. The challenge here in San Salvador is that I do not expect the power outages and so I am not as prepared. It took me a while to find a lighter to light the candles and then I broke it so hopefully we will have power until I can get to the store and find some matches. I am reminded that I have much to be thankful for though in that power outages are a rarity these days in my life.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Moments with the Children
June 12, 2010
Here I sit half watching the USA vs. England soccer game, half chatting with Lara, my roommate, and trying to write a blog entry. Multi-tasking would sum up the moment. I just got back from a workshop at church about the different learning styles. All of the volunteers with the children’s Sunday School were supposed to attend. It was a good workshop but because of a long couple of weeks at work, I was incredibly tired. Thankfully I managed to stay awake and did learn a few things.
This past week at La Casa was a tough one in many ways. On Monday we learned that the mother of three of the children was moving in with other family members because she is in her last days of a battle with cancer. In reality she has not fought it much, and so she is going quickly. Several of the staff took the children to visit their mother the next day for what could be there last visit. They shared the message of Christ with her again but she did not want to have anything to do with Him. As of now the plan is to do another visit on Monday (and I think I will go along) so that the children have as much time with their mother as possible. For children (and in adults), coping with loss is difficult and the pain of these last days has been evident in their behavior.
I had several opportunities this week to spend extra time with the girls’ home. On Thursday I took some of the younger girls to a nearby supermarket to look for a cleaning supply. We made it a bit of a treasure hunt so they had fun in spite of it being a rather mundane task – at least for me (but then I am leave the walls of my apartment all the time and have the freedom to go where I want). Friday afternoon I baked cookies with the 12-14 year olds. I am also dedicating more time to one of the girls in particular – Elba. I have been working with her in reading comprehension for the last month and now I will begin some tutoring in English as well.
One of the things that encouraged me most this week was a conversation I had with two of the older boys, Alejandro and Salvador. They were talking about their dreams with schooling after graduating from high school. Alejandro, who still has a year and a half left, wants to become a chef and he said that he would like to have a restaurant here in San Salvador. He would then bring meals to the children’s home every Friday as a small way to give back to the ministry for all that he has received. How encouraging it was to see his heart and attitude!
Sunday, June 06, 2010
The Recapse of the Mission Team
June 6, 2010
As I mentioned in the previous blog entry, we had a missions team here this past week -- a youth group from Georgia. Because I was quite involved in their schedule (some translating, leading the campout/cookout, and helping with controlling the erosion at the farm), I have found myself pretty exhausted this weekend. I have had way too many late nights. We were very blessed to have the team here though. The work we did with diverting some of the erosion which was soon to cave in the drive out at the farm came just in time because the very next day Tropical Storm Agatha entered the picture and we had lots of rain. It was also that next day that we were slated for camping out at the farm. We had a few hours of sunshine that Friday afternoon and so we put up tarps in case we could sleep outside as well as got the fire pit ready. About that time the heavens let loose and the rains came down. With much struggle we were able to get the fire started -- and without gasoline. I may have had a little too much pride involved as we were worked on the cooking fire because an uncle of two of the girls in the home was also on the farm that night and he helped get the fire laid. But the typical method of building a fire here is, throw a bunch of sticks (and large ones at that) on a pile, pour on gasoline, and throw the match on top while jumping back. He tried that once and it did not work so when he walked off for more gas, we re-arranged the sticks to make a "real fire." (I had enough classes in Outdoor Cooking, Education, etc... to value a fire built without the help of "explosives." The uncle was convinced that in the rain the gas was necessary and I said that it was not. In the end we started the fire without more gasoline, but we did use a lot of newspaper and dryer lint.
By the time we retired to our places to sleep that night (the girls in the chapel and the boys in a room in one of the little houses), we were soaked and tired. I had led a few teambuilding activities in the chapel and then shared my testimony with the group. That night as I lay in the hot chapel (there was no ventilation other than where air entered in the cracks around the windows -- open windows would have meant that rain, animals, and/or people could have entered with no problem), I struggled to fall asleep, but I realized that I could be thankful for having a dry place to sleep. I knew that many people in the town just below the farm were probably experiencing leaks and flooding that night from the storm. At one point when I looked out the window I saw an opposum climbing up a nearby tree. Had the windows been open, it probably would have joined us inside.
On Wednesday the team took care of all of the children during the day so that the childcare team could go and have a short retreat and rest. We went to a place at the beach where there were some beautiful pools. After a team activity and devotional, we had time to play or rest. I enjoyed hanging out with the other staff in a relaxed setting. Because the ocean was pretty dangerous that day, most of us stayed up by the pools.
Thursday I went with the team to a community almost at the border of Honduras where the mother of one of the boys lives. She use to live on the side of a garbage dump until La Casa de Mi Padre along with Habitat for Humanity built her a new home. From there we went with a pastor up to a community in the mountains where he is working to start a church. I went with the pastor and two of the youth to several houses, handing out food and inviting them to church. One woman that we met, Sophia, was very clearly saddened by life and struggling. We shared with her about Jesus and the peace that He offers but she was not ready to make any changes in her life or surrender to Him. I found it challenging to enter into random homes and start talking to the people there but I know that it is good for me to do. Sharing Jesus is much easier when you have built a relationship with someone though and there is a basis for which you can speak into their lives. Still it was a good experience and good exposure for the youth.
Besides all of the mission team events, there were other farewell parties, the family visit, and personal farewells for me this week. This morning I taught Sunday School for 19 two to four year-olds at church. I did it mostly in English since several of the children only speak English but I found myself forgetting and switching over to Spanish which complicated things for the other leader who was translating. As usual the children were running around the room a lot and even activities that called for their active participation were not enough to keep them in the right part of the room. It would help if we did not give them chocolate cookies the minute that they walked in the door. I think I will try to suggest that to the other leaders in two weeks when we teach again.
Since I need to leave in a few minutes, that is the recapse for the moment. Hopefully I can touch on some other things that God has been doing in a future post.
As I mentioned in the previous blog entry, we had a missions team here this past week -- a youth group from Georgia. Because I was quite involved in their schedule (some translating, leading the campout/cookout, and helping with controlling the erosion at the farm), I have found myself pretty exhausted this weekend. I have had way too many late nights. We were very blessed to have the team here though. The work we did with diverting some of the erosion which was soon to cave in the drive out at the farm came just in time because the very next day Tropical Storm Agatha entered the picture and we had lots of rain. It was also that next day that we were slated for camping out at the farm. We had a few hours of sunshine that Friday afternoon and so we put up tarps in case we could sleep outside as well as got the fire pit ready. About that time the heavens let loose and the rains came down. With much struggle we were able to get the fire started -- and without gasoline. I may have had a little too much pride involved as we were worked on the cooking fire because an uncle of two of the girls in the home was also on the farm that night and he helped get the fire laid. But the typical method of building a fire here is, throw a bunch of sticks (and large ones at that) on a pile, pour on gasoline, and throw the match on top while jumping back. He tried that once and it did not work so when he walked off for more gas, we re-arranged the sticks to make a "real fire." (I had enough classes in Outdoor Cooking, Education, etc... to value a fire built without the help of "explosives." The uncle was convinced that in the rain the gas was necessary and I said that it was not. In the end we started the fire without more gasoline, but we did use a lot of newspaper and dryer lint.
By the time we retired to our places to sleep that night (the girls in the chapel and the boys in a room in one of the little houses), we were soaked and tired. I had led a few teambuilding activities in the chapel and then shared my testimony with the group. That night as I lay in the hot chapel (there was no ventilation other than where air entered in the cracks around the windows -- open windows would have meant that rain, animals, and/or people could have entered with no problem), I struggled to fall asleep, but I realized that I could be thankful for having a dry place to sleep. I knew that many people in the town just below the farm were probably experiencing leaks and flooding that night from the storm. At one point when I looked out the window I saw an opposum climbing up a nearby tree. Had the windows been open, it probably would have joined us inside.
On Wednesday the team took care of all of the children during the day so that the childcare team could go and have a short retreat and rest. We went to a place at the beach where there were some beautiful pools. After a team activity and devotional, we had time to play or rest. I enjoyed hanging out with the other staff in a relaxed setting. Because the ocean was pretty dangerous that day, most of us stayed up by the pools.
Thursday I went with the team to a community almost at the border of Honduras where the mother of one of the boys lives. She use to live on the side of a garbage dump until La Casa de Mi Padre along with Habitat for Humanity built her a new home. From there we went with a pastor up to a community in the mountains where he is working to start a church. I went with the pastor and two of the youth to several houses, handing out food and inviting them to church. One woman that we met, Sophia, was very clearly saddened by life and struggling. We shared with her about Jesus and the peace that He offers but she was not ready to make any changes in her life or surrender to Him. I found it challenging to enter into random homes and start talking to the people there but I know that it is good for me to do. Sharing Jesus is much easier when you have built a relationship with someone though and there is a basis for which you can speak into their lives. Still it was a good experience and good exposure for the youth.
Besides all of the mission team events, there were other farewell parties, the family visit, and personal farewells for me this week. This morning I taught Sunday School for 19 two to four year-olds at church. I did it mostly in English since several of the children only speak English but I found myself forgetting and switching over to Spanish which complicated things for the other leader who was translating. As usual the children were running around the room a lot and even activities that called for their active participation were not enough to keep them in the right part of the room. It would help if we did not give them chocolate cookies the minute that they walked in the door. I think I will try to suggest that to the other leaders in two weeks when we teach again.
Since I need to leave in a few minutes, that is the recapse for the moment. Hopefully I can touch on some other things that God has been doing in a future post.
Singing In The Rain
June 6, 2010
For those who did not get a chance to check out the blog of La Casa de Mi Padre, here is a post that I wrote regarding last weekend -- the events and the rains.
The past few days here in El Salvador have been laden with heavy rains as the Tropical Depression Agatha hovered over Central America, dumping its water on Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. With the rains, came flooding and so life at La Casa de Mi Padre took a different turn on Saturday. A mission team from Georgia arrived at La Casa de Mi Padre late morning to share lunch with the children and also lead them in some games and activities. This team had just spent the night out at La Finca and hence had already spent several hours in wet clothes and shoes.
In the girl’s home the drains on the two patios had clogged up and the water seeped down only at a very slow pace. They were not keeping up with the torrential downpours. Before lunch several of the tÃas, children, and members of the mission team formed a “broom brigade” and used the brooms to sweep the water through the dining hall and down to a level where it would run into the street. During lunch we noted that the water in the backyard continued to rise and was nearing the door to the boys’ home. Mid-afternoon, in the midst of still more rain, the boys, tÃos, and youth from the mission team waded out into the backyard and began the second “broom brigade.” Their task was much bigger than that in the girls’ home but they attacked it with a smile and a vengeance. At some point the shoveling and sweeping of water changed into more of a water fight than anything else. Several of the boys also discovered it was a great place to do handstands, and so they played in the muddy water, contentedly.
As I watched from the schoolroom window where the older girls and I were playing some games, I was impressed by the attitudes I saw exhibited in the boys. I heard no complaining that they had to work in the rain. They simply went about the task and made it into something fun. The youth from the United States and those from El Salvador worked side by side to prevent flooding in the boys’ home. Communication was limited because of the language barrier but I know that what the youth from Georgia communicated without words was that they cared about the children from the home and they were willing to get drenched and muddy yet again to help slow the rising water level.
Today as I came to work, there were the boys again, this time digging out the drains and all of the mud that had accumulated there. They were still smiling and proudly told me all that they had done – and this by 8:00AM. Thankfully today dawned with bright sunshine and though there are still threatening rain clouds in the sky, we are praying for continued relief from the rain throughout the country.
**The weather did clear up on Monday and thankfully things have had a chance to dry out over this past week.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Catch Up
May 27, 2010
Time to do a little catch up on the blog before heading "into the wild" for the next few days. Tomorrow I take the mission team that is here camping on the farm (where the future children's home will be). The original plan was to sleep under tarps but a tropical storm has moved in and we have been getting rain for several days straight and it is supposed to continue. This kind of rain is usually seen at the end of the rainy season and not in May. At any rate with the kind of tarps we have and the severity of the rain (not to mention the frequency of thunder and lightning) the sleeping otuside does not seem to be a good idea. Plan "B" is to stay in two of the buildings on camp which are still rustic and will lend themselves to an "out of the comfort zone" experience for the youth. We are praying that the rain lets up (and the driveway dries out) for Saturday so that the children can come out to the farm for an outing. Otherwise the team will be going to the home and we will do indoor games with the children. But it is good for both the staff and the children to get to leave the home and have more space to run around.
Today I was out at the farm working with the team to slow down the erosion that is happening. Lots of area was graded for construction and now that soil is being carried away. On Monday an Environmental Engineer will be bringing some supplies so that on Tuesday we can do a more permanent job with stopping the erosion. Today was only a temporary fix as we dug channels to divert the water from its current path and moved lots of soil. It was fun to work in the rain for a change instead of being under the blazing sun.
I just realized that I never wrote nor posted pictures from my awesome hike at Volcan Izalco the other week. I will have to do that when I return from the weekend with the work team and children. Life has been very busy and e-mails and blogs have gone by the wayside. I have continued to enjoy some good connections with the children at La Casa de Mi Padre. We had another Family Visit Day last Saturday and I again helped with the logistics and an icebreaker for the new Parent Group. Many in this group of parents suffer from lower IQ or psychiatric illnesses and so the activities have to be adapted for their comprehension level. It went pretty well though. One of the sad things going on with several of the families right now is serious health issues. The mother of 3 of the chidren here at La Casa is in the last stages of terminal cancer. The children had the opportunity to go to visit their family last week but they have a long road ahead of them as they prepare and then grieve. And we need to figure out how to best walk with them through this journey.
One other thing that has been happening these past 2 weeks has been the opportunity I have had to share my faith with a girl I got to know through the guesthouse where I lived this past month. I sense that God's reason for having me there was so that I could begin to plant some seeds in her heart. She went to church with me last weekend and on the ride there I was able to share the gospel message with her. She has been curious but not with a curiosity of searching for the truth. It would seem that her she is content with her life as it is and does not see a need for God. She will be leaving in a week for Spain again and I am praying that as I hang out with her one or two more times that she will hear what she needs to here and then that the Lord will bring other people into her life to continue planting and watering seeds until the time is right for a harvest in her heart. It is in His timiing and not mine.
Time to do a little catch up on the blog before heading "into the wild" for the next few days. Tomorrow I take the mission team that is here camping on the farm (where the future children's home will be). The original plan was to sleep under tarps but a tropical storm has moved in and we have been getting rain for several days straight and it is supposed to continue. This kind of rain is usually seen at the end of the rainy season and not in May. At any rate with the kind of tarps we have and the severity of the rain (not to mention the frequency of thunder and lightning) the sleeping otuside does not seem to be a good idea. Plan "B" is to stay in two of the buildings on camp which are still rustic and will lend themselves to an "out of the comfort zone" experience for the youth. We are praying that the rain lets up (and the driveway dries out) for Saturday so that the children can come out to the farm for an outing. Otherwise the team will be going to the home and we will do indoor games with the children. But it is good for both the staff and the children to get to leave the home and have more space to run around.
Today I was out at the farm working with the team to slow down the erosion that is happening. Lots of area was graded for construction and now that soil is being carried away. On Monday an Environmental Engineer will be bringing some supplies so that on Tuesday we can do a more permanent job with stopping the erosion. Today was only a temporary fix as we dug channels to divert the water from its current path and moved lots of soil. It was fun to work in the rain for a change instead of being under the blazing sun.
I just realized that I never wrote nor posted pictures from my awesome hike at Volcan Izalco the other week. I will have to do that when I return from the weekend with the work team and children. Life has been very busy and e-mails and blogs have gone by the wayside. I have continued to enjoy some good connections with the children at La Casa de Mi Padre. We had another Family Visit Day last Saturday and I again helped with the logistics and an icebreaker for the new Parent Group. Many in this group of parents suffer from lower IQ or psychiatric illnesses and so the activities have to be adapted for their comprehension level. It went pretty well though. One of the sad things going on with several of the families right now is serious health issues. The mother of 3 of the chidren here at La Casa is in the last stages of terminal cancer. The children had the opportunity to go to visit their family last week but they have a long road ahead of them as they prepare and then grieve. And we need to figure out how to best walk with them through this journey.
One other thing that has been happening these past 2 weeks has been the opportunity I have had to share my faith with a girl I got to know through the guesthouse where I lived this past month. I sense that God's reason for having me there was so that I could begin to plant some seeds in her heart. She went to church with me last weekend and on the ride there I was able to share the gospel message with her. She has been curious but not with a curiosity of searching for the truth. It would seem that her she is content with her life as it is and does not see a need for God. She will be leaving in a week for Spain again and I am praying that as I hang out with her one or two more times that she will hear what she needs to here and then that the Lord will bring other people into her life to continue planting and watering seeds until the time is right for a harvest in her heart. It is in His timiing and not mine.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Bits & Pieces
May 15, 2010
Once again I sit down to actually write a blog entry and cannot remember all of the ideas that I had floating around in my head from the week. It has been a good week, with some long days. Today I spent part of the day at the school where the majority of the children attend. They were having a day of Intramural competitions and I went to support them and also help out with selling whatever the parents of each class were assigned to cover. I did not have to do much selling, so that was nice. At the end of the afternoon I was on my way out, when I noticed some people playing volleyball. I went over and joined and soon there were 4-6 children from La Casa de Mi Padre playing. After a little while, the heavens let loose with a very brief but very wonderful rain shower. These past few days have been intensely hot. So much so that I do not want to do much of anything.
Yesterday evening I stayed late at the home to bake a mango dessert for the children and staff today and I realized that the kitchen is not a good place to be on a hot day. A couple of the older guys helped me to peel and cut the mangos and it proved to be a good time to chat about movies and music (which of course I know very little about) but I was able to share why I like some movies (and the analogies they contain) and why I do not like the majority of the others. I am looking forward to cooking with each group of girls in the coming weeks.
This past week I was much more intentional in my reading with one of the young girls, Elba. I received some good ideas from a good friend who is an Elementary Education teacher and feel better equipped to tackle helping her in her reading comprehension. I love to read, and I am excited to help a child find that joy too or if nothing else, at least learn to understand what she is reading.
I was more directly involved in the majority of the groups this week in both the guys' and girls' home. Some went well, others did not. The medium to young age boys were a bit out of control and unfocused and so even though the activity that I had for them was active, it did not work. I am praying for some good ideas for next week. My time with the oldest group of girls' though went really well and I was encouraged that I am getting to know them better and developing more trust with them. So overall it has been a good week. Oh and on top of it all, I have been having some good conversations with a girl from Spain who is not a Christian and who feels like her life is fine without God. I am praying that God will give me wisdom in what to share and say and that above all, she will experience God for herself so that there will be no room for doubting not only His existence, but also her need for Him. Tomorrow I get to go hiking with her and probably another Christian girl so I am hoping that the day lends itself to some good conversations.
Once again I sit down to actually write a blog entry and cannot remember all of the ideas that I had floating around in my head from the week. It has been a good week, with some long days. Today I spent part of the day at the school where the majority of the children attend. They were having a day of Intramural competitions and I went to support them and also help out with selling whatever the parents of each class were assigned to cover. I did not have to do much selling, so that was nice. At the end of the afternoon I was on my way out, when I noticed some people playing volleyball. I went over and joined and soon there were 4-6 children from La Casa de Mi Padre playing. After a little while, the heavens let loose with a very brief but very wonderful rain shower. These past few days have been intensely hot. So much so that I do not want to do much of anything.
Yesterday evening I stayed late at the home to bake a mango dessert for the children and staff today and I realized that the kitchen is not a good place to be on a hot day. A couple of the older guys helped me to peel and cut the mangos and it proved to be a good time to chat about movies and music (which of course I know very little about) but I was able to share why I like some movies (and the analogies they contain) and why I do not like the majority of the others. I am looking forward to cooking with each group of girls in the coming weeks.
This past week I was much more intentional in my reading with one of the young girls, Elba. I received some good ideas from a good friend who is an Elementary Education teacher and feel better equipped to tackle helping her in her reading comprehension. I love to read, and I am excited to help a child find that joy too or if nothing else, at least learn to understand what she is reading.
I was more directly involved in the majority of the groups this week in both the guys' and girls' home. Some went well, others did not. The medium to young age boys were a bit out of control and unfocused and so even though the activity that I had for them was active, it did not work. I am praying for some good ideas for next week. My time with the oldest group of girls' though went really well and I was encouraged that I am getting to know them better and developing more trust with them. So overall it has been a good week. Oh and on top of it all, I have been having some good conversations with a girl from Spain who is not a Christian and who feels like her life is fine without God. I am praying that God will give me wisdom in what to share and say and that above all, she will experience God for herself so that there will be no room for doubting not only His existence, but also her need for Him. Tomorrow I get to go hiking with her and probably another Christian girl so I am hoping that the day lends itself to some good conversations.
Sunday, May 09, 2010
Redundancy
May 9, 2010
Sometimes I think that I must be a slow learner because the Lord has to use repetition to get me attention. He knows just how and when I need to hear the same thing again and again. Today's sermon was like that for me. It touched on the very themes that have been resonating in my heart for weeks. The title of the message was, "Do not give in to the pressure of the urgent." Basically it was a look at how we often fill our lives and schedules with that which is not very important or is not our job to fulfill. If I cannot ever say "no" when asked to help out in something, I will end up being over run with things to do, and really not doing so well in any of them. The final passage of the morning was what caught my attention because the Lord had already been talking to me about it -- Luke 10:38-42 where Jesus is with Martha and Mary and He points out that Mary has chosen the better option by choosing to sit at His feet. Martha, on the other hand, was busy running around the kitchen making dinner and being annoyed that her sister was not helping out. The pastor noted how our service for God will never be fruitful if it does not flow out of our communion with God.
Prior to the message I had been thinking of the passage in relation to the people around me and my relationships because I can easily become task-oriented and forget about building relationships. I found the sermon to be a good reminder of the most important relationship of all -- Jesus Christ. From my relationship to Him should flow my relationships with other. I found myself challenged once again to dig even more into pursuing intimate communion with the Lord Jesus Christ and then to take time for people. Details, work, etc... will always be here but people will not always be around. Over the past 2 weeks I have had the chance to chat with some people who were passing through in my life for only a short while. Even now there is a girl who I just met who I will probably only be around for another week or two. She does not know Jesus and she needs to see that I take time for her, to listen and to share in various ways. This afternoon I began to paint a picture of my faith and who Jesus is, but it is a conversation that I hope we can continue in the days to come.
Sometimes I think that I must be a slow learner because the Lord has to use repetition to get me attention. He knows just how and when I need to hear the same thing again and again. Today's sermon was like that for me. It touched on the very themes that have been resonating in my heart for weeks. The title of the message was, "Do not give in to the pressure of the urgent." Basically it was a look at how we often fill our lives and schedules with that which is not very important or is not our job to fulfill. If I cannot ever say "no" when asked to help out in something, I will end up being over run with things to do, and really not doing so well in any of them. The final passage of the morning was what caught my attention because the Lord had already been talking to me about it -- Luke 10:38-42 where Jesus is with Martha and Mary and He points out that Mary has chosen the better option by choosing to sit at His feet. Martha, on the other hand, was busy running around the kitchen making dinner and being annoyed that her sister was not helping out. The pastor noted how our service for God will never be fruitful if it does not flow out of our communion with God.
Prior to the message I had been thinking of the passage in relation to the people around me and my relationships because I can easily become task-oriented and forget about building relationships. I found the sermon to be a good reminder of the most important relationship of all -- Jesus Christ. From my relationship to Him should flow my relationships with other. I found myself challenged once again to dig even more into pursuing intimate communion with the Lord Jesus Christ and then to take time for people. Details, work, etc... will always be here but people will not always be around. Over the past 2 weeks I have had the chance to chat with some people who were passing through in my life for only a short while. Even now there is a girl who I just met who I will probably only be around for another week or two. She does not know Jesus and she needs to see that I take time for her, to listen and to share in various ways. This afternoon I began to paint a picture of my faith and who Jesus is, but it is a conversation that I hope we can continue in the days to come.
The Little Children
May 9, 2010
This morning was my second time helping out in the 2-4 year old Sunday School room at church. Things were a lot crazier today as there were more than 20 children of various ages and several who had no desire to sit and follow instructions or participate in the group activities. There were four children from the US who speak very little Spanish so I end up providing translation for them of the lesson (when they are listening that is). I am glad that my English does come in handy because so often I just wish that I could speak Spanish fluently, without having to think, and I forget to be grateful that I do know English very well (except when it comes to teaching the grammar rules as the youth often ask questions regarding their homework and I do not know the names of verb tenses, etc...) and Spanish fairly well.
On Wednesday of this past week, I finally had opportunity to make some finger paints to share with the two youngest boys at La Casa de Mi Padre. Ricardo loved the paints and ended up making footprints as well. He was pretty much covered in paint -- head to toe. Emanuel, on the other hand, was not so excited about the texture of the paint and after a brief encounter with it, he tried to stay out of sight in the corner so that he would not have to touch the gooey paints. When I made play dough the other month, Emanuel did not like that texture either. He is the one who is most delayed in his development and so we are looking for ways to stimulate him. Both boys loved the big pieces of white paper that I taped to the floor. They laid on them and I realized that we might have to take a pretend trip to the beach or something, using our imagination, "beach towels", and who knows what else. We will see what we come up with for this coming week.
One other event from this past week -- I was reading with a young girl named Elba who is in third grade. I found a book about "Frog and Toad" (which I remember from my childhood) in Spanish. As we were reading the short stories and then discussing them to see if she was comprehending what we read, I discovered that the characters can teach some good life lessons about perseverence, fear, failure, etc... With Elba's younger sister, I am hoping that the story about "The Little Engine That Could" will give her a little encouragement to keep moving forward even when things get tough and not to give up so quickly. I love to read and so it is fun to share a bit of that love with the children.
Two Sides to Every Coin
May 9, 2010
On Friday one of the boys at the home asked me to guess "heads or tails?" I guessed wrong. Today I am reflecting upon the fact that nearly every cultural difference that I encounter has two sides - the frustrating side and then the side where I see the positive of a perspective different from my own. Last evening I began by being annoyed with how the 7:00PM meeting time turned into an 8:30PM departure.We were waiting and waiting for the rest of the people to arrive. At first it was at an Outdoor Mall which was a nice setting to wait. But then we moved to a gas station and I found myself very uncomfortable there as I saw other crowds of youth around, looking our way every time that they passed. I imagined a major gang hold up or something which of course did not happen. My problem was that I was tired by 8:00PM and I had hoped to be heading home by 10:00PM. As the time ticked away and we still had not left, I decided that going in a separate car so that I could leave early was not sufficient, I would simply skip out on the evening's activities.
But that is where the cultural perspective from El Salvador which seems to say that a large group sticks together, no matter what, kicked in. The plan had been to go to an area outside of the city where there are lots of little Pupusa restaurants (Pupusas are rice or corn tortillas filled with beans, cheese, and/or various other things and are one of the most popular and cheapest foods around) and a nice view of the city. Travel time and the wait for the food would have been significant enough that it was not worth me going, only to leave by 10:00. One or two other persons wanted to leave at an early hour but not as much as me. When I said that I would not be going along after all, someone proposed the idea that we go to a pupusaria in one of the neighborhoods nearby. They asked if I would go if everyone stayed closer and I said yes. And so the group gave up the plans of going to the pupusaria with a view and settled for a nearby one, all so that I could be a part of the group. Whether we would be as quick to do that in the United States, I am not so sure. I was touched by the group's decision to stay close and enjoyed some good conversations before leaving to get some sleep. Everyone else proceeded to a cafe at the gas station where we had been before. I needed sleep, especially when I awoke at 5:00AM for no reason. That is why I cannot stay out late.
I hope that I can see both sides of the coin in every cultural difference that I encounter because I know that one culture is not better than another. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses and therefore much to learn from each other.
On Friday one of the boys at the home asked me to guess "heads or tails?" I guessed wrong. Today I am reflecting upon the fact that nearly every cultural difference that I encounter has two sides - the frustrating side and then the side where I see the positive of a perspective different from my own. Last evening I began by being annoyed with how the 7:00PM meeting time turned into an 8:30PM departure.We were waiting and waiting for the rest of the people to arrive. At first it was at an Outdoor Mall which was a nice setting to wait. But then we moved to a gas station and I found myself very uncomfortable there as I saw other crowds of youth around, looking our way every time that they passed. I imagined a major gang hold up or something which of course did not happen. My problem was that I was tired by 8:00PM and I had hoped to be heading home by 10:00PM. As the time ticked away and we still had not left, I decided that going in a separate car so that I could leave early was not sufficient, I would simply skip out on the evening's activities.
But that is where the cultural perspective from El Salvador which seems to say that a large group sticks together, no matter what, kicked in. The plan had been to go to an area outside of the city where there are lots of little Pupusa restaurants (Pupusas are rice or corn tortillas filled with beans, cheese, and/or various other things and are one of the most popular and cheapest foods around) and a nice view of the city. Travel time and the wait for the food would have been significant enough that it was not worth me going, only to leave by 10:00. One or two other persons wanted to leave at an early hour but not as much as me. When I said that I would not be going along after all, someone proposed the idea that we go to a pupusaria in one of the neighborhoods nearby. They asked if I would go if everyone stayed closer and I said yes. And so the group gave up the plans of going to the pupusaria with a view and settled for a nearby one, all so that I could be a part of the group. Whether we would be as quick to do that in the United States, I am not so sure. I was touched by the group's decision to stay close and enjoyed some good conversations before leaving to get some sleep. Everyone else proceeded to a cafe at the gas station where we had been before. I needed sleep, especially when I awoke at 5:00AM for no reason. That is why I cannot stay out late.
I hope that I can see both sides of the coin in every cultural difference that I encounter because I know that one culture is not better than another. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses and therefore much to learn from each other.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Survival Skills
May 6, 2010,
This morning as I was driving to work, I realized that using your horn is a necessary survival skill in Latin America. When I return to the United States, and forget where I am and use the horn, I get evil looks. But here, you have to use the horn to warn drivers that you are present and not planning to just move because they want to do something crazy. It seems to me that the last couple of days I have had to use my horn a lot because of the craziness on the roads.
In thinking of survival skills, I had to think also of cultural adjustments. It takes time to adjust culturally and then there are some things which will never quite seem right, though they are not wrong -- just different from what one is use to. For example on Sunday after church I went with a group of young adults to the small town of Ataco up in the mountains. We had 17 people going so it was enough to take a mini-bus instead of driving 4 vehicles. I was grateful not to have to drive and instead enjoy conversation and the scenery. When we arrived at the town, people began to talk about where to go. I asked if we were going to set a time to meet back at the bus.One of those who had helped plan the transportation said that he thought we would all just stick together. Seventeen staying people staying together translated into covering 1 1/2 blocks of the town in the 2-3 hours that we were there. Several of us wanted to walk up to a lookout by a church farther up on the hill, but we could never get everyone moving to actually make it there. For me it was an interesting experience because I like to be independent and not have to wait on groups of people. Perhaps that is also why I tend to like small groups more than large groups. I realized that if I want to go hiking and really see a National Park or something like that, I will have to make sure only a few people are going. Otherwise we will stop to take a million pictures, rest, and do many other things and never make it very far into the park.
This is perhaps where the other cultural/personality difference comes in. I like to get things done, whether that be work, seeing new places, or being active. In Latin America relationships are what are most important and are the center of everything else. It does not matter, therefore, if you only walk a block and half in a new town, because you are hanging out with everyone. I need to grow in the area of being more relational and so these cultural differences are good for me because they stretch me, moving me out of my comfort zone. The small group activities that I enjoy such as games and hikes I will simply have to plan as that -- small group time -- and not try to fit them into the larger group setting where dividing up into smaller groups is not seen as acceptable.
This morning as I was driving to work, I realized that using your horn is a necessary survival skill in Latin America. When I return to the United States, and forget where I am and use the horn, I get evil looks. But here, you have to use the horn to warn drivers that you are present and not planning to just move because they want to do something crazy. It seems to me that the last couple of days I have had to use my horn a lot because of the craziness on the roads.
In thinking of survival skills, I had to think also of cultural adjustments. It takes time to adjust culturally and then there are some things which will never quite seem right, though they are not wrong -- just different from what one is use to. For example on Sunday after church I went with a group of young adults to the small town of Ataco up in the mountains. We had 17 people going so it was enough to take a mini-bus instead of driving 4 vehicles. I was grateful not to have to drive and instead enjoy conversation and the scenery. When we arrived at the town, people began to talk about where to go. I asked if we were going to set a time to meet back at the bus.One of those who had helped plan the transportation said that he thought we would all just stick together. Seventeen staying people staying together translated into covering 1 1/2 blocks of the town in the 2-3 hours that we were there. Several of us wanted to walk up to a lookout by a church farther up on the hill, but we could never get everyone moving to actually make it there. For me it was an interesting experience because I like to be independent and not have to wait on groups of people. Perhaps that is also why I tend to like small groups more than large groups. I realized that if I want to go hiking and really see a National Park or something like that, I will have to make sure only a few people are going. Otherwise we will stop to take a million pictures, rest, and do many other things and never make it very far into the park.
This is perhaps where the other cultural/personality difference comes in. I like to get things done, whether that be work, seeing new places, or being active. In Latin America relationships are what are most important and are the center of everything else. It does not matter, therefore, if you only walk a block and half in a new town, because you are hanging out with everyone. I need to grow in the area of being more relational and so these cultural differences are good for me because they stretch me, moving me out of my comfort zone. The small group activities that I enjoy such as games and hikes I will simply have to plan as that -- small group time -- and not try to fit them into the larger group setting where dividing up into smaller groups is not seen as acceptable.
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