Salt and Light

Ice Breakers

2009-08-07T18:52:00.011-09:00

Often times, at the beginning of a new year in elementary school, our teacher started class with an ice-breaker to help everyone get to know each other. Mostly, we played name games, consisting of all the students sitting in a circle and Person A stating their name. Then, Person B would say their name along with Person A's name. Person C then said their name as well as both Person A and Person B's name, until we went all the way around the circle, with the final person stating the names of everyone in the class.

Another ice breaker specifically stands out in my mind. It was called the "Trust Game." Two students paired up, one with their back to the other. The person in front would spread their arms out like a cross and then, closing their eyes, fall backwards without stepping back or doing anything to stop themselves from hitting the ground. Their partner, who was standing behind them, was responsible for catching them before they hit the ground. The purpose of the game was to help us learn to trust one another, as falling back requires a large level of confidence in one's partner.

I believe that God asks us to play the "Trust Game" with Him every day. He says, "Come on, close your eyes and fall. I promise I'll catch you."

Sometimes we tell him to wait: "Not right now, God. I'm busy today. I have a 2 pm appointment with the CEO and I've got to get my speech ready."

Sometimes we ask for a sign: "I know you say that you are always with me and will never leave me or forsake me, but the problem is...I can't SEE you. So, how about a bolt of lightning or even just a look at your finger...just a pinky!"

Sometimes we try to hang up safety nets: "Listen God, I'm just going to put a chair here underneath me, just in case you don't happen to catch me. But don't worry, I trust you completely."

Sometimes we say that we're ready but we just stand there with our arms out and eyes closed, but never actually fall.

Through all of our antics, God stands there saying, "Just do it. Fall. I'm big, I'm strong, I'll never take my eyes off you, not even for a minute. I promise that I'll catch you. But to experience my strength, you have to fall."

Now don't get me wrong, falling is terrifying. In the 0.15 seconds that it takes to fall into your partner's arms your entire life flashes before your eyes and you envision the scene with EMTs and ambulances rushing to save your life after your head splits open on the hard ground. Everything slows down and it seems like minutes before you finally hit your partners arms and start to breath again as they pull you upright, away from the ground.

I have never once been dropped...and that's when I'm playing with humans.

Think of how much bigger and powerful God is, and yet how much less we trust him.

I am not saying that asking for a sign is a sin. Gideon did it twice and both times God granted his request. (Judges 6:36-40.) Moses asked to see God and was allowed to see God's back as He passed by the cave where Moses was sitting. (Exodus 33:18-23.) However, God has called on us to trust Him even when we can't see him and when He doesn't send a sign. We don't need a safety net--He's big enough. We don't need to reason with Him--faith is not logic-based (Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.")

Rather, God asks you to close your eyes and fall, trusting that He WILL catch you.

Radical Love

2009-06-17T19:00:00.008-09:00

I was up late talking with a close friend this past weekend (my best thinking starts after 10 pm.) She has just finished her freshman year at college and was telling me about how much she loved her new church. They immediately made her feel welcome and included, without even knowing her at all, she said. She described it as if they we saying to her, "We love you, we don't know you yet and we'll have time for that later, but we are choosing to love you anyway."

This church group is 90% of what I hear come out of her mouth and it's obviously impacted her life in a huge way. She longs to be around them and with them and loves them like family.

I knew I had read about this sort of radical love somewhere...oh, yeah. The Bible. This is exactly the kind of love that God has CALLED us to give to one another. In John 13:34 Jesus hits his disciples with an new way to live life. He says, "A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
"As I have loved you" refers to God's unconditional love for us and it says that we are to love others with that same unconditional love, meaning without reason. I am going to call this Radical Love. It is not an earned love or a reward for good behavior, rather a decision made to love this person regardless of who they are, how they treat you, what they do, or what they believe.

So, if we are obviously commanded (that's an order, not a choice) by God to radically love others, what's the hold up? So many people despise Christians, saying their judgmental, hypocritical, and fanatics. Personally, I doubt that any of the Christians these people met ever loved them radically. Folks, that's OUR FAULT. We are the ones to blame for our unloving behavior toward others and yet we complain that numbers are down in the church or that others mistreat us for our faith. It is my belief that, just like my friend who deeply desires to spend time with her church group, others would long to be with us if we chose to love them unconditionally.

I believe that we could all begin to love people better simply by changing our greeting-style. Take a look at this typical salutation between Joe and Sarah.
Joe-"Hi"
Sarah-"Hey"
Joe-"How are you?"
Sarah-"Good. And you?"
Joe-"Good."
They part, both relieved to have finished with social formalities without having to tell the other person how they're actually doing because, let's face it, the other person doesn't really care anyway.

Why do we ask how they're doing if we don't care? Would it not be better just to not ask them at all and save them the discomfort of lying to you? Or, we could shock them by asking a different question to show that we are actually interested in what they have to say. For example, "How was______? (fill in the blank with a recent activity they had), or "What's God been up to in your life?. Or maybe, "What's new with your life?" (and don't take "nothing" for an answer)

Think of how strongly we could rattle the world's perception of Christians if we showed them that having Jesus in our lives actually makes a difference in the way we lived, even in the way we greet others.

So, What WOULD Jesus do? He'd love radially.

A Face Full of Mercy

2009-06-17T18:29:00.004-09:00

I was in the bathroom a few nights ago in the middle of one round of the way-too-many facial cleansers I use in an attempt to ride my face of acne. I began to fall into the "Life's not Fair" mode, when my mind switched back to a conversation I had with a person very dear to me just a few days earlier.

The topic: Why do bad things happen to good people?
This question had always plagued me before I became a Christian, just over 3 years ago. Why would a God who's good and loving allow His people to suffer?

Since then, I have searched and prayed to find a good answer. My understanding as of now is, 'Because there's no such thing as "good people".' We are all sinners and the payment of sin is death (Romans 6:23) We are getting exactly what we deserve due to our sinful nature and thus our sinful actions.

Yet, though God is just, He is also merciful and has provided us a way out of eternal punishment. He sent His son to die for us, thereby paying the eternal penalty for us so that we don't have to. This does not mean, however, that we will not suffer in this lifetime. In fact, God has PROMISED that we will. (2 Timothy 3:12 "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.")

I began thinking about how many times God has shown His incredible mercy to me, not just in giving me eternal salvation, but in everyday occurrences. He has given me an incredible family who are willing to support me and encourage me, a working brain, functioning body, wise mentors. Yet I have done nothing to deserve these things. I continually fail in my walk with Christ. I am a sinner and deserve every bad thing-every sickness, heartache, and separation from God. Thank goodness life's not fair. If it were, not a single one of us would ever smile, love, or have a relationship with the Lord.

So now, as I wash my face in the morning, I am reminded how wonderful it is that life's not fair (and how much I love the person who invented concealer.)

Biblical Weightlifting

2009-03-21T14:30:00.004-09:00

I am bursting with joy right now and I need to get it out. So, you all get to hear about it.

I just arrived home from Bible Study, where were were studying God's promises. We studied that there are 2 general types of promises: Personal and Universal. Personal promises are made to an individual or a specific group of people (ie. The Israelites.) For example, when God promised Abram a son in his old age, that was a personal promise to the specific person of Abram. Therefore, I am not included in the promise (aka God has not promised to give me a son in my old age.) There are however, Universal promises as well, which are made for all people.

Within these two categories, there are also Conditional promises and Unconditional promises. Conditional promises have conditions--we have to do something as well. For example, in Mathew 6:33, the Bible says "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you" ("these things" signifying our material needs, see v.31.) If we do not first complete the condition (seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness) he will not fulfill the promise (giving us all things.) Unconditional promises, on the other hand require nothing of us. It is simply a promise that God will fulfill regardless of what we do (ex. God promised never again to destroy the earth by water)

We were studying some of God's universal promises and the pastor asked for examples of promises that God has completed in our lives. Someone spoke of 1 Corinthians 10:13 which says, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

"Is that a conditional promise, or an unconditional promise?" the pastor asked.

After rereading the passage we decided that it was unconditional because there is no prerequisite given, nothing that we, as humans, have to do. Everything is on God.

Wow, I felt like I had been hit by a truck...a really light, fluffy truck, full of chocolate.

So, that means that God is saying that he will NEVER give us any temptation (also translated as problem or struggle) that we cannot handle and that he will always provide a way out. AND that it never depends on me and whether or not I've completed my half of the promise. He just does it.

Therefore, even when I am going through situations and I feel as if I can't handle it anymore, God will provide the means for me to "aguantarme" (to bear or endure) until He provides a way out. But that I will never be presented with a situation that I absolutely CAN'T handle with the help of God. So cool.

The pastor used the example of lifting weights. I, a weakling, cannot lift very much weight. Maybe 50 pounds. However, my brother, who is much stronger than me can lift much more. We'll say 150 pounds. God will never give me any more weight to lift than 50 pounds. He may give me 49 or even 50 and I will struggle, because it is my limit, but he will never give me even 50.00001. However, someone such as my brother, who can lift much more, will receive a larger amount, yet never more than their personal limit.

If a weight lifter wants to be able to lift more weight in the future, they need to do a little more every day. Similarly, God will give us more and more and we can handle it. That's not to say however, that he will constantly be loading us with our absolute limit. Even professional weight lifters don't bench their maximum weight the entire time they are in the gym, nor even every time they go. Rather, they allow their bodies to rest, and train gradually, and only sometimes bench their maximum, so that when the time comes, they will be ready and able to lift their absolute max.

But, some may say, I'm already feeling overwhelmed at 10 pounds. Maybe it's better if I never accomplish this because I don't want to experience 20 pounds. Yet, once someone has been lifting weights for a while and they improve, the 10 pounds that once used to cause them to sweat and pant now seems easy. The same in life, if we grow in God and with his help push through our trials, then when a similar situation comes again it will seem easy and no longer an immovable weight.

With all this in mind, we now know that no matter WHAT happens to us--death of a loved one, sickness, school, stress, job loss, the economy, children, friends---whatever it may be, we can always stand up under it, like a weightlifter stands up under their weight. God will never give us more than we can lift. Even when things look despairing--believe me, I've had several desperate times this year--we can have peace in our hearts and confidence that God will provide a way and that we will stand up under it. That is an UNCONDITIONAL PROMISE FOR ALL PEOPLE!!!

My new understanding of this verse gives me so much joy, I could hardly keep from crying in the meeting. I wanted to share it with all of you, so that you too may experience the freeing joy that comes from knowing that you do not have to worry, because God will provide a way in everything. That's a promise.

Viva la Vida Mexicana

2009-03-19T13:49:00.009-09:00

Living in another country for an extended period of time has attachments that I never thought about on 2 week mission trips. For example, the government kicking you out of the country every 180 days. They like to call it "renewing your Visa." So, I decided to take the opportunity to do some out-of-country traveling. Some of you may remember the Coronado-Guerrero family (The are a Mexican family who lived in Farmington for almost 5 years and went to Ward Church.) They graciously invited me to come and stay with them in their hometown of Villahermosa, MX for 4 days.

At 6:30 in the morning, I hopped onto a plane and headed off to Mexico City. From Mexico City I took another plane to the gorgeous city of Villahermosa (the city really lives up to its name, as it literally translates to "Beautiful City." Flying in, I looked out the window and saw only winding lakes surrounding by lush vegetation. Letty and Jose picked me up at the airport and we went out for some traditional Mexican food (aka delicious.) Letty is a university professor of health studies as well as the director of the health department. They also own a clinic, where a team of ~30 people treats sickness, broken bones, preform surgeries, and provide medicine.

We picked up Paola (17) and Karina (14, going to have her quinceaños this year) at school and headed over to their grandparents house to meet Pablo(10) and have lunch with their grandparents. One part of the Latin culture that I respect and adore is their hospitality and inclusiveness of others. Within hours of meeting the Coronado-Guerreros, I was in their grandparents' house, watching Mexican soap operas with them, and being treated like one of the family. They asked me to think of them as grandparents and adopted me into their family instantly. Just think of the witness we could have if we treated all outsiders in such a way. Talk about loving people like Jesus.

During my time there, the Coronado-Guerreros took me all over Villahermosa, obviously so proud of their beautiful city. We went to the local sports park, which in addition to tennis courts, soccer fields and a track, included a skate park for rollerblading! That night we went to the movies (my first time in ~8 months). The next day, we spent at el Museo de la Venta, an outdoor "museum." You walk through the Mexican jungle and along the path are many Oyacan sculptures as well as animals, birds, and reptiles scattered throughout the park.

That night, we went out walking through the streets of Villahermosa and I was taken aback by the beauty of it all. Everywhere I looked, people were walking through lit streets with their families and loved ones. Vendors stood by their stands selling everything from meringue to T-shirts and bookmarks. On one street we watched as couples danced to the music of a marimba band. We walked all around the city, to the governor's palace, lit in the colors of the Mexican flag, the bridge over the river, and through the quiet back streets.

I spent the night in a hammock strung from one side of the girls' room to the other. That was a new experience! Sunday morning, we went to church and then made our way down to central park. On Sunday mornings they close off a large section of the main road and rent out bikes. Unfortunately, my wheel was not exactly connected as I found out when I watched it rolling away down the street...oops! We walked the boardwalk around the large lagoon in Central Park and watched several girls practicing their quinceaños dances.

Following our afternoon in the park everyone got ready for the weekly Sunday afternoon Guerrero family reunion. The whole family gathers and everyone shares a meal, spending time with eachother and enjoying the company of family. They even brought a cake and we celebrated my birthday with another family member's. Lots of laughter and good Mexican food later, I left, feeling like I had my own family in Mexico.

Monday, my last day with the Coronado-Guerreros I spent with Letty at her work at the University. They took me to the airport and I had to say goodbye to my new Mexican family, complete with sisters, a brother, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Looking back at my time with them, my mind continually reverts back to their kindness, acceptance, and hospitality of me throughout every moment of my stay with them.

A mi familia mexicana- Gracias por todo. Ustedes son my familia por siempre y les quiero un monton!

Maybe, with an Education

2009-03-02T11:35:00.008-09:00

Saturday evening, I was standing just off the cone of Volcano Pacaya, watching a river of bright orange lava ooze out and down the side of the volcano. Being my third visit to Pacaya, I had seen lava before, but never like this. Every once in a while, a huge chunk of lava would break off and tumble down the steep slope, flinging hot lava as it went. We stayed and watched until the sun set and all we could see was the glowing trail of lava and it's orange glow reflected in the clouds above.

Following the clouds up even further, I was shocked to see the sky full of brillant stars. My sixth graders had spent the past week studing space, galaxies, stars, and constelations, so I was keenly aware of the majesty of what I was viewing. I saw our tour guide, Freddy, the 15 year old son of an official guide, gazing up at the stars. I started talking to him about the different constelations (the names of which I had recently learned in Spanish). He was obviously confused, so I asked if he knew what a constelation was. He said no. So, we started at the begining. I told him everything I knew about space, galaxies, gravity, the moon, light and how it travels, stars, and the constellations.

Freddy then told me about everything that his techers had told him about space. He told me that the moon was a planet that pulled on the earth and that giant worms came out of the stars. Then, a little later on, he began telling me that the volcano no longer had violent erruptions because the trees that lived on its sides soaked up all its energy.

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. I thought of all the girls at the Oasis who had, at one time or another, probably been in a similar schooling situation. I was later talking to a coworker about my conversation with Freddy, and we both agreed on the importance of education to bring about change in peoples' lives. Maybe, with an eduction, Freddy could leave the family business of leading tourist groups up and down the side of a volcano and find a job that would better financially support him and his family. Maybe, the girls at the Oasis, with an education will leave the Oasis an be able to find a job, support themselves, and avoid the same problems from which they were taken away. Maybe, with an education, the girls will learn to think for themselves, will see themselves as beautiful women with minds, thoughts, and opinions, and will fight for what they believe. Maybe, with an education, they will come to see that they are intelligent and deserve respect and will demand that they be treated as such. Maybe, with an education, they will come to understand more the God who loves them and will come into a better understanding of their relationship with Him. Maybe, with an education.

I firmly believe that each and every one of the girls here is capable of acheiving amazing things with their lives. I never want them to be pushed aside due to a lack of knowledge, or to see them lose opportunities they could have had because they never graduated the 9th grade. Yes, it's true, some of them may never make it past 4th grade, but they can learn to use their minds, to think for themselves, and to not let others look down on them. If, at any moment in my time here, I can help them learn how to learn, then my job as a teacher has been acomplished. From that will stem self-respect, a better understanding of themselves, of others, the world the live in, and our God in heaven.

Redefining 20/20 vision

2009-02-26T16:41:00.015-09:00

This morning at breakfast, the girls asked me why I wear glasses. "To help me see," I said. "My eyes aren't shaped right, and so without my glasses I can't see." I took them off and tried to read Katy's sweatshirt, across the table from me. Failing, I put them back on and shrugged. "See? I need them."

Every 6 months, I receive a mailing from the local optometrist, informing me that the time has come to check my vision and see if I need to change my lens prescription. So it is also, as I have come to realize, with life. Every so often we need to "update our prescription" and take a moment to re-view our life in order to fully appreciate the beauty that God has given us.

When my friends, Maria and Jackie, who decided to come and visit me over their Spring Break, stepped out of the airport in Guatemala City, I could hardly run fast enough to get to them and wrap them in bear hugs. How wonderful to see friends from home! We loaded their things into the van I had rented and headed out on a 5 hour drive to Santiago, Atitlan, an indigenous village located on the shore of Lake Atitlan. Watching them take in the scenery reminded me of how I felt driving down the same roads during my first few days in Guatemala: wide-eyed and full of questions. Since then, life has taken on a certain normality. Things that at first dazzled or confused me, now seem every-day. The cow walking down the road, the erupting volcano seen out my window, beans and tortillas for breakfast and dinner have all become the norm. Yet, having them here with me reminds me of the beauty and wonder with which I am surrounded. Every time they take out their camera to capture a moment in time, I am reminded that each moment here is special and has its own unique qualities.

Even walking to the grocery store is an eye-opening experience. After passing the man and his cow walking home, you see the women with their babies tied onto their backs and the men hauling piles of wood by a piece of fabric tied around their foreheads. Just to watch them makes my back ache. Then in town, the indigenous women walk by in their beautiful fabric clothing and tuk-tuks (the cheap form of a taxi) rattle by, looking like little beetles scrambling across the road. Farther down, vans congregate in an open field, waiting to fill with passengers looking for a ride. Finally, you reach "Restaurant Row," filled with smells of atol, churrasco, and guacamole. The bus station is just at the end of the road and you can always hear the shouts of "Guate! Guate! Guate!" calling for people to ride into the capital.

Walking these streets nearly everyday, I have come to know them well. But having Maria and Jackie there with me, marveling at the sights, sounds, and differences between here and Michigan, I was reminded of just how truly special this place is. They have brought me a new lens prescription and helped me to re-see the beauty of my home.

Marriage Counseling

2009-02-08T14:37:00.004-09:00

My roommate, Kimberly, and I go on walks through the town of San Lucas almost every day. It's a nice way to take a little break for a while, get some exercise (although climbing the hill never seems to get any easier,) and it's a time for us to talk about the day and about what's going on. Since San Lucas is so small, we've walked the same streets over and over again many times. So, to pass the time, we play the Question Game. One person asks a question and then both people have to answer it. Then, it's the other person's turn to ask a question. (Ex. "If you had an hour with the President, what would you want to talk about?") As you can imagine, after weeks of playing this game for several hours at a time, we've touched on all topics: favorite things, life goals, memories, theology, love, the future, likes and dislikes, how we react to different situations, etc.

One day, one of the questions was "Why do you think a majority of marriages fail?" "Lack of good communication," was Kimberly's answer, which I think holds quite a bit of truth. I began thinking about all of the people we communicate with every day: family, friends, children, pets, mailmen, co-workers, complete strangers on the street, the person next to us in line at the grocery store, neighbors, teachers, babysitters, friends online, bosses, etc. The list could go on forever. But, does God ever make it onto our list?

If I never talked to my friends, they would not be called friends, because friendship involves a relationship and a relationship involves communication. If husbands and wives only spoke about the meaningless things that happened during the day and held no real importance, their relationship would also hold no real importance. So, if I don't talk to God, or if I only tell him fluff(that's how my literary teachers used to refer to the pointless sentences that kids put in their papers to fill space,) does that mean I have a relationship with him? No.

It's so easy to get wrapped up in life, work, other relationships, anything, and forget about spending time with my Lord. How can I expect to have a relationship with Him if I don't take the time to talk to Him? Not just when I have a petition, not just when He's done another miracle in my life, but every day, all day.

Sometimes, it's necessary to find a quiet place, alone, so that I can just talk to God. The more I do it, the more natural it becomes. As I spend time praying, it begins to no longer feels like a prayer, but like we're sitting next to each other on the couch, chatting. "Tengo cuello" or "I've got connections." I can talk, anytime I want, to the most powerful, amazing being, and He loves me and wants to listen to what I have to say. Of course, there are days where I feel like I'm talking to the air, or when I struggle to focus, but I've never heard a married couple say that they've been happily married for the past 50 years because they let the struggles of life take over their relationship.

God did not give us the power of prayer to have us never use it. Rather, as Paul said to the Thessalonians, we are to pray WITHOUT CEASING (1 Thesalonians 5: 16-18.) That means all the time-- when I'm tired, well, sick, busy, bored, joyful, brushing my teeth, trudging up the hill, singing in church, teaching math, or cooking dinner.

Pray with me, that as the bride of Christ, we won't let out marriage fail due to a lack of communication. WE are the break in the relationship, WE are the ones with the communication problem. May we rediscover the joy of going to our bridegroom to talk about our day, our fears, our joys, our sorrows and watch our relationship with Him blossom in the process.

Never Say Never

2009-01-13T13:26:00.003-09:00

We have lots of sayings in English: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch," "Don't judge a book by it's cover," and "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." (P.S. The last one doesn't work, I tried and yet she continued living in my house-- hi mom!)

Well, I think God has a favorite: "Never say never."

I've recently begun to notice a pattern in my life. Every time I swear that I'll NEVER do something, I eventually end up doing it. For example, when I went on the Mali Music Mission trip through Ward last year and said that I did not, under any circumstances, want to teach a music class, the first day of class they introduced me as the Clarinet teacher. Or, if you'd have told me last year that I'd eat cow hoof, I'd have sworn that that would NEVER happen. Well, you all know how that went...

Then, when I was picking science classes for my freshman year of high school and said that I hated rocks in all shapes and forms and would NEVER study geophysical science again. Well, folks, guess what my fourth grade science class is studying--- yup, rocks. I'm teaching geophysical science. Haha, God, very funny.

Plus, I took chemistry my sophomore year and hated it so much that I abandoned any thought of pursuing medicine because I never wanted to see another chemistry book again. Well, 6th grade science class is studying---CHEMISTRY. Seriously, God?

And last but not least, I promised myself that if I ever taught, I would NEVER teach middle-school kids. They're crazy, I said, I can't handle them. Yes, all the girls in my classes are 8-14 years old, and guess what-- I love working with them.

Moral of the story, God's bigger than me. Never say never.

"Rockabye Baby"

2009-01-09T14:44:00.007-09:00

Last weekend, I was asked to be the Tia in the Gold House for the weekend. Although Tia is the word for "aunt," she is the "mother" of the household. She cooks, makes sure chores done, takes care of all the kids in her house, and basically does everything a mom would (break up fights, calm tears, read stories, play, fall asleep exhausted...)

I always adore my opportunities to serve as a Tia because they provide me with 72 hours to get to know the girls better in a particular house. Though, my favorite time came at bedtime...

After spending all day with 8 girls, doing chores, cooking meals, trying to explain why tattling is bad, ignoring the whining (sometimes a communication barrier can be a blessing), and playing games, I was ready for bed.

Everyone brushed their teeth, changed into pajamas, and crawled into bed. Then, I went around to each one and sat with them awhile, talking about their day, praying with them and finally kissing them good night and telling them how much I loved them. The girls on the top bunks were shocked and broke out giggling when I climbed up on top with them to chat for a little while.

The effect was amazing.
Girls that had been cold to me all day suddenly turned all smiles. The little ones felt like someone was taking the chance to listen to them for a while, instead of just tell them what to do. And, Jackeline, a girl who needs lots of positive reinforcement, heard me tell her I loved her, even though we'd had a discussion about the quality of her chores earlier. They gave me HUGE hugs and said "Te Quiero" (I love you) a hundred times.

The next morning and all throughout the day, the girls reminded me of my promise to read them a story that night. Attitudes toward me softened and there was a general atmosphere of love and peace in the house.

That night, when I brought out the book of stories they all went running to their rooms. While I was in reading with the younger girls, the older girls, ages 10-12, came in to make sure that I was coming to their room next.

Later, I heard one of the girls say to Tia Patty, "When I was at home, my parents never tucked me in. They just said 1-2-3, to bed! But when you talk and pray with me at night, I feel loved."

Most often, love is felt in tiny, every day things, rather than in giant gestures.
I believe that God will use our efforts, however small or insignificant they may be, to enrich the lives of others. Maybe my mission here is to read bedtime stories to girls at night, and if that be true, may I never run out of stories to tell.

This is Ridiculous

2009-01-09T14:36:00.004-09:00

Dear Lord, I love her. You sure know how to make them.

Just wanted to introduce you all to Belen. This is her typical, "This is Ridiculous" face.

P.S. Lord, her teacher's gonna need a lot of paitence too. Thanks.

Day by Day

2009-01-09T13:44:00.007-09:00

WOOPS! I looked at the last date on my blogs...and needless to say, it's been quite a while since the last update!

Most of the girls' school vacation has been spent outside, playing on the trampoline, on the play set, and playing soccer. You'd think after 9 years on a soccer team, I'd be able to aim a ball...not so. (Not to mention that I'm playing against Latinos, who are born with cleats on their feet)

Besides all the fun and games, Kimberly and I took the opportunity to teach English classes to the staff. When we first tried out the idea in a Monday morning meeting to see who would be interested, immediately all hands shot up. So, the next Monday we began the first of bi-weekly English lessons for the Oasis staff.
The classes have turned out to be one of my favorite times of the week. The joy and energy that our students bring to the class is electrifying. It's thrilling to see them energized about learning and putting such effort into it. They are so excited to practice "Pass me the..." at the dinner table, or "Good morning" when I see them in the morning. Although I doubt any of them will reach fluency before I leave, they've provided me with a wonderful 2 hours per week of realizing how blessed I am to have learned English as my first language. (Consider the word "Up": light up, get up, throw up, stay up, turn up, pick up, shut up, etc.)

In reality, the time off from school has been a wonderfully blessing in that I find myself unburdened by classes to prepare/teach and with plenty of free time to spend with the girls. This has allowed me to create relationships with the girls. The girls of the Blue House, for example, are all 15 years old and above and go walking through the surrounding towns every morning at 6 am. I've been accompanying them, not only for the exercise and the chance to get out of The Oasis for a while, but also for the hour and 1/2 that it provides me for interrupted conversation with the girls.
In general, the girls in the Blue House are hardest to reach, mainly due to the fact that they're teenagers. Let's face it, as a teenager myself, we're hard to talk to when we don't want to open up. Yet, as the summer passes, I've seen cracks and breaks in their shells where I've been chipping away piece by piece. Day by day, piece by piece. I have to remember, God does not change me in a day. I learn with each experience. Similarly, with each demonstration of love, discipline (which are one in the same, but they generally don't grasp that), and concern for them and what's going on in their lives, I have faith that God will do amazing works in the lives of these girls. He is molding them into women after His own heart. There's nothing I can do for them on my own, just let myself be used by God in the ways He has planned.

Let the Little Children Come to Me

2008-11-16T13:59:00.005-09:00

A few weeks ago, during my first few days here, I attended a teacher's training on sharing your faith with children. Our psychologist at The Oasis, who lead the training, spoke about how the Bible calls us to come to Jesus like little children. Children, she said, have the ability to love endlessly, unaffected by worries, jobs, busy schedules, past heartbreaks, and everything else that we put between our hearts and God.

The girls here are teaching me what it truly means to love like a child. Wendy (4) and Tanya (2) are especially good teachers. Whenever I walk in, they immediately come running to me and jump into my arms to give me hugs and the biggest kisses they can manage. My skin color does not matter. My age, gender, and intelligence mean nothing. Nor does my past, my family, or even the fact that I speak another language. Nothing poses a barrier to their love.

Children, in addition to loving profusely, are dependent on others for their survival. We often pride ourselves on our independence and ability to take care of ourselves. God, however, asks us to give up our independence and trust in His ability to care for us. Although sometimes this can be a rather uncomfortable task, I find that the more I give to God, the more at peace and protected I feel. Never vulnerable; always safe.

The more time I spend with the girls here, the more I learn about how to approach God as a child--as one who loves without prerequisites, willingly accepts love from others, and gives her life over to the only one who can truly take care of her. I challenge you all to approach our Lord and Savior through the eyes of a child. He never disappoints.

"Here I Go Again"

2008-11-12T17:37:00.002-09:00

“Here I Go Again”
Casting Crowns

Father, hear my prayer
I need the perfect words
Words that she will hear
And know they're straight from You
I don't know what to say
I only know it hurts
To see my friend slowly fade away

Chorus:
So maybe this time
I'll speak the words of life
With Your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear
is tearin' at my words
What am I so afraid of?
'Cause here I go again
Talkin' 'bout the rain
And mullin' over things
that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not her friend
This might be my last chance
to tell her that You love her

But here I go again
Here I go again

Lord, You love her so
You gave Your only Son
If she will just believe
She will never die
But how then will she know
What she has never heard?
Lord she has never seen mirrored in my life

Chorus:

But here I go again
Here I go, here I go

Chorus:

This might be my last chance
To tell her that You love her
This might be my last chance
To tell her that You love her

You love her, You love her
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid of?
How then will she know
What she has never heard?

This song, slightly adapted from the original Casting Crowns version, was playing on Kimberly’s computer earlier this evening. After listening to the lyrics, I felt like the band was right here, singing to me about the girls at The Oasis. My prayer for my time here is that every day I will OOOZE with God’s love. That it will stick to everyone I touch, see, greet, and talk with. That they will be so stuck in it that they would give up trying to run from it.

The lyrics say “This might be my last chance to tell her that You love her.” We have girls constantly in and out of The Oasis, depending on the outcome of their court dates, but regardless of what the courts say, God has not guaranteed me tomorrow to show them His love. It needs to happen TODAY.

Please be with me in prayer that God will shine His light through my life, so bright that no one can ignore it. That the girls will see God’s love through the way that I love them, and that they will want more.

To all my TEACHERS

2008-11-12T17:31:00.002-09:00

I am passionate about my girls.

I am passionate about education.

I am passionate about my girls getting an education.

They’re not always so thrilled.

The girls here at The Oasis go to school on-site using a home school program based out of Guatemala City, called Hebron. We bring in 4 teachers, one for grades 1, 2-3, 4-6, and 7-9. We have just started using the Hebron program this year and many of the girls are finding it difficult, because the level of difficulty of the material is much higher than they have ever had to deal with before. Also, it often requires independent study, not facilitated by the teacher—also something they are not used to.

I am excited to see the girls here receiving a higher level of education; however we are fighting an uphill battle. Not a single girl here is ahead or even up to speed in her studies. So many of them started late, some not beginning kindergarten until the age of 8-10, that they missed the formative years where children learn the basics of all learning (letters, numbers, counting, listening, following directions, etc.) We have 10 year olds in kindergarten, 14 year olds in 4th grade.

Also, the method of learning here in Guatemala is far different than that of the States. There’s no push to understand the “why” behind what you’re learning. All is rote memorization--- copy a paragraph and memorize your multiplication tables. As good as memorization is, it does not facilitate the ability to be able to solve problems other than the ones you’ve memorized. For example, they know that 3 x 4=12, but they have not learned that multiplication is addition of the same number to itself (they don’t understand that 3+3+3+3 = 3 x 4). Therefore, whenever they are presented with a new problem, they freeze and don’t know how to begin to work it out. If they understood the concept behind what they are learning, they might be able to work it out, but problem solving is just not taught.

We received the girls’ final exam scores last week. Many failed 3-5 classes, and those who passed are in the minority. So, this week we have 8am-12 tutoring for all girls who will be taking retake exams in just a few weeks. I love to tutor. It has always given me such a thrill to teach someone something new, to see them begin to understand a concept that confused them before. It’s an adrenaline rush. Yet, I struggle with how to fight the education system, their years without study, laziness, and lack of confidence. Often, I find myself regressing to the very basics of what they are studying, to explain the fundamentals of algebra, biology, or European history. Every day I am reminded of how grateful I am to all of my teachers, tutors, and those who took the time to teach me over the past 18 years. They may never know it, but the information they so painstakingly explained to me over and over is now being passed on to beautiful Guatemalan girls. So, THANK YOU, to all of my teachers—all forms—over the past years. You’re words carried farther than you ever expected.

Soup a la...cow hoof?

2008-11-08T06:57:00.000-09:00

Almost 4 years ago now, I went to Honduras with my mom on my first mission trip. There, we stayed on site of a clinic in the tiny city of Guimaca. On day, while we were eating dinner, I found a fly in my food and proceeded to pick it out and continue eating. The missionary there began telling us about the 3 Stages of missionary eating:

Stage 1: You find a bug in your food, throw out your food, and start over with a new plate.

Stage 2: You find a bug in your food, pick it out, and continue eating.

Stage 3: You find bug in your food, keep eating, and say “Mmm, extra protein.”

Well folks, last night I officially moved to Stage 4. I ate cow hoof.

They serve a soup here that is made of broth (which I now know is cow hoof broth), potatoes, greens, carrots, and giant chunks of blubbery-looking things. These, they explained to me, are called “pata de vaca” literally translating into “cow foot.” Apparently, they are extremely high in protein and vitamins. Despite the fact that they look like blubber and taste like rubber.

I had been able to discreetly pick them out of my food up until last night. Last night, dinner was broth with a giant bowl of pata de vaca. Mm,mm, good.

Anyway, I’m definitely getting my share of new experiences, good and not so good.

Number one moto: Be Flexible!!!

Life on top of the Mountain

2008-10-23T16:58:00.001-09:00

Ok, here is the anxiously awaited report on THE OASIS! Ok, so mabye not so anxiously awaited, but please, humor me.

I spent the weekend in San Cristobal with Mike and Sandi Glick and their family. They are both Kimberly's parents as well as my director through CAM. On our way to drop me off at The Oasis on Sunday night, I got a call from my Oasis director, Melanie, saying that Monday was a holiday and no one was going to work, so I'd be all alone on my first day. As pleasant as that sounded, we decided that it was best if I spent the night and following day with Melanie at her house in Antigua. So, back to Antigua we went.

Having Monday off gave me some extra time to calm my nerves about starting at The Oasis. Monday night, Melanie and her roommate dropped me off at The Oasis with a promise to be back in the morning to show me the ropes on my first day. I was assigned to eat breakfast and dinner in the Red House (all 4 houses are different colors--red, blue, orange, and green. I live in the yellow house.) Walking in, I felt like I was back in the first day of kindergarten. Then I remember why I love kids so much. Immediately, they all came over to give me hugs and say hello. I felt so relieved. They liked me! Dinner was a blast, and by the end I felt so much more comfortable about my time here.

Breakfast is served at 6 am. Yes, you heard me. The girls get up at 4 am and by the time I arrive at 5:50 all 10 girls are showered, dressed, doing chores, and cooking breakfast. Needless to say, breakfast is a little quieter than dinner due to the fact that no one's brain is functioning yet. After breakfast I usually spend time doing their hair, folding clothes, cleaning up after breakfast, and generally helping them get ready for the day.

I return to my house around 6:45- 7 to get myself ready and do personal devotions. Right befoe I left, I studied the importance of daily quiet time for prayer and reading the Bible. So, I really wanted to make a point to plan that into my dail schedule. Well, God has a sick sense of hunor (amen, Kimberly!) and decided that He'd provide me with that time by having breakfast at 6 and school at 8. Although I have never been a morning person, this time every morning with God is so special to me, and I really look forward to it. I have made it my goal to read through the entire Bible while I am here, and with each new book God reveals more and more of Himself, His love for us, and His ultimate power to me.

About 7:45 am I go outside to play with the girls before school starts. Usually, we play basketball-- I think I'm worse than some of the 5 year olds. Gotta practice that...
8 am the bell rings and we all go inside for morning devotions. The teachers read and discuss a passage in the Bible and then we pray for specific people. Each student, teacher, worker, has a specific day of the month on which everyone prays for them. Quite a good system, I think.
After devotions (~8:30) school starts for the girls and work starts for me. The girls are currently studying for/taking finals, as this is their last week of school. So, 2 of the 3 days I've been here I've been put in charge of the 3 youngest girls so that the teacher can review with the rest of the girls. These are girls that were not quite ready for kindergarten this year. This morning we painted each letter in the alphabet, read stories, and played with blocks. Then we went outside and made a fort out of blankets and a play structure.

Belen and Mariana, two of the three girls, are both 6 years old and quickly catch on to material. They will both be ready to participate in a full class next year. Candy, on the other hand, is 10 and cannot yet count. She was found wandering the streets of San Lucas, almost an hour's walk from her home town, extremely malnourished, and all she knew was her name and her age. Extraordinarily, while the principal was walking with Candy through a convention on day, a young girl recognized Candy and came over to say hello. Shocked, the principal asked the girl how she knew Candy. Apparently, they used to live near each other when Candy lived at home. The principal quickly began asking the girl about Candy's home, her parents, her siblings, and how to find them. Her mother was a seller in the market, and after several days in the market with a photo of Candy, they finally discovered where to contact the mother. Sadly, the mother could not support her, nor had any missing child report ever been filed. So, Candy is now here at Oasis, the first of many heart breaking stories I am sure to hear. They believe that between her malnourishment, improper clothing for the weather, and lack of care, she probably suffered some brain damage. She is in need of significant one-on-one help if she will ever succeed in a classroom. Please pray for Candy, me, and the rest of the Oasis staff as we try to find the best way to work with her and help her along.

The times I am not with the girls, I have spent either organizing the soon-to-be-opened library and doing office work. My first day I translated Christmas letters from the girls' sponsors. A request to all of you who are the sponsor for child somewhere in the world: You really matter to your child. They may be just a picture on your refridgerator or a name in your head, but they are a real boy/girl with a story, friends, likes, dreams. You mean so much more to them than you can possibly ever know. I have always been very lax about writing to the child that we sponsor. But now that I see how much those letters and gifts mean to them, I will not be lax any longer. They know the names of their sponsors and get so excited when they receive a letter. So please, all of you who have sponsor children under your care, send them a Christmas letter this year. (And send it early so that they poor intern who translates them all has time to do it before Christmas!)

Dinner is at 6 and I eat again in the red house. Dinner usually consistes of tea-cup plate of beans, tortillas, and a cup of atol to drink (a really water cream of wheat). After dinner we clean the house and then it's off to bed by 7:30 or 8 pm. You have to if you're going to get up at 4 am!
I go to bed quite early as well, usually by 9:30 pm. Everything just shuts down when it gets dark and there's really nothing to do, so why not?

Overall, I am loving my time here, getting to know names, and have never had/given so many hugs and kisses in my life. It's exciting to know that I get to spend the next 6 1/2 months getting to know the girls, talking with them, investing in their lives. Please pray with me that God will provide me with the understanding, the care, the paitence, the endurance, and the language skills that I will be needing over the coming months. Pray that He will give me the wisdom that I will need when dealing with delicate emotions and painful pasts. These girls need lots of unconditional love. Pray that I'll be one who can show them that they are valuable, beautiful women that God loves and whom He wants to spend eternity with Him. That's why I'm here.

Culture 101

2008-10-22T17:20:00.001-09:00

I lied, I'm not going to tell you about The Oasis just yet. I will, I promise! But first, there are some things I'd really like to let you all know about life here in Guatemala:

During the rainy season, it rains HARD at least once a day, often 2-3 times daily. If you are planning to travel to a two-season country, BUY A RAINCOAT! Oh, and don't expect anything to ever dry.
Guatemalans are called "Chapines" (pronounced "Chap" as in "Chapstick" and "e-n-z")
People who live in Antigua are called "Panzaverdes," which literally translates to "Green stomachs."
Every morning, at 5 am, the churches like to celebrate the fact that it's morning by setting off fireworks. They continue setting off fireworks all through the day. My first day here, I thought a revolution was happening outside. After a while you get used to it. Guatemalans will find any reason to party with fireworks.
Speaking of fireworks, on your birthday, people light fireworks outside your bedroom window to celebrate! SWEET!!!
I went to Alotenango to see the corn festival and the kids at the school there performed traditional Mayan dances while wearing costumes made of cardboard and adorned with fireworks. They then lit the fireworks and danced around the stage. Somehow I don't see that going over well in the States...
Seriously, they really like fireworks here.
At every meal we eat purred black beans, rice, and corn tortillas.
Oatmeal is a drink. It's a little runnier than in the States, so it works.
Whenever you pass someone who's sitting at a table or eating, it's polite to say "Buen provecho" (the closest translation is "Bon Apetite")
Greet others and say goodbye with an air kiss on the right cheek.
They eat cereal with warm milk.
Greet everyone, not just the people you know.
Contrary to popular belief, Guatemala is cold. I have worn nothing but long pants, layers of shirts, and sweaters. And they told me that October is warm month. So get rid of all those notions in your head that I'm lying on a beach sunbathing.
Babies' first foods here are squash and coffee.
They put sugar on EVERYTHING! Coffee, tortillas, cereal, tea, I'm definitely a fan.

There's lots more, but hopefully you now have a taste of life in Guatemala (it's sweet because of all that sugar!)

In reality, although the culture is wonderful and I am really enjoying learning how to live life Guatemalan-style, I have and continue to struggle with culture-shock. Overall, the Guatemalan (and Latin) culture is one of warmth, openness, hospitality, and family. Unlike in the States, where it's often nearly impossible for an outsider to break into a new group, the people here welcome you with open arms. They take the time to talk with you, invite you to their homes, and treat you as part of the family, even if you've only known them for a few hours.

However, there are aspects of the culture that I really struggle with. Single, Guatemalan girls are nearly always in their homes. The people on the streets and the ones who will initiate conversations are the guys. Do not falsely call me stereotypical when I say that these guys are not the ones you necessarily want to have a conversation with. Culturally, time spent between girls and guys is not the same here as in the US. They cannot be just friends, just talking, or just hanging out. Social cues that I unconsciously pick up on in the American culture change when you enter Guatemala. I am functioning in a world where I don't know all of the subtle social cues. This makes it hard for me to understand what another person is thinking. Often, because of the difference in culture, I perceive a situation very differently from the Guatemalan next to me.

Also, cat calling here is nothing like in the States. I cannot walk down the street without having cars honk, guys on motorcycles slow down, and pick-up lines yelled at me. Once, a car even slowed around the corner and guys reached out, trying to grab me. I have stopped going to dance classes because even (especially) the teachers are way touchy-feely. Guys will sit down next to you in the park out of the blue and spend the next half hour talking to you. I know that some of you are thinking "Why's she complaining about getting attention?" The fact is that the only thing that matters to them is that I'm a Caucasian female. They do it to every white girl who walks down the street, and frankly, they do not have the boundaries that hold guys back in the States. They think nothing of stroking your hair, putting their arm around your waist, rubbing you back, etc. After knowing you for 2 minutes!! The stereotype of Caucasian women here in that they're easy, and guys are out looking to get someone into bed.

Please do not feel that I am saying all Guatemalan guys are bad. I have met some wonderful, faithful, God fearing guys, and I know that there are lots more out there. The fact is, they're not the ones coming up to you on the streets.

Needless to say, it is difficult to find friends here. I came, rather nievly believing that I could make friends with only Guatemalans, speak only Spanish, emerge myself in the culture. And I will continue to do that to the extent of my ability. However, I was talking with a fellow young, single, Caucasian female missionary who has been here ~1 1/2 years. She encouraged me in my struggle and helped me to find ways to avoid unwanted situations. She told me that many missionaries go through extreme highs and lows during their time on the field, especially in the first years. The fact of the matter is, I cannot change my skin, my gender, my age, or my ethnicity. I can, however, trust God that He will continue to send friends my way, to encourage me, and to protect me. He has not failed me yet, and He never will.

Please be in prayer with me as I continue my journey through the beautiful, though sometimes difficult, Guatemalan culture.

Roomies!

2008-10-22T17:15:00.001-09:00

My roommate, Kimberly, arrived!!!!! The Lord has showered me with blessings while I'm here, one of them being that she is my other half! It's only been a week and we are finishing each other's sentences. Although, that may be partially due to the carrot cake gene that apparently runs in both of us :)

A special thanks to all of you who have been in prayer for Kimberly and who have supported her. A few days after she arrived, she received a message saying that CAM was un-releasing her because all of her funds had not come in yet. But, she was already here, studying in language school and living with a family. For a while, we thought she might have to return to the States and then would not have sufficient funds to return. However, the Lord is faithful and answers prayer. Just yesterday, she sent me message saying that someone she doesn't know from her hometown and given her a gift of $800!!! She now has 100% of her support and was officially released as a CAM missionary! (Talk about our extraordinary GOD and His POWER!!!)

We spent a week together in Antigua, my last week at school and her first. She has three more weeks of schooling to finish and will then join me here at the Oasis!

Coban

2008-10-22T16:41:00.001-09:00

Well amigos, I am officially in San Lucas and just finished my second full day of work at the Oasis! However, I have neglected to inform you of the past 2 weeks of excitement. So, let me catch you up:

1)I passed my test for level D! And then I studied for two more weeks and passed Level E. As of Friday, I am an official graduate of Christian Spanish Academy of Antigua, Guatemala-- with a diploma and everything!

2)I made some awesome friends, Sam and Will, who are taking the next year to travel the world on only $10,000 each (that's $15/day after flight costs). They invited me to travel to Coban on a tour with them, so of course I went! Luckily for me (and for ya'll) they are computer/film geniuses and are filming all of their travels. So, you can have a full 12-minute HD experience of my trip to Coban at www.twoguysaroundtheworld.com . Simply click the "Episode 7: Semuc Champey" to see the footge of our trip.

First, however, I'll give you and overview narrative of the trip:

We left on Friday and drove 6 hours north to Lanquin, where we spent the night. The next morning I woke up to the sound of small waterfall outside my window (sweet!) We all piled into a truck and drove and hour into the mountains 'till we reached Semuc Champey. Upon arrival, we hiked up a mountain covered in mud (it's the middle of the rainy season here.) I am what many people would call a klutz--I had a very hard time explaining that word to the Guatemalans-- and the entire time up the mountain all I heard was "Cuidado, Becky" ("Careful, Becky") I sucessfully made it to the top without making any too-dangerous mistakes, but at thee lookout on top, missed a step and body slammed the person in front of me. "CUIDADO BECKY!!" Whoops.

The view, however, was so worth it. You'll see it in the footage--aquamarine pozas (natural pools,) waterfalls, and rapids, all in the middle of a jungle covered valley. We made our way (I pretty much just slid down the mountain) down to get a better look. And what's better than in the water itself!? Our guide took us on a swimming tour of Semuc Champey. We swam/climbed/sloshed our way to the top of waterfall where Jose (our guide) tied a very dodgey looking rope to a rock and then proceded to repel his way down the waterfall. YES!!! Scary, due to the sheer cliff beneath you and the raging white water beyond that, but how else am I supposed to get a thrill? So, of course, I followed--slowly. At the bottom of the waterfall was the entrance to a cave. During the dry season, it's possible to float through the cave, but the water was absolutely raging, and I'd had enough adrenline rushes for one day.

We ended our water-filled day by floating on tubes down a river. To avoid trees, you lean back and do a backwards butterfly stroke like there's no tomorrow. It works quite well.

The next day we left at 6 am and drove 2 hours into Bajal and Las Montanas de los Muertos (The Mountains of the Dead), where we watched the sunrise. Spectacular. It was like watching the sunrise over the Grand Canyon, except everything was green. You cannot experience beauty such as this and not believe in God and His awesome creativity.

Last stop was for breakfast in Coban and a hike into the hills to search for a Quetzal, the rare national bird of Guatemala and also the name of their money. We actually found one...sort of.
Check out Sam and Will's site! I promise it's more interesting than my descriptions.

Oh, God and His sense of Humor

2008-10-04T07:14:00.002-09:00

Ok, here´s part 2 in the epic that has been my last week:

School picked up again this week, and I am planning on taking my test to see whether or not I can move up to the next level this coming Monday! Please be in prayer for me as I study hard this weekend! The test has approximately 6-7 components (fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, reading, lecture, conversation, writing a story, answering questions about an essay that´s read to me, etc.) Pray that God will give me a clear mind, energy, and lots of endurance!

Last week, I received wonderful news! Kimberly, my co-worker\ roommate at the Oasis has finally arrived in Guatemala!! Praise the Lord! God was so wonderful in providing her with her financial support, and she will be coming into Antigua after next week. Upon coming here, I had been assuming that Kimberly would be here with me. When I learned that she was unable to come at the beginning, I was very worried, wondering who I´d be with in the city. He provided though, as He always has, the most wonderful roommate for me at my host home. Mackenzie and I hit it off right away and spend most of every day together. Now, Kimberly will be coming to stay in Antigua on Monday--the day after Mackenzie leaves to continue her trip throughout Central America. God is so wonderful in His perfect timing! He likes to make me sweat a little, but I am learning that He always comes through.

Speaking of our amazing God, I was able to encounter another one of His workers on Thursday night. None other than Melanie, the intern director at the Oasis! She and I met for dinner and were able to talk all about The Oasis, the girls, and what my responsibilities there will be. I am SOO excited! She said, as I already knew, that when I arrive the girl´s will just be beginning their summer break. Because the schedule will be relaxed with the absence of classes during the summer, I am free to start up any activities, projects, games, classes, etc. that I am interested in! So, if any of you creative people out there have any ideas, I´d love to hear from you! She also told me that there will be a lot of preparation work for Christmas (several hundred gifts to wrap, and Christmas letters from their sponsors to translate). Once the school year starts I will be filling in any gaps in the teaching staff, or if there are none, helping the youngest girls to prepare for school (some have yet to learn their alphabet or numbers). Then, the afternoons are a time when the older girls can get tutoring help. I LOVE TO TUTOR!!! She said that they have 12 yr olds in first grade, and that every single one of the girls are behind (many came to the home without having ever gone to school). So, I´m sure I´ll have lots of wonderful girls to keep me busy over the next several months.

Melanie also invited me up to visit the Oasis today! It is visitation day, a day when the families who have court permission can come and visit their children. Many of the girls, however, do not have families to come and visit them. So, I´m going up to meet and hang out with them and look around the place where I´ll be living in just a few weeks!

In the last 2 weeks I have had a total of zero chips. happy?

Saving the tutles, one ping-pong ball at a time

2008-10-04T06:52:00.001-09:00

So much has happened since I last had a chance to update on here, so I´ll try to catch you all up to speed as best I can. Just to help me keep my thoughts together, I´ll probably do this blog in several sections.

Monterrico was beyond amazing. We bumped (I don´t know another way to describe buses on cobblestone roads) our way out to the coast and suddenly found ourselves in paradise. The beach stretched for miles, all of it black sand because of the volcanoes. (P.S. When I get up in the morning, all I have to do is turn in a circle and I can see three huge volcanoes... I know, you´re jealous) The water, although too strong to swim in, was amazingly warm and it felt wonderful just to stand in the shallow areas. We were able to stretch out on the beach with books and let our brains recuperate from 24\7 Spanish for a while.

As I said, the beach at Monterrico is well known for it´s sea turtle population, especially since this particular beach is turtle nesting grounds. The turtles come out of the water after dark and lay their eggs in the sand. Unfortunately, poachers make a nice living out of digging up the turtle eggs and then selling them in the local markets as a delicacy. To help save the turtles, many organizations have begun reservations for the turtles on the beach. One happened to be right next to our bungalow. So, Sunday morning we ran (you have to run, the black sand is so hot!) over to see the turtles.

When you walk in, the baby turtles were swimming around in a kiddie pool. They are adorable!!! ¡¡Tan chulo!! They reminded me of that awkward 11-14 year old stage when you don´t quite fit you body and everything seems to hang wrong. Their heads float above the surface while their shells seem to sink, and their fins go in circular motions ( kind of like doing the breast stroke) in an attempt to move forward. Often, they just swim right over each other.

The highlight of the morning for me was when one of the workers at the reservation came over to us with a bowl of muddy ping-pong balls. Turns out, they were actually turtle eggs collected that morning from the beach!! We were given the opportunity to re-dig a hole for them inside the reservation and then bury the eggs in the sand to incubate them!

Over all the weekend at Monterrico was a well-needed break and completely worth it! On the beach suffering for Jesus, as my mom likes to say :)

P.S. For all of you fellow suffers of motion sickness, I would like to recommend Dramamine! After throwing up on the trip out to the beach, I decided to try the much-talked-about miracles of Dramamine. 2 1\2 hours later I woke up. FANTASTIC. Apparently, I slept through a torrential rainstorm, washed out roads, and hydroplaning on the highway. Now that´s a good medicine if I ever saw one.

I Know Why People Die

2008-09-26T14:21:00.002-09:00

Thursdays and Saturdays are market days here in Antigua. In the mornings, the whole town comes out to buy their food for the coming days. There is a giant tent/building in which everyone sets up "shop" to sell their goods. One area for fruits and vegetables, one for clothing, one for shoes, one for cds, and one for meats. As you walk through the cramped "hallways," the smell is absolutely overpowering. Rotting fruit covered in garbage bags combined with raw meat that has been sitting out for hours, and lots and lots of people in a small space. My heart breaks, knowing that for many people here, this food will be their dinner.
My friend commented today that there are lots of medical centers in Antigua. I know why.

At the same time, if you can get past the initial smell, the market is a wonderful place. There are so many different crafts and things to look at. I, a non-craftsy person myself, have always marveled at the creativity and craftsmanship of artists. The clothing and fabric shops especially, are so much fun to see. It's like walking through a rainbow; so many brillant colors!!!

Everyday, I meet someone new. Yesterday, while walking home I meet a shoeshiner, named Luis (see photo on right), who works on the street I walk everyday. He is learning to read Spanish as well as to speak a little English. So now, whenever I see him, we practice his few English words and he recites Genesis to me in Spanish. Speaking of Luis, he's reading children's books here in the same coffee shop I'm in.

This weekend, Amy, Megan (the 2 girls here with CAM also), Mackenzie (my housemate), and I are taking a trip to Monterico, the Pacific beach an 1 1/2 hour away from Antigua. It is know for it's beaches reserved for the many sea turtles that come to lay their eggs. Many of the companies there rescue the turtle eggs from poachers and then release them into the sea when they are old enough. Even so, only 1 out of every 100 baby turtles survives. Que triste!!

This afternoon we had a change of pace from the usual 5 hours of class. After studying por vs. para and comparison sentences in the morning, a group of 10 students and teachers left to play soccer in a nearby field. When we arrived, there was a girls' school group dancing in on the basketball court, where we had planned to play. We watched for almost an hour as they danced to Avrile Lavine, Shakira, and other English songs. I wonder if they know what they mean... Many people (especially the middle school boys of the community) turned out to watch the girls dance. It was obviously a dance that they had learned together. At they ended in a big, cheerleader-like pyramid. Go team!!!

Our soccer on the other hand... We played against some local kids. They play soccer in their sleep. But we held our own, and scored a few goals while we were at it!!!

Tonight we plan on searching for a TV to watch the presidential debates. Wish us luck!!

Help!

2008-09-24T15:20:00.001-09:00

The computer won´t let me make paragraphs unless I bullet point everything. Anyone know what to do?

Thanks

Aqui en Guatemala

2008-09-24T14:58:00.002-09:00

Hola mis queridos!!!

I am here in Guatemala! Today is the first day that I´ve had access to a computer for more than a few minutes. Please excuse the many typing errors that are sure to occur, because the symbols on the keyboards here are in different places than in the States.

The flight here went beautifully. I ended up sitting next to one of the vocalists from the RNB group ¨The Spinners¨ and talking the whole way. They were on their way to a gig in Texas. He was very upset that I didn´t know who Donny Osman is. Yes, I know, sad.

I spent my first two days here in a house at a seminary in downtown Guat. City with Amy and Megan, two girls from Washington also with CAM. They will be working in Casita Benjamin, a center for young children in G.C. After two days there, we traveled to Antigua, where I am now taking lessons at a language school.

Antigua is wonderful. Here I am free to walk around as I please during the day, not afraid of being hurt or robbed. A typical day looks as such

6 30 am, wake up
7 30 breakfast with my host family
8 am language school
10 am break
10 30 am language school
1 pm lunch
travel around the city as I please
7 30 pm dinner
8 homework
10 30 bed

School is wonderful. We each have a personal tutor for the whole day. On the first day we took a test to determine what level in Spanish we are at. Then, our teacher works with us from there. My teacher, Brenda, speaks slow enough that I can understand absolutely everything that she says. What a confidence booster!

Each day we review several gramatical subjects in Spanish and practice reading, writing, speaking, and understanding. By the end, my brain feels ready to explode. Yet, each day I feel myself speaking faster, with better grammar, and understanding more. It´s rather exciting.
My family is quite eclectic. As of now, I have a mom and a little brother who´s 10, along with an English gentleman, and Mackenzie, from Canada. It´s so funny to hear Spanish with an English accent!!!

Due to Antigua being a rather touristy town, there are dance classes EVERYWHERE!! I plan on starting salsa and merengue classes soon!

I apologize for this post being so dry, but I just wanted to get the facts down.

Sorry Dad!! Short enough for you?

More coming soon!

T minus 5 days

2008-09-15T11:30:00.001-09:00

The summer has gone so quickly. Today I looked at the calender and realized that I'm leaving for Guatemala in less than 5 days! EEP! Maybe I should start packing...

Saturday night's party was wonderful. Having the chance to see everyone one last time before I left was such a blessing. Seeing everyone come out, even in the rain, to support me and say goodbye was more encouraging than I could have ever imagined. Yet, it meant that I had to say goodbye to everyone as well. That was hard. I will miss them so much--each of them brought back special memories and reminded me of what I'll be missing this coming year.

Most days I feel bi-polar. One minute I'm on cloud 9, ready and excited to leave, to begin this journey. The next minute I'm fighting tears because it hurts so much to say goodbye--to family, to friends, to memories I'll never have because I wasn't here. Even my boys, T and J. In the few weeks since I've seen them, the already look like they've grown. What will they, and everyone else, be like in a year from now? For that matter, what will I be like? Even so, I know that God is going to use this year to mold me into the woman that He wants me to be. Yes, I will come home a different person, and though the unknown is scary, I am excited to see who she will be.

Through all things, God is good. The whole process of preparing to leave and raising my support has reminded me of my favorite verse, Phil. 4:19: "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." What I thought would be a long, arduous task has turned out to be a joy. Support donations have literally poured in. Through God's gracious provision and the generous hearts of many, many people, I have been able to raise 100% of my support money, with some to spare. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! I am completely overwhelmed by the faith and generosity of so many people. Without your support, this year would not be possible. It is obvious to me this is God saying "Yes, this is where you're supposed to be right now."

Leave it to God to prove His glory to me--again.