Biblical Weightlifting

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.

Maybe, with an Education

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

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

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

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"

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

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

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

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"

“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

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?

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

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

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:

1. 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.
2. Guatemalans are called "Chapines" (pronounced "Chap" as in "Chapstick" and "e-n-z")
3. People who live in Antigua are called "Panzaverdes," which literally translates to "Green stomachs."
4. 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.
   
5. Speaking of fireworks, on your birthday, people light fireworks outside your bedroom window to celebrate! SWEET!!!
6. 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...
7. Seriously, they really like fireworks here.
8. At every meal we eat purred black beans, rice, and corn tortillas.
   
9. Oatmeal is a drink. It's a little runnier than in the States, so it works.
   
10. 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")
11. Greet others and say goodbye with an air kiss on the right cheek.
12. They eat cereal with warm milk.
13. Greet everyone, not just the people you know.
    
14. 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.
    
15. Babies' first foods here are squash and coffee.
    
16. 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.