This morning, I took my first hot shower in almost four weeks. Of the four showers in our house, only one has hot water. It's the farthest from my room, and for the first three weeks, I was too hot to even contemplate making the trip. But as I've gotten used to the weather here, the cold water has gotten progressively colder each morning. So today I took that hot shower... and it felt good =)
As you can maybe guess, life here has settled into a routine. As with the weather, I've grown accustomed to my schedule and the people that I interact with. Michelle picks me up every morning at 7:45 to go to Tesoros. I am there all day, doing whatever I can find to do. I listen as the staff tease each other and smile and laugh when the tease me too. Then at 4:30 I mount the bus with the children and staff. Don German, the bus driver, drops me off at the end of my street with Claudia, a bright beautiful girl of 17 who has cerebral palsy. I walk Claudia home before going home myself. At night, I play games with my brothers, watch TV, read the Bible to Nana, talk with Mama, and work on the computer. Sleeping by 10 and then up again for another day.
Still, life is sweet as I continue to develop relationships with my family, the staff at Tesoros, and with friends at church. Areika, a girl my age from church, has invited me to spend the day with her on Saturday. Really, the invitation was a gift from the Father! During all of church Sunday night, I was on the verge of tears, because I wanted so badly to communicate clearly with those around me, but found my Spanish very limiting. I was praying and praying for peace and growth. Then after the service, Areika, who is studying to be an English teacher, asked me to spend the day with her. She said she wasn't sure if she should ask or not, because she is usually shy. But her offer of friendship was exactly what I needed then -- and it came with a chance to practice Spanish with someone who can correct me in English! What a blessing and relief. Please pray for our time together -- that we would be honest and humble, and would share Christ's love.
On Sunday, I leave with Michelle for Honduras! Michelle has been asked to visit some special needs schools there on behalf of their sponsoring organization in the states. We'll be gone for five days -- two of those days will be for travel. Please keep us in your prayers for safe, stress-free travel, and loving fellowship.
I have some prayer requests for you all:
Many of the staff, including Michelle, have been sick, or have sick family members. Please pray for healing and peace.
I am beginning to feel superfluous at Tesoros. They are very well staffed, and my only really job is encourager and helper. My get-things-done attitude is having a hard time accepting that this is a worthwhile occupation. Pray that I would be plugged into the love of God, that I could serve out of this power.
On of the teenage students at Tesoros, Rebecca, is mentally handicapped and her family sees her as a curse. This daughter of God has been denied love and left to fend for herself at home. At this point, her primary caregiver says that only God has stopped her from killing Rebecca. The staff at Tesoros is aware of the situation, but there is really nothing they can do. At this point, the only other place for Rebecca to go is to the mental asylum, which not a good place to be either. Please pray that a new situation could be found for her --where she will be loved and cared for.
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