Another week gone by! Got another case of Traveler's Diarrhea but other than that am no worse for wear. I think that I am starting to learn and that God is changing me! On Tuesday Fernando threw all his juice onto my pants because he was angry at me, and I just calmly walked away to tell Marisol instead of reacting to him. On Friday when he started squirming to avoid changing into clean clothes, instead of fighting with him I played with him, making sound effects for his clean pants and socks that were alive and chasing him.
Things are even more chaotic because two kids from the younger class, José Maria (nicknamed "Chema") and Brisa moved into our class so the grand total so far is 10 kids, soon to be 11 when Emilio Miguel returns from vacation. More kids=More chaos. Marisol has been great, though, adjusting without even blinking.
This is the Way We Brush Our Teeth
Top L to Bottom R: Juan Pablo, Jair, Dayron and Yoselin
We (try to) brush teeth every day after breakfast, and it's so adorable to see them looking up at me through the mirror for my approval. ¿Así? "Like this?" asks Dayron before brushing only the front. After a couple of minutes I say, Y ahora yo por cinco segundos. "And now me for five seconds." When I try to brush Jair's teeth he always chomps down on the brush so I can't move it. This Friday was his birthday and the daycare gave him a stuffed animal and a toy truck that he proudly displayed to his brother, Geovani. When it came time to turn on the tele (TV) I asked Jair, ¿Qué quieres ver? (What do you want to watch?) ¿Shrek, Cars, Mulan? "Mulan!" he declared, and when the ending credits rolled and the Spanish version of "True to Your Heart" started playing, he bobbed up and down (his version of "dancing") to the beat with a smirk on his face.
Cooking for Friends
Yesterday I made chicken teriyaki for Pastor Tomás, his wife Cristina and the youth of the church. I made it exactly the same as in the States--they've got mirin at the store Bonanza! But then I had to go to the Mega to get the checken and to Espino's to get ginger. I'm going to appreciate Albertson's so much when I get home (one stop shopping really is a luxury!). Anyway, they all seemed to like it, although Jonathan joked, "Where are the tortillas? Where are the beans?" We talked about Japanese culture and Carlos asked me about how Japanese people can't pronounce l's. Cristina talked to me about how she thought it was so cool how they fight with samurai swords and then Tomás got all embarassed for her and said, "No, no, not anymore Cristina." I just laughed and said, Sí, mi abuelo tiene espada, pero no la usa. "My grandpa has a sword but he doesn't use it!" For me, chicken teriyaki is such a comfort food so it made me really happy and made me think about my family. Btw, my parents are coming to visit me in three weeks!!! Yay!!
Praise from Isaiah 6
I'll leave you with this--I just sat for awhile with the lyrics of this song today and it really ministered to my heart:
Santo, Santo, SantoDios Todopoderoso
Quien fue, quien es y quien vendrá Con la creación yo canto Al Rey de Reyes Tu eres Digno Y yo te adoro
Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God Almightly
Who was, who is and is to come
Kay Miller (the lady w/ whom I live & coordinator of the fundraiser)
& Donna (founder of the daycare & pretty much awesome)
So this week has been a bit unconventional. Saturday we had our big fundraiser, which was a silent auction. They started out with bare, wooden boxes & asked local artists to decorate them as they desired! If you look closely in the picture, one was converted into a Chanel purse! Anyway, basically most of this week was dedicated to logistical planning, setting up, etc. for the big event! And thankfully, it was pretty successful!
Live music group, Tuna Tradicional, that performed at the fundraiser.
They play traditional Spanish music.
Making Connections
This week has been especially relational and God has been making so many connections for me as I feel more and more "plugged in" to the community here in San Miguel. A summary of sorts:
Christine & I manning the merch table @ the fundraiser
Met Christine this week, who's been a volunteer since August of last year. And yes, she is Taiwanese..and yes, she learned English in the U.K. (How odd it is to hear an English accent with a Chinese accent at the same time!) I've had the chance to talk to her quite a bit & hear her story. She's a very interesting person.. On the weekends she sometimes goes out to seven bars in one night, not returning until seven in the morning; she loves to meet people--just very different from me! Surprisingly, though, she accepted my invitation to go to youth group on Friday and asks me questions about being "religious." (Do they forbid you to drink? What about sex?) She's very warm, friendly and open. Looking forward to getting to know her better!
At conversation practice at the library I met a young man named Alejandro, who's practically fluent in English already! His dream is to go to film school at USC and is currently creating an epic romantic movie in order to get in. The coolest thing, though, is that randomly today I bumped into him walking in his neighborhood in Malanquin. That was a really cool feeling to be able to see someone I knew--made San Miguel feel smaller and more "home-y." :)
This past Wednesday I went to the Church's Adult Bible study. It was so neat to meet more of the leaders in the church: Alberto, Arturo, Fernando & their families, and to be surprised once again at how God is the same God in all parts of the world. I am inspired at their wisdom and desire to follow the Lord wholeheartedly. The Bible study is based out of Hebrews, the beginning of chapter six, which talks about the fundamentals of the Christian faith.
Friday at youth group I saw Jose, whom I met last week and Vanesa, whom I met on Wednesday. It's great getting to know these young people and their backgrounds. Jose was born in the U.S. but lived in Texas for seven years so it's completely fluent in English. He happened to meet the Martinez (the pastor's) family only a few weeks ago but has been coming to youth group ever since. Vanesa is a talkative and lively young girl who is hoping to go to the U.S. for college, but legally, which is a lot of work (she said they test you to see if you can sing "The Star Spangled Banner!")
This past Sunday I was able to spend a lot of time with Cristina & Tomas (the pastor & his wife), who now call me their hija japonesa (Japanese daughter) and consider themselves my padres mexicanos (Mexican parents). Cristina shared about how she became a Christian her first year of college through a pastor from Texas, how she grew up with a father who was violent with her mother, who was herself absent and distant. She shared about a near-death experience she had when recently married to Tomas, and how the Lord spoke to her about her rebellious heart, how she was not really following him--and how from that point onward she was never the same.
Ministry in All Places
Although this week I didn't have much time with the kids, I still felt like in a lot of ways I was ministering to people by listening to them, getting to know them! I still felt like I was doing God's work--that my time here and my service here is in all places, not just when I am at Hogar de los Ángeles. And that's something really incredible and beautiful to me. Every moment is an opportunity to love someone, whomever the person you're with at the moment. :)
Week four down! This week was especially exhausting because all three of the kids who were out with the chicken pox (Emilio, Yoselín and Roberto) came back, guns blazin'. Let me tell you, there is a big difference between having six kids, and having nine kids. Please see Exhibit A:
Sometimes the days start like this and just keep on going. So much craziness.. I think the most chaotic times are eating (they hit with their forks, throw plates, spit up food, you name it), toothbrushing time (I call them one by one to step up onto a wooden crate--sometimes they're cooperative, a lot of the times they're not) and nap time (the day this video was taken three refused to sleep and ended up running around the room for two hours instead). Seriously, I don't know how Maestra Marisol does it every day. Seriously. Here are some pictures from this week!
Dance Practice
L to R: Emilio, Dayron, Juan Pablo, Kevin, Beto (Roberto), Jair, Jose Maria, Jael
Every day this week the kids have been practicing a special performance for the graduation ceremony on August 18th. They'll be honoring the kids who will be entering kínder. All three boys from the orphanage--Ángel, Erik and Fernando--will be graduating!! They will be singing a sentimental song about spreading their wings and flying to new horizons. :) The remaining kids, though, as pictured above, will be doing a special dance to a song from the popular sitcom show "El Chavo de Ocho," dressing up as the different characters. They have to place their hands behind their backs and kick out their legs in rhythm to the music. It's really adorable. However, getting them to dance takes a lot of threatening of punishment from the teachers if they don't (being put up in one of the high chairs for the babies) and reminding them of the reward they get if they do (gummy bears).
A Child's Imagination
Dayron and Erik pretending to be babies
I've been struck by how imaginative the kids are! After dance practice Erik and Dayron asked to be put into the wooden high chairs in order to be babies, saying "Nyeh-nyeh!" to each other as their form of baby talk. When we went to the park this Friday Erik pretended to be a dad with Dayron as his son. "¡Hijo!" ("Son!") he called out in his high-pitched, scratchy voice. "¡Sí, Papá!" ("Yes, Father!") Dayron answered in return. And basically, the kids can make a casita (little house) out of anything--underneath tables, in corners, on the playground. Ask them what's in the house and they'll tell you everything: carros (cars), caballo (horse), on and on and on.
L to R: Erik, Emilio, Beto and Martitia enjoying their fruit snack before nap time
Things that keep me sane..
If you can't already tell by all the videos and all that I've been posting about, work can be pretty overwhelming sometimes. Here's a list of the things that have been keeping me sane:
1. Excursions!
Last Saturday I went with the director, Miguel, and a group of volunteers from Illinois to go horseback riding in the mountains! It was epic--in three hours we crossed rivers, dodged cacti, made it through rocky terrain and even galloped through a small lake! The mountains are beautiful and wonderfully untouched by civilization. Also, if you yell really loud, your voice echoes. All that bumping along and holding on for dear life really bonded us all together, and after all that riding we drank beer and ate cactus with gusto.
2. Conversation Practice
This Thursday I started going to "Conversaciones con Amigos" at the public library which give both English and Spanish speakers an opportunity to help each other out! Being able to practice Spanish was great, but even better was meeting people in the community. I met three girls (one of whom is from Portland!) who are down here taking Spanish classes. I met Magdalena, José and Alberto, who have all lived in San Miguel de Allende all of their lives. The meetings are twice weekly and I'm hoping to go as much as humanly possible!
3. Church
Hotel Misión El Molino, meeting place of Gente con Propósito--
continue down the path and enter the doors to the right
About a couple of weeks ago I started going to a small, bilingual church that meets up at the top of a big, big hill Sundays at 11am. The Martinez family that leads is wonderful. Tomás, the father, is the pastor of the church and his wife Cristina does a fair bit of shepherding as well. Their three kids Cristi, David and Rebeka comprise a majority of the worship team and all speak both English and Spanish. From the beginning they have welcomed me with open arms, going to lunch with me after church and inviting me to their youth group, which meets on Friday. This past Friday we visited one of the retirement homes to talk with the people, sing some songs and hand out a buttload of cookies. :) Then we played soccer and watched The Princess Bride. It seems like youth groups are identical around the world. Haha!! But I'm so thankful for this faith community. The Martinez family is such a strong family of God and are so united in their ministry. On Sundays I am really moved by just how THANKFUL they are to the Lord for everything and how they just PRAISE him with such sincerity. It really is like having a home church--what a blessing!
4. Family
It's been so nice to talk with my parents miles away from Skype! My dad's birthday was this past Monday and even though it was sad not being in Seattle, through technology I was able to talk with him and to see pictures from his birthday party! And it's been a pleasure receiving letters, hearing about what my aunts & uncles & cousins are up to. :) I'm so thankful for my family! My Auntie Sharon set up a prayer schedule so every day someone in my family is praying for me. Isn't that awesome??
Prayer Requests
1. To Remain in Christ (John 15)
With so much going on and exhaustion from work, it's been hard to really take the time to sit and listen to the Lord and enjoy his presence. And yet, this is so necessary. Without the Lord I can't do a thing: I burn out, I end up just trying to "get through" each day instead of living fully, gratefully with him.
2. To Learn to Wash Feet (John 13)
Sometimes I get these thoughts that I am "above" the work that I should be doing--that what I'm doing is inconsequential because heck, these kids aren't going to remember me. Or sometimes I wish I were doing "real" work, talking with the mothers, being a social worker and advocating for them, etc. Anyhow, my prayer is that I would be content with the spoon-feeding and urine-soaked clothes-changing and tooth brushing that is the day to day of what my volunteer position is, and to not underestimate small acts done with great love (--Mother Teresa, you are incredible).
Thanks to all who are reading this and accompanying me on this incredible journey!
"Joshua said to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great things among you'" (Joshua 3:5).
The view of the Parroquia from Instituto Allende, a nearby art school
End of week three! Thanks again to everyone for your support and your prayers. It has been so wonderful to be able to stay in touch with everyone through amazing technologies like Gmail, Skype and Blogger--and also through mainstays such as telephone and snail mail. I feel as if you all are my "great cloud of witnesses" cheering me on in all that I do.
This week started out a bit bumpy--stomach problems adjusting to the food and the water here, and the kids acting up a lot, fighting, making messes, being disrespectful and creating an environment of chaos. And yet, by today, something changed! My stomach problems have resolved (Pepto Bismol tablets have seriously saved me) and by the grace of God the past two days have been much more manageable with the boys.
L to R: Fernando, Ángel, Dayron, Erik, Jair and Juan Pablo
Mondays the kids wear all white and gather in the patio area to salute the Mexican flag, singing the national anthem. This is done all through elementary school through high school. White, though? Perhaps not the best color for two year olds to be wearing. Needless to say, it's a good thing that every day before they're picked up we change the kids into a fresh pair of clean clothes, use a wet wipe on their faces and gel up their hair. :)
Get more of a flavor of the craziness
I am learning that each day is different, and you just have to roll with the punches. The kids each bring their own temperaments and you never know how it's going to go. On Tuesday, right off the bat I knew it was going to be challenging. Isaí, the man from the orphanage who drops off the boys, said that in the van Erik, Ángel and Fernando were fighting. They were like bulls waiting to enter the stadium. Needless to say, I came home that day and soundly fell asleep, absolutely exhausted and wondering how I was going to get through the next two months.
Ángel and Fernando looking out of the classroom window to the patio
And yet the past two days have been completely different! As I've been praying through feeling frustrated with the boys' behavior and being overwhelmed at how incredibly mischevious they can be, getting into nearly everything possible, I really think the Lord has provided me the love I need for each day when I ask him--enough love to be able to be more lighthearted, to laugh away the spilled drinks and thrown tortillas, and to take joy in the boys.
Juan Pablo and Fernando at Juarez Park
Today, like two weeks ago, we went to Juarez Park. Erik, pretending that piles of sand were cinnamon cakes, actually tried to ingest some. Luckily, Marisol caught him and had him spit it out. "¡Uácala!" (the equivalent of "ick," from what I've gathered) she exclaimed as grit mixed with spit dribbled down his chin. Juan Pablo and Fernando "rode" the turtle statue, headed towards Juan Pablo's house. Ángel commenced in peeing in broad daylight rather than holding it in until we made the trek back to the daycare.
The other day I came across Joshua 3:5, and I've decided that it's going to be one of my theme verses for my time here. I want to keep in mind that each day--whether it be a crazy one or a 'manageable' one--holds its own blessings from the Lord in the form of fleeting moments. I am trying my hardest to treasure up each of those fleeting moments, whether it be a big ol' grin from Fer when I tease him, kicking a ball back and forth with Juan Pablo, or a hug and a kiss from Dayron at the end of the day. I am doing holy work in a holy place--holy because the Lord is there, holy because the Lord is at work. God is working, doing great things among ALL of us, and in all places. We just need to pray for him to help us see!
Sunday I took a bus ride out to el Santuario Atotonilco with one of the other American volunteers, Jennifer, who is going to be down here for another couple of weeks. Since there is so much tourism in these parts, many of these holy places have been turned into corrals of people with cameras in hand, talking amongst each other. I was hoping to find a place nearby to pray, but looks like that might not be the case! Oh well.
Today, after venturing to the Jardín in the center of town to pick up a copy of Atención, the local newspaper, I happened upon el Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramirez (a.k.a. Bellas Artes). It was empty and tranquil, and some students were practicing classical guitar and piano upstairs. It's located next to the church called "Las Monjas" and used to be a convent, but now offers art classes and opens its galleries to the public for viewing. It was definitely a "find"--it just transports you to another place, away from the barking dogs and the noise of trucks barrelling through.
Hogar de los Ángeles
With nearly all the kids at the Santa Julia location out with varicela still, I've decided to just stay at the original center with Marisol's two-year old class. This week has been a lot less glorious and a lot more 'real'--poop on the floor, two puking episodes, peeing of the pants, food fights.. It's actually been pretty exhausting, and sometimes I feel at the point of losing patience. How do parents do it? :)
L to R: Ángel, Fernando, Erik
Although most of the children come from single-mother, working families, the above three boys are an exception. All three live in Casa Hogar Don Bosco, which is an orphanage run by Dominican nuns.
Ángel: Ángel, as a baby, was found abandoned by the highway, and to this day has an acute fear of cars. Early on I noticed signs of delayed development and symptoms of what might be mild Tourette's syndrome: muscle twitches, arm flapping, always having something in his mouth, screaming for no reason and limited verbal expression and affect. Later on I found out that he is really five years old, but in the two-year old class. Marisol described him as torpe (clumsy), and many times he has spilled things, hit or harmed others on accident. However, he is a very happy child, laughing. His favorite thing to do is make clear which things are his and which things belong to others, "Mío. ¿Es tuyo? ¿Tuyo?"
Fernando: Fernando is also old to be in the class, four instead of two. He comes from a family of five children, all in the orphanage system because their mother is an alcoholic and cannot care for them. He is still being potty trained, and has had three accidents since I've first met him. At times he can be very disobedient and grosero (rude), throwing his socks at me during changing time, lifting his hand up to hit peers or teachers when he doesn't like what is being said to him. Yet, it seems to me that what he needs most is some TLC, some uplifting words and a gentle touch. "Todos necesitan cariño. Todos," (They all need affection, all of them)Marisol said to me today, when telling me more about the three.
Erik: Erik, I have to say, has been one of my favorites from the get-go. For awhile his grandparents were caring for him, but they got too old so they had to put him up for adoption. His younger sister lives in the girls' orphanage, Casa Hogar Santa Julia, and goes to the other daycare, but it seems like he does not get to see her very much. I would say that Erik is the most well-adjusted of the three, interacting well with his peers and on-track developmentally. He is just too cute! I can recognize his voice from far away now or if I'm in another room.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for Ángel, Fernando and Erik--for their adoptive situations, that they would be cared for well, that they would grow up to be strong, healthy, happy boys.
Please pray that I would be able to love and treasure these children in a way that would please the Lord. There are definitely trying moments, though, so this is no small task! I want to see my time with these kids as a gift, and to appreciate every little thing, every little blessing.
Please also pray that I would be able to connect more with the mothers of the other children and earn their trust. One of the biggest things I wanted to do was to be able to get to know the mothers--not just the kids. Please pray for opportunities to talk with them!
Thanks again for all of your support! I love hearing from all of you.
Another week gone by! Got another case of Traveler's Diarrhea but other than that am no worse for wear. I think that I am starting to learn and that God is changing me! On Tuesday Fernando threw all his juice onto my pants because he was angry at me, and I just calmly walked away to tell Marisol instead of reacting to him. On Friday when he started squirming to avoid changing into clean clothes, instead of fighting with him I played with him, making sound effects for his clean pants and socks that were alive and chasing him. 
Yesterday I made chicken teriyaki for Pastor Tomás, his wife Cristina and the youth of the church. I made it exactly the same as in the States--they've got mirin at the store Bonanza! But then I had to go to the Mega to get the checken and to Espino's to get ginger. I'm going to appreciate Albertson's so much when I get home (one stop shopping really is a luxury!). Anyway, they all seemed to like it, although Jonathan joked, "Where are the tortillas? Where are the beans?" We talked about Japanese culture and Carlos asked me about how Japanese people can't pronounce l's. Cristina talked to me about how she thought it was so cool how they fight with samurai swords and then Tomás got all embarassed for her and said, "No, no, not anymore Cristina." I just laughed and said, Sí, mi abuelo tiene espada, pero no la usa. "My grandpa has a sword but he doesn't use it!" For me, chicken teriyaki is such a comfort food so it made me really happy and made me think about my family. Btw, my parents are coming to visit me in three weeks!!! Yay!!
