Plugging Along!

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!