Bedtime Stories En Espanol Please!

If you all have been praying I have definitely noticed a difference. My love for the children is growing more and more each day. Today (Sunday because I write my blogs before I can post them) was my “day off” and it was actually quite relaxing and fun! I spent the morning at a bilingual church and was really refreshed by the music (it’s fun to sing in Spanish—especially songs I also know in English). Then when I came back Tia Helen and Tio Lionel, two permanent volunteers had me over to their trailer for some waffles for lunch. We had strawberries and whipped cream on top or maple syrup from Canada—that’s where they are from. I had some of both : ) And two of Tia Stacey (the director)’s kids were with us too—two boys. One of whom is 11 or 12 years old and was telling us about his crush on one of the girls here. It was pretty cute.

After I had eaten my fill of waffles, Tia Stacey came by to pick up her boys and asked me if I wanted to go with a small group of kids and two other guest volunteers to a pizza place and arcade. So I went and ate some more non-Mexican food : ) and had some fun watching the kids be kids. At the orphanage during the week there is a lot of schoolwork and structure, so it was nice to just play with them and watch them trade in their arcade coupons for silly rings and such.

Then tonight I made a bedtime story schedule. So I will read to a different room each night of the week. I had already read to three rooms and the girls kept asking for it and fighting over whose turn it was. So, the schedule was made and I started tonight in my Sunday room. First we read a Dora the Explorer book and I told them they couldn’t laugh at me when I said the words in Spanish. Then, (I must have done a good job with the Spanish words), they had me read them a Grimm’s story in Spanish!!! I asked if I read it okay and if they could understand and they said they could! At least I can read Spanish properly even if I didn’t understand a lot of what I was reading. Haha.

So, it was a good day! Thank you thank you for your prayers! It means a LOT to me.

More when there is more to tell,

Emily

Praise Post : )

Today is Saturday and I want to praise God for His graciousness to me since my last blog entry. As I wrote before I was feeling lonely and praying for companionship (which I still am and you can too!) and last night and today have been an awesome answer to prayer. Last night I had some tea and sat with Tia Alicia who is going to start the babies home here with her husband. Also, last night the house mom, Tia Alejandra had the night off so Tia Luz, who is 19 years old came to stand in as house mom. Friday nights the girls get to watch movies, so I watched with them for a while and then helped Tia Luz make dinner and just talked with her. I am sooooo thankful for these conversations!! And Tia Luz only speaks Spanish, but she was really patient with me and we actually talked about things friends would talk about… like music and when we became Christians etc. It was so good! Also, today I get to go to a beach house with only 4 of the kids. For a while they weren’t sure if that would happen, but I am excited to go! So, I am feeling rejuvenated and ready for more ministry.

That’s the funny thing right now, actually. I feel like I am super super busy all the time, but also like I don’t really do anything. It’s a weird paradox. But I was talking with one of the other interns who lives off site and comes only like 4 hours a day (quite a different experience than I am having!) and she said she felt the same way when she first came. I am developing relationships with a lot of the kids, which is neat. And as I see it right now, my purpose here is mainly to love the kids and to love and support the others who work here. I guess it’s a good lesson in that we don’t need to “do” things all the time, but just to love God, let Him fill us (Praise God) and to give all that joy He gives us to others.

Life is good here in Mexico.

Mexico Update 2

My fourth day here at Grace Children’s Home. Today started a bit rough… I was feeling pretty lonely and overwhelmed and didn’t admit it to anyone who was asking me how I was or to myself for a long time. But when I finally realized that I really was longing for community I decided the least I could do would be to pray about it. The coolest thing was that by this evening I was sitting in Tia Helen and Tio Lionel’s (the house Grandparents) trailer chatting for a bit with them and another English speaking couple. It’s funny how even those 15 minutes were an answer to prayer. Thank You Lord for giving me exactly what I need.

Also, the food bank came today to deliver all kinds of foods to the house. This is good because the food shed was starting to run a bit low… I like the food they cook here and all, but tonight’s dinner of beans spread on a piece of bread wasn’t too appetizing. But now we have everything from poptarts to mac and cheese. Needless to say they don’t have a lot of fruits and vegetables here…although they have had a lot of apples and oranges lately. In fact, yesterday I discovered my Mexican version of apple pie: Cut apple into thin slices. Microwave for 45 seconds. Put cinnamon on top. Yum! Note: This apple recipe is NOT good in a corn tortilla!!! I love the apple and cinnamon creation. I love corn tortillas especially these ones that are still warm when you eat them. But the two just don’t go together : )

I love and miss all of you at home sososososo much! Pray that God speaks loudly and clearly to me here. Right now my brain is fuzzy from speaking Spanish and English and more Spanish so my conversations with God have been fuzzy too.

Another prayer request is that I help with a certain homework group at the school made up of a lot of the kids who have a lot of difficulty learning and who don’t listen very well. It can be really difficult to help them to get their work done on time. So I ask for them that God would soften their hearts and give them the desire to learn and the willingness to try. And for me and the other Tias, I ask for prayers for creativity and for encouragement that these kids will accept.

Until next time,

Tia Emily

First Day in Mexico!

Let’s paint a little timeline picture for you of what my first full day in Mexico looked like:

5:30am—I wake up, get dressed and head downstairs to check if I can help with breakfast.
6am —I am helping to dress the little girls, then eating breakfast quickly and combing and putting up their hair.
7am —I ride along to drop the kids off at their various schools.
7:30am—I do some dishes.
8am —Bible Study/Devotions with the staff (and the two little girls who don’t start school until 9am-ish).
9am-ish—Take the little girls to school.
9:15am —Come home and take my shower (Note: There is no lock on the bathroom door and these little girls have next to no inhibitions about personal space, thus, I have decided the best time to shower is when none of them are home. I have not yet figured out how to go about this on the weekends… ).
10am —I get some time to relax, eat another breakfast/snack, hang out with some of the other Tias, do some light cleaning before the kids come home at noon.
12pm —The first group of kids are home. Snack time!
12:30pm—Start homework groups—I don’t have one of these yet, but helped out with a few today. Most of the kids want my help with their English homework. Go figure.
2pm —The older kids get home and have a snack, then start homework.
5:30pm—The house grandparents returned from vacation today and bought pizza and ice cream for the whole house!!! We all ate outside (usually the boys eat in their house and the girls eat in theirs).
6:15pm—Girls’ bath time which is crazy—the girls all strip down and wait their turn to go two by two into the bath tub. This is one of the times I learn a lot of new words…and have a lot of laughs.
6:30pm—We go to George and Stacey’s house (the directors of Grace Children’s Home) for song time and a devotional for the kids.
7:30pm—Back to the house for “bedtime” which usually takes about an hour to get all the girls in their rooms, staying put and with the lights out. Tonight Tia Alejandra wasn’t here for the beginning of bedtime and my Spanish is limited, so it was a bit crazier than normal. But another Tia who just comes during the day was here late and helped out. It’s those stern words they never teach you in Spanish class. Who’d have thunk.

So… deep breath… that is what my first day has looked like. And, judging by the half-day yesterday that I was here I am thinking this is what everyday will be like more or less. Super busy. Super fun. Oh, and go figure, two of the three kids I’ve connected the most with so far are the two youngest girls—Alma age 5 and Cesia age 4.

Stay tuned for more updates! I pray that God continues to sustain me while I am here… I have felt His provision, protection and presence so far (especially considering I just may have brushed my teeth with non-filtered water and am not sick yet… and hopefully won’t be). Keep the prayers coming!

More Mixed Emotions

Today was my last day as a Mount Hermon Employee! It was a very bittersweet goodbye in the Book Shop... I will miss the job and all the people I worked with. Funny how it sorta sneaks up on you how much you'll miss people. I guess that's why God tells us to be thankful in all situations--so it isn't when something is over that we come to realize the value therein.

The other day I had an interesting conversation with God. Or not so much of a conversation, but maybe another sort of realization. I was sitting on a bench on WestCliff reading Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller (kind of irrelevant, though it is a good book... especially the chapter called Naked about the Garden of Eden). Anyway, I don't remember if something in the book triggered this or what, but all of a sudden I realized that the closer it gets to my leaving for Mexico and Austria the more I find that I value home--the community of people, the beach, the weather, my church... Leaving may seem to some an adventure to be envied, but for me it is becoming a sacrifice of sorts. Don't get me wrong. I want to go. And I am sure I will have a lot of fun too. But the act of leaving is an act of obedience more than desire right now. Which in a lot of ways affirms for me that this really just might be right where God wants me. After all, He never tells me life with Him will be easy. But it most certainly is an adventure.

Though I'm both sad and excited to leave I have even more anticipation over how God will use me this next year. Prayers that I continue to hear His voice and follow His leading would be great!

Thanks friends!

Back From Mississippi

I'm back in California! And I've brought with me a whole new appreciation for where I live after visiting Pearlington, Mississippi. I discovered that I had a whole set of stereotypes about the South and that most of them were not true. I always kind of pictured the plantation South with farmland and huge homes with wrap around porches. Maybe some people picnicing while wearing all white linen clothes. Instead of this Hollywood sort of image, I got the real thing. Only, the real thing was, yes, imperfect, but also beautiful in a different way. The people were so generous even though they had little to give--some still without a house to call home after Katrina.

Probably the best thing about being down there was that we were able to help the people to see that they are not forgotten. Even now, 6 (I think) years after the hurricane there are still homes that haven't been touched since, still families who are trying to make ends meet and trying to rebuild their homes. It was heartbreaking to me, but also humbling in a good way to be a message to the people of Pearlington that we have not forgotten them.

It's funny because we did a lot of work--painting, chipping paint, tearing out baseboards, setting up scaffolding, etc. But those things seem kind of secondary to just being there. Though most of my time was spent working and maybe only 2% talking with local people it was the 2% that I will remember and treasure most. And part of that is because that is really where I saw God at work. So many of the people have a vibrant faith in God even after they lost everything. As one team member said, their faith in difficult circumstances has increased my faith and has encouraged me.

There's so much more to tell, and I realize this blog is rather vague... if you want to hear more actual stories send me an email or give me a call. I'd love to share more about the trip!

Hair Gel Is Making a Comeback!

I've recently asked a friend of mine who has been to Mexico what to bring. The answer I have received so far: hair gel. Interesting, eh? Well, apparently head lice is a common fate when working at the orphanage and gel tends to keep them away. Now, let's think about this:

My straight blondish brownish hair.

Hair gel.

Wet looking, stiff hair.

Suffice it to say that any photos of me on this trip are not going to be too attractive : )

Today I am also getting my belongings together for the Mississippi trip. These items are fairly standard in comparison to the hair gel. Although, for the first time I will be wearing...dun dun dun... steel toe boots!!! They are enormous and will make me feel rather important on the job site I'm sure. How to get them to Mississippi with me is the question at hand--to pack them or to wear them in the cramped airplane... hmm. Sounds like I've made my decision.

I'd love prayers for a strong focus on our purpose of this trip--to serve. And for a good attitude no matter what the circumstances.

The kick-off to my year of serving is soon to begin! May I bear Christ's name well.