Awkwardness...what a surprise.

I have a million things to write about...it's been an amazing week with Lauren's parents here and I've received so much love and good stuff from people back home. But more on that later.

There are some people in this world that are either awkward or that awkward things just happen to. Unfortunately, I can be both. So, I just wanted to share a story involving both of these things...that is still ongoing...

Many of you know that I very often end up in awkward situations with guys, and normally I wouldn’t post about this kind of stuff for the defense of the innocent, but this one situation was just too awkward to let go. So, at the expense of looking awkward or stupid, I am going to tell you.

I don’t really know when this all started, but one day early in the morning, I was walking around the corner of the school, and I fell. Typical. And of course people saw me. Okay yes I’m super clumsy, but on top of that, I am NOT a morning person. Anyways, of course I was hoping that no one saw, but they totally did. Anyways, I just started laughing or whatever and thinking about how ridiculous I probably looked, and some of the other teachers who were around helped me up. Well, anyway, I went on with my day and it was fine. After school, “this teacher”  approached me after school and asked me  if that was me that fell this morning. I answered yes, and then tried to explain that I just can’t walk in the mornings. He couldn’t understand what was wrong with me and I think he thought he thought I had a physical condition. Anyways, he proceeded to talk to me about anything and everything he could think of to bring up, (like it’s not already hard enough in Spanish…let’s add in 5 million topic changes to the conversation…).and finally after about 5 or 10 minutes, the convo ended. So that was that, but I figured something was up...

Before I left for Machu Picchu, he asked me for my email address so I could send him pictures of Machu Picchu, and so I was like “whatever…it’s an email.” So anyways, I went ahead and gave it to him.

About a month later I guess, he caught me at about 8:15 in the morning (remember what I said about mornings) and started asking me if I’d gotten his email that I sent. No, I hadn’t gotten it, but anyways, I got a little confused and I told him that I had…and so first we had that miscommunication. Then, he proceeds to try to ask me out on a date. Did I mention that this conversation was in Spanish? And that its 8:15 on Thursday morning? Thankfully, I had something to do that week, and I couldn’t, so I just told him that I couldn’t because of that.

Well, a couple of weeks after that, Lauren tells me that this same teacher had been chasing her frantically, asking where I was me earlier in the day. She told me she thought there was an emergency by the way he was acting. But no. Well, he “found” me as I was walking along, and casually prceeded to give me this USB stick. I couldn’t quite understand if he was wanting me to put my Machu Picchu pictures on it or if he wanted me to look at his Machu Picchu pictures. But what I did understand is that he said that when I had some time, we could “share” some Machu Picchu pictures. SHADY. Okay, Just shady. What makes it even worse, is that as he’s giving me the USB, he looks me strait in the eyes, and says, “eres hermosa.” I was kind of already walking away before I realized what had just happened. Oh, did I mention that this guy looks like he’s in his late thirties or maybe even early fourties? Okay sooo anyways, I was just kinda like "oh my gosh this is NOT happening..."

So, I’m not going to lie, I was really a little scared to look at the USB  partly because I wasn’t sure what I would find, partly because I hoped that maybe if I hadn’t looked at anything and he asked me if I had, I could tell him no, and he would get the picture.  I also hoped maybe he’d forget about it.

But unfortunately, I was the one that forgot about the USB. Actually, I lost the USB, which is really unfortunate because many Peruvians don’t have a computer and so USBs are very crucial for saving things…plus, they were Machu Picchu pictures, and I wasn’t sure if that was the only copy he had…at least he said they were Machu Picchu pictures…I’ll prolly never know if they really were (thank God).

Well, this whole time I was just hoping that maybe he would just forget about it, but, lo and behold today was the day that it all caught up with me.  Today he was working on the school and he caught me and told me had a question for me. Not only did he ask me for my USB, but he also asked for my computer.  Well, I told him that there was a problem, and that I needed to look for his USB. Well, that didn’t over too well.  He told me he was going to kill me. And then he told me for my punishment that I had to be the Madrina (Godmother) of a classroom. Of course he was half kidding, half serious in all of this, but I knew he wasn’t joking at all when I saw him on the stairs this afternoon and he asked me again if I would be the Madrina of 3C. Yeah, 3C is his class that he is responsible for, so of course we would be working together…imagine that. So anyways, I told him that was fine.  Did I mention this class is one of the classes I don't really look forward to teaching? I’m still figuring out what it means to be the godmother but I think it means that you have to help your kids do some dances and decorate their classroom for the springtime dances that are happening this week...and I think it means too that you have to pay to take them somewhere, but I’m not sure.

Anyways, back to the awkward story of this teacher. So anyways, I am trying to explain to him that I don’t know where his USB is, and after he tells me that he’s going to kill me, he calls me “hija,” which means daughter. How weird. But it just gets more awkward and funny.  So the schedule here is that we teachers have to rotate to the classrooms, and so each classroom of kids stays put.  So anyways, I just end up teaching his “class” that he is the tutor of (which means that he just watches after them if they need anything…he’s not in there when I’m teaching or anything).  So anyways, I told this class that they could have time that we would have spent doing English to work on their dance. So I let them out early, and guess who walks in? Him. So he’s helping them get ready for Juego Floreales or whatever it’s called…springtime celebration... So anyways, he’s come in with all these posters that he’s drawn and the kids are supposed to finish them. So I’m helping them finish them…well he’s out welding on the school and then comes in and looks at what we’ve done…and what happened next was quite unfortunate, because he asked who had done the shading, and one of the kids told him that I had. He immediately gave me that “oh-this-is-great-cause-you-did-it…but-really–not-so-great”…which was kind of a blow to my pride because I was an art major for a little while in college, but apparently my art was not up to his style.  After this, some kids started bringing up the fact that they saw a lady over at his house and they were trying to figure out who it was haha. Oh the awkwardness continues. So now, So at this point in time, I have a USB to look for, and a role as madrina to fulfill.  Oh man...

Confession.

Tonight, I only have a confession. A confession that I am not who I want to be, who I wish I was. I fall short on my word on more than one occasion...per day. I dont give my best in all that I do. I dont always put God first in my mind, heart and actions. I dont meditate on scripture near enough...many times not at all. I often try to fill my needs with things other then You, Lord, when only You can fill them.

I fall drastically short of a Proverbs 31 woman, I fail in what a Chrisian should look like and be and do.

I love with a finite love...








But Somehow....


You still love me.

In your eyes, I am treasured
And blessed beyone measure.
I am your little girl,
and you not only gave me the whole world,
but your Only Son too.
You look at me through eyes of love
And have given your very life so that my life could forever be with You
You wrap me in an everlasting embrace
And nothing can touch me without your permission.
You long to be with me, and I with You.

5 1/2 mos.

I am so blessed beyond measure. I am so blessed to live in a place that has such a need for God, but yet God gives me strength to live through it. I am sitting here in Las Grandes (the biggest girls house) with Lenny cuddled up next to me watching VeggieTales. Lenny and his 8 siblings were found in the dumpster, and Lenny has to sleep in the big girls house with his sister because he sometimes ends up trying to randomly escape. He is 8 years old, and one of the cutest kids you will ever see.

I don't even know what to write about anymore because I feel like I can no longer compare this life with reality, because it is reality. But nevertheless, here is what has been going on. Lauren and I moved into a new room in the volunteer house, and this has been wonderful. I've gotta admit that I really didn't want to move into this room, because it's literally the size of a closet, but this week I really have been grateful for this room because of all the new volunteers that have been in and out. They have all been really nice, but it's just not fun having 6 to 8 people in your room (which we had before in the bigger room). Some of our stuff was getting taken too, because I think they thought it was "the communities," and now that we have our own room, that has been cut out.

Spanish is getting better and better. There is one problem though. Most of the other volunteers that I live with are from Spain, and there is a pretty big difference between Peruvian Spanish and Spain Spanish. I get asked the simplest questions by them, and I can not understand. I am embarrased to say that I've lived here for 5 1/2 months and still can't understand them when they're asking to borrow my computer or some other really simple question...but then I can go have a 15 minute conversation with a kid in Peruvian Spanish....who knows what it actually sounds like, but who cares. Hahaha.

So discipline in the classroom has been better for sure. Jenn and my other friends from Biblestudy are such angles for making the discipline charts for me, and they have done amazing things. I still have the occasional kid that wants to cause a racquet,  but knowing that Peru is statistically ranked as having some serious problems in the education system makes me feel more normal for having problems with disciple. On top of the normal "first year teacher" problems. There is one thing that I really don't like though...its really hard to tell the princpal what happened in class when you really don't even know all the words to explain what the kid was doing...and so when you go to the office with the kid, you have to try to explain what happen and try to learn new Spanish at the same time! hahaha. Its definitely an experience...and a humbling one too.
Well, a couple weeks ago, Lauren and I took two girls from the community to a Christian concert where Kari Jobe was performing, and we actually got to hang out with her and talk to her for a few minutes before the show. thanks to our Peruvian pata Mark.  How cool is that!


Also, we've been able to finally connect with some other missionaries in Lima, and this has been wonderful. So so encouraging, and it's so nice to have a some Christian community. And of course I am so very thankful to Lauren. We have become like sisters throughout this time.

Okay...now for some events around the community. Encuentro.  Basically a huge talent show where houses and got up and performed dances, skits, whatever. So, somehow we ended up having two of those in a period of about 3 weeks or something. It was fun to see the kids doing something that wasn't school related. The volunteers got to dress up as clowns and bring in pizza that we helped make for the kids. That was fun. I've got one thing to say...you ain't seen nobody dance until you're seen a 5 year old Peruvian little boy dance. They got the MOVES!! April, this next pic is for you. I look creepy, but Martha looks beautiful. :)

Quinceneras. Yep, it's sweet 15. And here, we celebrate it with both the guys and the girls. Unfortunately, I had already planned to go to Cusco during the same time as the Quinceneras, and somehow I became the Godmother of 3 kids literally overnight. Well, turned out to be only 2 kids, but they didn't tell me until the day before....also happened to be the day before I was leaving for Cusco. But it all actually turned out to be good. Lauren served as their step-God mother, so she was able to hang out with them in addition to the other 4 godchildren she had...hahahah Lauren you're so gonna have six biological kids....:) But yeah I was super sad to miss that, but the kids said they had a good time and I brought them back something from Cusco, which they liked, so it all worked out.
It was a little hard coming back and getting into the swing of things....like it always is when you come back from vacation. Now, I just have the feeling that there aren't enough hours in the day. There are so many people coming up to me asking me to do things, or things that I have said that I will do and I forget, or realize that by the time I have free time, it's too late.
Not to change the subject, but I think there is a ritual going on outside my window....they've got a rythm going, there's light from a central location (but I don't think it's exactly a bonfire) and there are squaking noises and I think dancing...who knows...but normally this happens Friday night, not Monday night. Our room now backs up to the outside of the community, so we can see what goes on in two places at once!! Sweet! Okay. Some pics of Cusco.

Machu Picchu

Justin Bieber and life these days

Oh, if Justin Bieber only knew what kind of influence he had on kids all over the world...I dont think hed be singing about being 15 meeting the one...hahaha Im sitting next to some little 10 year old kid in the internet cafe who is listening to J.B. and playing shoot em up games with the sound turned up to MAX...

Anyways, enough about that. Update on life here. This is the first week back from vaca...for the kids and me. So needless to say, its a mixture of a fresh breath of air and not really wanting to be back in the classroom. Ha.

Cusco was amazing. I was able to go to Machu Picchu (which is NOT a pokemon, by the way) and it was absolutely amazing. So beautiful. Plus I got to hang out with some amazing friends, and that was really great. We went horseback riding, four wheeling, rafting, rock climbing, repelling, and of course hiking. I will upload pics to facebook soon.

God has been so good to me. He gave me the little breath of fresh air just when I needed it. It was so nice to get out and see other parts of Peru.

We are having a test in intensive English and then a PARTY!!! Oh man I have a million things more to write about but I havent the time. Will write more later. Thanks for your prayers.

Peruvian 4th of July!

Today I got to celebrate 4th of July! It was a day late, but who cares. We had a 4th of July party in my English class tonight. It consisted of listening to Josh Turner, eating hotdogs and cookies, decorating the room in red, white and blue, and talking about fireworks. It was great. Definitely the coldest 4th I've ever had, and I really did miss the fireworks and green grass. But I'd say over all, it was pretty fun throwing my own Independance Day party and getting to explain it to the kids. Here is a picture of my class. I love these kids.

Udate on life

The last month or so has been hard. I have been dealing with being homesick and really just adjusting to life here. Apparently I am like 2 months behind Lauren in life lol because many of the things she was experiencing near the beginning of her time in Peru, I am facing now.  I guess the best analogy I have is that the first three months were like a "honeymoon" phase for me in the fact that I was feeling that everything was peachy (other than having Typhoid lol) and that I knew that I was were I was supposed to be, and that everything was wonderful. While I still know is where God has me, it has been more of a challenge to live here I think because of a number of reasons. One thing is that I am becoming more accustomed to living here and learning the language, which is wonderful, but I am now responsible for more than I have ever been responsible for. You can not tell people about Jesus or have spiritual conversations with people if you don't know the language. Lauren has been pulling a lot of the weight as far as being able to speak the language and taking the lead in getting things started in the community and abroad.  Now it's time for us to share the load more equally, and while this is what I want to do, it is more difficult. There are so many people that want to hear about Christ, and there are only two of us. God has given us such grace though and multiplied our time.
I've heard that missionaries hit a point at about three months where they go through a rough patch and get a little homesick and things are just funky...and it was definitely true for me. It's one of those things that I can't really even put my finger on, but I know that i don't have the joy that I used to, and I don't feel as close to God. I know that He is right here and I continue to see Him moving in my life and the lives of those around me. I honestly think part of it comes from feeling very isolated. It is hard when most people around you speak a different language, have a different culture and view on God than you do. Sometimes it's hard for me to identify with people who have many of these things in common with me, so you can imagine the level of difficulty of identifying with someone who has fewer similarities.
I think the think I am most desiring right now is to have a deeper relationship with Christ. I know that I have  unbroken authentic communion with Him, but I want to spend more time taking advantage of this opportunity with him.  One in which I am constantly talking to Him, constantly asking Him what He thinks, and letting go what everyone else thinks.  I want to be in the place where Christ just pours out of me, because of an overflow of His Holy Spirit in my life. I want to be an encourager. I want to have joy. I want others to see Christ when they see me. 
Yesterday, we did not have school, which gave me the perfect opportunities to spend some extra time with the kids. I got out the proclaimers that Wendy sent us and they were a hit. For those of you that do not know, a proclaimers is a little black box that looks and functions like a radio, but that has the Bible or parts of the Bible recorded on it. It can be charged by a crank or by the sun, and once it is charged, it can be listened to by large groups of people or by one or two. It is absolutely amazing. And what is more amazing is that we have these proclaimers in three different languages: English, Spanish and Quechua. I got the Quechua one out first, just to try it out. We were trying to collect Bibles yesterday (we have a library of Bibles that we lend out, but some of the kids are terrible about bringing them back...) and so we ended up in ABC House first. The Quechua proclaimer was an immediate hit. Many of the kids here can speak Quechua, and some of them come from families that can only speak Quechua. The boys were translating the Quechua into spanish for me, and it was so neat to see. In a period of a few seconds, the Bible was being read and comprehended in three different languages: Quechua and Spanish, and then to English in our (Lauren and my) heads. How cool. It brought tears to my eyes. We ended up lending out four proclaimers yesterday.

ABC boys listening to the Bible.

Showing the girls how to "crank" it to recharge the battery.

Two of the boys reading one of the Bibles that Amy's Sunday school class gave us.

Speaking of Bibles, they have been a HIT!!! The kids are always asking us to borrow them. Several kids I believe have read the whole thing. So neat. This was probably one of the best investments ever. Thank you so much Amy and Southmont for sending these!

 Also, we are starting to see opportunities open up outside the community. We have both met people outside, and God is especially moving in the relationships that Lauren has established. Many of them want us to come study the Bible with them, and there is even a school down the road that has said we could come in and do some activities with the Kids. . So please pray that God would give us wisdom and strength for the things that are starting outside the community. That God would help us to use our time wisely and that we will take the initiative to get these things up, running and maintained.

In addition to the prayer needs mentioned above, some additional prayer needs are as follows.

That Christ will continue to work in my life and that my life will constantly be a reflection of Him.

That He will give me boldness to speak His name, but that more importantly, every aspect of my life would line up with what I say I believe.

That Christ would be glorified in everything Lauren and I do.



Thank you so much for your love, prayers and support. Emails are always appreciated....it always helps to have a physical reminder that you have people praying for you.

Boomboompow.

Wow. I shouldn't wait a month in between blogs. So much has happened. So much to talk about. So much that I will never be able to record, because of the vastness of it, but so much that I hope I will always remember.

Southmont college group came and it was a blast. They were very encouraging to both Lauren and I, and I am so thankful for people who love the Lord so much and who are willing to do anything. It was so neat to see their energy and flexibility and just "chill-ness"...if that's a word.

They helped Lauren and I with Biblestudies, and with teaching our classes, in addition to helping out all over the place. We had so much fun going to Dominoes, the chicken stand, and finding "cocheenans," as Michael termed it. SOOOO funny.

 The girls minus Lauren and Mish....chillin in the chapel.

 The little boys playing sheet volleyball.

 Mish and I with Rox and Rodo.

 

The Medianas girls...we took a break from game-playing to take a pic or two...

 Rox y Yo.

 Night out on the town...just after Domino's Pizza.

 On the bus ride home. What a great week.

 Aaron and Estiban

 Fiorela in the kisko.

 Kiosko.

 Watching TV with Ghandi.

 Yearson.

 Medianas girls.

 Sweet memories in Santa Rosa.

 Sweet girls.

Alceba's last night in the community. Alfonso and Jose. 

Well, honestly, I don't really know where to start. I am sitting here in our room...we're cleaning it...again. No school today because the teachers needed to have meetings and the kids needed to clean the community. 

It's really good having Lauren back. While she was gone, things went on as normal, but it's definitely easier not having to do everything by yourself. I know God had to give her extra grace to get through the time I had typhoid.

We got a new roommate this week. She's nice and she's from Canada. Well, I have a million more things to write about, but for some reason I have writer's block. Gonna go lesson plan.