Lisa goes to Central America

It is really tough to sum up a whole week.  So I will do my best but no promises. So I guess you read we didn´t have an translator.  Our in country rep Jaime ended up translating for us on Tuesday and wednesday so those were the days that we did lessons. It was a big and at points very frustrating thing for me and I am sure my team because things kept changing so I kept changing plans. Nothing seemed solid for me for the week.

Anyway from the beginning. i met my team in Antigua- there were 16 of them from Grace. I was a bit overwhelmed. But they made me feel like family even when I was very hesitant. Which at points I was. We went shopping and chilled on Saturday and then on sunday headed down to the coast.

I learned the schedule was a little different in Guatemala than Nicaragua. WE wake up at 5:00 and leave no later than 6:00.  As Jenn Hurst said “do they know you don´t speak yet at that time in the morning” so the early mornings were a bit of an adjustment. Especially since I couldn´t be lazy since I was in charge of some things.  When we got to the coast we unpacked ate and commenced on out nightly game of spades (I didn´t play all nights – but never lost).

When we got there I had some chill time while the team started on the drill. Around 10 amish we walked around the village and invited people to the hygiene sessions on Tuesday and Wednesdays. I was shocked. It was very different than Nicaragua. Some was very poor some not as much. A lot I learned have family in the US which is why they seemed to have more. It is an interesting conversation but will refrain for now.  Since we didn´t have a translator I had to do all the talking. I tried to encourage the girls to talk and I translate but most refrained a couple did I really appreciated it because it seemed like they were my posse.  I also began to realize my spanish is really improving.

Monday was a bit boring without hygiene and the community was still warming up to us and us to the community.

Tuesday we went to the school. The first lesson as usual was pretty rough. It seems to be the case many many times (ok so I almost wrote muchas veces).  But after that the girls were phenomenal. We then played with the kids ate lunch and taught the adults. The youger women played with the kids while the older women wanted to teach the women which was a good split. Judy took over and did a phenomenal job. She was very expressive and very encouraging throughout the trip.

We stayed in the community late that day. It was beautiful to watch everyone interacting. A lot were playing others were chillin´and others were bonding. I was blessed to be a part of a conversation with the pastor of the church I was with and one of women of the community. She was a new convert to Jehovah´s witness and it was fascinating. I pray that she will seek God´s grace. Watching everyone hang out and bond was a piece of heaven.

Wednesday. So wednesday went well. The lessons were difficult and frustrating at points but went well. Again the girls were great. They had patience through the many changes that occurred.  It was a good day to deepen relations with the community. I especially bonded with a girl named Surama. She was adorable we played many different hand games such as thumb wars and hand clapping and slapping games. She beat me many times with thumb war. I have learned to play two games of thumb wars at the same time one with my left and one with my right. It is fun having a kid on each arm playing thumb war. I got in one game of juggling the soccer game with some of the boys and sort of held my own. They think i can actually play the sport. Ha! little do they know I have no skill. WE had to rush the women´s lesson because the huge rain and thunderstorm. But that night in spite of the rain they showed the  Jesus film. 150 people showed up for that.  

Thursday was the well dedication. They threw a party for us it was insane a live band and everything. It was a great ceremony. i think I got a thousand and one hugs before I left.  One cool thing we get to do is give a bible to each family in the community. We gave a Bible to Surama´s father he said he wasn´t a Christian but was going to read it and be a Christian in the next year. Again my prayers are with him.  One thing I learned this trip is the focus on Christ and how much he is apart of what we do. We don´t always realize the picture we are giving people but our actions speak so much when we are there.  They saw Christ in us (or at least Surama´s father did) and some want to pursue what we have. It is a blessing to see a glimpse of that. To see how God uses us. Many times I am not sure we have a clue when people are watching.

We had a free day on friday were we kicked around antigua. And this morning I had to say good bye to the team at about three. Then the in country reps at about 10. I have a lot of respect for the in country rep here. He is great at what he does and is passionate about serving his country. He has an awesome life story.  There are a lot who have very interesting lives here. Saying goodbye to him and Albaro was harder then I thought it would.

Some closing notes.

The mayor of the entire linea has been very involved in getting all his people wells. Which is very impressive. He really cares about improving his communities. He seems to take his job very seriously.

The community leader is only 28 years old he has had a rough life. Doesn´t smile a lot. My prayers go out to him and pray that he knows Jesus.  My spanish enabled me to have a conversation with him and many others which I would not have been able to have when I left. I also had to play translator a lot for small talk here and there. There was times where it was very tough because I don´t know it all but encouraging that people are beginning to rely on me that way.  I also was able to talk to the Albaro the non English speaking in contry rep a lot which was fun. I was able to goof around and be silly in Spanish with him(when you reach that point in a language it is pretty cool).  

I will write about the team more tomorrow and about what I learned. Thank you for all your prayers.