Time Passes

So it's been a while. So I need to update you on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and today, Sunday.

On Thursday we went and served breakfast and the school that a mission team with the church restored the week before we got there, then went to tutoring, then I had lunch with Sara (we each take turns for one on one lunch), and had my first sushi! And it was actually good! There was also this really, really wonderful fried cheese ball that I always forget the name of. After lunch we met with Marissa and Emily and had our Bible Study, and then went to the Let's Start Talking party, which was a talent show. All the interns (Me, Marissa, Emily, and Alex) plus Sam and his kids Victoria and Sopie sang a song, and there were lots of other acts. After the show, there was karaoke, and lots and lots of dancing. It was a lot of fun.

On Friday we went to Fernanda's school for her last day. At schools here they have lots of graduations and presentations. So in her class they went through presentations of all the different subjects. When they got to English, her teacher looked at me and said, "We have some friends with us who speak very good English who are going to help us with our games." So I had to go up to the front where I read vocab words and numbers and in boys vs. girls format the kids competed. It was pretty fun. After that we walked around downtown for a while before heading to tutoring. After tutoring we went home and ate, and after a nap, we went to the youth cell group. And after cell we went with Sara to rent a movie, but we didn't get to watch it that night. But we did go to Sara's house and order pizza and talk for a while, before heading home to sleep.


On Saturday we woke up and went to the cell leaders meeting (which we were early to and locked out of), and then to the mall for a little while, and then to Sara's house where we finally got to watch our movie, and we ordered from El Mago, witch is a really wonderful restaurant. After the movie we walked down the street to go to a six year old's birthday party, which is not the same as in the States. The kids were all in the kitchen, while the adults took up the living and dining room. We talked, had some cake, and were awkward for a while. But after a few hours, we started playing spoons. Most people had left by this time, so it was just us and the family. So we decided to play spoons, but the thing about this family is that they all cheat at cards. Even the grandpa. So it was really funny. People had to be pat down every round to see who was hiding cards, and a water gun was brought out and used. It was loud and a whole lot of fun. And then after that, we had a surprise. Sara had told us we were doing something, but she didn't tell us what (this was Thursday), so we were all excited. We got dressed up, and went downtown, where Sara took us to this really cool restaurant (kinda like a coffeehouse...but not so much about the coffee). There were singers and bands playing that were very enjoyable, and at 12:30, there was the dance of the little old people (La Danza de Los Viejitos). I love this dance, we've seen it around, but in this one, it was even cooler because one of the dancers was really a 75 year old little old person. Often their in their teens or twenties because the dance is really intense. But it is sooo much fun. And so we got home really late.


(The Dance of the Little Old People)

And this morning we woke up and went to church at a church called Filidelfia. It was really cool, because we were talking about Unity in the church, and both churches were their and everyone hugged everyone and everyone was welcoming one another and it was a really wonderful show of Jesus' Love and unity within the one body of Christ.

Picture: Sam preaching.

After church we went with Miguel and Fernanda to lunch. So later, we went back to the house, slept for a while, and then went to Starbucks where we talked with Sara, and then went back to her house and talked until after midnight.

Day of Firsts

So today was a day of firsts. First combi ride, and first solo taxi ride.


(I like this picture. We're Asian tourists.)


But anyways, today we went to prayer time, prayed, went to Sara's house and learned how to use the LiveWorship program that the church uses, and then went to tutoring (by combi). After that we came back and had lunch and rest time, and then I got the first turn going to Sam's cell group by myself, hence the first solo taxi ride. We switch out ever week, so I'll get to go again in three weeks. Which is kinda sad, because I really enjoyed it. A lot. Anyways. It was fun.

Lifehouse's Everything Skit

I'm sure many of you have seen this video...but if you haven't, you should now. It's beautiful and it makes me cry almost every time I watch it.

Free Day

So Monday's are our days off. Today we woke up, had some breakfast, and then walked all the way across town to the VIP movies. We were early, so we walked around the mall for a while, and then went to the movie with Sara, Alex, Montse, and us. We were going to go see Kung Fu Panda, but they lied when they said it was subtitled and not dubbed...so we didn't go. We went to see 21 (Black Jack) instead. But this is a really nice theater. If' you've ever been to Studio Movie Grill in the States, it's kinda like that with the service, but we each get personal recliners with cup holders and tables. And they are very comfortable recliners. I think I may see I reoccurring day off theme coming up.

After that we hung out for a while, and tried to get Montse's broken car home, even though it didn't make it. We also went up the mountain to look and the huge flag and the city during the day. Sooo pretty. And then we went out for tacos. That happens a lot. Interesting fact I learned from Sara: the crunchy taco's from Taco Bell or Bueno...those aren't Mexican. At all. Who knew?

Also, I wonder what would happen if I stopped having English conversations? I mean, I'd still need English for direction, and for times when it's just the interns, but I think when I speak in English around people who speak Spanish, I cheat both them and myself. I cheat them because I distance myself from them, and I cheat myself because I could be learning from listening to and interacting with them. So I'm going to try to use much less English. I don't know how well I'm going to do, but I'm going to try. Maybe I'll be a lot quieter, and learn to reflect better. Hopefully I'll learn Spanish. I don't really know. I do know that I have got to keep trying, and I'm not about to give up.

Unproductive fun. Or is it?

So today we went to church, that was fun. I liked the songs we sang today, and I'm getting a little better about figuring out how the Spanish words work in the songs. After church we hung out at Sara's house, ate at Chili's, took naps, made and ate cookies, watched some TV, and went to Starbucks. It was a lovely day.

I have been wondering lately though, about the differences between short term and long term mission trips. All of my past mission experience has been very short term, where you go with a lot of people and put in a lot of effort in a short period of time, and then leave, but you can see the results of whatever you've done.

But here, life is more normal. We go to movies, get coffee, live in a house, and other things like that. In longer term missions, the goal is to build relationships. Especially in Mexico/Latin America where life itself is more about creating relationships. And it takes a lot longer to see results. There are real lives invested in this, not just a week of time.

So, while it's very needed for people to reach out and do big things on a big scale for people, it's also important to live our daily lives to the glory of God, whether that be in Mexico, the States, Europe, Africa, or anywhere else that we may find ourselves. Balance.

Sometimes it feels to me like we're being unproductive (and ok, every now and then we really are...I really do like to sleep in sometimes), but a lot of the time with our family, with the church, with our tutors, with the youth, with the other interns and the missionaries, we're really being productive...but in a slower way that you have to be more patient to see the results.

I think only God knows where my life is going to go, but I'm learning and being reminded that our relationships and our lives are tools that God uses to reach out to people, whether or not our job description is "missionary". Maybe that will be my formal full time job description, and maybe it won't. But I know know that here in Mexico and wherever I go, I want to try to connect with people, and let my life reflect God's love.

And God knows I don't do that nearly as well as I want to, but I trust in His grace that He'll work through me as I am, and continue to guide me to where I'm going.

[And if you're reading this, pray that I can really put my heart into learning Spanish. Right now, that's by far the biggest barrier I'm facing in connecting with people. I really want to reach out, but I'm held back by my lack of Spanish, and by fear, I guess. Fear that my progress won't be enough, fear that I won't be understood, fear that I won't understand, and fear of something that I can't pinpoint. I want to try to really connect to the culture, but I know I'm holding back. I know that right now, I'm not giving this or God my all as I try to cling to my comfort zone of English. I don't want anything to be a barrier to God's work, and I thing that's what my fear or my holding back is.]

So I need the courage and the strength to dive into this, and not just dip my toes. Not alone, because I have wonderful support here in the other interns and Sara. And I need God's help to take these words and change them into actions. Because as much as I say it, if I don't do anything, then nothing is going to change. Doing this is going to require me to draw closer to God, and rely on Him for strength, because I don't think I have it in me. As Paul says in Philippians 4, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

So here goes. Another day is coming, another week, and many more opportunities to learn and grow in God and His grace.

Sweet Saturday

So today we woke up, had breakfast, and then walked for an hour and a half. We made it mostly across town before we ran out of time and had to get a taxi. Everyone was in shock about how far we walked. It was a really long ways.

Anyways, after we got to Sara's house, we found out that it was going to be just us, and we went to a town called Huandecareo. They have lots of little water parks. So we went to one, and played in the pool, went down the slides, tanned, played games, and had a generally very enjoyable afternoon. Then we came back to Morelia, and watched a wonderful movie called La Misma Luna, which means Under the Same Moon. SUCH a good movie. If you ever get a chance, watch it. And after that we went and got tacos for dinner. Yum.

Not much else. The end.

Perspective.

Okay, so today we woke up, planned another bible study, and went to tutoring. Then we hung out at Sara's house for a while, and then went to lunch with her. After that, we went downtown and had a photo/video scavenger hunt that Alex planned for the youth cell. And then we hung out at Sara's house some more before getting some good food at a taco place before heading home to bed.

However, the most interesting part of my day was the drive home I think. I was sitting in the taxi, feeling kind of bored, when I feel like I flipped a switch inside of me. I think I've always been able to do this, but I haven't really realized this before. Okay, this is confusing, so let me describe it, and then talk about it.

As we sat in the taxi and I was bored, I felt the wind on my face, and one moment it was annoying and making me cold, and the next it was a blessing reminding me to feel alive. I just decided to enjoy it. I looked out the window as we drove through town, and felt God's love for this place and these people. I enjoyed the realness of life.

So I started to think. This time, I was aware of the moment I made the change. So, I do have a choice in the matter. Being miserable or happy is somewhat of a choice. Perspective. It's one thing for me to look around me and get upset because I can't communicate like I want to or be frustrated with things beyond my control, and it's another to enjoy the time I have here now, and to soak up and learn as much as I can, and enjoy the relationships that I can build, whether I speak the language or not.

Picture: I found this very pretty. It's the stairs in our house with the sun coming in from the skylight.


Now, I understand that circumstances will play a role in attitude. I can just about promise that I'll be frustrated with my lack of Spanish again (and again), and I know that life is not always what we want it to be. However, it seems to me that life flows smoother when we flip the switch and enjoy the life we have. (And I am determined. I will learn Spanish).

A phrase we used yesterday was "to live in the present". To take what is right now, and be. Now, I won't always be optimistic, and sometimes I'm just the opposite. But I like myself better when I find the good in things instead of the bad. And I think that God wants us to find the good things too, because they're there. Sometimes they're hidden in a bunch of bad things that are not God's desire for us, but those things shouldn't get in the way of what God does have for us.

A lot of this is probably common sense, but it's the sense that was rekindled in me on my ride home tonight, and I hope that maybe it will encourage you too.