ABC....123...

I am not really feeling a story-type blog today so I think I shall go with a list. Here goes!

1. Listening to the Avett Brothers and Alexi Murdoch...very tranquil or mostly.

2. I had a very sentimental moment today with one of our little kids Johnatan, who is leaving tomorrow. He decided to come to help me in the garden today (it was the girls turn) but any other day had I asked him to help he would have scrunched up his face and loudly said "no!". So he came and worked hard and then I afterwards I saw him sitting in the front all by himself and instead of passing him and going up to my room to clean up, I sat down next to him. He laid on my lap, looked up at me and said, "Tia, read to me please." So we went to the library to get some books and raced each other to the one shady spot in the yard and read. He sat looking and listening, very contently. My heart was beaming. I am so glad that God allowed this precious moment in my day. I know he has probably forgotten about it already, but it will stay with me forever. I feel like my heart is so full and content. Thank you God for a loving me like this!

3. I have been wearing my overalls all week long, due to the horrendous bed bug and spider bites I have accumulated over the beginning of the week. I dare say they (the overalls) are rather comfy. Who am I kidding? They are the best invention EVER! I wouldn't doubt it if I wore them at home. Although they are rather dirty and stained. But yes I an not ashamed (though I should be) to wear them into town....thinking of it tonight?

4. I am teaching a 4, 5, 6, and 8 yr old their alphabet and numbers. It is taking FOREVER. Just when I think one of them gets it, they mess up so bad. Or I tried moving on to sums..but that doesn't work when you think you are writing 22 but really you wrote 11. I am having them trace their letters and numbers a bazillion times. One girl is a month new and she still won't talk. Thus making tutoring very difficult. I wish I remember how I learned my ABC's so then maybe it would be easier to teach them.

5. I have a mosquito net but it keeps falling on my face during the night. Need to look in the closet for a new one. ASAP! But it is kinda cool b/c it is hunter green and I feel like I am camping every night.

6. Haven't been to the beach lately, but there is a surf comp. this week and onto this weekend...umm feeling the beach Saturday. Wanna come?!!!!

7. I am realizing every day my time here is passing and getting shorter and shorter. This scares me. I am getting very attached to these kids and workers and my friends in Trujillo. I think I don't want to leave, but then I think about everyone back at home and I want to live in America.

8. Life is complicated. Sometimes I wish Jesus would just come back so I wouldn't worry about what to do with my life or such things.

9. I have a hard time imagining my life with less spanish or none at all. ugh...sad

10. I find joy in the morning. My heart comes alive for the day and it is new! I usually run or workout with one or two of the other volunteers. Lately we have been running around the inside of the albergue and two of the 8 yr old girls from one house have been running 3 laps with us, and then I get back and turn on Hillsong. My heart sings!

11. I mentioned in my last blog that Paul in my tutoring class wanted to help the orphans in Haiti, and he asked about them the other day. Mentioning my kids in tutoria, one of the older girls asked me the other day where my husband was, and why was I not looking for him right at that moment. After letting her know I wasn't worried about things like that she told me not to worry that she was looking for me. So reassured that a 6 yr old is going to find my husband...ha ha!

12. I need to call my mother now, plus I think I have run out of things to list for now!

To all the teachers out there....may God bless you as you teach little ones. It is hard and you are amazing for doing it!

Love you all!

Paúl

I started reading Philippians again and I think that just about every time I get something new from it. I just love that about reading and especially the Bible.

"Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel," Verse 12 from chapter 1.

Here Paul is talking about his imprisonment, and that through it all good has come. The cause of Christ has become well known throughout the WHOLE praetorian guard (which was preferring to the governor's palace, but also means corrupt). He trusted in the Lord that his fellow believers would have more faith and courage to speak God's truth.

This makes me think about us. Now I know we are not in literal chains like Paul was, but figuratively some of us are. We are bound by the things of this world, or things are crashing down around us and what do we do? Do we stand up for the Lord and preach the gospel, the truth, the light to all of those around us? I think it is safe to say that we are not always doing this.

When Haiti was hit with that awful earthquake last week, my heart hurt. There were all of those people without food, water, homes. What a scary place to be at right now. It really hit home to me when I heard about all the orphanages that are now gone, and those children are back on the streets, right where they started. We had an earthquake a few weeks ago here in Peru. It was farther up north but you could feel the shaking. Thankfully it was only a 5 and no damage was done. But what if it had, what if it was us instead of Haiti? I have been thinking about that lately and an so grateful that God has saved us, protected us. I was talking to Paul, one of the 5 yr olds in my tutoria class, about what happened in Haiti and how awful it was that those kids do not have homes anymore. Now remember, I am talking to a kid who no longer lives with his family, but is here at this orphanage. So as we were talking about it he says,"Tia, maybe we could let those kids come and eat dinner with us, just maybe we can do that." Wow, instead of saying something to the effect of well that stinks or that's sad, he wants to let them eat dinner with us. How I wish they could!

So I guess I am saying that God can and will do something amazing out of the traumatic thing that has happened in Haiti. Like in the Bible with Paul, He used him when he was imprisoned. He uses us when we are struggling and we feel like life is falling apart...or maybe it literally is. He uses us! Thank you Lord for using us and our circumstances to further YOUR kingdom!

Pray for those hurting in Haiti.

Sun and summertime!

This is Courtney, Becca, and I at Huaca de la Sol (one of the old ruins nearby)

So to everyone back in the States...I am sorry you are suffering in that cold, snowy stuff, and with bad water while I am in warm sunny Peru enjoying the beach on my weekends off and playing soccer with Peruvian children..it's summer and man am i glad! Hey at least we have the bad water part in common for a while any way!

Yes it is officially summer in the southern hemisphere and I am so glad to get rid of those cold dreary days. When I got back I think I was almost in shock of how warm it was, b/c it was just so cold at home. But I have now gotten used to it and would love for it to never end! Our kids went to summer camp last week, thanks to Twin Lakes Summer Camp who came to Trujillo, Peru to run camp. Thank you so much TLP! We all had a great time and they are still singing camp songs! We have so many volunteers that only 3 could go a day, so that meant most of us only got one day at camp. While we were not at camp we spent our time planning for our summer programs. We all have a tutoria class for 2 hours every morning and then we split up into groups to do different activities until lunch. My summer looks like this: tutoring with Camila, Paul, and Cristina ( we are learning our ABC's and 123's, then I go to games, reading, and art. I have to say it is going to be hard but fun at the same time! We are just about to finish up our first week and I think it is safe to say it has gone pretty smoothly. :)

On another note, I came back to see the garden, let's put it this way...is messy too strong of a word? Well anyway it had not gotten all of the attention it had needed and there were some weeds. But the squash had grown so big! I was just able to pick it last week. The size of a ginormous pumpkin! I wish I could tell you I had gotten my picture with it, but sadly I didn't and I think we are eating it for lunch today. So now we are cultivating the land to plant our summer veggies: corn, green beans, radish (always grow here), lettuce, and tomatoes! Lots of work, but it will be well worth it in a month or two!

I am also thinking about what I am going to do when I get home. Yuck. I really don't want to think about that at all. But July will sadly be here before we know it and it will be time for me to pack my bags and head out. I have started to search online for jobs in Choctaw County area...winner huh? Let me tell you online there are close to none...let's hope there are a few more in the word of mouth are. I am also thinking about Houston, TX and Jackson, MS. I really want a job where I can really continue to use my spanish. If you know of one let me know! I am also thinking of jobs overseas. As much as I miss my family, I love to travel and experience other peoples lives and cultures. I need to start praying about it all, now. Please keep me in your prayers as I start to think about my life after Hogar de Esperanza! :/

Love you all!