Funny Stories

Addair, Eric and I sat with the Pastor and his family a few days ago. This day it was very hot so we all sat on their back patio. The electricity had been off since early that morning. Two o clock came around and there was still no electricity. They have a sweet eight year old boy. His name is Israel. He stands slim and small with dark hair and deep brown eyes. He fits like glove with the many other ninos here in Sucua. We played with their dogs and tried our best to communicate with the words we all knew. It is always fun and produces many laughs between the gringos and the natives. I looked up from our small talk and noticed the bulb from above the wash had came on. I announced it to all. Before I could finished clearing my words Israel jumped to his feet, screaming "Le television!!" He ran to the wash turned on the light, and finished with a lap around the house. This threw out all silence and caused beautiful laughter between us all.

--American kids and Sucuan kids have this in common: The television they love. Excitement. Adventure. Time-waster. They all eat it up.

Many of you tuned into facebook and commented on my roach status. For those of you who did not here is the story. Addair and I live in a little apartment with many open spaces for critters to crawl through. Only a few nights after arriving I discovered a nice big roach on my wall beside the bed I sleep on. It went something like this, "There is a big roach. I have to kill it *flip-flop in hand thinks* "too light" *takes big book from shelf* I took the book and mounted the hard bed to get a better aim. I was so disgusted. It would not move yet. Addair stood a good distance behind me to watch. She laughed so much. I too as I tried to overcome my fear and quickly kill the bug before it got away. When I finally got the courage I threw the book. Did I mention it was my Spanish book "Que´Tal" that I used? I sacrificed my Spanish food to demolish this roach. I aimed, I stopped laughing, threw the book and missed. My bad aim gave this consequence, I had to sleep knowing it was still alive. "Death" yes, it was to me... But this is not the end of the story.

(After sleeping in my bed one night)

The next evening Addair and I went to our little room. I was on my bed reading and from the corner of my eye I saw our enemy, Mr. Disgusting, Gross, Nasty and Intruding... On the end of my bed a large brown roach. Quickly I gathered myself and jumped on Addair´s bed. I sat there bundled up for a while. I told Addair that I could not go to bed again knowing it was still alive. It had to die tonight. After this little conversing I spotted it on my luggage pushed under my bed. Addair managed to grab a broom and pull the suitcase out from under the bed. Before that I ran to the laundry and looked around in hopes of finding a quick kill. I found roach spray and we jumped back of her bed. Addair pulled the luggage slowly out into the light. But it had run to another hiding place. A second later I spotted it to the left crawling from my bed. We both started at it, I with my spray and Addair yelling "Spray it! Spray it!" I sprayed it all the way out of the room and it stopped running. Then I grabbed my shoe and finished the job.

"Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord," I said. I really was so grateful.

(I feel like I am writing about a bloody murder minus the blood.) It was really too funny. It is the jungle... I have to deal with it. I love it. This morning I woke again at 4:28 to the rooster outside my wall. But this time I told it to go to bed. And it was quiet for thirty minutes before it started up again. Unbelievable I know.
Thanks for listening to my stories. They are low lights compared to what is to make me laugh in the future. God has a sense of humor...it has to be true.

This is life...here in Sucua.

Rhythm

Greeting from Sucua!
At four this morning I woke to a rooster right outside my wall. I am staying in a church members home. The house is much like my warm grandmother´s home. I am staying with a fellow intern in a small room. I got the double hard bed and she got the soft twin. We are at home. The bathroom we share is much like the Kosovan bathrooms I experienced this year. Everything is together with little separation. However the shower is not above the toilet. Praise God. The house is lovely. For two days now I have been working on finding my rhythm. My first observation and response. -Do not try to quiet the dogs, children, beeps and roosters outside the four walls. No. Learn to sleep through the staticusic. This is a wonderful life.

My roommate is from South, Carolina. She and I both share heart for missions. We live in two separate worlds but we are much the same in mind. We speak very little Spanish but we are both determined to pick up enough to at least converse with our sweet elderly house owner. She cooks us breakfast every morning with a smile and quite shuffles around the kitchen. Just this morning at the breakfast table we tried our best to inform her that milk was boiling over on the stove. When we finally got it across she laughed aloud and flipped off the heat. Only to turn to us and smile briefly and then back to cooking. We agreed that she is the cutest little lady.She is kind and feisty. I want to hear her stories.

Joil met with the whole team yesterday to talk to us about our purpose here. We were informed that an hour and a half a day would be dedicated to learning Spanish. This is exciting. Because it is hard to want to know someone and hold but three greeting or so between your smile. Today we are going to prepare lunch for the girls at the hope house. This afternoon we are helping to hold a youth event that Joil and Leah have just started.

It is Saturday. Today Alabama plays Arkansas. Today I am sitting in the Internet cafe, around the cobblestone block from my house. Today is a day of adventure and grace. Today is full of possibilities. Today I will find more of my rhythm.

Written on the palm of my left hand: Matthew 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.--Today I want to solely be known by my fruit.

Rhythm.

I'm Sailing off to Neverland and then Japan

The title to this first blog is from a Relient K song, "This is The End" which is just a friend to the irony of life. This is not the end, however, nor the beginning. In fact it is not a surprise that God is sending me off to the mission field. This has been a desire of mine since I was a wee girl. More than my own desire it is His desire for me. He has drawn me into the heart of missions. This is just another step, another bit of faith, and an exciting piece to the journey I am already walking.
I'm leaving tomorrow from my home in Oneonta, Alabama at 3:00am or so to fly off to Sucua, Ecuador. My flight is at 6:15 A.M. I will leave at security where I will say my last goodbyes. Today I am in a state of surreal anticipation and peaceful serenity. Anticipation for what is to come. God's mysterious hand opened this door and He always sweetly surprises me. Direction is a pleasant thought. This direction I believe has been held from me until this time. Possibly in the next three months of solitude from the norm of everyday life, I will be given words of insight and knowledge into the future of His plan for me. Peaceful serenity because God has brought me this far and has never failed me. I am jumping into the will of God for my right now. I am not worried about the future because all I am commanded to do is trust Him with my now. So here I go, God! Thanks for the kiss.
I hope you enjoy this adventura as much as me. Goodbye to you my friends and family. --Welcome to La Adventure of my life as a missionary.