September 14, 2014, looking out over Antigua from an internet cafe, Cafe Sky
One of the biggest challenges for my team and me thus far has been the language barrier. My elementary level spanish is just doesn’t cut it with these speedy Guatemalans talking a million miles a minute! I am practicing each day, trying to pick up on a few new things 🙂 I recently mastered “Dios le bendiga” (God bless you)! Prayers that I would be quick to pick up the language while I am here! The irony of this is that I am currently serving Nueve Generacion by TRANSLATING values & morals text books from Spanish to English. I think God laughed when He planned this. No better time to start learning than now, right?! These textbooks are used in 250 Guatemalan schools (public & private), which teach morals and values to students all over. These connections with students allow opportunities for us to invite the kids to our events & ministry activities & hear the gospel! The English text that my friends & I are translating will be used by American missionaries just like us in the future, so that we can understand the curriculum in our native language. It will be neat to be able to bless future missionaries in this way!
I serve in two other ministry roles as well. I will be spending one day a week in a orphanage for individuals with cerebral palsy. 75 orphans ages 2 to 40 live in this orphanage which lacks government funding. I spent a short period of time there two days ago & am so excited to help there on a weekly basis. The Guatemalan women who work at the orphanage joyfully serve the orphans day in & day out and to be of assistance to them is a really big treat for my squad and me!
Lastly, I am mentoring a group of 15 Guatemalans weekly who will be heading to Honduras in December to do missions work. It is so cool to get to walk with this group of young adults as they enter into a season of life that I am experiencing right now! 5 others and myself will be helping them write support letters, fund raise, and also spiritually equip them for their calling they will live out in a couple months. I met two of the students who will be training for Honduras ministry & we were able to brainstorm some support raising techniques! Prayers for Melvin (23) & Claudia (28) as they prepare for heading out into the world.
Firsts this week-
-Hand washing clothes at the village center with all the other Guatemalan mommas. They were staring and definitely laughing at my 3 girlfriends and me. My hands are scrubbed raw, but I have clean clothes again PTL!
-Told a man I would be in Antigua for “tres mesas”. Little did I know I said I would be here for 3 tables instead of 3 months. Mesas/meses, different. **Note to self**
-A sweet little Guatemalan girl, Ivy, chatted with me on the bus and when I went to get off, she gave me her bracelet! I melted.
-Tried to pay a woman 35 Quetzales for laundry detergent when it was 3.50 Quetzales. She couldn’t figure out why I was trying to pay with a 100 Q bill.
-A housemate may or may not have had the first house accident. Full blown accident if you’re catching my drift :00000
-Teasing a teammate, I called her “estupido”. We had a friend over (Melvin, who will be going to Honduras in December) and his jaw dropped. He said “estupido” in Guatemala is considered a vulgarity. WOOPS. Cultural differences. No more estupido.
-At the Artisan Market, we have made lots of friends with the vendors! We visit them a few times a week, which is so fun to get to know them more!
Lounging around the house
Life is a little cooler in Guatemala than I expected, so my limited warm wardrobe leads to outfits such as these. I know, unacceptable.
Exploring with 4 of my favorite women.
Celebrated our first team birthday for our dear Alex!
Rae taking tips from the locals.
Home again.
