It’s so cold here.
During the day it’s basically beautiful spring weather, but during the night – although we’re indoors – it’s as if we are in the alps in winter in our two pound tents.
I’m so grateful for:
– my decision to bring one extra pair of jeans
– our hosts generous pile of extra blankets
– sharing the bed with one other teammate
…
Yesterday was our first ministry day in Chile.
(I know i promised that i have things to tell you about the airport – and i promise i will. Later. *Big smile*)
We had a few options for our main time here: teaching in three different schools in the city.
I don’t know why thats the main drive of our time here, but i do know – from our time with our host the first day – that his heart is on fire for his people here in the city. And although he gave us his full attention the day we arrived, we soon realized that he has a full schedule of ministry in different forms in the city; and actually he had to leave the morning after we arrived to go do ministry in another city.
So we are doing ministry by helping out as teachers in the nearbye schools.
I was so excited to show up to school and get into a classroom and teach students.
But it wasn’t how i’d expected.
Firstly, i woke up when it was still dark and felt the onset of a nasty cold. I shuffled out to the kitchen and ate breakfast with two other teammates who would join me for the elementary school shift. Then i shuffled back to the room and threw clothes on, swallowed some vitamins, threw some emergen-c into my water bottle, and shivered myself out to the car.
The school is lovely – a light yellow structure with tree branches and vines hanging over the walls and gates. Roses bright against the stucco walls, so beautiful and quaint which made me feel even more excited.
A teacher beckoned us inside what seemed to be the teachers break room where we met a smattering of random teachers in a cold room lined with long tables where they drank coffee and tea to prepare for the onslaught of students. A single heater sat in the middle of the room. He smiled and spoke spanish at us eager for our replies which were mostly smiles and broken 12th year spanish echos and body language. We all giggled as we waited for the english teachers to arrive.
A bit later they showed up and they were super nice and spoke like american natives. My overall impression made me excited for the day.
They told us our schedule was going to be a little wonky this next week due to testing.
Then i went to kindy class with another teammate and observed one of the best kindergarden teachers ive ever witnessed. She was funny and kind and engaging –
on the way to class students ran to hug her, crying out her name with affection.
And then two things happened:
– my need for personal space to renew my energy hit an alltime high
– the creeping cold sickness started making my head feel like a balloon being blown up so that my thinking and energy levels plummeted.
So, yes i was standing up on the side of the classroom, every once in a while being asked how to say things like “cow” or “banana”, and i was falling asleep.
Around 3rd period we had a break and i dissapeared in the library for a nap, after which i was hussled off to be with my normal teacher (as his classes were done with the mornings tests) who is perhaps the only male version of me ive met in a classroom.
His energy and enthusiasm were the only thing holding some very distracted students to the task at hand!
…
Although it was a very tiring day for me i did learn something interesting. The students have english classes but arent required to take them to graduate. Meaning their grade doesn’t affect their grade… and i saw the effect it had on the students and teachers.
The younger students have fun, but the older students dislike the grammar and seemingly uselessness of the subject. It showed in their half hearted attempt to remain students in the classroom and I saw the frustration in the teachers eyes and heard it in their voices as they told their stories of abuse from parents for the homework assigned.
Being a teacher myself, i really identify with them.
My goal this month will be to encourage and build up the teachers and help them anyway i can. Please pray that God would give me wisdom and specific opportunities to encourage each teacher and to inspire the students in their learning!
…
So why 3 drops under my tongue?
Today was our adventure day, and it was really very lovely – just, i was still suffering an even greater lever of attention from whatever bugs were assaulting me.
Fernando, a local Chilean who we met at bible study the first evening we were here, offered to take us around to some places that might be nice to see.
We took 6 busses – 3 over and 3 back – and saw two different cities, met locals from each place and visited several restaurants, a monestary, an old church and drove past lots of local farms and such.
I ended up mostly sleeping on the busses to wake for random gorgeous views of snowy mountains, vineyards, farm houses, 100 year old mud walls, and Fernandos calming voice explaining all the things we were passing in almost perfect english.
We walked a lot.
In the church i spent a few minutes on the wood bench in the faint light doing a heart check with the Lord.
I need help Lord, already i can tell that i’m shrinking in on myself as everything i’m experiencing pushes in on my unprocessed moments. What do i do when feedback is seemingly disregarded, and being considerate of others isn’t someones habit or priority;… and it’s making me crazy? How do i love others when all i want to do is protect my self esteem and self confidence and pride is making me isolate myself?
He spoke back to me, “They are my gift to you.” His rebuke was gentle but firm. He repeated it again and His gaze was steady. His love and presence; peace pushed back at the knot in my throat.
I had about 30 minutes of self time in the monestary. I sat against the old wall and stared into the foliage around me and breathed in the pure sweet oxygen. And then we were up and onto the next place.
When we got home, one of my teammates started pulling all this homopathic medicine out of her bag; for me.
“You have to eat this with food!” she shook 2 garlicy smelling capsules into my palm. “And this you have to take two teaspoons and hold it under your tongue for 30 seconds – and this one too! This one tastes terrible though so you have to have some water to chase it down!”
I did the first one and it wasn’t bad. Just like paper soaked water.
“Alright, are you ready? Keep it in as long as you can, ok? And take deep breaths. Here you go!”
I nodded and tilted my head back. She carefully suspended the dropper over my open mouth and squeezed. I felt the cold oily drops hit my frenulum, then i closed my mouth.
And it wasn’t so bad at first. But then…the oil started to reveal itself and permeate my entire mouth and mind.
And this is my prayer: Lord, i think that my experience has taught me to overlook the honeymoon period with pessimism. So now i’m in what’s called the b-zone, and i don’t want to be. I want to be savoring the newness of this place and its people. I want to carry hope where there is none. So Lord, can you put 3 little drops of your Spirit under my tongue and permeate my senses? I need your healing, kindness, joy, and overwhelming presence in my heart Lord.
