Adventures in Missions has given us strict policies about dating members of our team and locals of the areas we visit, so I would like to begin with a disclaimer: It´s not my fault.
During our first week in Antigua, I spent a day walking around seeing what there was to see. I stopped for lunch at a little street vendor across from the hospital where some of our team has volunteered. Being as it was the middle of the day, I asked if I could sit under the vendors umbrella to be out of the sun while I ate. She said it was fine and we exchanged smiles and she and her friends laughed at me, which I have become acustomed to. I ate my lunch, told her I enjoyed it, and left for other things.
The next day I was walking with my teamate Amanda and we decided to stop at the same vendor for lunch. She saw me and smiled and asked how I was then kind of glanced at Amanda and mumbled something.
¨What was that¨ Amanda asked in Spanish.
¨You´re with
MY boyfriend¨ she replied.
¨Oh, no we are just friends, I´m not his girlfriend¨.
¨Oh¨ she replied, immediately changing her attitude, ¨sit down and have something to eat!¨
So this is how I found out I had a girlfriend in Antigua. We sat down and talked and told her about our trip. We came back one more time to visit before leaving for Puerto San Jose. This time I found out more about my girl. Her name is Esperansa (Hope). She is 48 years old and has 4 children. She attends a local evangelical church and loves the Lord.
¨Bring me back a present¨ she said after we told her we were going to the coast and would come back.
So while we were in Puerto San Jose I picked up a bracelet(see right) for 5 Q, about 75 cents. Nothing´s too expensive for my girl.
We returned and I gave her her present and sat and ate and talked some more.
Today I went and talked to her for one last time before we head off to Peru. I showed her the picture I took from last time. ¨Maybe I can take the photos at your wedding¨ her friend joked.
In the end I have decided that we should just remain friends, what with me traveling for the next year, the slight age difference, and that she doesn´t own a phone. I am glad that I was able to meet Esperansa and share time with her as a fellow believer.
So Mom, don´t worry, John is still going to be your first son to get married. And to Adventures in Missions, no need to reprimand me for breaking policy, it´s been taken care of. Peace.
