This week has been crazy in many ways. On Wednesday we had CICL (Children In Conflict with the Law) and we usually go and play basket ball with all of them. Right before we were about to leave they decided that I was going to preach in front of all the boys. I didn’t even have my Bible or any of my notes on things that I have written. I started thinking about what I can say that these guys will understand me. Most of them probably don’t believe in God and if they do its most likely nothing very serious so I didn’t want to talk all about God and his greatness and stuff because I feel like they would just nod off like anyone else would. So I decided that I was going to preach about what I wrote in my last blog. I knew that those were some good things to live by for believers and nonbelievers. No matter who you are those things will be useful in being a good and happy person. So I preached on that and it seemed to go over well and everyone payed attention and stayed awake so that was good haha.
Then on Thursday Isaac and I were told that we were going to go and help Richard get bamboo for a fence that they want to make behind Children’s Garden. We didn’t know what that looked like but Richard said that we were going to go swimming after, so bring a swim suit. I thought that we would run to a guys house and pick up some bamboo and that would be that. Also, I thought the bamboo would be like it was in Albania, like three to four inches wide at the most. Man were we very mistaken.
Isaac and I show up at a farmers house and we have to climb up like a mountain to get to the bamboo. We are in sandals and out bathing suits and sleepless shirts. There were so many mosquitos that I thought that i would just have a layer of dead ones on my skin from slapping them. They really like the foreign blood I guess. Once we get to where the bamboo was after a ten to fifteen minute walk through dense rain forest, I see the bamboo for the first time. These things were like the sky scrapers of the forest! I kid you no, they were like ten inches in diameter. I would look up and I never saw the tops of them until we cut them down.
Once we cut them down we would cut them into five or six foot sections and lay them on the ground. What Isaac and I didn’t know was that we would have to carry every single one of these things back up the mountain and down the mountain multiple times. Also, we didn’t know that once you set them on the ground giant fire ants like crawl all over them and inside of them. These ants were absolutely massive red ants, like if the bit you you might as well just letdown and die because that would be the worst pain ever.
We got told to tie two or three together and take them to the van. We didn’t have a guide or anything, they just wanted us to go…..I am very good at not getting lost in the woods, but I got so lost. We climbed up a very steep mountain and it turned out to not be the right one so we had to turn around and go back down. That was very hard because the grass was very wet and slippery and about every ten steps we would fall on our butts. We would just have to get back up and keep on going no matter how frustrated we got or how hurt or itchy we were because we had no other choice. When in a position like that you can’t freak out or quit because you would end up just getting eaten alive if you sat down and had a pity party for yourself.
Eventually we got down and asked for directions and made it to the car. Trip one was done, but there was another thing that we didn’t know. We didn’t know that there is a layer of very itchy stuff that gets stuck on ur skin and in you clothes on the bamboo stalks. That made it ten times worse because now our skin felt like it was burning off. I am pretty good at keeping my cool in hard situations but when round four of going up and down that mountain came, I was about to loose it. Isaac and I weren’t talking or laughing anymore and we couldn’t stand still or anything. It felt like it was a layer of hell. Hot, getting eaten alive, carrying heavy things up and down slippery slopes of a mountain, skin burning, eyes not opening because of the sweat running in them but can’t rub our faces with anything because you don’t want to make your face more itchy, touching random plants that end up being poisonous…..it was hell.
I kept praying that he would give me strength to make it through and not cuss anyone out or brake my butt or anything that would hurt for to long. I prayed that some how He can make this a good day for Isaac and I and bring us even closer than we already are, but I didn’t see how He was going to make that happen but i had faith. After it was all over we drove for a little while to a river. It was just the right temperature and the current and the depth was perfect. Not to mention that it was very beautiful.
We got to sit down and have coconut water form the coconuts that we found and then relax in the refreshing water that would heal us from our itchy skin. God made the day positive again! He took us to a great place and had us have an awesome time after spending a few hours in a layer of hell. I was very grateful that He listened and made it a great day.
Then on Friday, we had out reach with the street boys and I feel like Im making relations with all of them. I met a new boy who was 17 and in 11th grade. He spoke english very well and he told me that he wants to be an engineer. He was a very bright kid but he was very poor and living on the street. He asked me what Im doing over here and I tried to tell him that I’m a missionary but I don’t think he knew what that was. We ended up agreeing that I was an explorer and he told me that he would love to be able to do that but he never will because he is poor. That got to me a little bit. I don’t think you should ever settle for where you are or think your stuck doing anything.
I told him that no matter if he was poor or rich you can go and do anything you want to do, if you put your mind to it. I said that its the everyday choices that makes a difference. The decision to park cars for money, or to sit and be sorry for your self. I also said that all he needs to do is be wise with his money, don’t spend it on pointless things like drugs or girls or anything that won’t help you to your goal. He told me that he parks cars and saves all the money that he doesn’t have to give to his parents. He showed me a pocket sized sack of coins that he has been saving up. Then he told me that you really have to be 18 here to get a good job and make more money. He is now excited that he can be able to do what he wants as long as he puts his mind to it. I love seeing the hope that you can put into peoples lives by just showing them that things are possible.
On Saturday I was bed bound because I was up most of the night throwing up. I dont know if it was sickness from the river or from the way they cooked the vegetables, but something made me sick. I haven’t thrown up in over 11 years so this really was a new experience for me haha. I was praying that God would just have it come out of me so I didn’t have to like make myself throw up because I don’t know how to do that. I can’t even burp, I never have before either. Saturday was a very relaxed day where I was just in my bed and reading and writing! Actually liked it very much.
Lastly, on sunday night I took Isaac out to meet my skater friends. We went to their house and hung out with them from 8pm to 11pm. Played basket ball and just walked around, ran away from big scary dogs and talked and everything. It was a great night, even tho my glasses got broke during the basket ball game. Its all cool though, thats why I have a spare haha.
Really has been an awesome week and I just want to thank everyone for thinking about me and praying for me continuously because it really helps. I just try everyday to make someones day and be a positive influence in some way. Thanks guys, till next week!
