words

i miss my family and friends a lot.

but at the same time, i have a family here and friends here. how is this all going to work out when it is time to go?

The people at this church have been such a testimony of patience and love and i want to be even more a part of it. I came here on such a temporary assignment, and kind of expected just to pass by. The thing is it is starting to feel like home, and i am starting to make friends, and this makes me want to stay longer to establish myself more in this church and have a real place in it, and grow these little baby blossoming relationships. i want to be able to talk about daily life and the changing of the seasons and get the inside jokes and work to understand when they start talking normal instead of slowing down for me.  i have been shown so much patience!

we went to go watch Super Bowl XLIX in the home of an American family this past weekend. There was a mix of things going on in my brain. Driving through the more wealthy neighborhood, the houses actually had large yards and a few golden retrievers. I felt that there was unfinished business when we walked in the door and didn't do the traditional kiss on the cheek to every member of the family. The floor in the living room had mostly carpet. It all felt so foreign. These things I have known all my life felt so weird... Later we were tossing around a football and a little waveling of appreciation for US culture came back. It felt homey doing that as well.

I guess if you really think about it, as Christians we are all brothers and sisters, all over the world. we have our savior Jesus in common and that changes relationships. it allows for vulnerability and honesty and kindness and love and patience in cultural misunderstandings or mis-communication.
I don't really know much, and the more I talk to people and see different things the more I realize I have to learn about life. Even things that are not cultural or about other people, but way deep inside myself, such as how to get through those moments of depression or homesickness or doubt knowing that everything is going to be okay in the end. That whatever happens there is hope and assurance in Jesus. That is what I want to really master, then all the other stuff will just fall into place.

i guess I can't leave this post without mentioning some of the goings on:
-VBS is this week! Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
-Paola and Diego's wedding on Thursday
-Random hang out dates with my growing group of girl friends here from IPUY, I know, its crazy, I actually have friends !
-being a human being, that's a hard one some times

chau amigos