Today was an interesting day.
I haven't updated in a while, but there has been a lot going on. We have had so many amazing you people come through our site in the last couple of weeks. I am overwhelmed with the presence of God that has been here these last few weeks.
I have been recently introduced to an AMAZING passage of scripture that I wish I would have known earlier in my life.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
This passage of scripture has helped me in incredible ways the last few weeks. Through some different challenges that I have faced these last few weeks I have found much comfort in this passage. It gives me hope that even though there are rough times and bumps in the road that I can focus my time and energy on things that are more important. I have wasted too much time and energy on things that do no matter, and on frustrations that are not important. At times it feels like what we do here can go unnoticed, or unremembered. But it gives me hope that even though we don't always see solid changes being made we are making a difference.
Tonight I was feeling overwhelmed with the presence of God in my life. Each YouthWorks worker writes a few page note to the person who will be taking over their position the following summer. At the very end we write a letter to the person. I was writing my letter and just felt a crazy amount of love for this community! I can't imagine myself anywhere else right now. I can't believe that we only have one week left in this community! I am ridiculously not ready to leave! I have met so many incredible people in this place. I am sad to leave relationships at Misión Betesda that I have made. I am sad to leave friendships with community friends here. I am sad to leave this city as a whole. I have had such a wonderful experience and I will never forget it. While writing this letter I realized how much I have grown this summer in some incredible ways! I feel like a new person. I feel confident in the person God has created me to be. I feel confident in God's calling in my life. My faith has grown tremendously and my reliance on God has also grown.
I wish that I was a better writer so that I could even begin to express the feelings that feel right now. God is amazing and I love Him. I love what he is doing in my life and what he is doing in the lives of the kids that he has brought here. I am excited to have one more weeks at this place. I can't wait to see how God will continue to work here and in the lives of the kids that will be coming here on Sunday!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
A Few Bumps In the Road
Saturday was one of the first real days off that we have gotten in the 6 weeks that we have been here. It was supposed to be a relaxing day of rest and rejuvenation and a day to not think about work. It definitely started off that way!
To begin we went to a WONDERFUL beach and had a blast swimming and playing in the waves and talking and sun bathing. It was just the best morning ever. There weren't a lot of people at the beach, which was nice because it was a Saturday.
Then, we couldn't decide what to do so we went to some caves that are here in Arecibo! We parked in the back of the parking lot because it was pretty full (bad idea), then headed back to the cave. It wasn't anything super deep or anything like that but it has the most hieroglyphics in any cave in... Puerto Rico... maybe just the area. So there are a bunch of carved hieroglyphics and they all looked like aliens! It was crazy. One was a baby in a bassinet but the other ones looked like aliens.
There is a place to get on top of the cave and look out at the ocean and it was BEAUTIFUL! Oh my goodness what a view! I loved it. There was a place to jump in the water and swim a bit too... we indulged and did that as well. :)
When we got done in the cave and swimming we went out to our van and realized that we were missing a window... and a purse, wallet, and backpack. There was glass everywhere. Someone broke our window and stole one of our community friends' purse and also my wallet and back pack. Really lame. My backpack had my license and credit cards and some cash and my passport too. Now I have to start the long process of getting all of that taken care of. Cards are cancelled but I have to wait until Tuesday to do anything with my license and I can hopefully talk to someone about my passport tomorrow. We shall see.
I was doing my best to try and look at the bright side of things, like the fact that I hadn't brought my computer or my camera. But it was difficult. I know that they are just things but a lot of what was taken had a lot of sentimental value for me. Specifically, there was a rock that I found once, while having a bad day, and it was shaped like a cross. I take/took that rock with me everywhere and it was in my backpack. I'm really sad that I don't have it anymore because it was a sort of good luck charm (even though I don't really believe in luck, haha). But then they also got my iPod. I think that was the most frustrating part. I had a really good Spanish/English dictionary (that I use all the time) on there and a list of names and descriptions for people at our ministry sites and Spanish words to remember and a bunch of little things that I had written... oh well.
Our theme for the summer is "Be Different" and Wednesday's theme is "React Different." I have been trying my best to react different and not be upset, especially because we had another theft incident at one of our evening activities this passed week where there was another an broken into and a girl's camera was stolen and she reacted wonderfully. So I feel like I have some big shoes to fill! I did get to take an impromptu road trip to San Juan with my Site Director and we had a pretty good time lol. So yes, I also learned to always put my belongings in the trunk while I am somewhere. Even if they are under a seat, people will be able to see them.
To begin we went to a WONDERFUL beach and had a blast swimming and playing in the waves and talking and sun bathing. It was just the best morning ever. There weren't a lot of people at the beach, which was nice because it was a Saturday.
Then, we couldn't decide what to do so we went to some caves that are here in Arecibo! We parked in the back of the parking lot because it was pretty full (bad idea), then headed back to the cave. It wasn't anything super deep or anything like that but it has the most hieroglyphics in any cave in... Puerto Rico... maybe just the area. So there are a bunch of carved hieroglyphics and they all looked like aliens! It was crazy. One was a baby in a bassinet but the other ones looked like aliens.
There is a place to get on top of the cave and look out at the ocean and it was BEAUTIFUL! Oh my goodness what a view! I loved it. There was a place to jump in the water and swim a bit too... we indulged and did that as well. :)
When we got done in the cave and swimming we went out to our van and realized that we were missing a window... and a purse, wallet, and backpack. There was glass everywhere. Someone broke our window and stole one of our community friends' purse and also my wallet and back pack. Really lame. My backpack had my license and credit cards and some cash and my passport too. Now I have to start the long process of getting all of that taken care of. Cards are cancelled but I have to wait until Tuesday to do anything with my license and I can hopefully talk to someone about my passport tomorrow. We shall see.
I was doing my best to try and look at the bright side of things, like the fact that I hadn't brought my computer or my camera. But it was difficult. I know that they are just things but a lot of what was taken had a lot of sentimental value for me. Specifically, there was a rock that I found once, while having a bad day, and it was shaped like a cross. I take/took that rock with me everywhere and it was in my backpack. I'm really sad that I don't have it anymore because it was a sort of good luck charm (even though I don't really believe in luck, haha). But then they also got my iPod. I think that was the most frustrating part. I had a really good Spanish/English dictionary (that I use all the time) on there and a list of names and descriptions for people at our ministry sites and Spanish words to remember and a bunch of little things that I had written... oh well.
Our theme for the summer is "Be Different" and Wednesday's theme is "React Different." I have been trying my best to react different and not be upset, especially because we had another theft incident at one of our evening activities this passed week where there was another an broken into and a girl's camera was stolen and she reacted wonderfully. So I feel like I have some big shoes to fill! I did get to take an impromptu road trip to San Juan with my Site Director and we had a pretty good time lol. So yes, I also learned to always put my belongings in the trunk while I am somewhere. Even if they are under a seat, people will be able to see them.
Monday, July 4, 2011
The 4th of July
Today was the fourth of July and yet again we have a wonderful group :)
Today was awesome because we spent the day at one of my favorite missions that we partner with! We were at Betesda. I can't remember if I have mentioned this one before but it is a rehabilitation center for men over the age of 18. The majority of them are under the age of 25, although there are some that are older. It is a rehabilitation center but it isn't just for drugs. All of the participants at some point in time in their life have made a bad decision. Because of that decision that they made they we sentenced to time in jail. Israel (the man who runs the facility) hears about the guys and meets with them and if he sees potential and truly thinks that they would benefit from his facility he petitions for them to come to Betesda. They live and work at this place. In order to raise money for everything they make cakes and other pastries and sell them! They are DELICIOUS! I just love it.
The guys don't have many opportunities to see their families so they really enjoy having YouthWorks bring groups to meet with them. It is difficult because the majority of them don't speak a lot of English and the majority of the YouthWorks participants don't speak a lot of Spanish. It is amazing however, to see how relationships build between people who can't verbally communicate. One of their favorite pass times is to play basketball with the students that come. They are ridiculously good at basketball! I love to watch and I even play sometimes. I just love it.
So today, my group was there all morning and we played basketball and I explained (in Spanish - ps I'm pretty awesome I'm not gonna lie :P) how to play KEMPS to one of the guys and a group of us played KEMPS. It was pretty fun. He would ask some questions though and I didn't know what he said and that was embarrassing. Lol. I am getting so much better (mejorando - bettering) at Spanish! I am loving it! I am getting more confident at being able to hold a decent conversation. I'm still not good by ANY means of the word but I am getting there. I surprise myself sometimes. I think that a big part of it is that I am finally getting used to the accent that Puerto Ricans have, so that helps a lot. I can't believe that we just have a little under 5 weeks left. It seems like we just got here. I love it here.
After lunch we met up with the rest of the students and went to an awesome swimming hole in the river and went swimming. It was disappointing because there were some awesome rocks that we really wanted to jump off of... but it is YouthWorks policy that you can't do anything potentially dangerous like that. Lame sauce. But we still had an amazing time! I think that the kids did too :)
After this, we went back to Betesda and had a little cook out and ate hot dogs and hamburgers and played games and talked and just had an amazing time. I love this ministry and everything that it does! I am so happy that I was able to be placed there. I'm not going there tomorrow but I will hopefully return on Wednesday haha :)
Miss and love you all!
Today was awesome because we spent the day at one of my favorite missions that we partner with! We were at Betesda. I can't remember if I have mentioned this one before but it is a rehabilitation center for men over the age of 18. The majority of them are under the age of 25, although there are some that are older. It is a rehabilitation center but it isn't just for drugs. All of the participants at some point in time in their life have made a bad decision. Because of that decision that they made they we sentenced to time in jail. Israel (the man who runs the facility) hears about the guys and meets with them and if he sees potential and truly thinks that they would benefit from his facility he petitions for them to come to Betesda. They live and work at this place. In order to raise money for everything they make cakes and other pastries and sell them! They are DELICIOUS! I just love it.
The guys don't have many opportunities to see their families so they really enjoy having YouthWorks bring groups to meet with them. It is difficult because the majority of them don't speak a lot of English and the majority of the YouthWorks participants don't speak a lot of Spanish. It is amazing however, to see how relationships build between people who can't verbally communicate. One of their favorite pass times is to play basketball with the students that come. They are ridiculously good at basketball! I love to watch and I even play sometimes. I just love it.
So today, my group was there all morning and we played basketball and I explained (in Spanish - ps I'm pretty awesome I'm not gonna lie :P) how to play KEMPS to one of the guys and a group of us played KEMPS. It was pretty fun. He would ask some questions though and I didn't know what he said and that was embarrassing. Lol. I am getting so much better (mejorando - bettering) at Spanish! I am loving it! I am getting more confident at being able to hold a decent conversation. I'm still not good by ANY means of the word but I am getting there. I surprise myself sometimes. I think that a big part of it is that I am finally getting used to the accent that Puerto Ricans have, so that helps a lot. I can't believe that we just have a little under 5 weeks left. It seems like we just got here. I love it here.
After lunch we met up with the rest of the students and went to an awesome swimming hole in the river and went swimming. It was disappointing because there were some awesome rocks that we really wanted to jump off of... but it is YouthWorks policy that you can't do anything potentially dangerous like that. Lame sauce. But we still had an amazing time! I think that the kids did too :)
After this, we went back to Betesda and had a little cook out and ate hot dogs and hamburgers and played games and talked and just had an amazing time. I love this ministry and everything that it does! I am so happy that I was able to be placed there. I'm not going there tomorrow but I will hopefully return on Wednesday haha :)
Miss and love you all!
Friday, July 1, 2011
Pranks!
This most recent group that we had was just absolutely amazing. I am going to miss them a ton!
One especially awesome thing was that they included me in a prank on one of their leaders. I was thrilled. It went well.
In payback, for their leader, I gave them a little prank of my own (insert evil laughter). We have a Puerto Rican friend who comes and helps us out some nights and gives them information about Arecibo and Puerto Rico. My team and Julio, our friend, have gotten pretty close so we like to joke around. He was coming to give his talk to the kids at the Plaza one night and I told 5 of the guys on the trip that a really cool personal greeting that you give a good friend is "nalgas," which is something that you would say to a really good friend so show that you care about them! They were so excited to use it on Julio! Little did they know that "nalgas" actually is a word for your bum. It isn't a crude word at all, just a funny one. So, when Julio came up the stairs they all waved at him as said, "HOLA!! NALGAS!" Julio gave them the weirdest look and it was just priceless. My team and I just started cracking up. The guys didn't really realize what happened so they said it again in a slightly confused tone. Then they realized that something was up and asked us what the word really meant. SO FUNNY! We got a real laugh out of it :D. I love pranks. It was especially awesome because we got to prank Julio at the same time by doing it!
I am really going to miss this group.
One especially awesome thing was that they included me in a prank on one of their leaders. I was thrilled. It went well.
In payback, for their leader, I gave them a little prank of my own (insert evil laughter). We have a Puerto Rican friend who comes and helps us out some nights and gives them information about Arecibo and Puerto Rico. My team and Julio, our friend, have gotten pretty close so we like to joke around. He was coming to give his talk to the kids at the Plaza one night and I told 5 of the guys on the trip that a really cool personal greeting that you give a good friend is "nalgas," which is something that you would say to a really good friend so show that you care about them! They were so excited to use it on Julio! Little did they know that "nalgas" actually is a word for your bum. It isn't a crude word at all, just a funny one. So, when Julio came up the stairs they all waved at him as said, "HOLA!! NALGAS!" Julio gave them the weirdest look and it was just priceless. My team and I just started cracking up. The guys didn't really realize what happened so they said it again in a slightly confused tone. Then they realized that something was up and asked us what the word really meant. SO FUNNY! We got a real laugh out of it :D. I love pranks. It was especially awesome because we got to prank Julio at the same time by doing it!
I am really going to miss this group.
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