Shaking Things Up

Update: the green busses no longer take me to church. They’re all pink now 🙂

Everything is running pretty smoothly here in Oaxaca. The new students are getting oriented and the old students are relishing in being back, for the most part.

We had a little surprise around five this morning when we were awakened by wobbling beds in a wobbling building. Oaxaca is used to the occasional earthquake and therefore built for it. The one this morning was a 5.7. It lasted long enough to wake us all up and get us out of our bedrooms, jackets in hand, but it stopped shortly after that. We went back to sleep 🙂

Another possible bump in the road is that of the teacher marches. They like to peacefully block off main highways and stores in pursuit of higher wages. It serves to make everyone in the city of Oaxaca have a bit more difficult day. One day a 30 to 45 minute bus trip took us over an hour and a half. They say there will be a big one today. We’ll see how the trip to the children’s home goes.

Yesterday, I got to introduce some new students to some old friends in the village. That was lots of fun. We continue to read Bible stories with R and talk with him about their importance to his life and ours. He is learning a lot, but please pray that he will take it to heart. Along with this, some of the students this summer will be teaching health lessons in various villages. I’m very excited for them! It is a much needed service in many places that don’t have much education on how to care for wounds etc.

As I finish up my last few days here (wow!), please pray that they will be productive and good. Pray for the four students who have been here all semester as they head out Tuesday. Pray that their transition home will be as smooth as possible and that they will learn and grow through the trials. Pray for the students who have recently arrived that they will get along, stay healthy, and grow in their relationships with God this summer. As always, pray for my Oaxacan friends. I very much appreciate it!!

Another Home

Well, I am finally back in the beautiful city of Oaxaca! I wasn’t totally sure what to expect. Spending two months here last summer was an awesome adventure, but I knew returning would be a whole new type of adventure.

I have been surprised at how little some things have changed. Rico and Dany are still selling their raspas at the same spots in the zocalo. R is still sitting behind his scarcely stocked display counter hoping to sell a notebook and waiting for the library truck to come through town. The ladies are still selling pan in the morning, my fruit booth hasn’t moved, and the pink and green buses still take me to church for six pesos.

However, some things have changed. I’m staying in an apartment a bit further outside the city instead of a house in el centro. One of the lovely families that helped guide us last summer has moved on and none of the other students are the same people (yet!)–although they are all very wonderful. There are some new styles of shirts for sale in the markets. The zocalo is a bit dead because it’s early in the year.

All in all, Oaxaca is still Oaxaca.

Jose and I had the opportunity to visit some friends en los pueblos yesterday, so that was very good. We’re planning to see them again later in the week. There is a BSU team here right now that I’m helping out with a bit, and more summer folks will be coming in tomorrow and Thursday. The week is looking very busy but very good!

Prayers are much appreciated. I’m very happy to be back 🙂

The Festival

Long Time No Blog

Hey, everyone!

So, it´s been about two weeks since I`ve blogged… I´m sorry 😦 All of a sudden our whole team realized a month was gone and we still had a ton to do! We´ve been cramming our weekends full of stuff that everyone needs to do when they go to Oaxaca, and our weekdays have been full as well.

With each day that we explore the area and experience the culture, I love Mexico a little more. It´s so much fun winding down after a long day with elote or helado at the zocalo, watching guys breakdance and have rap battles, or just walking around and looking at all the pretty things. We´re surrounded by beautiful mountains and interesting people. I´m definitely going to miss this place.

This week and last, we´ve had the opportunity to exchange stories with a man in our village. He teaches us about Mexico, and then we share some Bible stories with him. It has been interesting on both sides, I believe. Pray that it opens the door to deeper conversations.

We´ve also been able to continue helping a couple of kids learn some english. They are so sweet, and their whole family is very welcoming. Pray for easy learning and open hearts!

The more we talk to people the more we realize how difficult it is to not be Catholic in this part of the world. People don´t treat us differently when we tell them we aren´t Catholic, but it´s a whole different story for family and neighbors. Believers are often cut off from their families and societies because they have given up their heritage, their culture. It´s no wonder that people are afraid to respond. Please pray that God will show these people how much more important he is than anything else. Pray that he will show US that as well as we overcome our fears and share the hope we have.

This Week

When you´re in another country, you just miss the little things.

Karen, Bailey, and I went to a little coffee shop. I got a bagel with cream cheese and iced cappuccino, and thought I was about to die of happiness.

Then, there´s this whole thing about how Americans eat more meat than… anyone else in the world. So, I´ve been craving a steak hardcore. I knew it was risky, but I ordered a burger from a restaurant. It was not a burger. I was very sad.

Can you say culture shock, anyone?

BUT, despite the little ups and downs, I am still happy to be here, and I love Mexico! Here are some real updates:

This week was another great week in the villages.

Monday, we met a new friend who showed us around the beautiful templo when we went back yesterday. He´s an artist and teacher, so his tour of such an art-history-rich building was wonderful.

We got to spend some more time with our awesome family as well. Every day is a learning experience. We taste new fruits we´ve never seen, help prepare a roof to add another floor, and–next week–will learn to make tortillas.

Through all the times of hanging out, we`ve been able to share our testimonies and some Bible verses. But, we haven´t had many big, gospel-sharing opportunities. Please pray that we won´t be fearful to jump into it!

Thank you all for your prayers so far. God is working!

Los Pueblos

¡Hola!

Oaxaca is still treating me well. I´m beginning to get down a few rules of thumb to survive in the city:

1. If you are asked a question in very fast Spanish that you don’t understand in a restaurant, smile and say ´si.´

2. If you are asked a question in very fast Spanish that you don´t understand on the street, smile and say ´no.´

3. Buy a raspa every chance you get. They´re that good.

But on a more serious note, we started visiting our villages this week! Melissa, Nick, and I hopped out of the truck and into the sight line of an awesome guy whose family has lived there for generations. He immediately invited us in to meet his wife and sons and dine on fresh fruit and spices. The plan was to explore the village a little, but we stayed at this family´s house for hours. It was far more wonderful than exploring could have been, I´m sure! The husband and wife both spoke their indigenous language fluently. Oh, and it is certainly a whole different language, not a dialect of Spanish! They began teaching us their native tongue. I knew I would pick up some more Spanish here and hoped to learn about the indigenous culture, but this was above and beyond.

After a great first day, the family insisted that we return early in the morning. We arrived at the village with enough time to hang out in a tortilleria with another really cool guy, explore a little, and then meet our friends. We visited their large garden area, and they invited us for comida–the large meal of the day. It was a delicous chicken soup with the freshest veggies and meat there can be.

So far, we could not ask for better reception! Please pray that we will be able to continue these relationships and others around the city, and pray that we will keep our focus on God throughout the summer.

Aqui en Oaxaca

Hello all!

I´m finally getting enough time in the internet cafe for a little update.

The trip here went well. Only one of our flights was cancelled, but we got on another one a few hours later, so that was smooth enough. Four of us arrived in time to walk down to the Zocalo for a taco and then get settled into our living quarters. Us girls are staying in a little house with bunk beds, a kitchen, warm showers, and a great roof hangout spot.  I really like it.

The first couple of days consisted of getting to know the city. We got to do a little browsing and try some local food. Jugo verde=mmmmm.

As for the best part so far, three of us were walking down the street when we ran into a couple of Oaxacans, one of whom wanted to practice his english. Karen quickly turned the convo to Jesus, and we had about a 30 minute conversation in the middle of the street about God. Karen and Bailey were able to talk to one of them with their advanced Spanish while I talked with the one who spoke pretty good English with my not-so-advanced Spanish. This was an amazing door that God opened! It taught me that he will use you and what you have, and you don´t have to know everything to be effective. Please pray that we will be able to meet with these guys again and share more with them.

Today, we got a glimpse of the villages we will be spending lots of time in. I am very excited! Please keep us in your prayers as I´m also nervous but very confident that God has a plan.

Also, please pray for my team in the area of spiritual warfare. We are surrounded by ancient superstitions, and we are perfectly vulnerable for attack. The devil always wants to sqaush what God´s people are doing.

I guess I can´t sign off without mentioning the two things I´ve heard about for months. First of all, no one lied; this place is BEAUTIFUL. Second of all, the food is good, but my stomach doesn’t appreciate it as much as my taste buds. Even they are growing tired of it already… This is not good after only four days! But, like I said before, the juice is yummy. And, I´m willing to try just about anything. Including chapulines. That day will hopefully come soon!

Thanks for all your prayers. God is already moving, and I know he will continue to!

TOMORROW

I cannot believe that tomorrow is the big day. I’ll be heading out, only a *short* trip away from Mexico!

I appreciate all the prayers and support so many have shown already. I’ll be updating on here once a week or so, I hope.

HERE WE GO!!