I´m Back!

I have a few more minutes to update, so I will do my best to make it quick! I need to explain that getting access to the computer is a bit difficult here. I am using the school´s computers and I only have so much time on them and every time I want to get on, they are always taken. So, it is a hit and miss situation. I did bring my computer here, but after school it has been raining and I haven´t wanted to take it out anywhere to find a connection. So, please bear with me as I might be a little slow in the updating!

I have some exciting news to tell you! I am staying at the house that I stayed in when I was here in June! For those of you who don´t know, this is huge to me because the woman who lived there passed away about a month ago and I wasn´t sure if anybody would be able to stay there again. It was a God-directed event as to how this all came about. Last Thurs. when I came here, Manuel and I went to Antigua, to pick up Kevin and Ginny. While we were there we looked for the new house that I would be in, so I would know where to go on Sunday. Well, the house was in the southern end of town, in the boonies. I honestly did not feel safe and did not want to walk there in the dark. It was by a bunch of trees and very little lighting. So, Kevin and Ginny suggested that I stay with them in their new homestay because they knew that the woman had an extra room. I agreed to that. Sunday came and we went to that house. When the family showed us the rooms, mine smelled horrible. There was mold on the walls under the windows. The mold smell was very strong. I knew I couldn´t stay there, but right then, on the spot I didn´t know what I was going to do. I took the keys from the family, but told Kevin and Ginny, I would have to find somewhere else because I would be sick by the next morning. I am very allergic to mold. So, last time when I was here, I met two missionary woman who lived here. I called one of them and asked her if I could stay with her for the night and she was fine with that. She actually had an extra apartment-like building next to her where I could sleep. I didn´t have to pay anything for it. God is awesome! Then, the next morning, I wanted to walk to the house that I stayed at before because I wanted to see if anyone was there. I knocked on the door and the helper´s daughter answered it. I explained my situation and asked if I could live there for awhile. She said fine! I was so excited I could have cried! I went back to Mary´s house and got my things and moved in to my "old" room! Later that morning, Elsie, the helper came and when she saw me, she was so excited and gave me the biggest hug. Those two are amazing. Elsie´s daughter, Dominga, and her daughter now live in the house full time. There are also two students who are from Japan, who are staying at the house. I am just so excited and so grateful to God to be here. When I left last time, Carolina, the owner of the house, told me many wonderful words. Part of it was that her home was my home and whenever I came to Antigua and needed a place to stay, I could always stay with her. Little did I know then, how true those words would be for me now, even after she is no longer here. God is so gracious.

Spanish classes are going extremely well. I am loving every minute of it. Angelica, my teacher, is a wonderful woman. She is perfect for the level that I am at now. This week has been a bit challenging as I have had 7 hours of classes each day. This Thurs. after school we are going back to the ministry for the weekend, so I won´t have class on Friday. I was trying to catch up on my hours that I would be missing. It honestly hasn´t been as hard as I thought it was going to be. I do have to say that by 9;00 at night I am exhausted!

I also want to thank you all for your prayers and concerns for me and the hurricane. Thank God, it has been downgraded to almost nothing, so we won´t have anything to worry about here, except possibly some rain. That is a typical thing though as it is the rainy season here.

Well, my time is up on the computer. I am very thankful for this time to update and let you all know what is going on. I am thinking about each one of you and you are all in my prayers!

The Adventures have begun!!

Hola mis amigos!!

I have alot to update you on! Let me start by saying that I arrived safely into the City and was greeted by Andy, the man in charge here, and Manuel, the bus driver. We drove to Antigua, which was about an hour away and picked up Kevin and Ginny, who were studying. After that we drove back to the city and went to the mission team house, where we would spend the night. As you can imagine, we had a lot of catching up to do!

Friday, we began our day with a group devotion at the ministry center. Each Friday, the staff meets and does a Bible reading/prayer/song, at each of the places the ministry is involved in. It is pretty powerful as we get to walk down to the squatter´s area and sing/pray in the midst of the people who live there. The squatter´s area is starting to get a new look to it. There are political elections coming up next week, so a political party has been busy trying to "buy" votes, by upgrading some of the shantys down there, to concrete block, instead of the aluminum panels. It is quite interesting to see. I am thankful to see that some of the people are getting better housing. That is a blessing, regardless of the way it is happening!

The afternoon, I spent visiting people in the ministry and working with Kevin in the health clinic. Saturday I also got to spend time in the clinic, with Kevin and Pablo, the nurse. We were busy doing a bunch of organization. It was very enjoyable and lots of fun, trying to figure out which medications treat which diseases and which medications are for children and which ones are soley used for adults. I have a lot of learning to do in this area, but it is exciting to see the ministry being able to reach those who can´t afford to see a doctor.

I hate to cut this short, but my time on the computer is done and I will have to continue later! Sorry guys!