What's in a Job?

The kids are napping, so I have a little time to type. I am so excited to tell you my new job assignments, since I have returned to Casa Bernabé. My boss here at CB (Casa Bernabé) and I chatted when I arrived in January about me helping her with the American teams, helping at the baby house, tutoring various kids on campus, and teaching a dance fitness class. A strange thing happens when you work at a place that isn't run like a business. You have jobs thrown your way but you never get a job description to help you understand what you should expect.

Ideally in the morning I will help the baby house in their daily routine which includes preschool for a hour a day. I plan to eat lunch with the American teams that come visit CB to answer any questions they have and to be an on-campus contact for them. In the afternoons, I  will be tutoring 4 boys ages 8-12 years old in math  and/or teaching a fitness class to the teenage girls. I am really excited about my new job assignments because I feel these are things that are truly needed.

In other news, ...and yes I have a lot to share. I told many of you that I have been really lonely here at CB and that I wasn't enjoying the cold showers. Well, the Lord has a funny way of answering prayer. I am now living in the baby house. Which means I share a room with 2 Guatemalan girls that are paid employees to help the house parents. I truly believe the Lord knew what he was doing when I was so lonely last year. When I was told that I was going to sleep on the top bunk in a room with two other girls, I was so excited.

The other issue was the cold showers. The baby house almost never has cold water because we are caring for the youngest on campus.  Since I live in the house, I shouldn't have another cold shower. Thanks for your prayers. I am really enjoying my new living arrangement.

I was able to visit our Eternal friends living in Chichi for a few days. Let me just say that I enjoyed spending time with the Tandys, Gardners, Kevin Howard, Toni, and Armondo. It was wonderful to share our different perspectives on missions and experiences in missions. The Lord has really blessed Manos de Jesus/Pray America, and I am so proud of Eternalites getting involved with the ministry. I appreciate the Tandy family hosting me.

One of the most beneficial conversions I had in Chichi was with one of the Guatemalan guys working with Pray America. He lived at CB for 8 years and then was hired at Pray America. I benefited from him sharing his experience at CB, and it gave me a better perspective of how to help these kids acclimate to life beyond the walls of CB. It is crazy to think about all the connections CB has with Pray America. The connections are a testament that we are clueless to what is happening most of the time in our lives but God orchestrates all the inner-workings of the entire world.

After my restful stay in Chichi, I returned to helping during nights with the kids and being the only adult in the house for the weekend. Praise the Lord I have 2 very mature teenage helpers with me this weekend. Time to get them up from nap.

Christmas Break

As soon as I got off of the plane, my family and I ate. I wanted to go to a country cooking restaurant, so I could order fried okra. Yum. That night I slept in my bed and had a hot shower. Then my family, and I traveled to Columbia, SC to begin celebrating Christmas. I enjoyed a week in my parents house and spending time with the family. I have an amazing family. The Lord has blessed me with much.
Now I am back at my house and just enjoyed a wonderful quiet time with the Lord. It is easy to loose the closeness to the Lord when you are being pulled in a million ways at an orphanage. Many things are always running threw my mind at Casa Bernabe: helping the kids reach the next development milestone, raising these kids in a Christ centered manner, being mindful of the culture, struggling with Spanish, wanting God to fulfill personal desires I have for my life, working on friendships with the staff, and continuing to share Christ with friends I made at language school. It was wonderful to have time with the Lord this morning while putting these thoughts aside. I feel like I just took a breathe of crisp clean air. Refreshing!