Earlier this week, little Marcella peed her pants and didn't want to ask one of the other tias to change her because she would get in trouble, so she came to the softy American tia.
I took her upstairs but she kept hiding under beds, throwing things, etc. So finally, after changing her, I informed her that she was punished. We went outside to the laundry area where I set her to the task of washing her little pair of underwear and her wet pants while I hung laundry up to dry and started folding the never-ending pile of dry laundry.
She was having far too much fun, but then again, so was I.
We chatted a little while she was washing her clothes, finally, after 15 minutes I determined that she had done enough washing and I asked her to help me fold laundry.
She came and sat with me in the huge mound of laundry and promptly decided that it was a swimming pool. So we put the laundry baskets around us to form a wall and then continued folding laundry. She did a really good job! We chatted and played for probably thirty minutes until another tia came and told us that everyone was going to the park. Since that day, Marcella has been more affectionate with me and maybe a little more obedient, and I feel closer to her as well. It was a really pleasant and calm time to just hang out with my little three-year-old friend.
Yesterday as I was trying to get out the door, I went to brush my teeth. Four-year-old Fabiola was using the bathroom and Marcella was squatted on the floor waiting for her turn. They talked the whole time I was brushing my teeth.
"Are you brushing your teeth?"
"Are you washing your teeth?"
"Are you going to drink that water?"
I tried to explain that I had to use the bottled water vs tap water. (I'll get sick if I use tap water.) However, Fabiola nodded her head in a conciliatory manner, "I get sick from water too." She sagely informed me.
I then backtracked and tried to assure her that water really is healthy... She just kind of looked at me funny.
I turned to leave, but Marcella handed me her jacket before sitting on the toilet.
"Don't go tia!" She begged pathetically. I couldn't very well say no to that, so I stayed.
After she finished, she asked me to keep her sweater in my room (why? I have no idea!!!)
I was squatted down to their level and the two girls were taking turns making me hold me breathe and puff out my cheeks so that they could slap my cheeks (gently) to force the air out... They think it's the funniest thing in the world. Anyway, in the midst of this Marcella informed me that, "We are going to the park."
"You are?" I asked.
"Yes, and you too tia!!!"
"But I have to go [somewhere else]," I told her.
"No tia!!!" She said, throwing her arms around my neck and pressing her cheek against mine, "Pretty please!!! No!!!"
Yesterday I also got to visit the Cristo again, this time we took the gondolas up instead of walking! I went with a group of missionary girls from my language school. The view, as before, was spectacular. I loved being able to take pictures of it. I was also able to do mini photo shoot sessions with each of the girls I went with, which was a lot of fun, I haven't been able to mess around with my camera except with the kids, and they don't cooperate very well for posing, so it was really fun to have some eager, cooperative and lovely ladies to photograph, as well as a fabulous backdrop and perfect lighting!
This morning, I was one of maybe five Americans in the entire church, so that pastor decided to preach in Spanish. I was able to follow it though so that I was encouraging!
On my way back to my house, I had to walk because the street was closed off for the South American games (similar to the Olympics,) and it was/still is raining... Thus very cold. My shoes got thoroughly soaked, my skirt soaked up 6" of water... I couldn't help but think of Pride and Prejudice when Elizabeth arrives at Mr. Bingley's house with her skirt "positively six inches deep in mud."
Therefore, I arrived home wet and cold, but content that it could be said of my skirt, almost the same as had been said of Lizzy Bennett. ;)
Psalm 121
"I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved, He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day. nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
He will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out
and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore."
I miss my family so much every day. I miss things about American life... Having a car, speaking English, Dunkin Donuts hot lattes for $2 in the afternoon, the ability to go on a road trip if I wanted to, cooking for my family instead of just for myself, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, movie nights with my family, thrift store shopping, worshipping with my family and church family, the ability to do new things and invest time or money into things that I want to do for more than a year, etc, etc...
The list goes on.
Nevertheless, God is helping me to love my time that I am here for what it is, a year to spend in a place that I didn't know anything about.
To meet new people,
learn a new language,
and love on little kids who need to know His love.
Yes, I am eager for the day when I can come home, but I am also going to miss a lot of things about being here. I almost cried a couple times this week thinking about having to leave the kids... Granted, still 9 months away, but it is a sad thought. One of the girls that I went to the Cristo with is leaving in a little under two weeks, she has been here for a year. Seeing her mixed emotions and hearing her talk of how quickly the time has gone by, has made me think of when my turn to leave comes.
I can easily get caught up in the excitement of the future, dreams of days and years to come, and I can miss the beauty of the little moments that God has given me. It was in the midst of these daydreams and soaring fantasies that I read Psalm 130 and Psalm 131.
Psalm 130
"Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with Him is plentiful redemption.
And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities."
Psalm 131
"O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Oh Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore."
The quiet joy of trusting God is so much better than the impatience filled anxiety for the next thing in life. "In His presence is fullness of joy..." in His presence... Somehow I feel that when you are in the presence of God you aren't leaping to get on to the next thing... All other things grow "strangely dim in the light of His beauty and grace." Oh to live in that glorious truth constantly!
He is continuing to teach me and grow me.
I am thankful that He is faithful to complete the good work that He starts, and I am thankful for the moments when He uses His word, the people around me, or the beauty in His creation to quiet my heart and remind me of how great He really is.
Lamentations 3:22-23
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness!"
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