Almost Back to Normal

The kids are back in school and the work is almost done on the house, so activities have begun to return indoors. We have several kids who are getting adopted/almost ready to be adopted, so prayers for those processes and their new families/lives would be appreciated! 

As I am learning more Spanish I find myself laughing more, kids say some funny things! 

After telling me that she loved her mom and me, Fabiola proceeded to inform me that I should make dinosaur for dinner one night. We had a very serious discussion about where I could find dinosaur for cooking, she informed me that I could find it near the pants in the Cancha. 

Today I made a pan of peanut butter cookie bars and shared it with all the kids. As I was cooking I also heated up a saltena that leftover from the other day and I sat down with Jose Luis who was still eating his lunch. "What is that?" He asked me.

"A saltena, have you never tried one?" I responded. 

"I want to try it!" He informed me. I broke off a piece of the crust and gave it to him. He licked it and promptly made a face, "It's spicy!" He said. I had to laugh as I informed him that it was not spicy, it was actually quite sweet. To which he tried it again and then asked me, "It's sweet?" 

"Yes," I assured him. He took my word for it and finished eating the bite of saltena without another word of its "spiciness" 

I took the pan of cookies outside, the three 2-year-olds were lined up on their little plastic toilet seats on the back porch. Santiago saw me give the Tia one first and immediately asked, 

"Can you offer me one???" 

I gave all three of them their pieces and then turned to the hoard of big kids that were lining up and calling to me, "I'm sitting Tia!" "I'm ready Tia!" "Can you give me one Tia?" and five-year-old Josue was walking back in forth in front of all of the kids making sure that they were waiting their turn, and that their hands were clean (a child after my own heart. ;) )  

"Tia," Fabiola asked, looking up at me from her cookie, "Is this sweet potato?"

"Gabriel, you don't want a cookie?" Josue called to Gabriel, who was in his own little world, shouldering the responsibility to look after his "brother," Josue went over and took Gabriel's hand and walked him to the porch and made sure that he got his cookie. 

Shortly thereafter, I heard the Tia laughing, I looked back and she told me that Damaris had just said that I hadn't given her one. (I definitely did give her one.) The three littles had only had little pieces though, so I gave them each another little square. Damaris stuffed hers in her mouth and held out her hands. "More Tia?" She asked. By this time all the bigs were gathered around with hands outstretched as well. "More Tia?" "More?" I was reminded a little of Oliver Twist, (although, I pray that that one little line is the only comparison that could be found between that scene and my time with my little ones.) 

It was cute though, and fun being able to cook for more people than myself again, I miss that about being at home. However, I only have until next Sunday before I can cook for my mom and sister for 10 days! I am so excited to have them come and be able to be a part of my life here for a little while! 

I was reading in 2 Corinthians this week and these are some verses that specifically stood out to me, and that served as a reminder of how I am to be living my life wherever I am. And also, how I am to be living my time here in Bolivia, not daydreaming of things to come or planning down to the smallest detail what I want to do when I return to the States. My focus and my aim must be to serve my King faithfully and not to be found squandering the days that I had been given. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 5

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling... He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given the Spirit as a guarantee. 

Sometimes the things on earth are all the more beautiful and awe-inspiring when I remember that they are only a shadow of things to come. Beautiful works of music cause me to wonder how angels sing. The masterpiece in the sky at night causes me to wonder what the artwork of heaven looks like, where the Son never sets. And the joy of being with my family and friends causes me to marvel at the abundance of ecstasy that shall be held in the heavenly realm when the Groom is united with His Bride for all of eternity. 

2 Corinthians 5:6-10 

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died, therefore all have died, and he died for all that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised. 

Sometime between reading the last verse and the following, my mind had drifted and I thought something that I hadn't thought in a long time, "I still have so much time left before I go home." 

Then I read this:

2 Corinthians 8:11

So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.

Thank you all for your faithful prayers and checking in, it means so much. 

***I wanted to let you know, if you get my email sent to your email and would like to respond to it, you have to create a new email addressed to me. The blogs are sent automatically to your inbox (if you signed up for it) from the blogging platform not from me, so if you respond to the blog through your email directly, I don't receive those messages. It was recently brought to my attention because I had not been responding to someone's emails because I had never received them. I certainly don't want anyone to be ignored but I have no way of responding or seeing anything that is sent using the 'Reply' button that is at the end of this blog post in your email inbox.*** 

Have a joy-filled week! 

Susannah

Recuerdame

This song has been stuck in my head for the past several days and has brought about some fun conversations with the kids, as well as making me tearful because it makes me think of leaving.

I will be here 20 weeks on Tuesday, 32 weeks until I come home. Somehow that sounds so very close, and I am glad... I am looking forward to coming home, I miss everyone so much. However, it also makes me sad, because the longer that I am here, the more I love these kids. 

This week started out as one of the most physically taxing and draining weeks since I've been here. It was the second week that the kids haven't had school and in addition to that, a group of volunteers were doing work on the house, therefore the kids couldn't be at the home. We spent the week walking to and from the park, making sure kids didn't run into traffic, making sure that they didn't talk to drunks, dishing out snacks and trying to maintain some sort of cleanliness for dishing out snacks, etc. By Thursday some of the kids were crying as we set out again, "I don't want to go to the park!" "I'm bored of the park!" At meal times kids would be falling asleep at the table, crying and dragging their feet as we walked home at night, plus they all are getting sick again! I was so ready for the week to be over. Wednesday afternoon the tias asked me if I was going with everyone to the park on Friday. I responded in the affirmative, slightly confused because I always work Friday afternoons anyway. I had to pay money too, I didn't understand what I was paying for... They told me the name of the park, I had never heard of it. I had classes in the morning so I would have to find it by myself and join them in the afternoon. With great trepidation, I got into my taxi Friday afternoon and embarked on what I hoped would be a successful venture. I honestly was dreading the afternoon. For one, I didn't know if I'd be able to find everyone because my phone is currently only working when I have wifi, so I had no way of contacting anyone or using maps. Two, I was worn out and expecting grumpy kids. 

Thankfully I arrived and found the group without too much trouble, the park was quite large, complete with an aquarium, paddle boats, a pool, life-size statues of horses that the kids could climb on, a train, a park, etc.  The kids were all there, along with a lot of tias and a bunch of boys from another home. 

I sat and held Santiago in my lap, he kept almost falling asleep so I gave him my phone and turned on some music so that he could have something to keep him occupied. One of the older boys came over and asked to play with it. I let him, he sat by me and played my Spanish songs over and over, Recuerdame was one of his favorites, that's when it really got stuck in my head! He also found a song called "Lava" apparently he also loves that one, "Do you have it in Spanish?" He asked excitedly. I felt bad that I had to tell him no. 

We all had a grill out, Bolivian style. A mountain of cheesy rice, salad, an unwashed potato and a giant piece of grilled meat. It was actually pretty good!!! The kids were so tired but having fun. During lunchtime I had Santiago laying against me with his eyes closed, I'd tell him to open his mouth, he'd obey, I'd give him his next bite of food and he would eat it, but the whole time he was leaning against me like a pillow and had his eyes closed. A couple other kids came to sit by me/lean against me, "Feed me, Tia!" They begged piteously... They really are plenty big enough to feed themselves, but I helped them a little. ;) 

After lunch, we walked around the park and then I sat under a tree with Fabiola and one of the directors and we chatted for a while. It was a really fun time to get to know the tias and boys from the other home better, as well as to practice Spanish!!! 

After the park, we managed to pack over 25 people into three little taxis (normally fit 4 passengers each) and we all returned to the boys home (it is a block from the baby house.) At the boys' house, everyone settled down on the couches to watch Coco. I helped the kids get their baths and get into pajamas, Jose Luis gave me a big, wet hug because I told him that I liked when he sang. (He was singing the song 'Recuerdame' with me.) It was so precious! 

I had sung the song when Pablo was crying the other day, and when I was telling him goodbye I was still singing it but just for fun. He looked at me very seriously, "I'm not crying, Tia! You are going to come back tomorrow, right?" 

Pablo also informed me that I would be going with him and his parents on a plane to his new home and if I didn't cry he would give me a piece of candy. "We can play with my dinosaurs Tia, and it's dark upstairs but we don't have to be afraid!" I said at first that I wouldn't be going with him, but then he persisted in telling me that I would be going, "You are coming with me, right Tia?" 

I didn't have the heart to convince him that I was not going to be with him in this new chapter of his life. I got tears in my eyes at the thought of having to tell him, and all of them, goodbye. 

 My friend, Kayla, and I bought the kids ice cream (it was really a popsicle) at the park, the other tias told us that it was the kids' first time having "ice cream" Some of the kids weren't quite sure what to think of it! They are not at all accustomed to cold things, so a frozen bar was a little hard for them to handle. Yobani would wrinkle up his face and stick his tongue in the air after every bite, it was so funny! 

It seems like every week I am being reminded, in some way or another, that Christ needs to be my all. He needs to hold the first place in my heart. I would appreciate prayer that I would see His love for me and recognize the magnitude of what He has done, and that I would love Him more daily, that I would have no gods before Him. I want to trust Him completely with my future and know that, no matter what it holds, my God has ordained it for His glory and my good. He is sovereign over every circumstance, over timing, over conversations, over acquaintances, over dreams and convictions. He has a purpose and a plan and He will see it to fruition. I have but to trust and obey. 

I love to dream and make plans, but in those dreaming and making plans, I need to be seeking God and putting Him first; and in whatever situation I find myself, I must be rejoicing and serving with full diligence and joy because of the God whom I serve and in whom I live and move and have my being. 

Thank you all for your prayers, emails and text messages. I love hearing from you! 

Have a joy-filled week!

In the love of Christ, 

Susannah

A Peaceful Week with 13 Children

    This last week has been busy with having all of the kids here, a couple extra hours of work and a lot more entertaining has been necessary for the older kids who are accustomed to leaving the house each day. Monday came and I realized that the children were not leaving for school... I will admit that I was a little panicked. However, as the week has progressed, though it has been crazier than usual, I have found myself enjoying the time that I have gotten to spend with the "big kids." The staff also had a meeting halfway through the week that seemed to challenge the way that they love the kids, the results have been a much more affectionate and joy-filled atmosphere for the remainder of the week!
   I have had a social week in addition to working more hours with the kids, for Independence Day I went to my friend's house after work at the baby house. It was my first time going because it is two hours away from the city by bus. Her husband bought us fireworks and we played the national anthem as we sat shivering outside. Then on Saturday, we went to a 4th of July party that was hosted by a couple from my language school. It was a fun opportunity to introduce our Spanish teachers to American style parties, complete with food and games, as well as to practice Spanish since they are, after all, Spanish teachers and never miss a chance to make you practice! 
   We also have a team that just got in this morning, they will be here for the rest of this week helping around the baby house, so that should be fun to have more English speakers around, and fun opportunities to try translating, should the necessity arise! ;)

  I have been so very tired for the past couple weeks, no matter how much sleep that I get. Therefore, I have been slacking in my Bible times because I sleep until the latest possible time before I have to leave for class or Bible study. This week, however, I did better, but I also had more free time because Bible study was canceled and I hadn't signed up for one day of classes because of a scheduling misunderstanding. It was really nice to have that free time to be able to spend some much needed time with God. I don't like that it is becoming a habit though, to sleep rather than spend time with God, and as this next week will again be filled with classes and other morning things scheduled before I have to be at the baby house I need to be intentional about getting time with God.
   I was challenged this morning with the message at church, it was regarding Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they refused to back down despite the trials that faced them. They refused to bow down to the golden statute even though they knew that it would mean certain death. I have bowed down to sleep so many times, instead of worshipping the One who sustains me and gives me rest. Even when I have been having my Bible times though, it's not been as deep as it has been recently...
  I told my mom and dad that, though I've had a really good week, it has also been weird, the past 4 months I felt like I was in college with God as my college professor, pushing me to learn and grow, and the past week or two I've felt like I'm on break and not really sure what to do with myself!

   Nevertheless, it has been good and I haven't been in tears, so that has been awesome! I'm feeling more at home and comfortable. I spent some time with the kids today and getting to know the volunteers that came over to get acquainted with everyone. In addition to that, I have the pleasure of knowing that in 3 weeks my mom and sister will be arriving! I have been branching out from my normal cheap, boring and easy meals and trying different things so that I can cook something that will be enjoyable to eat while they are here, rather than just treating dinner as a necessary evil of life. (I really do love to eat and cook, but both activities are quite boring when done on your own and for yourself!)

   I am gaining confidence with the language each week, which is really fun. I am still very far from fluent, but at least I can somewhat communicate. However, yesterday, the cook was asking me something and I think that she was asking me if something had boiled over when I was cooking. She kept talking and trying to act it out but I was confused at why she was asking, hoping I wasn't in trouble and trying to remember if anything had boiled over... After listening to her for a while I responded "no..." (quite hesitantly) to which she laughed and responded,
   "We'll talk when you can speak Spanish." That certainly killed any pride that I had in my language skills for the day, but it also made me resolve to learn cooking vocabulary and gave me something to laugh about for the weekend!

-I would appreciate prayer that God would continue to be teaching me and growing me and that I would have more energy.

-A praise would be for the attitude change of the tias, and prayer that it would continue. This week has truly felt more peaceful and joyful even though, as I've said, we had all the kids!

Can it Really be July Already?

Happy First of July! I'm sure most of you will be celebrating the 4th of July this week, have a wonderful time, I'm sure I'll be considered crazy by the other tias if they come around the corner while I'm folding laundry and find me belting the national anthem. ;)

This week we celebrated the youngest member of our home's birthday, she had a wonderful time, despite the clown that petrified her at first!!!

And at the end of this month, my mom and Elizabeth will be coming to visit me for a week!!!