Having Fun!

Five minutes is a long time!

Agua Viva,  our home away from home, is far outside of town.  They operate a solar system and a generator for power.  There is no power available to us until about 6:30 when it starts getting dark.  The power stays on then until 10:30 when they turn it off, turn it back on so you can get where you are going or reach for your flashlight, and then after "a count of 47" (they joke) it goes off completely until the next evening.  

It is not surprising that the kids all become accustomed to this schedule very easily and can plan things like showers, charging electronics, getting ready for bed, brushing teeth, and trips to the bathroom with almost no difficulty.  Everyone's internal clock counts down to 10:30 and people don't ask what time it is because they are tired, it's because they want to know how many more minutes of illumination there are.  

Last night they threw us for a curve.  We have learned to roll with the inconsistency of the 47 second warning flash.  Why just the other night I was only able to count to 33 seconds before lights out. I attribute the variation to the temperature.  I figure there is someone who needs to walk out to the generator building, turn it off then on, and then hop on alternating feet while breathing into cupped hands while counting to about thirty.  On a cool night I suspect the counting happens fairly quickly.  On our first night it was exceptionally chilly and there was no warning at all.  Last night, however, was relatively mild...and the lights went out for good at 10:25!  

I was armed with my flashlight since just before lights out, every night, I hike to the one semi-consistent spot for WiFi in camp to try to get a good night message to Sylvia. (it doesn't always happen and sometimes i'll get a message that says "you're going to bed now!?" when we drive up a hill and get cell service the next day.  Last night, because of the lost 5 minutes, I got to rescue a group of kids who were surprised by the missing time.  When we all got back to the cabins there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.  (ok, so it wasn't that bad...but everyone had something to say about being sent to bed early)

Other than this gross violation of guidelines set by the Geneva convention, we had a pretty spectacular day.  VBS went well and the kids are having a great time.  We got to make a stop at our first Mexican grocery store where some of the kids learned it was possible to have a spicy lollipop.  Our one traveler who was under the weather, Krisi, felt better. We finished a great deal of painting on the projects we've been working. Then, after cleanup, we drove to a little taco stand off the side of the road.  

If you are on my Facebook then you may have seen that I checked in at a Chinese restaurant.  We did not eat there.  This stand is much bigger than a hot dog cart in New York but not big enough to have a Facebook check in.  We ordered tacos and tortas like we were starving and drank sodas from bottles while eating these treats that are made right in front of us.  (I had coverage at this place and don't worry Mom, I hugged Dylan for you)  

I don't want to get your hopes up in case you ever come to this part of Mexico and decide to eat here, so I will downplay the food significantly.  IT IS THE MOST DELICIOUS FOOD ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH BAR NONE.  (so obviously that isn't completely true.  In fact Holly's order was so spicy that she wanted to buy a new mouth but everyone else thought it was yummy. Leaving there we went to a churro place downtown where you could order the long sugar-coated treats filled with things like cream, caramel, strawberry, and chocolate.  If you ever get the chance to eat a warm stuffed churro...do it.

We made the drive back to camp where I made use of my experience driving a truck in Oakland to assertively navigate the downtown traffic to get back here.  This day will be hard to top and, since Holly is leaving early for a obligation in the states, it just won't be the same.  But we have one more day of VBS, much more painting to do, more yummy food to eat, and we will cap it off with a church service at the church where we have been doing VBS. It is my turn to do the VBS lesson today.  Prayers gratefully accepted by all.

What we know

Things we have learned:
Be ready for anything.  I thought I was going to be working on craft projects at a VBS and it turns out I was needed to help the director get a vehicle from the mechanic.

The simple things are great.
After dinner yesterday most of us hiked up the mountain to the large cross that is visible from the road.  It was fun and now I can say that I have done it.  (I couldn't say that after our last trip)

More about the culture and how they live.
It is a big culture shock to see what they have and how much we have and how grateful we should be.

Being accident prone does not keep you from working.
There are two boys (one of them mine) who seem to keep scratching or scraping or bumping or bleeding...but they keep at it.

Stepping out of your comfort zone a little bit is not too difficult.
But the benefits are worth it.

You don't need to speak someone's language to communicate with them.
We have been getting more and more comfortable with hand gestures, smiles, and pantomimes.

The kids are really appreciative and excited with anything you do!
Singing, playing, listening to a story, and doing crafts are all met with enthusiasm.

Spanish words.!
The one I remember right now is sonrie.  Smile!

Painting is hard.
The two story house that got painted yesterday needed a whole host of things to be considered complete.  The second house is started but, despite Dylan's best efforts, only one side is painted.

These kids are hard workers!
Nuff said.

Thought I would take advantage of the WiFi and post again quickly!  More later!

SanTEEEEagOOOOOOO!

VBS is a blast...painting not so much.

We had a very successful first day at Vacation Bible School. I spoke to the pastor's wife and she pointed out a few kids who she had never seen before and said that they were here because of us.  Of course it was in Spanish and it has been more than 30 years  since I took a Spanish class so it took a little more than one sentence.  She also told me that the church we were in had been there for 2 years and they hoped to finish the building soon.  

It consisted of a cement floor, four cement walls, a number of windows, and several holes that I assume will be for stained glass.  There is a small building at the front that looks mostly finished but is not fully connected to the main church.  There is one more detail that makes this church stand out a little more than most other churches I am used to...there is absolutely no roof.  None.  Nada.  Zero.  We didn't have our VBS in the building site but rather in a shelter that had been set up next door.  It consisted of two large portable shade structures, big enough to cover a pickup truck, set side by side with a large vinyl banner over the top for protection from the weather.  It took a while before Dylan suddenly said, "We're standing in an iPhone!"  The vinyl tarp that they are using is an old ad that used to hang on the side of a large building!

The kids were active and were full of smiles and energy.  There was one boy, Santiago, who stole the hearts of our group.  He is 2 and a half years of energy and mischief and everyone within 150 yards of the program knows his name.  Although it's pronounced more like "SanTEEEEagOOOOOOO!"  

We played games designed to be universal and need very little Spanish ability among us.  We also played the universal language of soccer!  The kids loved it and were very tired and thankful for snack time and rest.  We finished up that very tiring job just in time to eat another delicious meal and go to our second tiring job.  

After lunch we were given the task of painting what is essentially a two story house in a few hours.  We painted walls!  We painted door stoops!  We painted window sills!  We even painted a window! (oops) Paint was flying this way and that! So much so that today Holly is wearing a hat!  We painted dirt and cement too.  If you were standing still...they painted you!

I am happy to announce that they were able to paint 90% of that building in the time it would have taken me to choose a color.  I wonder what we are going to do for the other three work days?  There are three other two story buildings right next to this one.  I wonder if that is a coincidence?  Yeah...probably.  We will probably be getting a pampering day complete with massages and pedicures.  I'll let you know.

We are getting closer as a group and one of them has even asked me to prank her aunt whom she knows is reading and following along with the group.  I just can't figure out how to work the words "Jessica Died" into something funny.  But now at least I can say that I wrote them in my blog.  I suspect teasing will be happening soon.

The reality is that we are all doing well.  As a group we are nursing a cough, a little tummy trouble, and what seemed to be an epidemic of cut fingers trying to get into a plastic flashlight package with a pocket knife.  All is well even with the two snake sightings we have had.  The truth that they are more afraid of us than we are of them played out in grand fashion and we only saw them for a second each.  

Now I am starting to feel a little guilty for writing while the rest of them are slaving away on painting house number two...but I will survive.

Back to work...

WiFi is not my friend

Our first day at Agua Viva.

OK, so now I can tell you.  When the tire flew apart it damaged other parts of the van.  We were still able to safely drive it.  (Truth be told, I have driven vehicles in much worse shape, with fewer working parts, for longer distances.)   The rental company wanted us to trade vehicles so we drove to LAX to make the trade.  We had to fill out a report about the "incident" but it pretty much said, "The tire you gave us blew apart!"  It killed about an hour of our time and we still needed to navigate the LA traffic to get to our rendezvous site in San Diego.  After a wrong turn, a frozen GPS, a weary traveler in distress, and unloading and loading a van...we made it to the meeting place two minutes late.  I KNEW leaving the church two minutes late would come back to haunt us!

Tardiness aside, we were able to eat, bathroom break, and get rolling to the border in short order.  I have gone through a number of borders in my life and this was by far the quickest we have ever gotten through any border.  We went through with the other church and our guide so it was a total of one mini van, three large white vans, and a big truck with a camper shell and we still sailed through with relative ease.  They did open the back of my van twice to poke at things but they didn't even ask me any questions and we were rolling in about five minutes.  

About an hour and a half after the border and several games of "Wait for the other vehicles to catch up" we pulled into Agua Viva's campground.  We drove to our cabins and found out that we were going to be staying in the rustic cabins where we worked last time we came.  The "Nicer" cabins were having a little water problem, namely there was none, so we drove to our previous work site and unloaded.  We are looking across the gully at the cabins we added onto last time.  (Rich, your awning looks as good today as it did when you finished it!)  More specifically , mostly to the veterans who did not come with us this year, we are camping in the cabins next to the volleyball court, below where the house we tore down was, and across the ravine from where we put up sheetrock.  They are designed for littler people so my legs are hanging off the beds at the shin...but it's fine.  

We learned something about Agua Viva that we didn't know before.  The man who founded this place had been working with at risk kids for years and taking them to his property a ways from here.  The government found out about him and assumed he was forming a militia so they took away his land.  He prayed that he would find a place to buy and felt that this land was where it was supposed to be.  He located the owner but she said that she wouldn't sell to him because it was a place called Agua de la Muerta (water of the dead).  There were many wells dug, and they were all tested. but the water could not be used for anything since it was contaminated and murky.  He assured her that he would bring in his own water so she agreed to rent it to him.  

He began having camps for the kids and trucked water in.  After several years of this it happened that one day the cook ran out of water for the beans. (alumni know that there ARE NO meals without beans) The cook knew of a well and went over to it and prayed that the water inside would be safe to drink.  When she looked down into the well she saw crystal clear water.  That had never happened before.  The water had always been cloudy. She used the water, waited, and no one got sick.  They had the water tested and it came back with a perfect report.  The founder took the report to the woman who owned the land and she said, "God surely wants you to have that land!" so she agreed to sell it to him.  He renamed the site Agua Viva (Living water) and has been running Christian camps, retreats, and a seminary for people here in Mexico ever since.  

  

We Made It ... Mostly

We are currently on the way! Do not worry about me writing this while we are driving.  I would never do something so unsafe.  Miss Holly is reaching over from the passenger seat holding the steering wheel until I finish.  KIDDING!

She is actually driving and I am seeing if I can write while in a moving vehicle. So far so good.  Sylvia (my wife) has stocked us with essential oils so I have a battery of defenses in case of queasiness.  

We left a little later than we thought because we encountered a bit of rain during the loading process.  As our projected departure time of 12:30 whizzed by and we stood stationary wondering how we would adjust the schedule for the rest of the trip.  We finished our group prayer and were rolling at 12:32. no word yet on how we are going to make up the lost time.

***Update***

Funny story.  I actually wrote that about the delay, tongue in cheek, while we were riding along completely unaware that we were going to be seriously delayed in our trip just a short while later.  While we were cruising along at freeway speed Holly joined an elite group.  She has now become an initiated member of the club whose only entrance requirement is to have a tire shred bits of black rubber all over the highway!  She handled it like a champ and we were in capable hands the whole time.  

After a few false starts and a debate about calling AAA we got the spare put on, limped along to a gas station with an air pump, and made it to our first destination.  We are at La Canada Presbyterian Church and spread out among the many offices and youth rooms in this very generous church.  i think we have all claimed a couch of some sort to spend the night.  Girls all together and boys almost all together.  For some reason they always seem to find a room for me to be in by myself.  I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I snore like a rusty chainsaw.  It must be because I am nearly twice as old as most of the group.  That whole respect your elders thing.

After getting to the church and eating dinner we are now settling in for the night.  The laughter and the talking has all but stopped and I am the only one still awake.  I am yawning.  I am thankful that we made it through some fairly substantial challenges.  I am exhausted.  I am not going to make it very long staying awake to give everyone else a head start falling asleep before the snoring serenade begins.

I will post these as I go and as I get to WiFi.

Good Night!

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

And then I remembered...I have a hot spot.

Getting ready!

We are small but we are mighty!

Well, maybe some of us are small...I'm not really small at all, but our numbers are small.  And I suppose we are not really all that mighty...

Let me try again.  We are doing what we have been led to do and with God's help we will try to accomplish His will.  None of us really know what that looks like yet, but we will in time learn the reason behind spending our spring break getting our hands dirty in service.  For me, the purpose I imagine is always wildly different than the one that I encounter.  It will be fun keeping my eyes open for God's leading.

This Sunday, after being commissioned by the church, we are driving in two large vans to Agua Viva in Mexico to run a vacation Bible school, do construction projects, and get whooped at soccer in sports camps.  I will try to keep you all updated as we go.

The two day countdown has begun!