October

It seams the longer I am here the faster the time goes, I can hardly believe it is November and I have been here 4 months.
In October I spent two weeks at the Street kids ministry. I rote about my first week there in my last blog, my second week there was much fun as well. I even got to attend one of the services at their church, this was interesting because they had me pray…I choose to do this in English because I did not want to say the wrong thing. This time I was also able to do more with the kids and help them with more homework, we even played freeze tag in the front yard. These two weeks really helped me with my Spanish.
Also this month we went to Ciudad Bloivar for a day. This was fun and we even had lunch with Guillermo’s dad at a chicken place.
Sara had her 12th birthday on the 21st. That day we went to the mall to bowl and have pizza for dinner. This was fun even though none of us as pro bowlers. ☺ She said I was a good birthday and was happy for what all we did. Oh I even made cupcakes and jello.
This does not seam like a lot but we are getting more in to a schedule. I plan to try another attempt at an English class on Wednesday, pray that I will have students!
Thanks for your prayers and reading this. I miss you all.
God Bless!
ps my parents are coming in December and I am VERY excited for that! It is hard to believe next month is December. The weather does not change here so it is weird not having change of seasons, I still feel like we are in summer! ☺

Street Kids

Yeah I know this is early but I want to tell you all about what I did last week. While we were on Vacation back in August I met a couple that is friends with Marcia and Guillermo. They told me all about their ministry here. They are also from the states! They work with the street kids. These kids have really bad backgrounds and have lived on the street all alone. They have to do whatever they can to make it. Some of them have been thrown out of their homes and most of them have done drugs at some point. In this ministry they go out and find these kids and help them. They get them in school and help them with their homework. They have a system they have to go through and then once they are ready they get to live in this house with a full time caregiver, Jaqui, a 24 year old that is pretty much their mom. She works at a school so they all get to go there on scholarship. Their day starts at 5 am when they all wake up and get ready for school, this runs like clockwork, the each know what they are to do and do it, if the finish early and while they are waiting for breakfast they read their bibles. The transportation comes at 6:30 and they leave for school. The cleaning and cooking lady comes at 9 and makes lunch and cleans the house. Then at 12 they are home and ready for lunch. During meal time they each take a turn praying and have a seating arraignment. After lunch they take a nap from 1 until 4, and then homework starts. They work very hard with presentations, reading, and other homework. Before they came none of them could read and now they all can read to me! (lots of hard work and dedication) After homework is done it is time to play. I had fun playing a random marble game, I still don’t think I totally understand nor did I ever win! We also listened to music and danced, this was probably my favorite thing all week. One night we played volleyball but I was no good at that! ☺ These kids may have come from a rough background but the love of Jesus is all around. They are really good kids, polite and very respectful. Jaqui has a worked very hard with them. After play time there is an hour every night that they have bible study, this includes bible reading, prayer and some nights a message from Jaqui, she has such a heart for these kids and keeping them on the right path and sharing her love of Jesus with them. Next is bed time because 5 comes earlier than anyone wants it to!
One day while I was there the dog was acting very abnormal but I did not know what was going on so I went back in side, a few moments later one of the kids came and told me that the dog was having puppies! We all ran to the back of the house and sure enough there they were. I have never seen anything quite so gross! She had four all back puppies. SO CUTE!
I had so much fun this week and did not really want to go back to Marica’s even though I missed them. These kids were so great. I did not always understand them but my Spanish did take a really big step forward! I am really wanting to spend more time with this ministry so hopefully next month I can go back and spend more time with them. One funny story was that while I was there they were all asking me what kinds of food we eat in the States and one of the little girls asked me if we had eggs!!! LOL! I tried so hard not to laugh and answer but it was hard! Oh also there are five kids living there currently but Jaqui wants to go back out and start getting more. They also want to bring me out on to the street and meet some of the other kids they are working with. Marica said this will be really hard for me because I will want to bring them all home with me but can’t. I will probably cry when I get home too because Jaqui does every time she goes out.
I now ask you all to pray for these kids. They have come a long ways but still have a long way to go. I only spent a week there and already love them and know they each have a special place in my heart. God really is at work here!
Thanks for the prayers and for reading this!
Love you and miss you all!

September: my month of firsts

I am sorry this is late but it has definitely gotten a lot busier around here in the last month. In September I had many firsts. I had my first Sunday of understanding most of the sermon at church. This was a huge blessing and encouragement in my Spanish learning. I have understood more and more every passing Sunday. I also had my second outing without the family to the movies and mall with Catherine and her friends from the university. We went to the movies in Spanish with no English subtitles. This was a first as I did not understand most but caught on after Catherine explained some stuff to me. Next I had my first alone time. The family went to another town over night and I stayed here. As scary as this may sound it was very relaxing and a welcome break, once I got over being in the house alone and all the lights were out! Another first was my grammar classes with a lady in the church. I was meeting with her everyday for 2 hours but now she has to watch her grandson so we meet on Sunday mornings for 2 hours. Not as much but I am still learning a lot! Probably the most exciting was my first concert. It was the longest day of my life and my feet hurt so bad after but that is nothing different than what I have experienced in the US. It was loud, there were TONS of people there and it was all in Spanish. ☺ I went with a group of young people from here and Catherine (my translator). I did catch a few things but this mostly just wore me out and I am still recovering! ☺ At the beginning of September we went to the river for the second time but this time I played volleyball with a group of the people we were there with. I knew Aunt Launa and the girls would appreciate my effort at the game, however my team did not win! ☹ Another frist was my trip to the University with Catherine. She was signing up for her English test. This was much different than my experience at Northwestern. She first stood in line to get a paper and then we went to the bank on campus to put money in and then we went back to the first line and handed in a different paper from the back…just in time before that window closed for lunch at 11am. Then we waited for a lady to give the paper to that said she had paid for the test. Then we rode the bus (another first) and then ran around trying to find a place her dad had mailed something to. I was very lost! Then we rode a taxi home. So many new experiences here that make me realize how easy life in the US is or just maybe how lazy we Americans are.

Well school has started. The kids are gone by 6:30am and return at noon just in time for lunch. Then after lunch we rest and then have class with me and then spend most of the rest of the evening doing homework. I help with what I can. I even helped David with his and it was all in Spanish. We never miss an opportunity for my to learn Spanish. In the morning I fill my time doing things around the house for Marcia and making lunch.

One more thing I hope you all find funny. The stores started setting up for Christmas this month (September 15th) . Marcia says this is early but normally they start at the end of October because they don’t have thanksgiving here and Halloween is growing but still not that popular. So now I have 3 months of Christmas! Does this mean I can listen to Christmas music now?

Prayer requests:
God is working here and long with that comes requests.
*I want to start an English class but I need students. May God provide them for me. I have already had one failed week. ☹
*The church and the challenges it is facing. They are building a new roof, safety and a smooth project. Leadership challenges.
*The ministry I am involved with, there are many things and I am getting frustrated, may God work these out and may this ministry truly glory him and may he use it for his kingdom.
*The Foundation that the church started is facing challenges. May God guide them.
*My friend Catherine’s friends at the university, they are not saved. Pray that God would speak to their hearts and open them to his free gift also that they would ask questions. I would love to see them accept the Lord while I am here and I know God can do it!
*The kids, they get very overwhelmed with school and homework. Sara gets very upset over this. I pray that God comforts them and helps them with their studies. They are very bright children! I love working with them! ☺

I think that is it for now. There are no pictures…sorry but I don’t have a camera. ☹
Thanks for everything and for your prayers.
Until next month!

prayers needed

i know this is going to sound really selfish but i am really sad. Please pray for my camera...it is gone....i don't know where it went but i know that God knows and in his time will bring it back to me. all prayers for this are greatly appreciated.
Also here are a few more prayer requests:

• the church: they are building and working on a lot of things. also pray for the leadership of the church as they are growing and learning. may they follow God's leading.
  
• my spanish: it is coming along and i have started new classes with another lady today, may God continue to open my mind and ears to this language.
  
• the kids: i am having a hard time of late putting up with them. they are great kids but sometimes they ware on my nerves, i am just not use to having kids their ages around all the time. I still do manage to find time to enjoy them and classes are going well.
  
• marcia and guillermo: they are very busy and may they find time to be together and to spend with God to follow him and what he has planned for them.
  
• my spiritual growth: i am reading the bible through before i leave here and i am also trying to figure out what it is i really do believe and making it my own.
  

Thank you for everything. i am praying for you all too!
God bless!

VBS and Pirates of the Caribbiean!

Plan Vocational was the busiest week ever! Imagine that if 11 people came and lived at our house for a week while you planed and directed the VBS at your church while feeding them and letting them live in your house. First we cleaned the whole house and then they came and we took care of them and helped with the VBS and then when the left we cleaned the whole house again! i was tired for a week! It was also a very fun week. We made new friends, grew in my spanish, and got to play with kids! They loved the english "Jesus loves me" song we taught them! the picture i chose for this week is of my class. we had about 6 each day and they sure kept us busy, two of the boys were 2 and my class was for 3-4 year olds. One of them left our classroom with a chair on his head! LOL! Also that week we went to the other park and i fed the fish in the lake and while we were on a walk it RAINED on us. One of the boys from here told me that there was an anokonda in that park that once ate a little boy...it was really scared! (Marcia says it is not true)
After that we (as a family) went on vacation for a week to the Caribbian coast. Our room had a balcony that looked out over the ocean, the sunsets were beautiful. While there we swam in the pool, spent a day at the beach, tried cocanut, walked along a path with people selling things, took a boat ride on the ocean, visited a cathederal, read, watched TV (in english and spnaish), visited with friends, and realxed! Sara and i were sad when we had to come home. i told Marcia i was going to stay there forever!
Now we are home. I am still taking spanish classes and teaching Catherine english. I am now helping with skits on sundays at church, this week i will play the devil. All my parts are not speaking parts! Oh also this week i answered the phone and bought bread at the bread store all on my own. Marcia said these things are really good, i have only been here 2 months. The picture above is of me and Catherine at the Baptism that took place at the river during the week of VBS. it was a lot of fun.

well that is all for now. there are many many more pictures where these came from and when i get home you can all see them. thanks for the prayers and thinking about me...don't be afraid to send me a note or e-mail and ask me more. i love sharing stories!
God Bless!

my frist 30 days! can you believe it?

This is a monkey at the local water park. This has been the highlight of my trip so far. this park was awesome for walking and seeing a lot of things. there were also a bunch of animals that are native to Venezuela (like the largest rodent...GROSS!), and two really awesome alligators. I also saw a termite nest and the biggest ants ever!! We then tried some shaved ice with flavoring that was really good. there were lots of people selling things at the front of the park. Fun stuff!

This is La Ceiba, it is the church's land and they are buliding a farm for some addicts (so that they have something to do durning the day). The kids love it here and think it is pretty cool. it was very scary walking up on top. The guys from church are great at working and take great pride in what they are doing.

These two pictures are of my first Empanada experience. We went to a "resturant" (the front yard of someone's house) and they were cooking them...we sat in lawn chairs and they were really good. they are like a hot pocket....i had two one was chicken and the other one was ham and cheese. the lady laughed when i took pictures and said she is going to be famous where ever i am from...it made me laugh too! the music was a guy that was playing his car raido that was parked right by us. Good times...things that would never happen in Iowa!
Yes i realize it is July and yes we did make gingerbread cookies! it was fun and the kids had never had them before. I also made a pineapple cake that i thought was going to turn out bad but a lady at church loved it so much she tells me every time i see her that i need to make another one and that she liked it! :) the only problem is that sugar is hard to find here. we did find it at one store and so we went there and bought a hole bunch of it!
This is how the kids "walk the dog". His name is Wishbone and yes she is riding her bike and he is running as fast as he can to keep up with her. Very funny to watch.
Simon's graduation from the 6th grade. Sara was an angel in her classes play. I did not understand much but it was good to be around it a listening. Also a very good cultural experience.
Sorry it has been so long but i hope you like my pictures and stories. There are more of both where these came from. I will share more when i get home but i am tired now and don't know if i could explain everything accuratly on here. One more thing...they all think i have blonde hair here and honey colored eyes! i told my friend here that i have brown hair and she laughed and told her friends at church! you never know what they will come up with next.
We have Plan Vacational this next week and the group of 11 from new jersey comes on saturday. i will not blog until that is over.
have a great week and pray that this event will touch lives and that they will see Jesus through us! thanks for your support and prayers!

to day we learned about the first Americans...Indians. Last week we learned about the American flag, the pledge of allegiance and American songs.
when we go on walks with the dog, Wishbone, we pick up cans to get money for the aluminum, our bin is almost full!

ok well that is all for now...Good night...sweet dreams!

Church

this is the band that plays most weeks at church. they use a white board for the over head screen.
This is the inside of the tent. this week it was full because we had an out reach and closing service for the soccer tournament. it is not normally this full...maybe up to 75 on a good week...
This is the trailer that they keep all of the chairs in and transport the music stuff from our house to the church. here you can see the door has fallen off! Oops!
This is where we go to church at...in a tent a block from home. it is every sunday night at 5:30pm. The first week i was here it started at a little after 6 and was over around 8...this is not unusual!
things are going well. started class with the kids...they seem to be liking it. they read out loud to me and enjoy picking books and having those 10 mins a day to read to me and have my full attention.
i miss you all very much...it is hard to be away from home but i know that God is carrying me through. Thanks for all the prayers and support. i really like the little cards you all made for me with my mom! i read one every night! :)

(Last picture) Some of these pictures are older. This is one of David and Guillermo's birthday last weekend. the cake was good. the people in the picture are (from the left) Sara, Me, David, Guillermo, Marcia, a friend's baby that came over to fix the metals, and Abuela (Guillermo's mom: abuela is grandma is spanish)
(fourth picture) Birthday's are very well Celebrated here. This is another one we went to this weekend. the woman is the one with the birthday and she and her family go to the church here. At the party a group of people my age asked me to come sit with them and talk to me, two boys here are pretty fluient in english and did really well translateing. it was fun and i felt like i belong here now.
(third picture)The rest of the weekend there was a futbol aka: soccer tournament put on by the church. we went a few times to watch. it is much smaller than real soccer and much faster and does not last as long. it was fun to watch but i did not understand anything that was going on! (second picture) the church band played Saturday night to end the fun filled weekend. they are good and the only way i recognize any of their songs is because they practice twice a week here at the house! Finally i will menton Joanna(first picture); she is the daughter of one of the families at the church. she is here at the house many nights. She is the sweetest little girl i have met here yet and she asked to take a picture with me! :)
i am doing well and hope to keep more coming your way as things begin to pick up here!

pictures!

r

This is a picture of the outside of the house. Then a picture of the kitchen/down stairs. Next is a picture of the kids i am living with (my mom's cousin's kids). It is the rainy season here now ans it rains EVERY day. This afternoon they told me they were going to play in the rain....and they did! I was invited to play too but chose to stay out of the water and watch them. They had a TON of fun and were VERY wet at the end. Lastly there is a picture of all of them playing with my computer. They found a way to take pictures and distort their faces with the camera on here. This lasted them all afternoon as well...they even figured out how to make video of themselves doing this. I will tell you a little about each one. Simon is the oldest (13) and is full of energy and what ifs. He is crazy and always wanting me to listen to the latest thing he has thought up. Next is Sara (11) my roommate. She is not at all girl. She loves to read and play games with anyone willing or not (me). She also likes to teach me how to speak and read Spanish and finds is very funny that i can't roll my r's. She is my biggest help and the one i have help me when i don't understand or need to speak to someone in spanish. Last is David (10) the birthday boy and admires his older brother. They are always thinking of crazy things to ask me about, none of which pertains to my life...or anyone's life for that matter. David is funny and cute and also loves to read. These are the people that i spend most of my time with and get the most annoyed by but at the end of the day i realize i would be most lonely without them. i hope you enjoy the pictures and enjoy a peek into my life here a little bit. love ya and miss you all!

Independence Day

Hello again.
It has been a full week now that i have been here and it has been very good. I have met a lot of new people and trying to remember all their names is very hard but i am sure that will come with time.
I taught the kids how to play 'Risk' and the stories and games have not ended!! they love it...i don't play much but watch and remember all the rules.
I thought it was going pretty good until this weekend when we started going to places where Spanish is the only language spoken...then i felt VERY lost. Sara helps me translate. Everyone is very kind and friendly. They all want to learn English. At church last night Guillermo told everyone who i was and then told them that i can't leave until i learn spanish and they all learn english!! what a task i have before me!! :) It is also hard to remember when introducing myself that they don't say my name the way we do at home.
They don't do much...for their independence day...at least not like we do in the US. Their's is also on July 5th. David and Guillermo's birthday is the same day (yesterday). we celebrated with some cakes and sang to them.
Another story i know you will appreciate. Church is supose to start at 5:30...well 1st it rained and then there were problems with the power point so needless to say church did not start until after 6. All of it is in Spanish so i am very lost again. They have a time for sharing stories about God and the man that was going to preach got up and talked for a while and then sat back down... i thought we were done...nope! an hour after we started Sara tells me that we are going to begin the preaching now! he spoke for an hour and Guillermo had to stop him...he could have said more!! I laughed at this because i know that it would not fly at our church back home. LOL :)
well that i think is all for now. thanks for reading this and praying for me!

Airplane

Hola! This is my first blog from Venezuela. As you can probably tell i have made it here safely. The plane ride was long, boring, and i got very little sleep. After getting off the plane i had to go through customs and security, it took the longest time to get my luggage. After that i found the people i am staying with. It was very good to see them. After that we went to the hotel and hung out for a while...i took a nap! then we went to Caracas to get paper work for the car. the trafic was crazy. Around 12:30 we headed home, Pueto Ordaz. This trip took about 10 hours. I again slept most of the time in the car. We stoped at a mall and ate dinner...i had Wendy's. When we got home we went straight to bed.
The next morning we slept in. When we woke up Sara (the daughter) and i made lunch. In the afternoon/evening we went to the market to get a fan and some hangers. (hangers here are about $2 a hanger) Then we went to the bread store and got dinner. In the evening, before bed, we watched Andy Griffith.
I have met a few new people, it is hard to make a lot of new friends because i don't know the language yet. The kids have been very excited and helpful with everything, never a dull moment. This afternoon we will take the dog on a walk and see more of the city.
I am having a great time and am enjoying it here, however i miss home and all of you!
I will post more later...possibly some pictures...if i can figure that out!!!
ps. i called my mom and it only costs about $1.50! that is cheep!! :)

ONE MONTH!!!

WOW time sure does fly by. It is hard to believe that in one month from today i will be heading to Venezuela for a year. I am nervous, excited, and looking forward to seeing what God has in store. The kids i will be living with are counting down the days, minutes, and seconds until i arrive!
that is all for now.