Week 2 has started!!!

Hola mine peoples!!
  So you may have noticed I didn't write yesterday... it was because I was so tired and exhausted from all our studying and... non studying... and people time. :P There really isn't that much to tell but I'll fill you in on a bit.

  Sooo... Sunday! We slept in a bit (me longer because my alarm didn't go off), then went to church. THAT was very interesting! It was difficult to listen to the sermon because we only knew words and they were talking pretty fast. Anyways, afterwords I found out that I would be teaching 7 people how to play violin... in spanish. You could say that was a bit of an adventure! Afterwords we went out to lunch at this Thai place that had Mora!!! The best with yogurt!! Then we all rolled back to the hotel to study and rest before night church. After night church we went out with a few people from the church and had a grand ol time trying to talk to them in spanish. Then somehow I got wrangled into playing something... on my violin... in the middle of the restaurant. Yeah. How do these things always happen to me?

   Now Today! It was a great day! We restarted lessons today and everything started clicking! I mean everything has kinda been clicking for awhile but now it's really clicking! For everyone I'm pretty sure. I think because everyone has been talking to the people and everything it's been really helping alot in understanding the language. I'm so proud of everyone! It's been a real adventure this first week... and we have four more to go! God has been with us every step of the way. We could not do this without His help. God is so good!

   We had pizza for lunch and then I grabbed my violin and went out to play for a bit. Kim and Max came along to pass out tracks and talk to the people. We went to about three spots and while I drew a bit of a crowd with my playing Kim and Max were able to talk to people! It was truly God working! I believe that we are going to do it again sometime soon. Meanwhile, I'll have to think of more songs. They really like upbeat ones so if you all have any suggestions.... yeah.

   Now we're back at the hotel and studying and such. I'm really excited to see what else God does. These people have welcomed us with opened arms. I was scared of using my spanish because I was afraid they were going to get impatient. But they totally understand and are very gracious and patient with us. That has helped tremendously. Keep praying for us! God is so good... but it's very saddening to see all the people who don't know Christ's love and forgiveness. Pray that God would show Himself to us and these people. Pray that we continue to show God's love to these people and love them with God's love.

  Ash-Bash

Entonces

Hola Vatos! :P

So for you're amusement this evening I'm going to first give you my favorite slang sayings.

Hola vato = Hey dude

Voy hacer lo que quiera = I do what I want

Que onda vato = What's up dude

Dubete a un arbol y madura = Climb up a tree and ripen

Pintate un mapa y pierdete = Draw a map and get lost

Yo llego cuando quiero! Bruh! = I arrive when I want

Lo que sea = Whatever

Wakala = Gross


That's only a few to say the least! Gabby and Steven have been very generous teaching me all these Spanish slang sayings. :P Ok. Now for todays events!

  Today was a very relaxing and fun day! This morning we got to sleep in for an extra 30 minutes!!! <3 So. SO nice. The previous night we had decided to go to "El Canyon" to be tourists for the day. We saw Crocodiles and Monkeys!!! CURIOUS GEORGE!!!!! I. Was. So. EXCITED!!!!!! I almost tipped over the boat!! If y'all know me you know how much I'm a kid at heart and absolutely adore Curious George. So that was the highlight of my day! Yeah the views were pretty cool too. I guess. :P

 After some much needed chill time we went to church for the Valentines Party the church was hosting for the youth. More like a cool chill hangout time! Funny story. I was helping set up and get food out and stuff. Well, by the time I was done everyone was already sitting down and the only seat was next to my teammate Max. As I walked over to the table everyone became quiet... So, being me, I just said "Hola Amigos! Como esta?!" In a really loud voice and smacked my plate on the table. Everyone bursted out laughing and then, for the rest of the night, Max and I ran the table with our Spanish and the cup game. :P

  Anyways, now the team has been hanging out just chilling after Devos,,, and I'm pretty exhausted. So sorry this is so short but I promise others will be longer. Luv you all! Keep praying!

This Bridge looks like something out of Narnia or something!

 WE SAW CROCODILES!!!

Teaching these lovely chicas the cup game!

I saved my person favorite for the end... CURIOUS GEORGE!!!!! <3 <3 <3

Day 5... Exploring and Learning More!

Buenos Noches!!!

So here we are again. Lasted another day. :P I make it sound so bad! It's actually really great! Wasn't too sure towards the beginning but now that I'm immersed in the culture and language (starting to dream in Spanish) I'm having more peace about it. Now. About today.

  This morning I decided to take on the adventure of finding a famous coffee shop that our hosts said was the best. Well, with map in hand, backpack on, and sunglasses, I set off.... 45 minutes later I'm wandering the streets just trying to find any cafe with internet. I finally found one that had a delicious mango chai. So. Good. Just sayin'. I then had a few precious minutes to finish my homework and try to skype my family before going back to the hotel for classes.

  Speaking of classes it went so well today! It just keeps getting better and better praise the Lord! I mean as we jumped right in on Tuesday I really wasn't feeling it because I was really slow in picking everything back up. But God was gracious enough to give me the memory and wisdom to pick these new things up. So thank you everyone so SO much for your prayers in that regard. We then spent the rest of the day studying and then left for dinner and church.

  Before I continue there's something you need to understand. We were hoping to go to an orphanage today to put on a program and play with the little kiddos. Well... for some reason that is unknown to me the teachers in the area were protesting something... and proceeded to block all the roads today from 9-5. So we couldn't go. Sad day. But God used that situation to give us all more time to study which I was extremely grateful for. So He is sovereign in everything!

  After dinner we took a taxi to the house where the Bible study was at. That was fun! We all tried to converse with the driver in Spanish which he actually loved! One little thing. The drivers here have got nothing on the drivers in Ecuador or Colombia. Just sayin'. :P Then began our little adventure after we got dropped off. The number to the house was 24 but once the driver dropped us off we couldn't find it. We asked one person who pointed us in one direction... then another one... then another one... until we got back to where we started. We were actually in the right spot all along. But hey! We were going off Mexican time were everyone is later in getting started with events. :P It was actually a Bible study for 20+ but whatever. It was interesting trying to listen and decipher words from Spanish to English. Afterwords, while everyone was eating and visiting, we chatted with people and then I taught one of the musicians how to play violin... a bit. :P Just the bow but that's the first lesson really. We decided to keep the adventure going and walk home which is about a 20 minute walk. Really fun at night. :P

   So now I'm on my bed writing to you all and wondering what I'm going to dream in Spanish tonight. :P Luv you all so much! I can't stress enough how much I need your prayers. Me and the team actually. Just for wisdom, discernment, and grace with each other and ourselves. Steven Curry keeps reminding me that learning a new language doesn't happen over night but it's hard to remember that. I'm encouraged to know that I'm not in this alone. God has my back and always has.

Ash-Bash

Day 4!!!

Hey y'all! So today was a good day. Good meaning that it was productive! However, I've got a God story that absolutely needs to be told.

  So yesterday I said that we went out for tacos. What I didn't say was that after that we went to the ATM to withdraw some money for the team expenses. Well, the ATM ate the card and wouldn't spit it out. We prayed that God would work a miracle then proceeded to make a game plan. John and Kim stayed at the ATM machine to wait and try to figure something out while Max and I went back to the hotel to ask our host what to do. We found out that we had to wait til morning to do anything since the bank was closed. We decided that the girls would have their lessons first while the guys went to the bank. In our lesson, while talking to our teacher, we learned that it would be impossible to get the card back. It was lost. However, we found out once the guys got back that our host knew someone at the bank and low and behold they had the card waiting for them when they got there!! We couldn't believe it!! We've been praising God all day for His kindnesses to us!!

   In our lessons today I was actually able to keep up! Which is saying something because normally it takes me awhile to comprehend ANYTHING. :P It was also really great because first: I wasn't sick. Second: We were actually talking in Spanish. Third: I was understanding it ALL!! :) I then proceeded to spend 30 minutes at a coffee shop going over verbs... until I got a text saying I needed to come back to go to the store with our host.

  Let me tell y'all one thing. Our hosts are amazing. Truly. Steven Curry and his wife Grace are wonderful and Gabby is such a great friend! For at least 3 hours we were out at the store having a grand old time with me trying to talk in Spanish and Gabby laughing at my "funny moments". :P OH! One thing that I got SO excited over was the mangos!! I. Adore. Mangos. Sadly I learned I'll have to wait for a bit to get them... but it's worth the wait so I'm good with that. :P Anyways, I spent the rest of the day engraining Spanish verbs and their conjugations in my head. With Steven and Gabby there to help me how could I go wrong with such wonderful, understanding teachers?!

  Funny moment. After I made dinner and we were all sitting around the table talking about the day, Kim turned to me and said something in English... but in my mind I tried to translate it into Spanish... and it made NO sense! Lol!! I finally realized my mistake a few moments later and we had a good laugh over that. Another funny moment. We were doing dishes and Max said "How do you say por favor?" We couldn't get over that one for quite some time!

  So as you can tell we are getting Spanish in our heads one way or another! Pray that it gets into our hearts as well. Pray that God continues to give us His love for these people. Pray for the Curry's and the Hotel, that God would bless them.

 

Our beautiful Mexican sunset

We tried to bond over playing footsies under the table...
didn't really work out too well but we got some good laughs!

A day wouldn't be complete without Devos. <3