More pictures

Here are some more pictures...I'm finally able to upload them!

The front door, which opens into the courtyard of Lidia's house

Lidia's living room

My bedroom (bigger than it looks in the picture)

Lidia and Kelly (former Kindergarten teacher)

My new class!

Playdough in the classroom

Many more to come! Keep checking!

Settling in...

It's been a while I know...partly because I'm still trying to figure out my schedule, and partly because my internet has not been working. I think the problem is fixed now, so here goes! I'm just going to give journal style entries on the past week.

Monday

A lazy morning, then Iwent to help Dana Wilson (a SAM missionary) clean her dishes and put them away (she'd just moved in to a new place and is still unpacking). That took most of the day. We were going to go to the Expo Santa Cruz (huge fair) but we decided we were too tired. So we stayed in and made guacamole and watched Ladyhawk instead.

Tuesday

The best day at school so far, but the evening was marred by a rather frightening micro experience. I decided to ride the micro (bus) back to church for Bible study, which is very close to SCCLC. Though I've never ridden the bus to school, I've taken in home several times and thought I'd be able to figure it out. I realized my mistake when the micro turned down the street past my usual turn-off. I thought maybe it would just circle around, but instead it wound its way down smaller and smaller dirt roads, until their were only a couple of passengers left. Then it pulled over at a little shack, and everyone including the driver got out. I decided this was a hint that maybe it was the end of the line, so I got out too and called Virginia (thank you Jesus for cell phones!) I waited by the side of the road in pitch darkness, praying fervently, until she found me and gave me a ride back to the church. Lesson learned: Never get on a micro unless you know for sure where to get off!!

Wednesday

A bad day - the students were excited about a birthday party after school, and couldn't concentrate for anything. I also started feeling sick halfway through the morning. I went home via taxi (which Laura very kindly called and gave directions too) and slept all afternoon. I felt well enough to go to small group prayer meeting at the Gambrell's (Dana picked me up) and am really glad I went. There was a visiting missionary there from the jungle near Brazil (he is in Santa Cruz until his plane is fixed). His stories made my struggles look so insignificant. I definitely got some perspective back! Pray for his ministry - a boarding school for the surrounding Indian tribes, and for his wife who is the principal and facing lots of persecution from the nearby Catholic school.

Thursday

I dreamed during the night of waterfalls and flooding, and woke to a lake on my bedroom floor. (There'd been torrential rain for most of the night). There was also water dripping from my closet. I told Lidia, so hopefully the leak will be fixed before the next monsoon hits.
Kids much better today - until the decided to run all the way back to class from Music (a wet playground had prevented much running at recess). The all got in trouble, and one little girl was so upset by having her clothespin moved she cried for the rest of the afternoon.
Laura cheered me up by taking me shopping at the Hipermaxi, then to dinner at the Cine Center. I tried to direct the taxi back home, but he couldn't understand me! Apparently there's a big different between cuatro anillo and cuarto anillo (guess I need to work on my accent).

Friday

A tiring day...I felt like I was running behind all day. The kids were in control, but just barely. I was very happy to wish them a happy weekend and send them on their way. The day got better when I was finally able to track down the tech guy and get my account up and running. It's so nice to be able to use the internet! I'd no idea how dependent I'd become. No plans for tonight yet, which sounds kind of nice. Still working on Spanish...hoping to start taking classes sometime. Keep praying, especially for my sense of direction!

Overwhelmed

The past few days have been an absolute whirlwind, which you know if you read my last email. Everyone here has been so wonderful, but they wore me out! It's kind of nice to be at school, and getting into a regular schedule. I'm amazed though how a half day of kinder feels like a full day of 4th! We were getting the kids lined up to leave and I was wondering why I was so hungry, then I realized that it was just lunchtime and I hadn't eaten! Weird...

Today I went to a luncheon with a bunch of the missionary ladies, and it was nice to hear all their stories and experiences. Mary Lea and Ron Free, who were here during my first trip last year are back to pack up their stuff and sell a lot of it. Ron, who was a SAM Air pilot, was in a terrible accident and is facing a long recovery road ahead of him, so they are moving back to the States indefinitely. You can pray for them...it's been a very difficult past few months, with no end in sight.

Okay, here are some of the pictures I've taken so far. I've tried to post them several times but the internet keeps crashing. Hopefully this time it will work.

The windblown trees near the airport

The courtyard of my house

I Made It!!

I'm finally here! Praise God, and thank you for all the prayers. I made all my connections without any trouble, found my way around all the airports, and got through customs...and my luggage came with me!! It was a loooong journey, and I know it will take time for me to recover, but I've already had a nap and a shower and feel human again at least!

SAM has a full schedule for me already. Right now I'm heading out to lunch, then this afternoon I'll go up to the school and get a quick tour before going to my new home to unpack. Right now I'm at the SAM base. It's a weird feeling of de 'ja vu, because this is where I stayed during my first trip. They even gave me the same room that I shared with Andrea and Miriam! It's such a wonderful facility, and they have a free phone (for SAM missionaries) to call the States, and DSL! I feel very high tech!

I will continue to post as I'm able...I have so many adventures to share already! Just one side note...when I got to the Tulsa airport to check in the agent was the same one who had refunded my first ticket because of Dad's illness. When I reminded her who I was and pointed to Dad standing beside me, she teared up and gave us both huge hugs! Then she waved the charge for my overweight baggage! It was such an awesome confirmation that this is where I'm supposed to be, and the timing is right.

Keep in touch...I will email when I can. Love and blessings to you all!

The Road Goes Ever On and On...

The bags are packed, the shoes stuffed, the duffle zipped (barely). With visa in hand, I feel almost ready to go! It's been such a long road to get to this point, full of unexpected twists and turns, but I know that God has been leading me all the way. I know it's corny, but I keep thinking about Tolkin's words:

It's a dangerous business, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.

I feel like I stepped onto the road two years ago, when I sat down in a pew to wait for a meeting to end, and was unwillingly compelled to join the trip to Bolivia. Brian was my Gandalf, who "gave me a little push out the door," and you are all my Sam, going with me to support and encourage when I can't take another step. I know there will be days when I will have wished I'd never left my cozy little life, but I believe that God led me away from it, and I trust Him enough to believe that He has a reason and a plan.

I'm thrilled, terrified, nervous, excited, and overwhelmed. Am I ready? It doesn't matter. I'm going!

The Change

Well, I did it. I can't believe I actually did it. It all started when I noticed that my roots were growing out. Again. I've been highlighting my hair for about six years, and I enjoy being a blonde, but I realize that it's time to be practical. So, I resolved to sacrifice my vanity and return to plain dirt brown, the color (I'm sad to say) that comes naturally to me. I was going to make an appointment with a hair stylist, but Dad suggested that I save my money, buy a box of hair color, and have Mom do it in the kitchen sink. So I let her. The first try came out a little streaky, but the second covered all the blonde. I am now officially a brunette once again. I haven't decided yet whether I like it or not, but I've uploaded the following pics for you to evaluate.

Before....






After!

Well, what do you think? Pretty dramatic, huh? I still think I like being a blonde better, but I figure I'm going to stand out enough as a gringa without the yellow hair. It turned out a little darker than my natural color, so I'm hoping it won't be too noticable as it grows out (since the whole point was to eliminate the need to recolor).

Other than the hair drama I had a pretty quiet weekend...spent lots of quality time with my old cat, Cinders, and finished a few books. Tomorrow the whirlwind begins! I'm heading down to Oklahoma City to get an apostille for my birth certificate, one of the many hoops I must jump through in order to earn my visa (I'm beginning to feel like a trained poodle). Then I'll go by the Bolivian consulate and turn in my paperwork and passport. Hopefully I'll get it back with my 30 day visa before I leave on the 13th (I guess if I don't get it by then I won't be leaving anyway...hmm). So please pray that all the paperwork goes through in a timely manner.

I'm working on my packing list and trying to whittle down my wardrobe...I didn't realize how many clothes I actually owned until I started trying to fit them all into two suitcases! Not to mention the shoes...

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers...now I know that people actually do check my blog!