Further adventures

Last week was a pretty normal one, whatever "normal" may mean. A trip to the Hipermaxi on Monday, Bible study Tuesday (I didn't get lost!) prayer meeting Wednesday, back to Siete Calle on Thursday for a dress fitting...then the craziness of the weekend started.

Friday I worked in the library from 12:30-2:30, mostly helping with crowd control. I read some and helped students pick out books. I really enjoyed it - I'll be helping every Friday afternoon from now on. As soon as I finished I rushed home to help Laura bake some cookies to take to the dedication that night for SAM's new building, El Atrio. The downstairs has actually been in use for about three years, but the upstairs is finally complete. We attended the ceremony and helped served dessert (which was bountiful) and visited with the other missionaries and guests. The building houses several missionaries' offices and some classrooms where English and theological classes are taught.



After the dedication (all in Spanish, but I had an excellent translator) Laura and I rushed home to change clothes, then head to SCCLC for a lock-in. There were only three other adult volunteers, so it was good that we could make it, even though we were very late. The Junior class sponsored it for 4th-6th grade. There were about 35 elementary students there, plus the high school "coordinators." It was pretty crazy, though not as bad as it could have been! I tried to picture having a lock-in at Southside West...I can't even imagine. They had snack in the cafeteria, free use of the gym, and movies up in the chapel (we got there in time for "High School Musical). They even had some rooms designated for sleeping, though I'm not sure how much they were used! I conked out in the teacher's lounge about 2am and didn't wake up until 7. Guess I'm getting too old to pull all-nighters.

Saturday was a lazy day. We came home from the lock-in and slept, then lounged around with Lidia and the boys.

I have a funny story about getting to church on Sunday. Laura had shown me how to get there by micro, and I told "the other Dana" (Wilson) that I would meet her there at 10:30, when the service started. I confidently waited by myself by the side of the road to flag my micro, which didn't arrive. I waited for what seemed forever, growing increasingly uncomfortable by the stares and whistles I was getting from the latinos around me (apparently a gringa dressed up for church is quite a spectacle). When one man stopped and turned around, staring at me, I decided I'd had enough and flagged a trufie. A trufie is a taxie that has a set route like a micro, and costst the same amount. I was pretty sure the Laura had said I could take one to the church. I watched out the window, looking anxiously for landmarks, a little nervous but confident that I would recognize my stop. I did see the main landmark I'd been looking for, the market, but it was on the wrong side of the street! I had sense enough to stop the trufie and get out, but I was very turned around. I walked in what I hoped was the right direction, narrowly avoiding being run down by a micro, circled the market and by the grace of God spotted the church's sign. I've never been so thankful to walk into a church in my life!

After the service, (very nice, though all in Spanish of course) Dana, her guest Gabe, and I met up with Heather and Sarah (the art teacher at SCCLC) for lunch at a Mexican restaurant. Then Heather took Sarah and me to a half-way house for street kids, which was having a mini-fair to sell the products that the kids had learned to make. They had all sorts of handmade items - keychains, bracelets, purses, bookmarks - I stocked up on gifts! They took me home by way of the Hipermaxi. I spent the evening watching a movie with Lidia, the boys, and Dovanna. It was called Across the Tracks, and starred Brad Pitt. I think it must have been one of his first movies, because I think he was like 18 or something. I good movie, aside from all the swearing.

This should be another "normal" week. I do have a meeting tomorrow with a Spanish teacher, which I'm super excited about! Hopefully she won't give me up as a hopeless cause.