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So 7 weeks in and since returning from Ecuador I've learnt more things, visited more places, had more new experiences, had my first hit of serious homesickness and learnt more about God's amazing grace, patient and the reality of the promises that He has made to us. Get ready to read a rollercoaster!
So what has changed since returning from Ecuador 3 weeks ago? Well I actually understand a lot more Spanish and can speak better to. I think having time to process all that I had learnt was really helpful and benefited me in a lot of ways. I can see how much I've improved now which is really good. I still struggle a lot in group situations, but that's partly because they all speak soooooooo fast and there are so many words that I don't know, but all in good time. I am more confident in speaking, and people do seem to understand me now, which is also a confidence boost! Currently in school I am learning about the direct and indirect object and how to use it. It is used a lot in Spanish. Let me give you an example: "I gave the pen to Mike", so you might reply "you gave it to him?"- "it", is the direct object in this case and "him" is the indirect object. Now in Spanish if someone said "I gave the pen to Mike", you might reply "you him it gave?" Now in Spanish this translates as "yo Mike di el esfero", "Tu se lo diste?"- easy right! Now to have it in this form you need to know what the objects are or it makes no sense, but try picking this up in conversation! You have to re- think your whole sentence structure! Crazy! Anyway slowly but surely I'm getting there. We have lots of fun in the class saying, Lo, le, les, los, las, te, me se…argh!
I've noticed that I do need quite a bit of time to process things, but then they click. I'm sure this will click then in the future sometime it'll all become confusing again. Oh well onwards and upwards.
So what else, hmmm I went to a young adults group from my church, which was good. I understood bits and bobs and it was good to meet some people. I didn't feel I clicked with anyone, but its early days, and actually the group leaders are only a few years older than me and I really like them so maybe they will become friends. The study was on 1 Samuel 1:10-20 where Hannah is praying in her heart and moving her lips and Eli accuses her of being drunk. Previously she had cried out to the Lord asking for a son. Anyway Eli then hears her plea of not being drunk, and tells her to "Go in peace" and that God grant her what she has asked of Him. Later on she continues to worship him and eventually becomes pregnant. It was a good study to think about and remember that God hears our hearts and he does honour our pleas.
I was reminded of this once again Sunday just gone when I was at Church. I was worshiping and singing in Spanish but not really knowing what I was saying. I was trying to sing the words that I could read and simultaneously figure out what they meant (not easy). As I was trying (really trying) I felt God just say that He was pleased with my willingness to try. I realised then that God understands the words (He created them), He knows my heart and the desire I have to understand and He is pleased that I am simply trying. It reminded me of how amazing our God is, how much patience He has and how He rewards willingness and obedience. I'm still not sure what I was singing, but one day (hopefully in the not too far future) I will understand.
So I also went to a women's meeting at the church, which focused on women knowing they are loved as they are by God and that we don't need to conform to social pressures. The church was beautifully decorated and the even had a swing on the stage! We all got a little goody bag of pastry's and a drink. Again I understood most of the talk and loved being in a room of women who love God, worshipped Him beautifully and just want to draw closer to Him. This coming Saturday is a young adult's thing at the church most of the afternoon, so I'm going to go along and see if I can meet some new people!
The young adult's group that I mentioned was more of being talked at rather than a discussion, which I'm learning is how things are done a lot here in schools. I have been told by one of my teacher that students aren't taught to analyse, just accept and so they struggle to evaluate things and think for themselves. She said that it's a way of the Government reducing the risk of backlash, however there is a lot of backlash here and disagreement about things. I think the difference is that people can't analyse how to solve the problems, they only want them changed. There are a lot of problems at the moment with the Transmilenio and there have been protests and all sorts going on. Thankfully I haven't been affected yet, but I think it's only a matter of time.
What else about religion, hmmm so oh yea there's a big custom here with the Catholics, especially today being Ash Wednesday that they mark a cross on their forehead with Ash. I'm not yet sure of the significance of this, but I'm going to learn it, as I think it's an interesting custom. I saw loads of people with this cross on their forehead walking around today, so know that for many it's an important ritual to take.
So following on from that, I'm going to tell you about my first hit of horrible homesickness. It happened on the 23/02/14, a Sunday afternoon, the Sunday after my Colombian mum's birthday. We were having a party with a lot of Fabio's family (Saturday had been Legia's family) and it had been going well. Anyway we sat down to play a game of Cranium. Now for those that know this game, it's a bit challenging in English, so for me in Spanish, well it was impossible. We were in groups and I didn't understand anything, not the questions, not the answers, not the English translation…nothing! I began to feel so small, so useless and so out of place. I took myself away to my room and I just cried. I asked God why I was here, why I had to go through this and when was it going to be easier. I honestly wanted to come back to England, to have an easier life and to be in the arms of someone who knows me and loves me as I am. God told me those questions didn't need answers; that I needed to trust in Him, pull myself together, do my homework and get back downstairs. He also reminded me that I was (am) in His arms always. So after an hour of crying, questioning God, sulking, doing homework and pulling myself together, I went back and joined in the party. But what did I learn? I learnt that right now the only thing I can trust in is God because He is the only one who knows me; that He sent me here because He believes I can do whatever it is I am here to do and that if I can't trust God, then who can I trust. Psalm 46:10 came to my mind, as I was sulking. It says "Be still and know that I am God"- well that's a slap round the face if I ever had one! If only I had remembered that before I started weeping, sulking and being stubborn! It was an important lesson though because it is so important to be still with God, remember He is God and that He doesn't put us in places that we can't handle. We most likely can't handle it in our own strength, but in God's strength we can do the impossible. Exciting isn't it! I had also been reading Matthew chapter 14 and there are two occasions in which Jesus takes time out to be with God. It just reminded me again of the importance of taking time out to be with God, to mourn whatever we might be mourning, but also to thank Him for all He has given and done.
Ooo so some exciting news and another step in my journey of becoming an identifiable Colombian citizen for a year. After obtaining my visa I had to go and register for my Cedular (ID card). I had to take a little bus to the correct area and walk a bit to find it. Things would have been easier had I been given the correct building number by the person who looked it up for me, but anyway the fact that it had in big, bold letters "COLOMBIAN IMMIGRATION" on the front of the building helped. So I went in, got the form, filled it out (or so I thought) and took it back to the desk. I was told that I needed some other things (photocopies of passport and visa, and could get them done at the shop along the road) and needed to fill out the back of the form (note to self, always turn the form over!). So I did this, got my photocopies and took it back. Okay, now I have to go upstairs and wait to be called. Off I went, waited, got called, had my fingerprints taken, photo taken and told to sit back and wait again. I sat back, waited, was called, was given a code and told to go back downstairs and now pay for the card. So I did that, then I was told go back upstairs and wait to be called. Off I went, waited, was called and told all done, just wait for an e-mail, come back and collect your Cedular. So this in total took about 2 hours! But I did some homework in that time and just enjoyed the way of life that I now live. I then enjoyed a long walk home, as I just fancied a stroll and to see what there was on foot rather than on the transmilenio. Anyway I did all this by myself, in Spanish so was very pleased with myself and gave myself a pat on the back J.
Hmmm okay so I have visited a new place called the Volcanoes in Macheta, which is about an hour and a half from Bogota. It's beautiful and is an open air swimming pool, surrounded by volcanoes and naturally heated by them to. Tough life for me! I went with a few friends from the school, the weather was perfect and we chilled out for a few hours in the sun. At this place they also have another little pool which is scorching hot, and a fountain which is freezing cold. You are meant to go between all three, fat chance of that! The journey home was very interesting. We took a bus (normal mode of transport), but I think it was the most dangerous journey that I have taken to date! The driver was on a mission, didn't care if there was a lorry coming towards us as he was overtaking another vehicle and was very happy to tailgate severely to. It's good for my prayer life, but not for my anxiety levels! Nether the less we arrived safely back in Bogota, slightly shaken but alive and with a better tan.
Yesterday I got the chance to go to a kid's project in the real south of the city, in the mountains. The school volunteer every few weeks for an afterschool lunch club where children in the neighbourhood go after school for lunch. They ages range from about 5-15 and they get given soup, rice, beans, a bit of meat and fruit juice. They have to finish the soup before they get the next bit of the meal and then finish that before they get their juice. The kids are sooo cute but quite a few looked malnourished and a bit dirty, but all of them had the most beautiful smile. The word for smile in Spanish is Sonreisa (sonreir= to smile), and all of them smiled. I had some funny conversations (kind of) with some 6-7 year olds and helped them eat to, as they were so slow! We played "here comes the train/ plane/ pony/ car, etc" to get them to eat. This part of the city is where a lot of the recycling happens and people work doing the recycling. It was really interesting to see a completely different part of the city and understand a bit more about the vast differences between the rich and the poor. It was an eye opener to see people still living in small houses with tin roofs, high up in the mountains with not much else. It just made me more grateful for everything that I have been blessed with.
Okay so once again I've written an essay and not sure I've included all I was going to. I've made a lovely friend Jaime, but sadly she is heading off soon. We are known as the sisters at school, as we have similar jackets and seem to wear really similar clothes. There is a photo of us together for you all to see.
Overall, I'm fine, but do have my blips, which is normal. I was speaking with Abi today and I realised that I have changed so much in only 7 weeks and that if I was to return to England now, things would be so different and I'd likely be bored. This means that I have to face the challenges and keep trusting God to get me through them.
It's my birthday on the 23rd March…I'll miss being with those close to me, but I get to experience a birthday in this culture.
Besos and abrazos fuerte
xxx
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