Two Wonderful Days

   I would just like to tell you about my last two days so you can get a glimpse of what I do. This isn't a recipe for everyday, but bits and pieces of what's come to make up my life down here.
   Yesterday morning started out with a devo which I led (in Spanish) about worry. We've been praying for our little girl Esperanza about getting her surgery and were told once more that it would have to be postponed. The verses I chose to talk about were Matthew 6:25-27, with an emphasis on the fact that by worrying we can't add a single hour to our life, much less to hers. I also mentioned Philippians 4:4&6, about how we should be joyful and not anxious but offer our requests to God. After our devo time we piled six adults and six children into the Hoffman's seven passenger vehicle to be dropped off at a few different locations.  Gabby and I took the two boys to La Sagrada Familia, a clinic here, to get the boys free milk. The doctor wasn't there, however, that handles these things, so we're pretty sure we were actually just lied to about the free milk thing. Kind of dissapointing, but not hugely surprising.  So we got a taxi and headed back home. We spent a little time playing and then had lunch and put the boys down for a nap. While they were asleep I got to make monkey bread for afternoon snack- as Thursday is our "special" day, where we get to switch up the more healthy menu and do something a little more fun (and by fun I mean sweet!). Once I was finished putting that together I worked on the laundry- 33 diapers! for three children. Plus there normal clothes- it was a lot. I woke the boys up a little later and we spent the afternoon playing around the yard on the swings and slide. After snack I decided to take the boys to the park. I piled them both into this bus of a stroller and we headed off, with Ella, the Hoffman's six year old daughter, and Natanael, Gabby's eleven year old son, as my two helpers. We had a great time! I climbed up the giant slide a few times with the boys and we played on the teeter-totter a bit and then just walked/ran around the park with the boys in the ginormous stroller. They loved it, and I enjoyed it too. After we got back we had supper and got the kids in bed. I got to get Esperanza ready by giving her a massage and bath, and while I was running the water I got to see her almost roll over!! I was amazed and so encouraged to see that. She's improved so much since arriving! She had a rough time getting to sleep, so I was a human swing for her trying to get her to rest, and after a long while she finally was out. I stayed the night at the home and woke up just a few times, but overall it was quite peaceful.
    This morning I woke up and got the kids ready and we had breakfast and did devos again, this time with Evelin leading, sharing how it is God who gives us the dreams we have and He is the one who will finish the work He began in us. It’s always great to remember what we’re doing is His work and not our own! Afterwards I went upstairs and rested for a while before heading to the grocery store. The micro (bus) drivers have been on strike for over a week now, so I was very excited that they were finally back driving today!!  I went to the store and wandered around for a bit and was overjoyed to see sugar on the shelves!! There has been a shortage here for a few months now I guess so it’s exciting to see that there finally is more (as I love to bake but feel guilty using the sugar)! I came home and put my stuff away just to head out again to meet my dear friend Kayleen Mickelson for lunch at her school (she’s a teacher). I spent the afternoon helping her do random things around the classroom and then spent the evening with her as well just being chill. What an encouraging time! Also, while I was helping her grade papers after school, I got to spend a little time watching Fox News, which was incredibly exciting for me! I forget how much I am in a “bubble” down here, so it was exciting in a way to see what’s going on in the world, although much of the news (as usual) was not very good. And I was in air conditioning, a rare treat! God is so good to me, for all these things and so many more.
   Again, these aren’t necessarily things I do every day, but they give you a little more picture of what I do here, and they were exciting days so I wanted to share them with you.  Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support. May God bless you richly as you have been a blessing to me!

PS- Feel free to comment or email me questions! I’d love to hear if there’s anything more specific that you’d like to know about what’s going on down here!