Un día colombiano para llevar, porfis.

Best: getting to go to Barrio Egipto today after hearing all the stories and being a part of a group that got the chance to change the way progress is being made in the neighborhood...just, wow.

Worst: goodbyes to the first graders. uuuuuuush.
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Well, yesterday I woke up at the leisurely hour of days on which I go to the Foundation. I ate my breakfast, and then called Mr. A to see if we could travel downtown together. Ah, bummer, he'd left five minutes before. Still, he very kindly told me he'd be back to get me pronto. :)

So, I spent the morning being delivery and secretary en route to the Foundation. He had invitations to deliver to various folks for his latest event--March 27. And also many call-in invitations to make. I dialed, and he made me laugh. Just with his manner of addressing and greeting and talking to people. He has a gift.

Upon arrival at the International Maranatha Foundation, I continued to work on my video transcription/translation of the testimony of a man named Carlos Alonso Lucio. Ask for the incredible story sometime. I'm loving spending so much time digesting it and thinking about it.
I had lunch with J, who somehow has been able to remain in the employ of the crazy Mr. A. for quite some time. :) We laughed a lot about Colombian food, and chicken feet, and other crazy things.

(I'm so cool)

In the afternoon I continued at my translation work, after snitching some hugs from the busy, hardworking kids down below. Dang, I'll miss them.

In the evening it was once again Quality Time with Mr. A. on the long trafficky drive home. I played assistant again, dialing phone calls.
Let me just say that Bogotá skies are insanely hermosos always. Especially at about 5:30 in the afternoon. Just incredibly lucent and colorful and beautifully clouded.
Also, Mr. A's a generous boss who buys us roscones, sweet breads, as snacks on the way home.

When I got home, I walked in the door just in time for homemade mac and cheese. :) Thanks, host-mom Judy. Love the goodness you set on the table! After dinner, I chilled and cleaned and went on Facebook and started a great endeavor of making farewell cards for each first grader, complete with a portrait of the two of us on each. I will miss them intensely.

_ _ _ _ _

Today, I went to school for the last morning on duty. Deeeeeep breath.

I savored my last moments of supervision at my post in the morning by the front entry. I greeted the kids as warmly as ever, helped with Juanes (who'd gotten carsick in the bus ride, pobrecito), and then normal TA duties. We read, we prayed, we ate snack, we played at recess, we did Bible activities, we went to gym and they did trampoline stunts, and then we went to the computer lab to work on powerpoints of the Ancient World and El Salvador. No relation. :)

One by one, I pulled them out of the lab to take a photo with them, and give them each their letter and a heart shaped chocolate (thanks Mama!!). They give the best hugs, those precious ones.
I then whizzed throughout the elementary building bidding farewells, giving out contact info and heart chocolates to my adoptive mother figures--the other teacher aides, who are incredible, amazing, Christ-following, motherly gifted ladies with great big hearts and who ended up appreciating my cooperation and impact a lot. What a blessing.
Also, a summary and farewell conversation with the Elementary Principal to see how things lay. I thanked her profusely for the blessing of an experience she gave me in my short two months here. I learned a montón about how I feel and do in educational occupations, and now have further direction as to decisions about majors and careers. That's no small thing. And her incredible willingness to work with me on those things and give insight and flexibility to give me time in other age groups--just wonderful. She then informed me that I, too, have been a blessing to her. Such an encouragement! I had been concerned, and hoping that entering in midway through the year, and leaving before it's over, and shifting around the days I came...I wondered if it would be any benefit to the students or the school as a whole. Apparently I was--good news. :)

After a mountain of goodbyes, I headed out the gates. I'll be back to chill a bit on Tuesday before I leave, but it was the last day on duty.

I headed down south to meet with Pastor E, who runs the ministry of Buena Semilla in the neighborhood that is called Egipto (Egypt). This is a story well worth telling. That's why I'm going to wait until I'm experiencing reverse culture shock, missing all the Spanish speaking friends, missing the mountains, the skies, the ajiaco, arepas, mazorca, guanabana, mango, papaya, arequipe, café, chocolate, and my work...yeah, until I'm lonely at home sometime. I'll post the whole shpeal.
But, I distracted myself, sorry.
I got to the Las Aguas station of the Transmilenio not too much later than I'd hoped. Pastor E met me in the station, and then we took a quick bus up the mountain a ways, and in a jiffy I was walking on the very plaza that my group had been dropped off at nine months and one day ago, and from there had made the fateful climb up the hill and right into God's plan for that day.

I cannot convey the sensation of climbing that hill with Pastor E, under completely different circumstances. And getting into that foundation's doors, meeting the kids, playing basketball for over an hour, drawing pictures, spinning kids, speaking in English for them, and seeing the mural on the wall that moved me to tears and quickened my pulse with sheer joy.

Then I was able to see the lot they are hoping to buy nearby in order to start what would basically be a center for occupations, and getting the ex-convicts, ex- or current-drug addicts, and people from other strugglesome situations back to reputable and consistent work. See a video here made in tandem with the Buena Semilla ministry by these guys a year or so ago. And here is the video promoting the purchase of the lot. Big stuff, real stuff. Stuff that changes lives forever.

After that, I went back down the mountain, walking with Pastor E and a missionary couple from Canada that have been here my whole life--18 years. I was literally SHOCKED at how only a two-way road separates this Barrio Egipto from the classic, colonial constructions of the Candelaria district--a culturally rich and heavily touristy site. Just...wow. Two worlds so completely different. So close!

Then I came home for the evening, and have been thinking about the amazing day I had, the cool day tomorrow at the Foundation, and about how I will be able to handle saying goodbyes tomorrow to the Foundation kids. Oh gracious...

Peace. xox