Worst: treasuring the embraces of first graders, fellow teacher aides (really more like a few extra adopted moms :) ), planning my two final weekends in Bogotá.
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Good grief, my hands are chilly as I write this. I have on my teddy bear jacket--zipped all the way up to my chin--and my sweatpants and my lobster socks. Comfy is international and universal. :)
On Sunday, I went to Puerta Abierta church again, but this time Marv and Judy (my host parents) came along as well. It was so nice to have them at the service, for I really love the worship songs, the scriptures, and the preachers they have at Puerta Abierta, and am glad to share. Also I was able to introduce them during the beginning of the service as "my here parents". :)
After church, I went to the Pepe Sierra Transmi station to meet up with the A family. Some relatives are in town this week from the States, and so they were headed up the mountain to one of my favorite Bogotá restaurants for lunch, and then to a YWAM ministry up the mountain for the afternoon. They graciously let me tag along!
Lunch on the grill!
After getting full, we drove further up the mountain to the home of a couple that runs a ministry tied to YWAM. The B's, they are, are a couple that started off with their own five (biological) children. Now their kids are all out of the house, grown up. However, they currently have eight adopted children under their roof, and before these eight there were others who have now grown. These current eight were street children in one of the worst neighborhoods in Bogotá, now given a home with two of the most inspirational and incredible parents in Bogotá. They raise these children with so much love and faithfulness, helping each kid to overcome their own tremendously scarring and damaging story. After a bit of conversation with the Bs, several of us (minus the kids, who were doing homework), went on a walk I did the last time I was here to a cross on a hilltop, a lookout point with views of the mountains around us. I came to this ministry house the last time I was in Bogotá, and I had remembered the A) beauty and B) toughness of this walk, both due to the steep hillside roads.
Upon returning to the house, Mrs. A shifted into dinner production mode. Dinner providing for almost 30 mouths is no small task--their family, the As and their family and I, and some friends invited over for the event. I was happy to serve on kitchen duty, chopping vegetables and making guacamole.
Dinner was tasty mexican tacos, and very well enjoyed by all. When we had stuffed ourselves enough, we said many goodbyes, and headed back down the mountain to go home. When I arrived home, I chilled and soon went to sleep.
Monday I was once again at ECA, spending the day with the first graders. I really am of the mind that first graders, in whatever country, speaking whatever language, should be capable of walking in lines--and staying in lines as we walk. Therefore, this has been the week we are cracking down on the expectations of walking in line. Other than the line struggles, yesterday was a relatively good day of theirs, behavior-wise. I love the interactions I get with the kids at the most random of moments--a chance to celebrate news of a relative's baby being born, a chance to walk a teary-eyed but dreadfully brave child with a hurt knee from recess to the nurse, a chance to encourage a student to finish "at least the chicken" on his plate. A chance to love these kids in a way that can only lead to growth and security and joy and discernment.
Today has been another wonderful day. Waking up to the mountains that surround me, the cool of the morning air, the jerky trafficky ride to school, the morning supervision duty full of mainly greeting everyone as they pass the front door entrance, the morning classroom tasks (filling water bottles, checking planners, delivering library books), the snacktime and recess with the kids, the classwork, the lunchtime fights over who still has to eat what, the glory of the best fútbol game I have seen them play yet--ten of the 21 first graders, including two girls...and the end of the day packup and farewell hugs. I then got the satisfaction and joy of hanging out on supervision with the other teachers' aides, who are some wonderful mothers of the school who really have a fantastic heart for the children and know what's best for them and exactly how to teach me to take authority. They are mothering me, in the most beautiful comforting way, as they simultaneously take command of their entire classes and make sure everything runs smoothly in a day. They are amazing women. I will miss them immensely, two weeks from right now.
After school, my friend K (from the weekend in Prado) picked me up at school, and after touring ECA (his alma mater) for its new constructions for a while, we headed out--on his motorcycle. So fun! The short ride home was even shorter on such a small vehicle. Of course, he is an extremely responsible driver and had helmets for us both, so don't any of you worry.
What should make you worry, perhaps, is the motorcycle driving lesson I received! :) I have never appreciated my dad's teaching of driving stick shift cars more. It was so simple, conceptually, to get the hang of. The hard part is understanding the leaning to turn instead of turning the handle bars. I don't generally like the feeling of falling...but, oh well. I passed.
Dinner was a delicious personal pizza, and then once at home I quickly put on warm layers and sat down to blog.
I am also thinking a lot these days about impending decisions about college courses and major selection as I mentally prepare for university in the fall. Leaning towards business at this point, having seen various sectors of an educational environment, and realizing it's not really all-encompassing with my inclinations, strengths, and desires. But, baby steps. I am only asking for daily-bread sized revelations, here.
And I keep on receiving them. Dios es fiel.
xox
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