I'm happy to say that I truly am enjoying my time here and learning lots. I've established a pretty set routine for each week, using just about every second available. My week starts on Tuesdays and goes until Sundays. When Monday finally rolls around, I'm more than ready for my day off and to take full advantage of the day to recharge.
Here is a brief glance at my weekly schedule:
Tuesdays: Bible study in the morning, administration in the afternoon, worship practice that night.
Wednesdays: Staff meetings in the morning (which I sometimes am and am not a part of), administration in the early afternoon, Bible study in the late afternoon, church service in the evening.
Thursdays: House cleaning in the morning, administration in the afternoon, and a "Grupo de Connexión" (Connections small groups that get together in people's homes and learn/discuss a certain topic about the Bible; we just finished going over Biblical Values) in the evening.
Fridays: Beth Moore Bible Study in the morning, administration that afternoon, and another Grupo de Connexión that evening.
Saturdays: Any loose ends to be tied up from the week and any last minute details in order to be ready for the Sunday service, Youth Group in the evening.Sunday: Church in the morning and afternoon, short rest, membership class at night.
Monday: a glorious nada! Nothing this day unless it's for fun.Praise reports:
-I finally got over an annoying cold I'd had since before I even got here.
-I've also begun to pick up more and more of the language so that I can now reply to just about everything said, even when not said slowly and very distinctly.
-I've settled in to my life here, made a number of good friends, and learned so much, about missions, about people, and about myself.
-Lastly, one of my very good friends from the States has tickets to come visit me from March 11 - March 22. I'm so excited about this opportunity to have her come. Please pray for a safe and blessed trip.
Prayer requests:
-I would ask you to please pray for my Spanish tutor, Rocio, who is not a Christian, though both her mother and brother are Christians and attend the church here.
-Please pray that I would continue to improve in Spanish.
-I have been asked to "preach" for the Youth Group on Saturday, March 13. Please pray that it goes well and I speak what God would have me say. Thankfully I will have a translator, since my Spanish is nowhere near good enough to adequately preach.
Thank you all for your prayers, your emails, and all your support. I'm looking forward to coming home and telling you all the amazing things God is doing here . . . in Spanish!
¡Muchas gracias por todos y Dios te bendiga!
- Grace -
Miss Patti and I - We had an Esther themed tea party and had lots of fun!
hola guapa! loved your update. So glad you're doing well and leanring a ton of Spanish and everything else. Do you love the culture and people there? The way they set up their days, etc? Or are you still on an american time?? I hope you get a siesta in to chill out for a little bit every day too. Cuida a mi hermanita porfa :-)
ReplyDeleteI do really love the culture and especially the people here. I'm still learning to appreciate the way they set up their days, taking a break in the middle of the day and everything. =) While I have gotten on Spain's time, I still tend to think with an American scheduled mind: always surprised when I'm reminded that because of siesta, the stores are closed and other such things.
ReplyDeleteHaha, si, claro que si
:-) for me it was not being able to run out to the store sunday afternoon to pick something up...cause they're usually closed sundays, or only open for a couple morning hours and random sundays. And getting used to stores reopening at 5 which really meant anywhere between 5 and 5:30 :-) But once I relaxed a little, I learned to LOVE it. My siestas during my DTS were spent going to a bar, reading my bible and journaling (never would happen in the states!), walking for a couple hours discovering new places, stores to go back to (when they opened), new bakeries, neighborhoods and enjoying a Euro cone at mcdonalds. :-) Ah I miss it.
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