Halfway Point

If I thought my first month went by fast, I am even more shocked at how quickly I have reached my half way point. I feel as if I stepped off the plane, blinked, and reached this point. I am almost afraid to blink again and find myself stepping onto the plane to go home. I have seen so much, done so much, learned so much. Every day there is something new. I am amazed at all that has been accomplished in such a short period.

In my Spanish I have reached the extremely confusing time when half my thoughts are in English and the other half in Spanish. Some words I have a really hard time remembering in English while other words I know I know in Spanish sometimes just are not there. For example, as I am writing this, I am having to translate some of what I want to say from Spanish into English. Yet many times it is not complete sentences in either English or Spanish - everything is completely mixed up. I am told that this means I am learning and really adapting to the language. All I know is that I can no longer speak any language correctly!

Change is a major part of my life. In the short month since I posted my schedule, things have already changed. I now have a new Spanish tutor who I meet with on a regular basis. Some of the Bible studies I am a part of have gotten moved around as well. Here is my new schedule as of this month:

Tuesday: Beth Moore “Breaking Free” Bible study in the morning, administration in the afternoon, worship practice in the evening.
Wednesday: Staff meeting in the morning, administration in the early afternoon, a discipleship class in the late afternoon, a church service in the evening.
Thursday: Discipleship class 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.)
Friday: Lesson with my Spanish tutor and housecleaning in the morning, administration in the afternoon, and another "Grupo de Connexión."
Saturday: 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.
Monday: Although this is my day off, I have a lesson with my Spanish tutor in the morning.

Of course, interspersed throughout this schedule are the events that change week to week or even day to day – getting together with friends, practices for special events (I have been a part of a dance here and am also part of a group of musicians working on a special song for this Sunday), and other such irregular events.

As mentioned earlier, I do have a new Spanish tutor. My old one had gotten too busy to help me and so I had been looking for a new one for a couple weeks and just started meeting with this one last week. I think that working with this lady will really help me grow in leaps and bounds in my Spanish capabilities. She is a fantastic teacher and I am looking forward to working with her.

Praise reports:

• I have a wonderful Spanish tutor =)
• Had a wonderful Easter with my new friends and family here

Prayer requests:

• A week or two ago I learned that one of my uncles has cancer again, and this time, it has spread into his lungs. Instead of improving with the treatment he received previously, it appears that the cancer has grown some. Please pray for healing for my uncle and comfort and peace for him and my family.

Thank you all so much for your continued support; it means more to me than words could ever fully express in any language.

Dios te bendiga,
~ Grace