Funny fact of the week: I went around the markets telling people that I am a mercenary and that I would like to pray with them. The word for missionary is misionero and the word I said was misioneria which is close to mercenaria which is the word in Spanish for mercenary. That was quite funny and learning Spanish is an embarrassing but beautiful process.
This past couples of weeks has been amazing and my love for God and these people just continues to grow. I am dreading the day that we leave with my whole heart and I never want to leave this place! God is so good. My Spanish is improving a lot and I am practicing all the time! This past week during one of our visits to the park there was a man named Edgar and his wife who had two adorable children. We got on the topic about why we’re here and he told me he was Catholic but never went to church much. I began to tell him about my testimony in Spanish and how when you have a friendship with God you walk by him daily. It was amazing because I truly believe that the Holy Spirit was speaking through me and giving me words moment by moment. I was talking for a good ten minutes with this man. It was so unreal and the man was very grateful that I shared with him. He told me that he was glad that a young person is sharing their faith with him and that he was encouraged by it.
Also, we went to the orphanage yesterday and it was such a great time! I was watching Madagascar movie with them and once it ended we were all playing. While we were playing hop-scotch one little girl hit the concrete face first and was bleeding. I tended to her and she had some ice and she only wanted me to hold her : ). She wasn’t talking anymore and she wouldn’t answer she just wanted to lay in my arms. I ended up taking her around the orphanage looking at all the geese, pigs, chicken and ducks. She finally had joy and started talking and we had some silly conversations about living in trees.
We also went to a special needs school and it was amazing the amount of love that these children were showing. As soon as we walked into the school they swarmed us and in no time we were all either playing soccer or trying to teeter totter. These children are so precious and so open and full of joy!
Also, we went to the nursing home and this past time was a real blessing! I brought my nail polish and painted a couple ladies’ nails. This visit we became so close to these women and they have so much joy when we hug them and make them feel special. There was a precious old woman who greeted every one of us in our first visit and we found out she broke her leg after our last visit and can no longer walk around and has to lay in bed all day and night in pain. We encouraged her with our presence and prayers and just spent some time with her. It is so sad but we are forming great relationships with these people and loving the forgotten.
It seems as though nail polish is unlocking a lot of barriers between us and the people we encounter. The past two visits at the dump we brought nail polish and painted the nails of the ladies that lived there and also their daughters. Their daughters are beginning to open up and have joy when we’re there. There is one girl in particular who is so blessed by our visits and runs into our arms and is so sweet. I am praying that we can form great bonds with these different people that we encounter at the dump.
Also, for the prostitute ministry we gave them all notes with encouragement and got to know them a little more. Some of them are wide open and appreciate our visits and some are just polite. It is difficult to talk to some and others are very talkative. They appreciate that we come to visit and they see that we are coming. Also, when we see the ones we remember they are so blessed that we remember their name. Some are happy about the fact that we are not coming in to get something from them, but just to simply talk to them and show them God’s love.
We visited the children’s hospital and every time we go we make friendships with these little girls who forget about their pain when we are playing or coloring with them! It makes me happy to take away their pain and give them something to smile about. Also, while we are talking to the children we are talking to the parents and getting to know them, too. This one little girl was so shy and wouldn’t open up or talk but by the end of the visit she let me braid her hair and was playing with me.
God is also giving me opportunities to play soccer with people at the park and today I am going to play a legit game with the Casa Verde ministry against another church! I am so pumped! 😛
We also visited churches during the week at night time and were so blessed by them. They were so open to us and encouraged us and were a lot of fun! We performed our skits and sang songs for them and they seemed to really appreciate it. Each church we visit it different but they are all equally in love with God and it is amazing to see their awesome devotion!
Side note: I got my first black eye, and it’s kinda cool! It isn’t that bad and it’s not even swollen or painful, there is just coloration.
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