observation, learning, adaptation, practice-practice-practice

Now that we have been in country since the 13th of Oct. our routines for each day are beginning to take shape. Certain realities are becoming more apparent as we navigate the new terrain of culture, language, and availability. When I say, availability, it is the reasonable amount of effort involved in getting simple things for each day. If it takes too much time and effort, its not an option or it doesn't fall under the heading as available for that day. Whatever we need must be carefully planed and allotted for, so as to allow time for walking back and forth, while keeping in mind that the items must not fill more than what can be carried in a back pack. Each visit to purchase something may take from 30min-2hrs. walking, but sometimes for long distances we take the bus, but that is tricky in knowing which one to take for each destination and then how to get home again. Frequently in the afternoon we find ourselves walking home in the rain and because it rains so hard here, your umbrellas leak like sieves and the rain splashes up to your hips. Needless to say you're totally soaked by the time you arrive home.

Getting food is more complicated here because of having to go to more than one place, and because things spoil so quickly, its best to buy only what you need for each day. We have found the carniceria (butcher shop) a good place to buy meat, but it tends to be very tough because these grass fed animals are very lean.  It was explained that, being grass fed, the animals can't eat enough to get fat due to the moisture content of their food. To understand this consider how much watermelon you might be able to eat compared with something dry. The fact that the grass is water saturated makes sense because of how often it rains during the rainy season.

Spanish class is living up to its name as being intensive.  Class instruction takes up half the day while homework takes the other half. The instructor teaches the course in Spanish, so one must strain to maintain a consistent focus on every word that is being said, which I find exhausting. However, learning this language is something which really inspires me. What that means now is that, in the near future, I will not be isolated from the people I've been called to serve.

Making friends with people is an everyday occurrence, but an interesting one because you are not only making friends with locals, but people who are here in transition from one part of the globe to another. Many are familiar with living and adapting to different cultures because they have had to do that much of their lives. By contrast however, there are others, like myself, who are learning to adapt for the first time and so we have been able to find some mutual encouragement through our shared experiences.  I spend a lot of time listening and learning with the intent of accepting the differences of a reality I have no ability to change. Instead I must be willing to make new discoveries and change appropriately to the new world in which I live. Romans 12 speaks of being transformed by the renewing of your mind and from what I understand that change is not one which is outward only, but of an inward quality which only God is able to bring about. Not only being willing, but actually cooperating with the potter, so to speak, through being soft, tender and malleable is the only way to productively participate with our Creator God.