My New Family! :)

I feel much better than I did last week! I have been so tired from the medicine! I have been so busy and have crashed as soon as I get home!

On Thursday the Lakewood women's team and I went to an orphanage called "Casa Shalom". This was the first day that I got out of bed and was okay... (on Wednesday the group went to the HIV Hospice and I was not able to go because I was too sick to move... additionally, I had the potential of getting the children sick). But I woke up on Thursday and felt much better! I absolutely LOVED "Casa Shalom"!!!! There are 60 orphans who live. They live in "families" with a set of house parents with a group of children divided by age. This place was so peaceful... a place created by God.
When we asked Erica (she is running the place while her brother is in the States), what we could specifically pray for, she told us of one little boy.. I think his name was Antonio. We were only told part of his story but he had been hit by a car at a young age and was partially paralyzed. His parents had also forced him to work at a VERY young age. His parents would abuse him if he did not earn enough money. Because of the combination of these things, his right arm has been paralyzed and is deformed. However, doctors from the United States have been coming to do surgery on him. He has had about 3 surgeries and is having one more. At this point, he can actually use this arm and will hopefully gain more function after the next surgery!

Thursday afternoon I left the Lakewood women and came to my new house to live with my new family! They are AMAZING!!! The father, Antonio, works at the church where I am interning. Sonja, his wife, is a teacher. They have 3 children who are 2, 6, and 9. Late that night the other intern arrived, Grace. Grace is awesome and I know that God is going to teach us both so much.

We both went to the church on Friday. Iglesia del Camino is phenominal! We had a tour and met everyone. We also went to the youth group service that night. Every service is in English and Spanish. Because I do speak some Spanish, I am very entertained to hear the difference in the the sermons and the translations. The "main speaker" pauses after every few sentences and the other person repeats the sentences in the other language. However, a LOT of personality shines through..... it's absolutely hilarious to hear/watch the English and Spanish version and charades of a story. The best is when the pastor will make up a word in English and the Spanish translator not only doesn't know the word but has no way to translate it! I love it when they say, "I will splain you..... I will fill you with the tales (details)".

Today we went to the market.... it was huge and beautiful.... there were so many colors!!! There were fruits, vegetables, fish, pig hearts, clothes, any and everything! Very fun!

I am so excited about this coming week! We have a team coming from Winter Haven Florida! We are going to be working at the malnutrition center and doing various VBS's!

The thing God has been teaching me these past two weeks is personal applications of a bible story from Mark. This story is well known.... it is this story of the friends carrying the paralyzed man to Jesus.
Each time I think about this story I find something new.
-How can I carry other people's mat? I think one of the most important ways to carry someone's mat to Jesus is through prayer.
-What are the roofs that we have to break in order to carry someone directly to the foot of Jesus. Unbelief, pride, needs, fear,.....
-The friends who broke through the roof knew exactly where to make a hole so that there friend would land directly in front of Jesus.... It is so important to be sensitive to where Jesus is and listen for His voice.
-God made us for community. He also wants us to help those who cannot help themselves.