super

I’ve finally made a legit connection with the woman Nelsy (she is one of the Deaf woman here in town), her mother and the boyfriend/husband of Nelsy. Meeting the mother and boyfriend has been my desire because meeting them means getting permission to spend time with Nelsy. I want to get to know all of them and share with them this love of language. I want them to know that Nesly is smart and should have the opportunity to learn like everyone else. I want Nelsy to know that there is a way for her to communicate and not have to be frustrated all the time. I want to love this family.

I had the opportunity to go up to the house of Nelsy’s mom last week and talk with her, there I asked her for permission to spend time with Nelsy to talk and teach her Mexican Sign. She told me what I already knew… Nelsy has to work, she works everyday selling foods, she has no time, her husband would not like it, etc. Yes I know most of that is true BUT I knew that this woman was also fearful.  Nelsy is the only way of income for them… walking from their house to the base, all around town, to the beach, and even to Rio to sell the food they prepare. If she isn’t working they won’t make money. Then there is the man that Nelsy lives with. At one time he went with her to learn some signs taught in Puerto Escondido but said that he would never go back, he did not like it and did not want Nelsy going either. Well Nelsy’s mom ended saying that she would talk with Nelsy and the husband. He thanked me for coming and for being interested. I headed to the next town over Rio to meet Genna and on our way back home our taxi driver stopped to pick up more people. When I opened the door to move into the front seat I saw Nelsy! Nelsy and a man hopped into the back seat with Genna. I soon realized the man was her husband. NOT a coincidence. Genna and I talked to him a little bit, mostly he talked and I didn’t understand all of it but by the time we got out of the taxi he was inviting me over to teach both him and Nelsy Sunday evenings when they both are home and free. I WAS SHOCKED! I did not expect that at all… I thought I was going to have to convince him but he offered. SO God, right there.  I was so excited I even jumped. I didn’t have words but was in awe. While walking home alone I walked surely with my mouth wide open. Once again I am shown to trust in His ways.

A wedding, Iguana, + more Iguana

1 March 

We went to another wedding tonight, a catholic wedding. I'd say it was an entertaining and joyful wedding, more joyful than the first wedding here in December. There was "dancing", ya I guess you'd call it that. The bride and the groom danced with each other then with just about everyone. They each danced with the parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, great aunts and uncles, the whole gang. It was hilarious. It was obvious that the poor groom could not dance (Later after we arrived back home Julio, one of my house parents, reenacted the groom). The groom did this hop/bounce with each partner, it was embarrassing to watch, almost painful but I couldn't look away.  The whole time the partners would look off into the distance or glance at their feet awkwardly, it was the longest dance sesh.  At one point I spotted a cockroach crawling down the back of one of the male partners. The whole time he had no idea whatsoever and the cockroach continued to crawl during the dance, ha.
My Mexican family and I had arrived late (or just on time) so we missed the ceremony. When we did arrive the music was blaring. Imagine late night club music with English lyrics, the kind of music that would be played around 3am for the late night party animals.. and there we were at 7pm sitting looking around at one another not dancing.  Most of the time I was busy entertaining myself with people watching. This wedding was unique... I dont know exactly how to put it to words, but if you ever get the opportunity to go to a Mexican wedding I think you'll have an interesting time.
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Yesterday we ate Iguana. Julio "hunted" it Thursday (really he hit it with his car, on purpose or not I'm not sure) which I guess is bad because it is illegal to kill the Iguanas but people seem to keep on eating them here in town on the down low. I have to say I feel bad but it tasted so good with tortillas, cheese, and avocado.

2 March (Family day) 

Well we got  a call after church from Chacalapa, where Delia's dad and step mom live, they were going to prepare and eat Iguana tamales. The family knew how I wanted to eat Iguana tamales before so they made sure to call and invite us over. We hopped in the taxi after church and drove here... so there we were in Chacalapa making tamales de iguana and tamales de pollo.
I had the privilege to watch Delia's step mom kill a chicken, that was fun. I wont get too detailed but she had a knife and slit things quick and easy. For about 5 minutes it drained (while it drained a duck came over taking advantage of the moment and sipped up the blood, that was lovely) then she brought the chicken over to hot water, plucked the feathers and cut it up into pieces. Just a few minutes before it had life and now well its pretty dead, super dead.  This reminded me of one day in Baja California at Rancho Sordo Mudo killing a few roosters blast from the past. This family is set on food for a while with all the chickens, roosters, and ducks running all over the place! I had a wonderful time helping the women make the tamales and also had just as much fun sitting back to watch them work together. We sat around a table with a giant pile of tamales to eat. The poor animals were yummy.
Around 8pm after we had watched "La Sirenita" or The Little Mermaid we got back into the car and headed home. Us girls in the back seat with a blanket and a few pillows for the drive. Moments like that I want to bottle up forever. It was a good, sweet moment. In a car at night with the windows rolled down, cold air coming in and blowing all around. That is my favorite.

All my weight on my beloved

Leaning

 

This is truly what my position has been. This is exactly what I have looked like spiritually. It is a state in which I have never been in, totally new for me. I have never felt that I had need to or considered the idea that I had the right (a privilege even) to lean; now I know both are true. I desperately need Him and I will desperately cling to Him. I am fully thankful to Him who loves me and offers me the support.

So this is where I have been… and this is where I will stay, on the One that is SOLID, my Rock. The Lord is my portion. And I am not one bit ashamed. 

“Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?”

Solomon 8:5

and a fat rat.

Classes
Today was the last day of this session. One session to go and still so much to learn.
Also, next week will be week 7 for sign class. Right now the students are needing to cram in their heads vocabulary.  At times it feels like so much and class seems dull, but it is necessary in order to communicate  in the language. We've started playing games with the vocabulary learned which definitely gives the class more life. It is ideal to have our voices off for the whole class time but it doesn't always happen, which is ok. We have even bought drinks, chips,cookies, and I even bring my black tea in at times to boost their energy (hehe). Soon I will be teaching them about the Mexican Deaf culture and how it came to be, along with more history of the language. Genna and I decided that we would like to get to know the four students on a deeper level and really pour into their lives. I dont want this sign class to just be another class to keep them busy but rather something that will stick with them. I am thankful for these four students. I am thankful that we have been brought together, each from different places and from different walks.

My Mexican family
The family that I live with is still great! Sunday we had a not so welcomed guest in our home... a rat.When I say rat I mean RAT, big guy, fatty. Even Julio was scared of this rat. While watching the Canadians ice skate in the Olympics we saw it run in the space underneath the stairs. Julio got a stick and told us to go into the kitchen. He went under the stairs and with the stick jabbed at the rat. None of us could see the rat only hear its cries and squeals. When Julio released the stick the rat ran out across the floor and that was when Delia came at it with the broom sweeping it across the floor. It went sliding across back to Julio and ran towards us girls in the kitchen where we were already up on the kitchen counter screaming and laughing.  The rat bolted up behind the refrigerator where Julio found him and threw it out where Delia took another swing and shot the rat across the floor. Laughing, Julio smacked the rat onto the highchair where the rat then jumped onto the window sill and soared (with great skill) right through a hole exiting the home.

This event was very fitting on the account of the Olympics(ice skating even) we had just been watching. It was a team effort between Delia and Julio, I would give them a score of 10 for their quick improvising, their true joy, and true determination.   

I love watching this family interact. I've never seen a married couple that truly enjoys to be around one another, plays together, and are great friends. I love watching their family laugh with one another, play with one another, and snuggle in their hammock (and I am not even a snuggler).

nothing besides Jesus

myself and others are hungry, hungry and waiting for what we think will satisfy.
i know how i appear, i know my poorness and that i am broken.
i know that i am in need.
Dirty and desperate.
We have been eating trash... but trash is not all i've ever known. At one time i knew life, i knew bread without blemish. Somehow i ended up here. Somehow i settled for this.
Moldy and stale bread has "filled" our bellies.
As i wiped left over trash crumbs off of my face i saw someone a few feet away. He'd always been there but i was now again taking notice of Him. He was different but familiar, Beauty. His eyes burned with love. Love that was kind, not arrogant or rude. In His hand He showed us a single loaf of bread and offered it. Not the kind we've been used to consuming, but bread that i once knew, the bread i've tasted before. Bread without blemish, without dirt... and certainly not someone elses leftovers. I knew right away that which He offered was more than bread, it was freedom. It seemed that no one took the free gift. They hardly saw Him still fighting over the trash. The pile of trash. i knew we had been shoveling in emptiness and never truly content. i walked over closer to Him. i looked into His eyes and wanted all that He offered. He saw and knew the battle i was in and His arms stretched out to me further. His eyes filled with tears of compassion. Still allowing me to choose. And i did. my eyes filling with water i turned back to the others and sat, continuing to eat trash... sobbing the whole time. 
And the One, He was still there. His arms open and He never moved.




I believe God showed me this to tell me that I am/have been settling for trash. The trash of this world or trash that I think will fill me... when there is something better.  There is much more He has more for us. He is offering whole, overflowing life. Not at all easy, but the simple way. But we have to decide to reach out and take it. Forget all that we've known, forget all that we are comfortable with. While seeing this scene I was bawling,  I was crying confused and still do when I think about this. Why do I not take what was obviously better, what was obviously good and true?  Only He can satisfy this hunger. Truly only He has all we need.

open doors

1/15 Wednesday 11:43am

Today we had our first "C day" of the session, tests on the vocabulary, verbs, and grammar of three lessons. Also today at 1pm here on the base will be the first ever Mexican Sign Language class, taught by me and my assistant/friend Genna Cragoe.

As much as I would love to move on to a new place and quickly get to where I thought I needed to be (Queretaro), God is patiently teaching me and showing me otherwise. I could so easily look to where I think I need to be and completely miss all that He wants to do in and through me now, where I am. I wonder how many times I will have to remember that He is in the process! I try to get ahead most times and I feel He is like "Hey! Where are you going? I'm back here and want to teach you."

Let me back up a little...
So I woke up in the middle of the night a few weeks ago before the December break knowing one thing God is calling me to right now. Working on Mexican Sign Language and the Deaf culture with the people here on base and in town in order to reach the Deaf. I can bring two things that can change the lives of the Deaf that have yet to communicate and understand. I bring Mexican Sign Language in order to help them understand and be understood and Jesus, who saved them. I cannot get up and leave knowing these things are here for me to do.

I dont have to be in it alone. God gave me this vision of teaching the Bible student from the base. After they've learned MSL and once they are done here they'll be able to branch out to many more places to reach the Deaf. Using the Bible School to teach and equip passionate Mexicans to go out and use the language (and maybe along the way teach it to more people and share the Gospel) is where I feel God is calling me right now. They each go back to their hometowns regularly to use what they know from all of their Bible classes and, I hope, from the MSL class as well. From any given town Deaf people may be found and it is exciting to see an opportunity for people to reach out to them.

So Genna convinced me last Friday to go talk to a few people and share the idea with them ASAP before this new year of students began. We rushed over fist to Dave Nelsons house, the Director and teacher of the Spanish School and shared the idea. He loved and thought it was a great opportunity. He then helped explain it to his neighbor Chely who is one of the directors of the Bible School. She too liked the idea but had to talk with her husband, Chavy (the Director of the Bible School), then he would get back to me. I had to wait the entire weekend, then Monday morning I had the opportunity to share the vision again with Chavy. It was then he let me know the next day at 1pm I would be able to share with all of the Bible students and if I could get students to sign up then I could teach the class as a vocation. And I did, 5 students signed up which is more than I thought would. The students school session goes until August... which means I too will be here, teaching them until then. Wednesday, today I will teach the first class 1pm-3pm with Genna. I am feeling amazed and fully shocked that this door is wide open but I am excited to see what God does from here.



Thursday 1/16

We had the class yesterday and it was great! We taught the ABS's and practiced them to different music beats, slow, faster, and double time. Some of the students had a difficult time with the hand shapes, but for the most part they got it. They learned numbers 1-10 and a few greetings. With some extra time remaining we practiced facial expressions and finger spelling basic words.
I had a lot of fun and I know they enjoyed it also, because after class they kept throwing the signs up to people and each other around the dining hall. Nelsy, one of the Deaf women in town, was there selling her items and a few of the students right away went up to her trying to communicate. I thought this was awesome! No one told them to try to talk with her, they did it on their own with joy.

In class today we reviewed from yesterday, taught personal and possessive pronouns, and animal vocabulary. Both Genna and I were surprised to see how well they remembered the alphabet.  For the weekend their homework is to go up to five people asking to finger spell their own name and finger spell the others name... we'll see how this goes!

first days

4 de enero 2014 7pm

-same smell, that I had so quickly gotten used to

-same woman making announcements resounding throughout the town

-same “pichichis” (bird like duck animals) outside our home

-same warmth

I remember how foreign it all was in August when I showed up at these strange peoples home, how great it feels this time around.  I feel as If I was gone 3 months instead of 3 weeks. The walk to the beach never felt so good. I am thankful for this opportunity, to return and continue here. I never thought I’d be in Oaxaca or content in a small farmer/fishermen town. I guess that all changes when its right where God has you and wants you. I never thought I’d be content in a place like this. I was wrong. I loved being away these 3 weeks celebrating life with my family, mourning the death of a loved one, laughing together and crying together but I know this is right. I get to trust in God for all He is doing in each of us whether we see it or not.

5 de enero 2014 9am

Well hey

I’ve been up, throwing up all morning. I can’t hold anything down. I tried to sip different liquids but my body is in REJECT mode. Maybe it was the torta I ate, or some bad water I drank… who knows. Today I’m going to take it easy and skip the Sunday service here in town. Tomorrow is school, thank you Jesus this happened today! Jesus heal me, from the inside out.

6 de enero 2014 5:42am

Hello there…

Yesterday was quite a day. My family left for church and I stayed in bed. It really went downhill once they arrived home again.

I was lying in bed and the girls knocked on the house front door. I sprang up and rushed to open the door not realizing how bad that action is when you’ve been lying for a few hours. Let me tell you, I hadn’t eaten or drunken since the day before. All that I tried to drink only came back up, so I was very dry and dehydrated. So I opened the door for them then felt nauseous and ran for the bathroom. After some time in there I stood up and was losing my balance. I held onto the bathroom sink trying not to fall over. All of a sudden my hearing was gone and my eye sight was going. I saw black cloudiness filling my vision and a blurry brightness… I don’t know if that makes sense but that’s what was happening. I remember staring at myself in the mirror so frightened. I became dizzier and somehow wobbled over to the shower. I held onto the walls, at least tried to, and then all I remember was my head banging around. It felt as if I was in a box, but a concrete box and someone was shaking it around, me getting slammed. I remember thinking “What is going on” and “I can’t see anything but I can feel it all”. I stood up, opened the door and called out to the girls, Dana and Tali. Julio and Delia were outside. I walked down the hall trying not to fall over feeling like I could puke and with blurry vision and hardly any hearing. I was praying for the right communication in Spanish… that was the last thing I wanted to worry about, but God put the right words in my head and somehow they formed. I said “I can’t hear, I can’t see, I fell down” and I asked them “where are your parents? I need them.” The girls rushed out to the front porch while I tried to keep my balance holding onto a wall.

After that everything moved so quickly. Delia right away started to pray over me and I remember hearing her tell Dana to hurry and do things. Perhaps they saw the look on my face because they ran to bring me a bowl and right then I (sorry) puked.  Someone then held onto me and directed me straight outside and into their car. Delia put some kind of liquid on the back of my neck. While driving down the road my vision and hearing came back. I know for sure that the breeze at the window felt great and refreshing.  Julio drove to the Nurses house looking for help; we then were told to meet her at the Clinic where she could help. I think we were all very frightened. Apparently my heart rate was too low and was in need of an IV. The nurse, Laura, had to find a good spot which was difficult; my veins could not be found easily. We tried one spot but it didn’t work then then another and thank God it worked. It was in the moments looking for my veins praying for my blood and worried it would not work that Laura asked me which name of God was tattooed on my wrist. El Roi. God of seeing, how easily I had forgotten. He sees me, in this situation where I am at, He has compassion. I can trust Him. That was all that I needed. After a few hours I was still very weak but much much better. Still even this morning easily lightheaded and nausea. I’ve only been drinking water and Electrolit, I can’t eat much… I had 5 salty crackers and have a whole bag I am hoping to nibble on throughout the day.

Well that’s what I’ve been up to since yesterday. Today we have school. I am praying for healing. As much as I don’t like this, at all, I feel God is with me each step and even though I was “dry” thirsty and hungry. The IV helped my body out but it was a good picture for me I felt that He was/is filling me up. He is doing a new thing. I know He is using everything, every situation to teach me. I can trust and cling to Him through it all.