It's Tuesday morning, May 10. Much to my surprise I got to use the computer. I'll try to upload some pictures! :) It's a beautiful sunny day. Ondina went to the outer world today, she has to get her own teeth fixed... I'll have to survive this week with my big friend. But since time really flies by here, she'll be back before I know it. Thank you to everyone, I mean everyone who have written me... who think and pray for me! I really appreciate that!!!
Eliza, your email was F A N T A S T I C!!!
You see me during a break wearing my teacher's uniform in this picture. Whenever children see a camera in my hands, a crowd gathers around me and they want to pose for pictures :) These are younger kids who don't take English classes yet but they have learned "Hello teacher!" from older kids. I hear this phrase about 100 times a day...
This is a very special picture with 4 sisters who live in the dorm - Roxana, Margarita, Elenir un Anair. Their mom and brother had come to visit. And later I learned that it was their FIRST picture together with their mom!!!! WOW!
This picture was taken on Sunday a week ago and you can see my friend Ondina. I think I had never "published" her before, hadn't I? Now you see her! Here we are at church waiting for the service to start :)
Rincon's dog family multiplied. This picture is dedicated to Kristine, Agrita and all other girls who love little, fluffy puppies... they have stolen my heart, too!
Here is a beautiful moment with Rincon's toad and Ondina! A good size, isn't it? :)
I felt like in Latvia during these holidays. Firstly due to the cold weather. Wow, it has never been so cold here while I'm here - 12, 13, 14C (53-57F)... I know, I know - my dear Latvians are now smiling and saying - you don't know what cold is because it was -30C (-22F) this winter :) But the thing is that we have there 55F both outside and inside. There is no heating in the school so for several days I was wearing both of my two jackets, coat and scarf and wished I had taken more warm clothes with me. It is a little difference when you have +35C (95F) one day and 15C (55F) the other. We have not had a morning Bible class for the past few days because it's too cold at school at 6:15AM.
Since Labour day fell in Sunday this year we had a day off and celebration on Monday. And as it is usually - we had a ceremony at school and then mighty football games. In the morning I made a video of little and big Bolivians and Ayoreos praising different occupations. They quoted poetry, sang songs and showed different dramas. I love how they take things seriously. If they talk about cattle-farmers then they put on full cowboy outfit find real horse harnesses and different other elements that made their show really impressive and genuine. Then I had to take responsibility for all my 60 chicas - we went to "cancha" - the football field. I told them to find socks and long pants so we don't get cold on the field. When everyone had dressed we made a nice line and went to the football field. We spend almost all day there. I felt like a mother of many, many, many. I took girls to the restroom, greeted parents, gave them a permission to take their girls for a walk and received the girls back after the walk. It's the order here. If parents come to visit they have to ask for a "permiso" to go somewhere with their kids. Since Velta was working in the kitchen I stayed with the girls. And it was really interesting to meet all the parents and grandparents who had come here. I had longer conversations with some of them, they wanted to know why I am here and what I am doing here :) A mother gave me 5 tomatoes when she returned her daughter :) They are very precious here! Now I have a tomato every morning (for 5 days) to put on my sandwich... mmm... how delicious are tomato sandwiches... I had already forgotten...
The morning of May 4 was sunnier already but with only 12C (53F). it was SO hard to get out of the bed... it's a lot nicer under 3 blankets than in my cold room... but I did it. It's not the only time in my life when I have to wake up in a cold room. And this morning was different and more special than other mornings because Ondina, Velta and I went to school together! Since I had a Latvian folk costume with me I thought that May 4 Latvia's Restoration of Independence day would be the right time to show it to the students. We practiced The Latvian anthem and went to the morning flag ceremony with Latvian flags in our hands. Principal Panfila shortly told that a group of Latvians started this mission in 1946, then we sang our national anthem and teacher Erlin prayed for Latvia... a beautiful morning. And last night it was dark and cold so I prayed that this holiday morning would be bright and happy for the tree of us and everyone else, too. And God made it even prettier than I had imagined. Moreover, our dear brother Janis returned to Rincon this morning after being away for 2 months! We thought he's lost somewhere. We really looked forward for him to come back. And we just had lunch together... it was so nice... when his place at the table, his plate was not empty but always smiling Janis was sitting there! And when he saw me in the national costume he said: Yes... Latvia's national costume is the most beautiful! And more so when a Latvian girl is wearing it... :)
I want to tell you how happy I am to receive all the parcels and letters. When pastor returns from the outer world on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning then usually someone gives me a message that there is something for me I have to go get at pastor's house. I love that less than a minute long walk... it is an especially elated walk. When the parcel is in my hands then the walk to my home is twice as fast because I can't wait to see what's inside.
During these past two weeks I have had 5 big mail joys, I'm so thankful and happy for them! I received a very special parcel from America where my sister had packed many valuable things that church women had gathered. A big thank you to them - everything is VERY useful there! And a special thank you for the opportunity to hear the voices of my dear rings! I listened to them several times... Then I received a Valentine's day greeting that came to me "a little" long (2 months). Well - it's good that is came :) Thank you so much :) I received an unbelievably awesome, sweet and tasty box from Riga, from Stabu street girls on May 4 in honor of Latvia's Restoration of Independence day. Oh... my room feels like Laima chocolate factory now! And this parcel brought a lot of joy to my Latvian sisters as well. Ondina was so happy for Latvian hard candy. They have the real flavor :) Velta said - many, many thank you!
When I was doing the dishes on Wednesday morning pastor gave two more letters from Latvia through the kitchen window! Thank you to Dace and uncle Valdis!!! I loved that Valdis' letter had come through Mexico! A little detour that took a long time... but it finally came.
It is a special joy and excitement when something comes in the mail... something like a mix of Christmas and Birthday... times 10! Big thank you to all senders!
If honestly I'm having a hard time remembering yesterday's events let alone last week's... I have to look in my calendar and diary to understand what happened here.
Easter is gone. We planned to have a service at 5:30AM but it was cancelled due to rain. But I had my own early Easter service when I woke up from thunder, lightning and rain at 2:30am. I had never experienced a thunderstorm at Easter! The rain stopped around breakfast time and we had a meeting at 8:00am as usually on Sundays. Teacher Erlin had prepared a special drama with the older boys with an almost real giant stone at the Jesus' tomb, angel, women, disciples and Jesus himself who rose from the read. Good job!
Secretary Sharon and I went to an Ayoreo village to buy a gift for pastor's granddaughter Liz Daniel on her birthday. But since they didn't sell anything there we borrowed bikes and rode to "porter" - the little shop by Rincon's gates. Opa! I had never had such extreme bike ride before. Mud up to my knees! And I'm not over-exaggerating! of course there were some normal road sections when we rode normally. But we spent a great part of the road splotching through the mud and pushing our bikes. What an adventure. I spent about 10 minutes washing the mud off my legs. The mud is really pungent here, it's not coming off so easily. When I was clean I met my Latvian friends and we went to the little girl's birthday party which took place in her court where also ducks live... oh... how I would love to have a roasted duck... don't worry - I didn't touch them :D Teacher had bought the big speakers with batteries we use for special events on football field and we had really loud Christian children songs in Spanish. There was a huge cake, the famous empanadas and something like a hotdog. The little girl was very excited to do the birthday tradition - stick her face in the cake. Then pastor's monkey came and made a lot of noise. An hour later the celebration was over and everyone returned to their places. Something special happened at night - girls watched "Fireproof" in Spanish. Oh how happy I was to watch a movie I had seen in Latvia... Girls were laughing most of the time though. They laugh about everything.
Then during the week I had my regular responsibilities in school, kitchen and dorms. But on Monday night Ondina, Velta and I had an unusually long, deep and special conversation and prayer about a lot of things. Such a blessing! Then twice I was visited by some Ayoreo craftswomen and I was able to by some unique bracelets, necklaces and even earrings. My friends in Latvia will understand how happy I was for that. This week we received Baptistu Vēstnesis (Baptist newsletter) and Marta un Marija (Baptist women's magazine) from Latvia. Then we three Latvians took turns and read them. And I was surprised to see that there was and article in Marta and Marija about me going to Rincon written by my mom. My dear mom, I read it with tears in my eyes and smile on my face... so special... please save a copy of this issue for me! :) And big thank you to Latvian Baptist union for sending these magazines here every month! We look forward to receive them and read them with great interest!
We also celebrated pastor's son Daniel's birthday. I had the honor to decorate his cake and pour water on him at night... of course, you have to do it when he doesn't expect it :) everyone was very proud of me and said that I quickly learn the local traditions. Daniel said that I should watch out... but he didn't take revenge :D
I finally went to visit boys dorms on Friday night. I usually spend all nights with girls but secretary Sharon had found a DVD player that was successfully connected to the TV and girls had a movie night. They watch the movie and are amazed but my movie is to watch them. Some have so strong emotions just as if they were in the movie themselves. Very exciting how they watch anything on the TV :)
There are evening devotions each night in every dorm. So I went to see how older boys do it. I expected to see very messy and dirty rooms and a lot of noise - like it usually is with 15, 16, 17 and 18 year old boys. When I was about 10 meters before the dorm I thought the boys have left because I didn't see anyone walking and it was so quiet. I walked in I couldn't believe my eyes - ALL 30 boys sit at their tables and are doing their homework in complete silence! I was speechless. I was even more surprised when I walked through their rooms. I had never seen such thing in my life - the rooms very SO perfectly clean that you could turn somersaults in white pants on the floor and your pants wouldn't get dirty. Their clothes and shoes are perfectly clean and in order, beds are made as nicely as in a hotel. I couldn't believe... I felt a bit ashamed of my 60 chicas who are as far from cleanliness and order as I am from Latvia...
Pastor with his wife look after the older boys' dorm. It's one of their 100 duties. They have to spend every night at the dorms. They actually have their own house but they spend all nights with boys. And as I learned later - the boys have to spend an hour each night doing their homework in complete silence. If they don't have any homework to do they have to read The Bible of another book. If they make some noise they get punished. Usually they have to squat or do sit-ups. And it works very well!
Pastor Samuel was leading the devotions. It's a lot shorter than in girls' dorms. There is a song in the beginning, a song in the end, a short Bible passage and pastor's contemplations. When Samuel had finished he turned to me. He said that they have nice and unexpected guests and he asked me to say something. I was surprised because I expected just to sit quietly and listen. But I pulled myself together and told the boys in Spanish why I am here, how God led me here and encouraged them to look for and pray for the right places and things for their lives. And I encouraged them to ask God great things and dream big dreams! God gave me words and I think I was able to speak quite normally.
I returned to my girls in the dorms... and I rushed to tell girls about the cleanliness and order I saw there... They too were shocked... who would have thought that boys in Bolivia are much orderly that girls!
