Last Saturday was very dark because it rained all the time. And when I said it rained I didn't mean the sprinkling kind of rain. When it rains here everything gets wet in a second and stays that way for a long time. And when it rains, it gets very dark. I went to kitchen after siesta and looked into one of the girls' rooms. And it was such a sad view... all girls sit there with sad faces. There was supposed to be a parents' meeting today when girls could see their parents but it was canceled due to the rain. Girls were really sad about that and the darkness and wetness deepened the sadness. They saw me and I could see it in their eyes they were begging me to enlighten them somehow! They explained why they are so sad and then they told me they would like to listen to some music. I really understand them. It's hard to stay in good mood in days like these. So I found Velta, got her permission to take her cassette player that runs on batteries and played some Spanish music for girls. They were so excited and started to smile! The jumped out of their beds and ran to me, hugged and thanked me and sat around the table. There was a paper with lyrics and the first one who got this paper sang along all the songs. I couldn't leave this happy place and started to braid their hair, we talked and laughed... and it felt like the room is full of light, even though it had actually become darker outside. And this was one of the moments I would like to put in a little golden frame and add to the gallery of my favorite moments. Girls are so thirsty for love, friendship and time spent together. It's so hard for them to be away from parents and families so long. And Velta doesn't have enough time to spend time with each one of them. So I'm glad that I can find time to be with them. This time has great value!
However the next day - Sunday was full of sunshine even though dangerous looking clouds were walking around. Ondina said that the weather is unpredictable and dangerous but we risked and went on a Sunday walk. We went to the local dam that I had not seen yet. We walked though nice mud, a meadow full of thistles, a cow herd and reached a bamboo and eucalyptus grove. There was a really wonderful view to the so called dam, I wanted to call it a lake. It seemed that we have found the small version of heaven. Under the bamboos were refreshed by a nice breeze that rustled the bamboo leaves and gently pounded their trunks. The water mirrored cumulus clouds. There were some islands in the lake, a million lilies bloomed there and completely peaceful long legged water birds stood there. Horses were walking on the other side of the lake though the jungle. Some tall palms stood there, too. There was a waterfall a bit further. Usually it's just a small brook coming out of the dam but since it had rained so heavy a day before this small brook had grown about 4 times bigger and made quite a view. Ondina and I sat down on a big bamboo trunk that had fallen down and simply enjoyed everything that was around us. What an idyll... it would be my number 1 place where I would take you if you came to visit me. Then we went to another side where Rincon's cows and bulls gave us suspicious looks and sounds. We came to a palm alley that grew into a palm forest. Combined with the mountains in the background and the excellent clouds it made one wonderful view. You just want to praise God in moments like these! When we returned to Rincon's court we saw something special. Velta had found some time to sit down with girls just to be with them. You could hear Bolivian music, Velta was holding an encyclopedia on her lap and a group of girls listened to the information read by Velta with a genuine interest. After each fact you could hear a nice or sometimes funny comment or question. Some were sitting there and sucking the mate tea, others were fixing each other's hair and looking for bugs... and I walked up to them and felt such a beautiful peace, a cloud of comfort. The girls were happy, so was Velta. And I too, of course! This Sunday's light gave me such a nice sleep. I hadn't had it for a long time. I thing I fell asleep in a second and didn't wake up during the night which is very rare!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Ondina's birthday
Oops, I don't have time to write down everything that's been going on anymore. I apologize that I'm not very regular in my messages but I do everything I can!
Ondina's birthday was a week ago but now I finally have time to sit down and write about it. So the first thing in the morning was to give some Latvian treats to my friend. She was very happy. One of her first questions that day was to Velta: When will they give her birthday cake? She wanted to know that because when the birthday person is cutting the cake other pour water on him or her. Velta didn't tell her. when Ondina went to her dentist's office I started to make her a chocolate cake! I finished it in the afternoon and was very happy that I was able to make the cake by myself starting from the dough till the icing :) To Ondina's surprise we didn't greet her during lunch even though she had prepared for it and changed clothes she's ok to get wet in. Even though she didn't get the cake yet, the main water pourer secretary Sharon gave her the first birthday "shower". While they were pouring water on Ondina, a boy rode by on a donkey. Velta called me to see and film the beautiful view. The donkey was small and slow, the boy was tall and his legs almost dragged on the ground. He was very kind and let me not only take a video but also ride the donkey myself. The donkey was very patient, didn't mind my clumsiness :D But he was so slow! He moves forward only if you ask him very kindly. Pastor brought Velta the mail he had picked up the day before. There were some things for me too. I received a parcel from Bazil - from Zanda and Thiago. They sent me a book "Kite runner" and some goodies for my body too. When I started to read the book, it was hard to put it aside and leave the room... Huge Thank you, dears!!! And the other thing I received was my first letter from Latvia, from my dear Svoks. Mom, dad and brother Karlis had written a page each. I was so happy to read it I cried right there in the kitchen. I read it and felt like I was in Latvia a little... Thank you dears!
We finally gave Ondina the cake in the evening and she got another birthday "shower". She was completely wet but happy because everyone had come together for dinner at the same time. Usually we all have only Sunday lunch together, but today everyone came together. Our everyday metal cups were exchanged for glasses. And we had a special drink - local coke with a lot of bubbles. We sang "Compleaños feliz", "showered" Ondina, prayed for her, hugged her and gave kisses. We ate a special birthday meal - lasagna (yuummmmmm) and then was the cake. I love when they have special occasions in Rincon. And I love even more that the birthday girl was so excited. We sat there at the table when everyone else had gone already, ate the last pieces of the cake and she was simply so happy. It is so beautiful! Ondinas joy is definitely contagious :)
After that I had to take cake of the dirty dishes, of course, sell cookies, check teeth and feet of my chicas... and when the lights went out I had such a good feeling. It was one of those days when you know that it was worth to go to the other side of the world :)
Ondina's birthday was a week ago but now I finally have time to sit down and write about it. So the first thing in the morning was to give some Latvian treats to my friend. She was very happy. One of her first questions that day was to Velta: When will they give her birthday cake? She wanted to know that because when the birthday person is cutting the cake other pour water on him or her. Velta didn't tell her. when Ondina went to her dentist's office I started to make her a chocolate cake! I finished it in the afternoon and was very happy that I was able to make the cake by myself starting from the dough till the icing :) To Ondina's surprise we didn't greet her during lunch even though she had prepared for it and changed clothes she's ok to get wet in. Even though she didn't get the cake yet, the main water pourer secretary Sharon gave her the first birthday "shower". While they were pouring water on Ondina, a boy rode by on a donkey. Velta called me to see and film the beautiful view. The donkey was small and slow, the boy was tall and his legs almost dragged on the ground. He was very kind and let me not only take a video but also ride the donkey myself. The donkey was very patient, didn't mind my clumsiness :D But he was so slow! He moves forward only if you ask him very kindly. Pastor brought Velta the mail he had picked up the day before. There were some things for me too. I received a parcel from Bazil - from Zanda and Thiago. They sent me a book "Kite runner" and some goodies for my body too. When I started to read the book, it was hard to put it aside and leave the room... Huge Thank you, dears!!! And the other thing I received was my first letter from Latvia, from my dear Svoks. Mom, dad and brother Karlis had written a page each. I was so happy to read it I cried right there in the kitchen. I read it and felt like I was in Latvia a little... Thank you dears!
We finally gave Ondina the cake in the evening and she got another birthday "shower". She was completely wet but happy because everyone had come together for dinner at the same time. Usually we all have only Sunday lunch together, but today everyone came together. Our everyday metal cups were exchanged for glasses. And we had a special drink - local coke with a lot of bubbles. We sang "Compleaños feliz", "showered" Ondina, prayed for her, hugged her and gave kisses. We ate a special birthday meal - lasagna (yuummmmmm) and then was the cake. I love when they have special occasions in Rincon. And I love even more that the birthday girl was so excited. We sat there at the table when everyone else had gone already, ate the last pieces of the cake and she was simply so happy. It is so beautiful! Ondinas joy is definitely contagious :)
After that I had to take cake of the dirty dishes, of course, sell cookies, check teeth and feet of my chicas... and when the lights went out I had such a good feeling. It was one of those days when you know that it was worth to go to the other side of the world :)
My awesome chiquitas
I've been living with unique, wonderful, beautiful, funny, loud, creative and simply amazing Bolivian girls for more than two months. If someone is still wondering why I always call them chicas then it's because a girl in Spanish is chica. And you hear and use that word here all the time, I'm having a hard time calling them anything but chicas :)
Now I can say that I finally know their names. I'll admit I still mess up sometimes but it's a lot better than in the beginning, when all of them looked the same to me and their names was a mystery. Some of them have normal names such as Margarita, Karolina, Mikaela, Katerine, Erika, Marta, Klara. I learned those quickly. It was harder with names like Flor-Delicia, Anair, Sileya, Hulda-Dalet, Gigliola, Nigdaleny, Aracely, Abisag-Sunamita, Isely-Yuleny, Franziely, Yarelin, Candida, Maralila, Genny-Paola, Bebelin, Consuelo, Edna Len. I really like my curly friend's name Lady Laura :) That's what everyone calls her - sounds so beautiful. And one VERY beautiful girl is called Segunda Isabela. The most interesting part is that "segunda" means "the second". My first question was - Is it because you're the second daughter of your family? :D But no - that's not the reason for her name. She got her name because her grandmother was also called Segunda.
While I'm still talking about names, I'll mention some boy's names: Tito-Israel, Diego-Jesus, Fran-Antonio, Roy-Cirilo, Alan-Jair, Osuin-Rudy, Romel, Jose Raul, Anderley, Edson-Luis etc. Beautiful, isn't it? I heard that it's baby boom in Latvia (and beyond). Well, dear mommies-to-be, here are some good ideas for names :) I think I'll call my daughter Nigdaleny-Yuleny :) And my son will be Osuin-Antonio :D
Back to my chiquitas. Since I can say that I know them pretty well, I can tell something more about them. It would take longer time to get to know them personally but since they have so much in common I can describe them as a whole.
I really love the mornings when they get up late and then it's a common situation that there are 5-6 girls combing their hair at the mirror in the hallway. I don't understand how they can see themselves in the mirror but the result is always flawless - hair is tightly pulled back and tied in a ponytail. It is the most popular hairdo - VERY tight ponytail so that their hair look very sleek :) Some girls are cooler and they have hair gels to make their hair more sleeker. Other use water. So they look like they have wet hair most of the time. When I braid their hair I have to be very strong and make the braid really tight otherwise they think they look tousled. One day one of the chicas saw my hair and rushed to comb my hair because she thought I had tousled hair :D The problem was that my hair wasn't sleek and pulled tightly together.
If we talk about clothes they rotate all the time. They borrow from each other regularly. And it's interesting that the little ones take clothes from the older girls and vice versa. They wash and brush their clothes VERY thoroughly - with a sharp brush. And they brush their clothes so often holes appear in them. And it's very normal that they wear these clothes with holes. Both big and little girls. When they arrived here for the first time it was so sad for me to see their holey clothes during check-up but now I understand the situation a little better. Holes doesn't mean the clothes are very old and worn out, they just have been washed thoroughly.
They are always hungry! You can't give them too much food. It's fantastic to see them by the lunch table. They all sit down, honestly sing the song, say a prayer and as soon as the last letter of "Amen" is said they grab the food bowls and empty them in a second. Even though there is a laddle in every bowl they never wait their turn. They take their own spoons and draw as much as they can :D And then they get really big portions! And then 30 minutes later they approach me and ask me to sell them some cookies :D Those who have some money can by some snacks but many of them don't have any money. So they look for fruit in the trees. They climb the trees, try to knock them down with bamboo sticks and alleviate their eternal hunger. My snack shop is open at certain time. I don't sell them anything after 8:00 PM. Neither do I during afternoon siesta. And then they make puppy faces and tell me how hungry they are but it's not always true. And then I tell them to have some water if they're hungry. They think it's very funny advice. But they have started to use it themselves, they say with irony - Are you hungry? Have some water :D More about my snack business. I return to dorms after the kitchen has been cleaned up, it's around 6:30 PM. They I tell everyone that if they want to buy anything they have to come now of never: Compra aurita o nunca. And then they laugh when I say it. I ring the bid bell (metal tube with a metal stick) and announce it loudly so that everyone hears. And lately, when I enter the dorms some smiling faces await me and they ask me for permission to ring the bell and make the announcement. I allow them, of course. So each night there is someone else saying: Compra aurita o nunca : )
I mentioned once that they love to sing. And they do it powerfully and loudly! A Sundayschool group usually sings a song during Sunday evening service. And then during the following week all girls sing this song, it's their top song then! I have learned some of the songs already. I'll be able to perform in Latvia :D And it's becoming cooler and cooler to learn a song in English. The above mentioned Lady Laura is the most active singer - she knows 6 songs in English. The older girls are asking me to teach them "My Heart will go on", they have this song in Spanish here. I remember the chorus. They ask me to sing it time after time. I'm their radio :) Can anyone post the lyrics in the comments? I never have time to goggle them. (It's a really serious request :) )
It's interesting to watch how they change their "best friends". They always walk around in twos or bigger groups. And usually they hold onto each other tightly or hold their hands. But one day your best friend is Rosalia but the other day it's Wendy Len and so on... I have not figured out yet what causes this friendship change but it happens. Maybe it has to do with ability to borrow something from each other. They are VERY observant - they always notice if anyone has something new or different. If I take something to my room (I have to walk by 5 of 7 rooms in order to get there), all the girls carefully watch what I'm carrying. Some ask what have I got there, some ask if they can have it :) It happens every time I carry a letter or a parcel to my room. They know almost everything about each other. Informations spreads very quickly here through "wireless internet". If anyone has stomachache or they have seen the dentist, if anyone's parent had come to visit ad brought something tasty, if anyone has found some food somewhere, if anyone had a fight with their friend, if anyone got a bad mark and so on - everyone knows it. OK, I'm a little over-exaggerating saying that ALL girls know it, bet there are very few who doesn't know it. They know when I come and when I go. They see me from afar when I come home from school and greet me. And it's become more popular to call me Teacher Liene. When there are serious issues to deal with, I'm Profe Liene, when they simply want to greet me, I'm Teacher Liene. Even the little one have learned it even though they don't take English classes yet. Some girls call me Liene Dientes - they have given me a new last name which means Teeth in Spanish :D That's due to daily tooth check-up at night, of course.
They all are very, very responsive to jokes and laughter. Where you see several girls together, there is laughter. And they laugh about EVERYTHING! Only some of them need a special approach to make them laugh but I have found some ways :) And some of them even have a REALLY good sense of humor. The more my Spanish improves, the more our jokes :)
I wanted to mention some girls. Marina, for example. There was nice moment with her - I go to my room one night, she asks me to stop by her room because she wants to give me something. I wait and she comes out with a small bun. Her mom brought it during the day and she wanted to give it to me. I offered to share it with her because I know how much she would like to eat it but no - she saved it for me. Very, very sweet...
Then I wanted to say something about Mikaela. She was the "cocinera" this week - they main kitchen worker. And I get to spend much time talking, laughing, singing with the girls who have kitchen duty. And one day she and her helper Dalia (a really cool girl with a fantastic personality who makes me laugh all the time) come to me and want to give me a hug :) And they say that we're friends. Mikaela says - I have never had a grown-up girlfriend besides my mom... and that night when we walked to the dorms together Dalia put her hand on my shoulder un started to pray: Thank you God for Teacher Liene. Thank you that she gives us wisdom and helps us speak in English correctly :) So sweet! I wish I could describe Dalia's personality so you could understand completely what she is like... I have never met such person before. Velta says she's very interesting, too. I have not figured out yet if she's joking all the time or that's just the way she is that all her words seam to be jokes... whatever the truth is, it's always very merry to be with her.
When I talk about one girl another comes into my mind that I would like to tell about. I could tell you something special about all 60 of them. But I don't have so much time. There are other events to describe. I'll tell more about my chicas another day :) I sometimes wonder... maybe God is preparing me to have many, many daughters in my family :D If I'll survive with 60 girls them you can entrust me any other number :D
Now I can say that I finally know their names. I'll admit I still mess up sometimes but it's a lot better than in the beginning, when all of them looked the same to me and their names was a mystery. Some of them have normal names such as Margarita, Karolina, Mikaela, Katerine, Erika, Marta, Klara. I learned those quickly. It was harder with names like Flor-Delicia, Anair, Sileya, Hulda-Dalet, Gigliola, Nigdaleny, Aracely, Abisag-Sunamita, Isely-Yuleny, Franziely, Yarelin, Candida, Maralila, Genny-Paola, Bebelin, Consuelo, Edna Len. I really like my curly friend's name Lady Laura :) That's what everyone calls her - sounds so beautiful. And one VERY beautiful girl is called Segunda Isabela. The most interesting part is that "segunda" means "the second". My first question was - Is it because you're the second daughter of your family? :D But no - that's not the reason for her name. She got her name because her grandmother was also called Segunda.
While I'm still talking about names, I'll mention some boy's names: Tito-Israel, Diego-Jesus, Fran-Antonio, Roy-Cirilo, Alan-Jair, Osuin-Rudy, Romel, Jose Raul, Anderley, Edson-Luis etc. Beautiful, isn't it? I heard that it's baby boom in Latvia (and beyond). Well, dear mommies-to-be, here are some good ideas for names :) I think I'll call my daughter Nigdaleny-Yuleny :) And my son will be Osuin-Antonio :D
Back to my chiquitas. Since I can say that I know them pretty well, I can tell something more about them. It would take longer time to get to know them personally but since they have so much in common I can describe them as a whole.
I really love the mornings when they get up late and then it's a common situation that there are 5-6 girls combing their hair at the mirror in the hallway. I don't understand how they can see themselves in the mirror but the result is always flawless - hair is tightly pulled back and tied in a ponytail. It is the most popular hairdo - VERY tight ponytail so that their hair look very sleek :) Some girls are cooler and they have hair gels to make their hair more sleeker. Other use water. So they look like they have wet hair most of the time. When I braid their hair I have to be very strong and make the braid really tight otherwise they think they look tousled. One day one of the chicas saw my hair and rushed to comb my hair because she thought I had tousled hair :D The problem was that my hair wasn't sleek and pulled tightly together.
If we talk about clothes they rotate all the time. They borrow from each other regularly. And it's interesting that the little ones take clothes from the older girls and vice versa. They wash and brush their clothes VERY thoroughly - with a sharp brush. And they brush their clothes so often holes appear in them. And it's very normal that they wear these clothes with holes. Both big and little girls. When they arrived here for the first time it was so sad for me to see their holey clothes during check-up but now I understand the situation a little better. Holes doesn't mean the clothes are very old and worn out, they just have been washed thoroughly.
They are always hungry! You can't give them too much food. It's fantastic to see them by the lunch table. They all sit down, honestly sing the song, say a prayer and as soon as the last letter of "Amen" is said they grab the food bowls and empty them in a second. Even though there is a laddle in every bowl they never wait their turn. They take their own spoons and draw as much as they can :D And then they get really big portions! And then 30 minutes later they approach me and ask me to sell them some cookies :D Those who have some money can by some snacks but many of them don't have any money. So they look for fruit in the trees. They climb the trees, try to knock them down with bamboo sticks and alleviate their eternal hunger. My snack shop is open at certain time. I don't sell them anything after 8:00 PM. Neither do I during afternoon siesta. And then they make puppy faces and tell me how hungry they are but it's not always true. And then I tell them to have some water if they're hungry. They think it's very funny advice. But they have started to use it themselves, they say with irony - Are you hungry? Have some water :D More about my snack business. I return to dorms after the kitchen has been cleaned up, it's around 6:30 PM. They I tell everyone that if they want to buy anything they have to come now of never: Compra aurita o nunca. And then they laugh when I say it. I ring the bid bell (metal tube with a metal stick) and announce it loudly so that everyone hears. And lately, when I enter the dorms some smiling faces await me and they ask me for permission to ring the bell and make the announcement. I allow them, of course. So each night there is someone else saying: Compra aurita o nunca : )
I mentioned once that they love to sing. And they do it powerfully and loudly! A Sundayschool group usually sings a song during Sunday evening service. And then during the following week all girls sing this song, it's their top song then! I have learned some of the songs already. I'll be able to perform in Latvia :D And it's becoming cooler and cooler to learn a song in English. The above mentioned Lady Laura is the most active singer - she knows 6 songs in English. The older girls are asking me to teach them "My Heart will go on", they have this song in Spanish here. I remember the chorus. They ask me to sing it time after time. I'm their radio :) Can anyone post the lyrics in the comments? I never have time to goggle them. (It's a really serious request :) )
It's interesting to watch how they change their "best friends". They always walk around in twos or bigger groups. And usually they hold onto each other tightly or hold their hands. But one day your best friend is Rosalia but the other day it's Wendy Len and so on... I have not figured out yet what causes this friendship change but it happens. Maybe it has to do with ability to borrow something from each other. They are VERY observant - they always notice if anyone has something new or different. If I take something to my room (I have to walk by 5 of 7 rooms in order to get there), all the girls carefully watch what I'm carrying. Some ask what have I got there, some ask if they can have it :) It happens every time I carry a letter or a parcel to my room. They know almost everything about each other. Informations spreads very quickly here through "wireless internet". If anyone has stomachache or they have seen the dentist, if anyone's parent had come to visit ad brought something tasty, if anyone has found some food somewhere, if anyone had a fight with their friend, if anyone got a bad mark and so on - everyone knows it. OK, I'm a little over-exaggerating saying that ALL girls know it, bet there are very few who doesn't know it. They know when I come and when I go. They see me from afar when I come home from school and greet me. And it's become more popular to call me Teacher Liene. When there are serious issues to deal with, I'm Profe Liene, when they simply want to greet me, I'm Teacher Liene. Even the little one have learned it even though they don't take English classes yet. Some girls call me Liene Dientes - they have given me a new last name which means Teeth in Spanish :D That's due to daily tooth check-up at night, of course.
They all are very, very responsive to jokes and laughter. Where you see several girls together, there is laughter. And they laugh about EVERYTHING! Only some of them need a special approach to make them laugh but I have found some ways :) And some of them even have a REALLY good sense of humor. The more my Spanish improves, the more our jokes :)
I wanted to mention some girls. Marina, for example. There was nice moment with her - I go to my room one night, she asks me to stop by her room because she wants to give me something. I wait and she comes out with a small bun. Her mom brought it during the day and she wanted to give it to me. I offered to share it with her because I know how much she would like to eat it but no - she saved it for me. Very, very sweet...
Then I wanted to say something about Mikaela. She was the "cocinera" this week - they main kitchen worker. And I get to spend much time talking, laughing, singing with the girls who have kitchen duty. And one day she and her helper Dalia (a really cool girl with a fantastic personality who makes me laugh all the time) come to me and want to give me a hug :) And they say that we're friends. Mikaela says - I have never had a grown-up girlfriend besides my mom... and that night when we walked to the dorms together Dalia put her hand on my shoulder un started to pray: Thank you God for Teacher Liene. Thank you that she gives us wisdom and helps us speak in English correctly :) So sweet! I wish I could describe Dalia's personality so you could understand completely what she is like... I have never met such person before. Velta says she's very interesting, too. I have not figured out yet if she's joking all the time or that's just the way she is that all her words seam to be jokes... whatever the truth is, it's always very merry to be with her.
When I talk about one girl another comes into my mind that I would like to tell about. I could tell you something special about all 60 of them. But I don't have so much time. There are other events to describe. I'll tell more about my chicas another day :) I sometimes wonder... maybe God is preparing me to have many, many daughters in my family :D If I'll survive with 60 girls them you can entrust me any other number :D
Thursday, April 7, 2011
End of March
I'm writing this on Sunday (March 27). Ondina and I went for a walk after lunch. Wonderful! We went to see Rincon cemetery. It was so interesting to read Latvian names on almost every cross and tomb stone... just think about it - I'm on the other side of the world but there is a small Latvia here... so we went to the very end of the airfield where the jungle start. We took a walk along a path in the jungle and came back home. Sun was hot, mosquitoes and other insect attacked us like crazy. One went into Ondina's throat. An Ayoreo passed us, he carried an ax and knife. I guess he went hunting. We found interesting bones, a huge bird's beak, different animal caves, ant hills in the trees. We passed a bamboo bosquet... the wind was blowing in such a way that I felt like I was in a birch bosquet when I closed my eyes. Ondina commented the cloud situation in the sky. And we managed to return home exactly when the thunder started to roar. Only when I walk outside the Rincon center I start to really believe that I'm in the middle of Bolivian jungle. Otherwise I feel different, more civilized... a little :) Thank you to my friend Ondina for this precious walk. She has some other routes in mind, we'll take those on other Sundays.
If we speak about Ondina, I would like to mention the sweet words she told me today. When I came to Rincon a time of celebration started for her... because the daily schedule and business did what it did... I had managed to give some colors to mundane routines. And she said that when the time comes for me to leave she will tie me to a table so that I can't leave :D He he... I told her that in that case I will leave together with the table :D Oh my dear Ondina... one day last week she let me be a dentist. I had a real patient and I could try some of her devices. You know - at the dentist's office you just stare at those things they put in your mouth but you never get to hold those things. So I was very excited to do it. And I think I could fill a small hole :D Who would like to be my first patient?
Do you remember, I asked you to pray for the Brazilian couple who look after the boys dorms? The wife Fatima felt very bad emotionally and spiritually because they had so many difficulties. She started to fast - didn't eat anything, just had water. And she told God that she will eat again only when He gives a clear answer that they really need to be here. She prayed and fasted for 4 days. Her husband came to the meals very slowly and had a sad face. We worried about the so much. But on the fifth day they returned and they were smiling. God had answered! They will stay here till the end :) Thank God! And they really need your prayers. It's not easy. But God is with them!
Then I would like to say that I have a new duty. I managed to take on out of Velta's hands :) She always has some snacks in her room that girls can buy for few coins. You know - they're still growing and they really want to have something sweet. Meals are always very simple without any extras. So Velta didn't ever get a free evening because girls came to her room to buy come candy or cookies. Now the trade takes place in my room! I'm a saleswoman :) We're talking about a very small retail sale, of course, but anyway it's something new for me :) So now I have several girls in my room every evening who always carefully look at everything there is in my room :) Saturdays are my days off :D
Speaking about the insects - there is a new one. I was so surprised again. Another mix. The body was like cockroaches', but it FLIES! And the rear legs were like grasshopper's. Who knows how that could happen :D And it makes me sick when he moves his whiskers. Especially when he lands on my pillow next to my head. And cockroaches keep living in my closet :( And it might sound weird but I keep comparing them to my 60 chiquitas. The similarity is this - when it gets dark at night then you neither see or hear them. Bet when you turn on your flash light you learn that many hang out there. My girls do that sometimes. They go outside and look at the stars and moon, they talk and suck their mate tea. And I always have to lead them back to their rooms. I don't lead the cockroaches back to the closet though, I kill them. I can kill baby cockroaches with my bare hands. You get used to it.
Then it's interesting to me that EVERYTHING grows moldy here. I was shocked to find out that some of the clothes I hadn't worn for a while had mold on them them. My leather shoes grow moldy, my Bolivian money grows moldy, so does every fruit that stays in my room for more than a day. The humidity affects everything. Now I understand why many keep their belongings in plastic bags...
I made banana jam yesterday :) I stood by a big, HOT stove for 2.5 hours stirring that yummy thing. Can you imagine that feeling - you're hot already and you have to stand by a stove... but you cant leave it, because if you don't stir it, it get's black. Have you ever made banana jam? VERY tasty!!!!! And banana sandwiches are great too. Who could have imagined that I would grow to love bananas...
Something cool happened last night. I walked into one of the girl's room. They were really tired. We started to talk. They asked me how did I decided to come here. Then I started to tell how it all happened. It was so interesting to remember all that, I hadn't thought about it at all here. So I talked and talked... and at one point I was thunderstruck by the fact that I really can tell the whole story in Spanish. And the girls listened so carefully and nodded to give me message that they understood. And I got so excited that I'm able to tell a story in Spanish. Usually I don't talk for a long time in Spanish. Just a sentence here and there. Turns out I can :) And this conversation with the girls was so great because I was able to tell them that God loves out big dreams, he loves that we pray in faith... and some other things :) And this conversation became a great "draft" for a conversation I had at the breakfast table this morning. Two doctor's had come to eat, they're here to treat the local people. They asked me how I got here. And then I had a great chance to tell them! Praise God that he gives me enough wisdom to put together logical Spanish sentences. Sometimes I feel that I put words together in wrong order. But they understand me somehow :)
Before I finish I wanted to share an idea. Maybe you, dear Latvians, could do something nice. You could get a nice postcard of Latvia and send it to the same address where you send letters to me but write there cards for my friends Velta and Ondina. A greeting from Latvia would be something VERY special to them. Just write that you pray for Rincon, that you keep them in your thoughts and support them morally. It would make them very, very happy! So, their names are: Velta Kagis and Ondina Kremplina! If you could do that, it would be really excellent! Thank you! And seams like I will be flying to Corumba next week! Yes!! May God bless you abundantly! As much as He blesses me!
If we speak about Ondina, I would like to mention the sweet words she told me today. When I came to Rincon a time of celebration started for her... because the daily schedule and business did what it did... I had managed to give some colors to mundane routines. And she said that when the time comes for me to leave she will tie me to a table so that I can't leave :D He he... I told her that in that case I will leave together with the table :D Oh my dear Ondina... one day last week she let me be a dentist. I had a real patient and I could try some of her devices. You know - at the dentist's office you just stare at those things they put in your mouth but you never get to hold those things. So I was very excited to do it. And I think I could fill a small hole :D Who would like to be my first patient?
Do you remember, I asked you to pray for the Brazilian couple who look after the boys dorms? The wife Fatima felt very bad emotionally and spiritually because they had so many difficulties. She started to fast - didn't eat anything, just had water. And she told God that she will eat again only when He gives a clear answer that they really need to be here. She prayed and fasted for 4 days. Her husband came to the meals very slowly and had a sad face. We worried about the so much. But on the fifth day they returned and they were smiling. God had answered! They will stay here till the end :) Thank God! And they really need your prayers. It's not easy. But God is with them!
Then I would like to say that I have a new duty. I managed to take on out of Velta's hands :) She always has some snacks in her room that girls can buy for few coins. You know - they're still growing and they really want to have something sweet. Meals are always very simple without any extras. So Velta didn't ever get a free evening because girls came to her room to buy come candy or cookies. Now the trade takes place in my room! I'm a saleswoman :) We're talking about a very small retail sale, of course, but anyway it's something new for me :) So now I have several girls in my room every evening who always carefully look at everything there is in my room :) Saturdays are my days off :D
Speaking about the insects - there is a new one. I was so surprised again. Another mix. The body was like cockroaches', but it FLIES! And the rear legs were like grasshopper's. Who knows how that could happen :D And it makes me sick when he moves his whiskers. Especially when he lands on my pillow next to my head. And cockroaches keep living in my closet :( And it might sound weird but I keep comparing them to my 60 chiquitas. The similarity is this - when it gets dark at night then you neither see or hear them. Bet when you turn on your flash light you learn that many hang out there. My girls do that sometimes. They go outside and look at the stars and moon, they talk and suck their mate tea. And I always have to lead them back to their rooms. I don't lead the cockroaches back to the closet though, I kill them. I can kill baby cockroaches with my bare hands. You get used to it.
Then it's interesting to me that EVERYTHING grows moldy here. I was shocked to find out that some of the clothes I hadn't worn for a while had mold on them them. My leather shoes grow moldy, my Bolivian money grows moldy, so does every fruit that stays in my room for more than a day. The humidity affects everything. Now I understand why many keep their belongings in plastic bags...
I made banana jam yesterday :) I stood by a big, HOT stove for 2.5 hours stirring that yummy thing. Can you imagine that feeling - you're hot already and you have to stand by a stove... but you cant leave it, because if you don't stir it, it get's black. Have you ever made banana jam? VERY tasty!!!!! And banana sandwiches are great too. Who could have imagined that I would grow to love bananas...
Something cool happened last night. I walked into one of the girl's room. They were really tired. We started to talk. They asked me how did I decided to come here. Then I started to tell how it all happened. It was so interesting to remember all that, I hadn't thought about it at all here. So I talked and talked... and at one point I was thunderstruck by the fact that I really can tell the whole story in Spanish. And the girls listened so carefully and nodded to give me message that they understood. And I got so excited that I'm able to tell a story in Spanish. Usually I don't talk for a long time in Spanish. Just a sentence here and there. Turns out I can :) And this conversation with the girls was so great because I was able to tell them that God loves out big dreams, he loves that we pray in faith... and some other things :) And this conversation became a great "draft" for a conversation I had at the breakfast table this morning. Two doctor's had come to eat, they're here to treat the local people. They asked me how I got here. And then I had a great chance to tell them! Praise God that he gives me enough wisdom to put together logical Spanish sentences. Sometimes I feel that I put words together in wrong order. But they understand me somehow :)
Before I finish I wanted to share an idea. Maybe you, dear Latvians, could do something nice. You could get a nice postcard of Latvia and send it to the same address where you send letters to me but write there cards for my friends Velta and Ondina. A greeting from Latvia would be something VERY special to them. Just write that you pray for Rincon, that you keep them in your thoughts and support them morally. It would make them very, very happy! So, their names are: Velta Kagis and Ondina Kremplina! If you could do that, it would be really excellent! Thank you! And seams like I will be flying to Corumba next week! Yes!! May God bless you abundantly! As much as He blesses me!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Thank you!
My dear supporters! I wanted to say thank you from all my heart that you are with me! I can't even put into words how much I appreciate your prayers. I know that God really listens. The heat I was afraid of before I came here is not so bad after all. Physical tiredness quickly goes away and new strength arrives so I can continue to do everything that I need to do. My Spanish is getting more and more fluent. English classes at school are starting to show some results. My health is great! My flesh has suffered though, I have an ulcer on my arm because I burned my arm when I made banana jam, and I got a raw spot on one of my fingers after doing laundry (manually), another finger has a cut by knife, my legs are sunburned and the mosquito bites have become big and itchy... that's not the nicest view, I use a white ointment on the bites... but that's not important. I will not be able to take my flesh to heaven after all. The most important thing is that God renews the inner being again and again. And there are some other things I asked you to pray for in Latvia that are being answered. Sometimes I get emotionally tired but I believe that it's temporarily and humanly...
And I wanted to thank those who came to my goodbye party in Riga. And thank you so much that you wrote me letters that I can open here on certain dates. For some letters the due date has arrived and that's a great joy! The first one was from Eliza, I opened it when I had been in Rincon for a month. She wrote golden words there - that she would fit here very well and that we could handle those "indians" with double power :) I loved the first sentence from my little brother: You are crazy :D And I was very encouraged by his drawing - four sacks. Each one of them had a label on them, they are thigs my brother thought I'd need here: Patience, Peace, Heart to share and Joy. EXACTLY!!! It's what I needed. I had to open his teller on March 12 which is his birthday. March 16 was Ansis' birthday and he, too, wanted me to read a letter on his birthday. He asked me to sing him a Happy Birthday song in Spanish. Ansis, I did it! I didn't sing it VERY loudly, but I sang it :) Valters wanted me to open his letter in his birthday too :D (I love that the boys have a similar logic!) He really enlightened me with a drawing where you can see Liene with a spear and next to her lies a wild pig that she had killed :D Well... there are pigs here... the Ayoreos have different weapons, too... I guess I should start to hunt. Thank you to Inguna for awesome lines of poetry:
My dear, beautiful Liene
Even in Bolivia you are not alone!
And when a day goes by,
You're not standing like a wall.
You don't get tired doing good works.
The big, the small, the tall, the short,
May God let you hug them all.
I can't wait to open the other letters! Oh, and then I was excited to read a letter I, Sandra and Agrita wrote FIVE years ago. That was so interesting... I encourage you to write letters to yourself in future! In five years it will very interesting to read them.
Letters definitely rule! I can't wait for Tuesday to come. I hope pastor will have time to go to the post office again. I'd like to hope that something is waiting for me there... :) Thank you!
And I wanted to thank those who came to my goodbye party in Riga. And thank you so much that you wrote me letters that I can open here on certain dates. For some letters the due date has arrived and that's a great joy! The first one was from Eliza, I opened it when I had been in Rincon for a month. She wrote golden words there - that she would fit here very well and that we could handle those "indians" with double power :) I loved the first sentence from my little brother: You are crazy :D And I was very encouraged by his drawing - four sacks. Each one of them had a label on them, they are thigs my brother thought I'd need here: Patience, Peace, Heart to share and Joy. EXACTLY!!! It's what I needed. I had to open his teller on March 12 which is his birthday. March 16 was Ansis' birthday and he, too, wanted me to read a letter on his birthday. He asked me to sing him a Happy Birthday song in Spanish. Ansis, I did it! I didn't sing it VERY loudly, but I sang it :) Valters wanted me to open his letter in his birthday too :D (I love that the boys have a similar logic!) He really enlightened me with a drawing where you can see Liene with a spear and next to her lies a wild pig that she had killed :D Well... there are pigs here... the Ayoreos have different weapons, too... I guess I should start to hunt. Thank you to Inguna for awesome lines of poetry:
My dear, beautiful Liene
Even in Bolivia you are not alone!
And when a day goes by,
You're not standing like a wall.
You don't get tired doing good works.
The big, the small, the tall, the short,
May God let you hug them all.
I can't wait to open the other letters! Oh, and then I was excited to read a letter I, Sandra and Agrita wrote FIVE years ago. That was so interesting... I encourage you to write letters to yourself in future! In five years it will very interesting to read them.
Letters definitely rule! I can't wait for Tuesday to come. I hope pastor will have time to go to the post office again. I'd like to hope that something is waiting for me there... :) Thank you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)