la Colonia
Just to follow up from the last post - the church service in La Colonia was wonderful. I went there with a nurse from Arizona, Mireya. We went to La Colonia early to play with kids, tell them about Jesus and invite them to church with us.
We sat down, noticing the room off the side of the church where a lot of adults were praying... and then just before the service started, two of the girls we had talked to came to sit by me. :) We sang songs for an hour - some of them I knew, some I could figure out with all the repeating, and others I just listened to and prayed during... at one point I looked over at the little girl next to me and saw her singing with her eyes closed - and my heart moved for her and I couldn't help but smile. After a while I looked at her again, and she was in the same reverent stance, and before thinking, I reached up and put my arm around her, and felt her little arm wrap back around me.
As I looked around, during worship and the message - the church was filled with women and children.. and then I looked behind me to see lots of young men and women... and then I looked outside (this church is only half built...) and saw many men standing outside. Mireya and I caught a ride home - and now I am left with sweet memories, a closeness to the Lord from a Spanish experience, and several mosquito bites. One of my friends has come down with dengue that she caught in La Colonia, and so I pray that I don't get it - as, other than bug spray, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. :/
I have continued to spend a lot of time in La Colonia - doing public health surveys, playing with kids, painting girls' fingernails, talking to them about Jesus, and even having a "Kids Club" today. The Lord really opened doors for us - so that even while were were just beginning to dream up something to do with the kids - we passed someone we knew who had the authority and connections to provide us with the Kindergarden building in La Colonia to use for our time with the kids. Today, Raquel (a medical student volunteer), Mireya, and I (along with my mother) taught the kids about our hearts and having Christ in our hearts... and I still smile as I remember them singing songs like "Cristo me ama". It was so fun to see so many familiar faces at our kids club today!
I have been blessed by developing sweet friendships with Raquel and Mireya, coming to know families in La Colonia, and of course, spending more time with Peggy. This continues to be an incredible experience, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to spend time here!
We sat down, noticing the room off the side of the church where a lot of adults were praying... and then just before the service started, two of the girls we had talked to came to sit by me. :) We sang songs for an hour - some of them I knew, some I could figure out with all the repeating, and others I just listened to and prayed during... at one point I looked over at the little girl next to me and saw her singing with her eyes closed - and my heart moved for her and I couldn't help but smile. After a while I looked at her again, and she was in the same reverent stance, and before thinking, I reached up and put my arm around her, and felt her little arm wrap back around me.
As I looked around, during worship and the message - the church was filled with women and children.. and then I looked behind me to see lots of young men and women... and then I looked outside (this church is only half built...) and saw many men standing outside. Mireya and I caught a ride home - and now I am left with sweet memories, a closeness to the Lord from a Spanish experience, and several mosquito bites. One of my friends has come down with dengue that she caught in La Colonia, and so I pray that I don't get it - as, other than bug spray, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. :/
I have continued to spend a lot of time in La Colonia - doing public health surveys, playing with kids, painting girls' fingernails, talking to them about Jesus, and even having a "Kids Club" today. The Lord really opened doors for us - so that even while were were just beginning to dream up something to do with the kids - we passed someone we knew who had the authority and connections to provide us with the Kindergarden building in La Colonia to use for our time with the kids. Today, Raquel (a medical student volunteer), Mireya, and I (along with my mother) taught the kids about our hearts and having Christ in our hearts... and I still smile as I remember them singing songs like "Cristo me ama". It was so fun to see so many familiar faces at our kids club today!
I have been blessed by developing sweet friendships with Raquel and Mireya, coming to know families in La Colonia, and of course, spending more time with Peggy. This continues to be an incredible experience, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to spend time here!
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