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| Trader Joe's is coming to NYC!!!!!
YAY!!!!!!!!
It opens March 17 in Union Square. CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  | | |
| Thank goodness the MTA strike is coming to an end!!!!! I skipped work the first day of the strike, but then got so bored staying at home all day (and realized how much $$ I would be losing by staying home from work) that I decided to go into work the next day. In the morning I caught a cab into manhattan and then walked from 59th/2nd Ave. to 39th St/7th Ave to work. Yahoo maps calculates that it's almost 2 miles. That walk wasn't bad.
BUT...I walked home yesterday after work b/c I couldn't figure out another way home (hehe, and I wanted to see if I could really do it). So, I think it roughly took me 2 hours to walk home...about 40 min. from work to the Queensboro Bridge, 40 min. crossing the bridge into Queens, and 40 min. walking home from the bridge into Astoria. It was good exercise, but I don't know if I'm looking forward to the walk home tonight. :( Plus, it was COLD out (maybe 25 degrees?)...by the end of the night I couldn't really feel my butt anymore.
So, how long was the walk? About 4.8 miles according to Yahoo maps. Well, at least it's a good workout! I need it after all the junk I've eaten b/c of the holidays!
The strike is over, but the trains won't be running for another couple of hours. Looks like I better be starting on my journey home...on foot. :( | | |
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Finally here is my complete update!
(Brace yourself, this is LONG!)
Highlights from Project Guatemala
Day 1: Sunday, Nov. 6
• Almost missed our 1st flight to Miami, and then our connecting flight to Guatemala. Praying like crazy as we ran to our gates!
• Ate the Guatemalan equivalent to KFC: Pollo Campero. Good stuff! Saw a guard at the front door carrying a rifle and a blank stare.
• Met and talked with one of the missionaries, Ed Eddington. Went to his house and met his family. Heard his story of how God called him and his family to Guatemala.
• Met Deb Carey and her 2 children, Eric and Lauren. Deb made us these amazing chocolate chip cookies and served us Guatemalan coffee. This was the beginning of my addiction to this rich, black liquid over the duration of my trip.
• Met Mauricio and Karina Aldana, the local missionaries for AGAPE (the aviation ministry that flies to rural areas of Guatemala to equip and train the local church leaders). • Ate at an authentic Guatemalan restaurant with the Aldana’s and feebly attempted to speak broken spanish. Luckily, Mauricio and Karina can speak English! Phew!
• Said goodbye to my fellow teammates Cal, Steve and Ken as we parted ways to work on our different projects for a few days.
• Spent the night at the Carey residence, a beautiful house with an enormous garden out front. I wasn’t quite “roughing it” as I thought I would be!
Day 2: Monday, Nov. 7
• Spent the day in the HOPE Bible Mission (HBM) office working with Mauricio on finishing up the handbook for the camp. Also started some logo sketches for AGAPE.
• Got to talk to Mauricio more about the Guatemalan culture and why he feels led to work with the youth of his country.
• Had a nice long lunch with Deb and heard about how God called her and Rick to give up their life in the U.S. and bring their family over to Guatemala.
• Visited the school that Rick and Deb’s kids attend. I was surprised at how much it was like an American private school, and how it maintained a close knit community.
• Had dinner with Deb, the kids, Steve, Ken, Anthony (a missionary from Michigan who is a pilot with AGAPE) and his father. Deb once again outdid herself with a delicious spaghetti and meatballs meal.Yum!
Day 3: Tuesday, Nov. 8
• Worked in the HBM office designing the camp handbook, a logo, and a brochure for AGAPE.
• Heard from Deb that Ken got sick, and immediately posted on my xanga that he wasn’t feeling well. (The next day he said he was feeling much better, which he said was unusual since he usually takes a longer time to recover. I attribute it to all you praying for him!)
• Enjoyed a delicious homemade meal prepared by Karina, Mauricio’s wife. She cooked a popular Guatemalan dish called Jocón served with tortillas, and for dessert she served rellenitos de platanos and tamalitos topped with sweet butter cream. Incredible!!! :)
• Went to the airport to pick up Rick, Jeany and Deb’s father.
• Spent the night at Semilla, a Christian hostel run by a missionary named Chris who also came from the U.S. It was encouraging to see that his ministry was to serve and provide shelter for other missionaries.
Day 4: Wednesday, Nov.9
• Jeany and I enjoyed an amazing traditional breakfast at Semilla consisting of a sunnyside up egg with salsa, black beans with cream, a slice of cheese, fresh watermelon, a sugar biscuit, orange juice, coffee and...tortillas!!! Yes! My stomach was enjoying its time in Guatemala!
• Rick picked us up and drove Ken, Jeany and I to AGAPE’s hangar at the airport. This is where AGAPE flies and keeps its planes. Ken and I got to pretend we were flying in one of the planes, since we weren’t going to get the opportunity to during our stay.
• Went back to the office and continued work on the logo and brochure.
• At night, Rick took Ken, Jeany and I (Steve was busy finishing work on the computer network, Cal was still in La Perla) to the SoHo of Guatemala City. There we had Spanish tapas and French crepes!
Day 5: Thursday, Nov.10
• Another amazing breakfast at Semilla! (Eggs with tomatoes, black beans and cream, cheese, a sweet porridge-like beverage, fresh pineapple and watermelon, fresh papaya juice, coffee, and...tortillas!!!)
• Reunited with Steve and Cal – the whole team was together again!
• Had a beautiful outdoor lunch with Deb, her father (Opa), and the team. Deb once again cooked a delicious meal! Rice casserole, green beans with carrots, salad, and lemonade. It was a gorgeous day!
• Rick drove us to Antigua, the country’s old capital city. There we took a billion pictures of the city’s ruins and fiercely bargained at the open market.
• After having dinner in Antigua, we went back to get ready for the camp and then went to Rick’s church, Centro Biblico El Camino (CEBIELCA), to meet the rest of the counselors/staff.
• Met the team from CEBIELCA, and found out only a few of them spoke fluent English. I think I was the only one out of the five of us that spoke Spanish (took it in H.S., but prior to this trip I wouldn’t even consider what I spoke Spanish!).
• We met together to go over the schedule of the camp and our roles for the weekend.
• Spent the night at the church sleeping in the nursery on baby mattresses and covered by a thin blanket.
Day 6, Friday, Nov. 11
• Woke up at 4:30 AM to get ready to leave the church at 5AM for Cobán, where the camp was.
• Drifted in and out of sleep in the car, until I found out the reason we kept stopping at gas stations was because we had a flat tire!
• Once the flat tire was changed, they discovered oil leaking from the car. After dropping off the car at a random mechanic along the way, we piled into the 2 cars and made our way to the camp. Mauricio and Pablo stayed behind to wait for the car to be fixed and would later meet us up at the camp.
• Driving to the camp, I was in awe of the breathtaking countryside of Guatemala. The lush green hills, the tropical vegetation, even the local folk walking along the highway from town to town, were a beautiful sight to me!
• Arrived at Camp Chichoj, one of the most incredible camp sites I’ve ever been to! Living in New York City, I had forgotten what nature looked like! It reminded me of Gilligan’s Island, actually!
• It started to pour soon after we got to the camp. We played card games with the CEBIELCA team and got to know them a little better. I felt bad for those who spoke English because they had to keep translating everything for us.
• The youth (ranging from 14–24 yrs old) had left early that morning from their home in Flor del Norte at 6AM. Flor del Norte is a region that has a more rural lifestyle. Most of the people there are only educated up until elementary school and then they go work in either the coffee or fruit fields. Most will marry young and stay in Flor del Norte their whole lives and never experience city life. The purpose of the youth camp was to give them further biblical training since churches in the rural areas do not have the opportunity for proper biblical training.
• Expected the youth around 6PM, but because of heavy rains, there was flooding on some of the roads. We found out that they were going to be delayed a few hours because of the flooding. We were told they were coming in around 8PM.
• Around 9PM, we had not heard from the driver and we had no idea where the kids were. We started to get anxious, but Mauricio went into town to look for their car. We decided to eat dinner without them since we didn’t know when they were coming in.
• Mauricio came back after searching for the truck all over the city. We all became worried since there was no sign of them, and we had not heard anything from them since 6PM. We all gathered together to pray for the youth and for God to deliver them safely.
• Prayed for the youth in 2 languages. Even though we could not understand what the team from CEBIELCA was saying, it was powerful to pray with one heart and mind knowing that our God can hear our prayers in whatever language we speak.
• Decided to go to bed around midnight. As we were about to go to sleep, the truck filled with the campers arrived! Praise God!
• A 5-passenger pick up truck pulls into the camp with 30 people piled inside! After being on the road for 18 hours, I thought the youth would be tired and cranky, but instead they were joyful and smiling, happy to be at the camp.
• A late night dinner for the campers, and then off to bed.
Day 7, Saturday, Nov. 12
• Woke up around 6:30AM to the sound of chattering in Spanish. Since no one in my cabin spoke a word of English, not even my cabin co-leader, I felt awkward and useless. What could I say to these girls? I couldn’t even form sentences in Spanish! I sat there on my bunk bed, completely silent.
• Was encouraged by my co-leader, Stephanie, to say something to the girls. I said to her, “Pero, yo no hablo español.” (But, I don’t speak spanish). She told me that was ok and I should at least try. Even if all I said to them was that I couldn’t speak spanish, at least I would’ve talked to them.
• Made an effort to get to know the girls by bribing them with gum and asking their names and ages. The ice was broken and they warmed up to me.
• Participated in various team games, came up with a team name and cheer (Las Fantásticas), and sat in on an all-Spanish bible study.
• Played soccer for the first time in my life. Those Guatemalan girls are hard core! Some were playing soccer and basketball barefoot!
• Had multiple conversations in Spanish that ended in confusion or a look of puzzlement.
• Tortillas galore! Breakfast, lunch and dinner!
• Coffee with no milk...would only do it with Guatemalan coffee!
• Friendships were built despite language barriers.
• Taught “Jesus Loves Me” to the youth in English. Then they taught us (los chinos) the song in Spanish.
• Played Sardines in the dark.
• Gathered around a campfire, roasted marshmallows and heard testimonies from 2 of the counselors from CEBIELCA and Calvin.
• Exhausted...time for bed! Sang “Jesus Loves Me” with my girls as we drifted off to sleep.
Day 8, Sunday, Nov.13
• Last day of camp. Felt like we knew the youth much longer than a day and a half.
• Large group picture. Silly group picture. Camp slideshow.
• Took a million pictures with the girls in my cabin. Wished we could’ve had more time with them.
• All 30 youth (including the driver and his family) piled into the 5-passenger pick-up truck and awaited their 12 hour trip back home.
• Sad farewells.
• Drove back home to the city with the team from CEBIELCA. We all had a great weekend, bonding with the campers and each other.
• Ate at a restaurant that reminded me of the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse at Disneyland, and devoured Kakick (a traditional Guatemalan turkey soup). Delish!
• Had fun playing cards at the table and joking around with each other.
• Went back to the church, Rick picked us up there and drove us to Semilla. Said our goodbyes to Deb and to all the friends we made from CEBIELCA.
• Ate our last authentic meal in Guatemala. Goodbye little tortillas and fresh fruit juice!
• Spent our last night at Semilla.
Day 9, Monday, Nov. 14
• Woke up at 4:30AM to catch our flight at 7:40AM.
• Had one last meal with Rick and Jeany at the airport and said our farewells.
• Goodbye Guatemala, hello NYC!
What I learned:
• Guatemalans know how to eat well! Haha, but seriously...
• The Power of Prayer: God providing the exact number of sponsors for each of the kids attending the camp. God’s provision in delivering us safely and on time to Guatemala. The immediate healing of Ken when he got sick. God delivering the kids safely right after we prayed for them. Everything going smoothly and according to plan.
• The lifestyles of long term missionaries: How possible, how feasible it is to live in another country and serve God. How He provides. How it’s not THAT big of a sacrifice, especially if God gives you the heart to serve those people. That became a reality to me.
• We don’t have to be serving in another country to be a missionary: The Lord helped me to see that I’ve been glamorizing missions. Working in the HBM office made me see that I can be missionary right where He has placed me. I wasn’t doing the “exciting” missions work I had imagined, but it helped me to see I can serve him through the daily work I do.
• God can use us even when we don’t think we have anything to offer: The language barrier made things difficult. I had a hard heart and a bad attitude. He taught me to make the effort, give my all and let Him use me.
• Actions speak louder than words – especially when you have no words to speak!
• Lastly, I was humbled by the people (the youth, the team from CEBIELCA, the missionaries). Their warmth, their appreciation of our presence there, their hearts and attitudes – they were completely filled with love and passion for God.
stay tuned...
**i'll be posting my pics soon**
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| So, since I have so much free time at work, I thought I'd "reflect" a little on my Guatemala experience. (note: A more extensive update will be coming soon). I do have pics, but they are on my computer at home, so expect them later on.
WELL...I came back home on Monday, and I must say that I had to let the experience kind of sink in for a few days. I think talking with some of my team members also helped me process the whole trip. Where do I start? Hmmm...first of all I have to say that it was quite a trip. I think things went so smoothly only because our team and trip were covered in prayer. Not neccessarily by our own prayers, but the prayers of you guys, our friends and family! It was a memorable experience, one where I think God showed me a lot. It wasn't what I expected it to be, but then again, it never is. God has a way of taking your expectations and throwing them out the window and showing you something you didn't think you would learn, but needed to.
The first few days of the trip were spent in the H.O.P.E./A.G.A.P.E. office helping to design the program for the youth camp we would be helping with during the second part of the trip, and designing a logo and brochure (still in the works) for A.G.A.P.E. I got a chance to talk with the missionaries working in Guatemala (both local Guatemalans and transplants from the U.S.) and got a taste of their daily lives. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to work amongst the local people, doing more hands on work (the exciting stuff!), but instead was sitting in an office and doing something I do at work everyday...designing. But, I think God was showing me something different. He helped me see the long term aspect of missions. I got to observe the lives of the missionaries, got to talk with them about the work they do, and experienced the "less exciting" everyday parts of their jobs. For the first time, I could imagine what it would be like to live and work as a missionary in another country...long term. And it helped me realize also, that you don't need to be living in another country to be a missionary. You can be one right where you are. I was doing what I do everyday, but in another country. I don't have to be in a foreign land to do missions, I can serve the helpless, the needy, the unsaved where God has placed me now.
Hehe, those are just some of my thoughts from the first part of the trip. The second part (el campamento) with the youth is...
TO BE CONTINUED...  | | |
| please pray for ken, he's sick. I think he accidentally drank some tap water when he was brushing his teeth and now he hasn't been feeling well at all. I don't think it's serious, but please pray that he recovers quickly.
other than that, jeany and rick are coming in tonight. I don't know how calvin is doing, haven't heard from him, but I talked with the pilot he's working with, and he didn't say anything was wrong, so I'm assuming everything's ok. steve and ken were working on the computer network again today, but ken went home sick and steve had to stay after hours to finish up some work. I was working on the camp program and a logo for AGAPE. We finished the camp program and it's ready to be printed and bound.
It's been encouraging and eye opening for me to talk with the missionaries here. I'm discovering that it's not so hard to live in a 3rd world country. From observing Deb and her family, she still has some of the luxuries she had back in the states (baking chocolate chip cookies, modern appliances, a good school system for her kids, a tight christian community). But it's also opened my eyes to how I can serve right where I am too. People need God everywhere, and I don't necessarily need to go to another country to serve him. If I wanted to work with women and children, I could do it in NYC. So what is stopping me? Well, these are just some thoughts I've had recently. I don't know what I want to do, but I'm at least exploring...
ok, that's it for now... | | |
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