Poco a Poco

I´m having a hard time knowing what exactly to write on here, so please bear with me! (And if you have a request/idea of what people would like, let me know!)

We´ve officially been in-country a month and on our own for over half of that. I think everyone is really starting to get the hang of our schedules and getting an idea of how our Ecua-lives are going to be :) A few general observations:
--Thank the Lord I am a deep sleeper. Nights are filled with confused roosters, guard whistles, water truck horns and dogs barking with blaring music from our neighbors starting around 6am.
--A new cuisine. Fresh fruits and veggies abound with freshly baked bread from panaderias. Rice and lentils are staples with eggs occasionally. We buy our food daily and typically spend 5-7 dollars for the six of us.
--Watch the road! Driving on the same side is about where the similarities seem to end. There often are not marked lanes, buses drive like compact cars and it isn´t irregular to make a left turn from the right lane or visa versa. Basically, driving is always an adventure!

A little more specific:
Community life is under way and I am loving it! We cook dinners in pairs, which has been a fun learning experience. We´ve had everything from the typical rice and beans to pesto veggie pizza bread, all made from scratch :) Our dinner conversations range from the pillars of Rostro to our days, serious to crying from laughter. Our house is full of characters! We have daily prayer (a reflection on that to come) and awesome Community and Spirituality nights. We´ve played UNO, written bucket lists, reflected on where our walks with God have been and where He was with us that day. We have house jobs (I´m the CFO, wahoo! Haha) and a chore wheel to keep the house livable :) We are all starting to learn how each other works and realizing we still have a lot more to figure out! As long as we stay centered on Christ, we´ll get there poco a poco. After one of our conversations on community, my devotional included this verse, which I think provides a good perspective:
"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others." Philippians 2:1-4

Casa Don Bosco, the focus of half my days and even more of my heart <3 I take a 45 minute to 1 hour bus ride to Parque California and the Via Daule, a major highway, then hike my way up a really fun hill. (Please note the sarcasm here. Haha) Sometimes I am lucky though and get to walk with some of my kids. Atop this hill lies Casa Don Bosco, the central location of the Salesian Project whose goal/mission is to keep children off the streets (living or working). It is a multi-faceted program that includes shelters, schools, vocational training, refuerzo (reinforcement) and more. I am working at the Refuerzo Escolar. This is part of the prevention aspect of the program and a majority of these kids still live at home but come from rough backgrounds, are behind in school and/or their moms attend the vocation workshops (cosmetology, first aid, sewing, etc). We feed them lunch - a soup, plate of rice and some side with juice - then work on deberes (homework) - assigning work when they do not have any - and finally recreo, a safe space and time for them to play and just be kids before we send them home with a small snack.



Our ¨Homework Room¨

The Cancha :)

It has been quite the ride, learning how the flow works (that sometimes there isn´t one), trying to explain long division in a way I didn´t learn it (they do it differently here) and in a language I don´t have a handle on yet. Luckily, the kids are very forgiving and there is just a lot of laughter and them teaching me :) They have no problem offering word suggestions or correcting me when I´m wrong. So I am trying not to stress about it, focus on just being there and being a loving presence. This is a pretty easy task most of the time as they are really wonderful kids. They range from 4 to 15 years old...I just want to take the little ones home with me and the older ones are my saviors! They basically run the program (under Jefferson, my 21 year old boss) and take over when I am completely lost :) They are also the first to laugh at me, but it is friendly and I laugh along. Once I get a hang of the language, I know I´ll be giving them a hard time right back! I am truly enjoying every day and learning all the while. Like which kids need you to sit with them through the entire assignment, what fighting is real and needs broken up and what will dissipate in 30 seconds, not to sing under your breath or you will end up singing The Star Spangled Banner 3 times for the whole room, and that all of them, even the ´tough guys´, just want you to love them. Poco a poco, I will figure it out.

Showin´ some attitude...with my shades. Haha

Spanish is getting easier. I am typically able to get the "gist" of conversations, pulling out words and phrases I know and piecing things together. My vocab/recall definitely needs some work and it is coming through interactions and occasionally study at home. I´m usually able to get my point across, even if it is really rough. Next step: verb tenses! Little by little (poco a poco), I am learning.

Thank you to everyone who is reading, for your patience, your interest and your willingness to put up with me! I am in the Honeymoon Phase and enjoying it while it lasts!!!

Please feel free to send letters, it is often the highlight of my week. They don´t have to be long or fancy, I just want to hear about your life too...and I promise I´ll write back <3

Your prayers have been much appreciated! It warms our hearts and calms our minds to know people at home have us in their prayers. If I could, I´d like to request prayers for strength and stamina through our exhausting days and good health as our bodies adjust! (Half of my house is already sick, including me!)

You are all in my prayers as well! I am thinking of you Yotes as you start the new year, go C of I! Shout out to the SALTines: you guys are seriously going to blow this year out of the water. I am so excited to hear how God uses each and every one of you on our campus <3

The title of this entry is truly how I am trying to live out this year, reminding myself that little by little my Spanish will improve, I´ll get used to the heat, I´ll make lasting friendships, cooking will become more natural, I´ll grow closer to God, time will go on.

Poco a poco, I am living. Love and miss you all!

Marisol