Words can't convey the beauty of some things in this world. I knew this from the start. I have so many things I wish to express in this blog post; no words I use would justify what I have learned and seen.
I have seen my friend Ophelia in excruciating pain, paralyzed because of the cancer in her spine. And I have seen her one week later, moving on her own and free from pain ...without the help of modern medicine or chemotherapy. The change in Ophelia is indescribable. She went from looking like an old, forlorn dying woman to a content and capable mother in the course of one week. She is still weak and stays in bed to recover her strength, but last Wednesday she described what happened and told me she knows it is a miracle. Ophelia was in a lot of pain; the doctors gave her until Sept. 1st of this year to live, and stopped treating her with medicines. One afternoon she heard a voice say, "You will feel intense pain for a moment but then you will be healed." She felt pain so intense that she said everything went black for a minute - when she woke up she was calling out to her husband and sitting up in bed by her own strength. She hasn't sat up in bed since April! Seeing the change in her this summer was amazing - and to know that it is not because of medicine and to see that prayer works was intense.
That is all I have time to share now. My last 2 weeks are flying by and it has been action packed. I hope to update everyone once I return home August 4th! I can't wait to see everyone!
Much love!
Danielle
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Finally a real update
I have experienced some interesting things over the past several weeks that I just haven´t had time to write about!
1. Moving into barrio San Miguelito has been one of the coolest parts of this summer. My apartment building has a spectacular view of the neighborhood and I have some of the coolest neighbors. Life in the apartment is a lot different than at the missionary base - no showers, no toilet seat, and our concrete water trough is full of tadpoles and mosquito's ...but it´s worth it to really experience a different culture and a different way of life. My barrio is full of niños and the kids wander up to our apartment just to see what´s going on. For most, it is the first time they have seen a white person; one little girl even said her favorite part of the day is seeing what the new Gringos are doing. The same girl also thought I can´t afford zapatos (tennis shoes) because I always wear sandals. She´s blunt, so I like her a lot!
2. The "Eat what you are offered" cultural rule has once again pushed my boundaries. One of my neighbors invited two friends in for flavored water on a particularly hot day. Mind you, we have tried to avoid this situation the entire summer because of Mexico´s lack of sanitary water. I accepted the water, fainting happiness, and proceeded to feel like a horrible person for wanting to reject the best my neighbor had to offer.
...Then I discovered there was a tadpole in my water. Believe me, it was quite hard to disguise this so the woman wouldn´t be embarrassed. And harder to realize how uppity I was being. So I picked out the tadpole, chugged the water and decided to honestly thank to woman - it really broke my heart to realize that she was offering the most extravagant hospitality she could and that I had decided in my head I deserved better. This moment really struck me - I don´t want to be the middle class American that assumes they deserve better just because they´re from the US where clean water is easier to find. My barrio reminds me every day that the facts of life for most of the world are much different than what Americans are accustomed too. And I also realized for the first time how far society is from being able to provide clean water for everyone. So I am pretty fired up to help make water purifiers and dig wells this next week!
3. I was shepherding sheep again in Yucanama on Wednesday with my friend Kenny. We counted the sheep and said, "Oh no, there are only 28 sheep - shouldn´t there be 29?!"
Juana just smiled. The missing sheep was in the soup we ate for lunch.
Thanks to living on a farm, I know this is life- this is how a farm works. Kenny however is from LA so she insisted on having a moment of silence. Which wasn´t actually to mourn the ewe but more so she wouldn´t ralph up her lunch ... :-)
4. The Christians that came for the Youth Conference were easily some of the coolest people I have ever met. Almost 120 people from all over Oaxaca state, and they honestly live out their faith in every aspect of their life. My favorite part of the weekend was the talent show. A group of 4 guys sang spanish rap about bible stories. It may seem lame to think 'christian rap?' but honestly - it was GOOD! I bought the CD they made so when I get home if anyone is interested in hearing just let me know. These guys just learned about Christianity a few years ago - and decided instead of saying rap is evil (like some people unfortunately think) that they would rap about problems they´ve had and how faith gets them through. My other favorite competitors in the talent show was a group of 2 guys and 4 girls that break dance to christian rap and reggaeton. SWEET!
5. My clumsiness did not stay in America. In the matter of one stinkin day I managed to
-lose my grip and partially slide/fall off a rope from 12-15 feet up and land on my bum
-slide down a 20 foot incline of mud to fully submerge myself in the river
-trip and fall into a mound of lodo (mud)
-fall up a set of stairs made of tires
AND spill food all over my pants at dinner.
On a plus note, the Mexicans really liked me because I am laid back and I constantly cracked jokes about my clumsiness. They´re a blunt culture, I´m a blunt person; happy combination.
The conference this weekend helped develop my spanish skills a ton, and I got the correo electronico of some people I met so I can email them my pictures from the weekend and continue to work on spanish once I return to the states.
Monday begins my final week of ministry work and will bring some very sad goodbyes. It will be my final time to see Ophelia in Yucanama and Lucy here in Tlaxiaco.
These final 2 weeks will fly by, but I have some pretty awesome things planned for the months of August and September and this is helping me look forward to heading home! Plus, we know I honestly miss everyone!
1. Moving into barrio San Miguelito has been one of the coolest parts of this summer. My apartment building has a spectacular view of the neighborhood and I have some of the coolest neighbors. Life in the apartment is a lot different than at the missionary base - no showers, no toilet seat, and our concrete water trough is full of tadpoles and mosquito's ...but it´s worth it to really experience a different culture and a different way of life. My barrio is full of niños and the kids wander up to our apartment just to see what´s going on. For most, it is the first time they have seen a white person; one little girl even said her favorite part of the day is seeing what the new Gringos are doing. The same girl also thought I can´t afford zapatos (tennis shoes) because I always wear sandals. She´s blunt, so I like her a lot!
2. The "Eat what you are offered" cultural rule has once again pushed my boundaries. One of my neighbors invited two friends in for flavored water on a particularly hot day. Mind you, we have tried to avoid this situation the entire summer because of Mexico´s lack of sanitary water. I accepted the water, fainting happiness, and proceeded to feel like a horrible person for wanting to reject the best my neighbor had to offer.
...Then I discovered there was a tadpole in my water. Believe me, it was quite hard to disguise this so the woman wouldn´t be embarrassed. And harder to realize how uppity I was being. So I picked out the tadpole, chugged the water and decided to honestly thank to woman - it really broke my heart to realize that she was offering the most extravagant hospitality she could and that I had decided in my head I deserved better. This moment really struck me - I don´t want to be the middle class American that assumes they deserve better just because they´re from the US where clean water is easier to find. My barrio reminds me every day that the facts of life for most of the world are much different than what Americans are accustomed too. And I also realized for the first time how far society is from being able to provide clean water for everyone. So I am pretty fired up to help make water purifiers and dig wells this next week!
3. I was shepherding sheep again in Yucanama on Wednesday with my friend Kenny. We counted the sheep and said, "Oh no, there are only 28 sheep - shouldn´t there be 29?!"
Juana just smiled. The missing sheep was in the soup we ate for lunch.
Thanks to living on a farm, I know this is life- this is how a farm works. Kenny however is from LA so she insisted on having a moment of silence. Which wasn´t actually to mourn the ewe but more so she wouldn´t ralph up her lunch ... :-)
4. The Christians that came for the Youth Conference were easily some of the coolest people I have ever met. Almost 120 people from all over Oaxaca state, and they honestly live out their faith in every aspect of their life. My favorite part of the weekend was the talent show. A group of 4 guys sang spanish rap about bible stories. It may seem lame to think 'christian rap?' but honestly - it was GOOD! I bought the CD they made so when I get home if anyone is interested in hearing just let me know. These guys just learned about Christianity a few years ago - and decided instead of saying rap is evil (like some people unfortunately think) that they would rap about problems they´ve had and how faith gets them through. My other favorite competitors in the talent show was a group of 2 guys and 4 girls that break dance to christian rap and reggaeton. SWEET!
5. My clumsiness did not stay in America. In the matter of one stinkin day I managed to
-lose my grip and partially slide/fall off a rope from 12-15 feet up and land on my bum
-slide down a 20 foot incline of mud to fully submerge myself in the river
-trip and fall into a mound of lodo (mud)
-fall up a set of stairs made of tires
AND spill food all over my pants at dinner.
On a plus note, the Mexicans really liked me because I am laid back and I constantly cracked jokes about my clumsiness. They´re a blunt culture, I´m a blunt person; happy combination.
The conference this weekend helped develop my spanish skills a ton, and I got the correo electronico of some people I met so I can email them my pictures from the weekend and continue to work on spanish once I return to the states.
Monday begins my final week of ministry work and will bring some very sad goodbyes. It will be my final time to see Ophelia in Yucanama and Lucy here in Tlaxiaco.
These final 2 weeks will fly by, but I have some pretty awesome things planned for the months of August and September and this is helping me look forward to heading home! Plus, we know I honestly miss everyone!
Friday, July 20, 2007
Sheep soup
Things are slowly starting to wind down here in Tlaxiaco, yet kicking into high gear at the same time. This week has been super busy with solar cooker demonstrations, getting to know my neighbors in barrio, visiting friends in Yucanama and playing futbol with the kids I´ve met this summer. I also had to bid a sad farewell to my friend Juana and her family.
I am incredibly excited about this weekend. The Christian base Global Frontier Missions is hosting a Youth Conference - similar to the retreats Christian teenagers go on in America. People age 12-18 are coming from all over Mexico for this conference, and I will be participating as a team leader for a small group. I´m so excited because it will be an awesome opportunity to speak and worship in Spanish the entire weekend. I love this age range of students; I understand how hard middle and high school can be, and I want to teach high school for this reason. I´m hoping to learn what struggles Hispanic students go through so I can understand and relate to a larger population of my students once I begin teaching next year!
I have to go prepare for the conference - but I hope to update everyone more in depth by next Sunday!
Blessings and peace,
Danielle
I am incredibly excited about this weekend. The Christian base Global Frontier Missions is hosting a Youth Conference - similar to the retreats Christian teenagers go on in America. People age 12-18 are coming from all over Mexico for this conference, and I will be participating as a team leader for a small group. I´m so excited because it will be an awesome opportunity to speak and worship in Spanish the entire weekend. I love this age range of students; I understand how hard middle and high school can be, and I want to teach high school for this reason. I´m hoping to learn what struggles Hispanic students go through so I can understand and relate to a larger population of my students once I begin teaching next year!
I have to go prepare for the conference - but I hope to update everyone more in depth by next Sunday!
Blessings and peace,
Danielle
Monday, July 16, 2007
Still so much to learn!
This week has been full of up and downs! Monday and Tuesday I was having a very difficult time being content here in Mexico; missing home a bit and trying not to get stuck in a rut with doing the same thing for 6 weeks straight. Plus I was feeling pretty drained emotionally and physically. Wednesday everything started to change, I realized that I still have time remaining for a reason and that I still have a lot to learn about myself, loving people and Mexican culture.
I met a very old woman named Pratisp on Wednesday. She is a widower and shared the story of her life with me and my friend Kenny. I believe this old woman desperately needed to talk with someone; to see how lonely she feels was heartbreaking. Her youngest son left home when he was 14 years old and she hasn´t had contact with him since...he´s now 41. She recently learned from a family friend that he is still alive, but this too brings her grief - she doesn´t know why he refuses to contact his mother. This old woman was crumpled and crying in mine and Kenny´s arms and it broke my heart to see how much she craves friendship and love. I realized that there are old women and men all over the world just like her - feeling alone and unloved. Kenny and I prayed with her for her son and their relationship, and I understood for the first time how blessed I am to have family members and friends that truly show their concern and love. I want to adopt this old woman as a grandmother, and write her letters when I concern home. And I want to be more aware of the older people I am surrounded by when I return home - how many of them are feeling unloved and abandoned?
1 Timothy 5:3-4 "Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God."
This week I also talked with my friend Roberta, and she told me the 2 hour story of how she stopped her lifestyle of pagan idol worship and converted to Christianity. It gave me so much hope for the people here that still worship and sacrifice to idols. And hope in my Spanish ability! I´m not fluent but I´m learning a great bit! My Grandma and Mother shared a bit of history about the Catholic church here in Mexico that has made it much easier to understand peoples ways. I never realized persecution was such a reality here even into the 20th century.
I have many amazing experiences from this last week, but very limited time to write - so a longer blog update will have to wait until later. Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and love, I miss you all dearly!
In faith,
Danielle
I met a very old woman named Pratisp on Wednesday. She is a widower and shared the story of her life with me and my friend Kenny. I believe this old woman desperately needed to talk with someone; to see how lonely she feels was heartbreaking. Her youngest son left home when he was 14 years old and she hasn´t had contact with him since...he´s now 41. She recently learned from a family friend that he is still alive, but this too brings her grief - she doesn´t know why he refuses to contact his mother. This old woman was crumpled and crying in mine and Kenny´s arms and it broke my heart to see how much she craves friendship and love. I realized that there are old women and men all over the world just like her - feeling alone and unloved. Kenny and I prayed with her for her son and their relationship, and I understood for the first time how blessed I am to have family members and friends that truly show their concern and love. I want to adopt this old woman as a grandmother, and write her letters when I concern home. And I want to be more aware of the older people I am surrounded by when I return home - how many of them are feeling unloved and abandoned?
1 Timothy 5:3-4 "Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God."
This week I also talked with my friend Roberta, and she told me the 2 hour story of how she stopped her lifestyle of pagan idol worship and converted to Christianity. It gave me so much hope for the people here that still worship and sacrifice to idols. And hope in my Spanish ability! I´m not fluent but I´m learning a great bit! My Grandma and Mother shared a bit of history about the Catholic church here in Mexico that has made it much easier to understand peoples ways. I never realized persecution was such a reality here even into the 20th century.
I have many amazing experiences from this last week, but very limited time to write - so a longer blog update will have to wait until later. Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and love, I miss you all dearly!
In faith,
Danielle
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Evidentally there was an earthquake ...?
July 5th I experienced my first earthquake at 8:39pm... and I didn´t even notice it! The center wasn´t actually in Oaxaca, where I´m currently living but most people in the area still were able to feel the earthquake and I am told it registered as a 3 here in Tlaxiaco. I was sick the entire day from an allergy attack and was pretty dizzy that night - so it probably could have been a ful-fledged earthquake and I still wouldn´t have noticed! I´m still adding it to the list of cool things I´ve experienced in Mexico.
In other news I ate soup made from flowers this week! Violet and pink flowers to be exact. But not until after I went on a 3 hour shepherdess expedition up a mountain and helped pick the flowers and greens for the soup while the sheep were grazing. Times in Yucanama are always delightfully Little House on the Prairie style! The soup was actually really good too...much better than the piece of Cow Kidney I ate on Saturday. One bite of that and I refused any more. Basically, it had the texture of a harboiled egg and tasted like spoiled liver. Mom- next time you insist on making liver for dinner I´m going to make you Kidney and you´ll understand how Laura and I felt growing up :-P
This week was full of interesting conversations; including one with Lucy about Dia de los Muertos. [Day of the Dead] is a spanish celebration that comes from ancient Aztec and Mayan cultures and has continued through hundreds of generations. Lucy explained the practice to me in detail. Here in Tlaxiaco, the schools close for the days surrounding Dia de los Muertos and the entire town shuts down to prepare elaborate feasts for the spirits of the dead. Many women and men here believe that if they prepare a feast for the ´spirit´of a deceased family member they will receive protection if the feast is pleasing to the spirit. Lucy noted that more than a time to remember the dead (like Memorial Day) it is a time to entreat spirits for protection from evil, and if a feast is not found pleasing it means wrath on you and your household. The town shuts down to ensure every best grain, fruit and meat is offered and many people fear their offering will not be pleasing. This was a new perspective because in school I was taught that Dia de los Muertos is a happy celebration, and we never learned about the underlying anxieties that accompany the festivities.
Lucy was pretty shocked to learn this celebration is very different from Halloween, and informed me that people in Tlaxiaco have always seen Dia de los Muertos and Halloween as equivalent.
Our conversation was amazing because I really enjoy learning about the Mexican culture, and Lucy was incredibly relieved when we finished talking. She said su madre y abuela (mom and grandma) want her to carry on the tradition but she doesn´t believe in offering sacrifices to spirits. She was pretty excited when I told her I don´t believe in that either, and we talked very in-depth about why and also why her mother and grandma believe what they do. Basically, I believe in God and so I don´t believe in offering to other spirits, and I am firm in my belief that these offerings will not protect someone from evil. I really love talking with Lucy because neither of us are pushy in our beliefs but we genuinely want to learn more about a different culture from each other.
Now for the sobering news: this past week I found out my friend Ophelia is much sicker than I realized. She has cancer in her legs and a tumor in her spine that is inoperable, so she has been receiving home pain treatment and nothing else. No chemo or radiation. I found out that the doctors told her she shouldn´t expect to live past September, but I´m still praying for a miracle. Hearing this was eye opening. I am Christian, but at the same time I never understood why it mattered if other people weren´t Christian. Everyone I´ve been close to that has died was Christian...so I had never faced the reality about my beliefs with heaven and hell. I had to take a step back this week and realize that if I truly believe in Christ I have to understand that it is sad, even tragic, when someone dies that doesn´t believe in Christ. Many of you may not agree - and that is a personal choice - but it is the belief I was raised in and I am honored to uphold my beliefs though it isn´t easy. I was pretty upset when I realized how sick Ophelia is and that she doesn´t believe in God but at the same time it made me realize that God has purpose for my time here this summer. I will continue to visit Ophelia and be myself with her; joke, talk about our childhoods, have a good time, and pray. And maybe through this, she will have hope. Seeing her smile when I visit is the most rewarding and encouraging thing I have experienced this summer and reminds me of a quote I learned from Michael.
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
That is one thing that holds true despite your culture, religion or any other belief - people need kindness and hope.
In other news I ate soup made from flowers this week! Violet and pink flowers to be exact. But not until after I went on a 3 hour shepherdess expedition up a mountain and helped pick the flowers and greens for the soup while the sheep were grazing. Times in Yucanama are always delightfully Little House on the Prairie style! The soup was actually really good too...much better than the piece of Cow Kidney I ate on Saturday. One bite of that and I refused any more. Basically, it had the texture of a harboiled egg and tasted like spoiled liver. Mom- next time you insist on making liver for dinner I´m going to make you Kidney and you´ll understand how Laura and I felt growing up :-P
This week was full of interesting conversations; including one with Lucy about Dia de los Muertos. [Day of the Dead] is a spanish celebration that comes from ancient Aztec and Mayan cultures and has continued through hundreds of generations. Lucy explained the practice to me in detail. Here in Tlaxiaco, the schools close for the days surrounding Dia de los Muertos and the entire town shuts down to prepare elaborate feasts for the spirits of the dead. Many women and men here believe that if they prepare a feast for the ´spirit´of a deceased family member they will receive protection if the feast is pleasing to the spirit. Lucy noted that more than a time to remember the dead (like Memorial Day) it is a time to entreat spirits for protection from evil, and if a feast is not found pleasing it means wrath on you and your household. The town shuts down to ensure every best grain, fruit and meat is offered and many people fear their offering will not be pleasing. This was a new perspective because in school I was taught that Dia de los Muertos is a happy celebration, and we never learned about the underlying anxieties that accompany the festivities.
Lucy was pretty shocked to learn this celebration is very different from Halloween, and informed me that people in Tlaxiaco have always seen Dia de los Muertos and Halloween as equivalent.
Our conversation was amazing because I really enjoy learning about the Mexican culture, and Lucy was incredibly relieved when we finished talking. She said su madre y abuela (mom and grandma) want her to carry on the tradition but she doesn´t believe in offering sacrifices to spirits. She was pretty excited when I told her I don´t believe in that either, and we talked very in-depth about why and also why her mother and grandma believe what they do. Basically, I believe in God and so I don´t believe in offering to other spirits, and I am firm in my belief that these offerings will not protect someone from evil. I really love talking with Lucy because neither of us are pushy in our beliefs but we genuinely want to learn more about a different culture from each other.
Now for the sobering news: this past week I found out my friend Ophelia is much sicker than I realized. She has cancer in her legs and a tumor in her spine that is inoperable, so she has been receiving home pain treatment and nothing else. No chemo or radiation. I found out that the doctors told her she shouldn´t expect to live past September, but I´m still praying for a miracle. Hearing this was eye opening. I am Christian, but at the same time I never understood why it mattered if other people weren´t Christian. Everyone I´ve been close to that has died was Christian...so I had never faced the reality about my beliefs with heaven and hell. I had to take a step back this week and realize that if I truly believe in Christ I have to understand that it is sad, even tragic, when someone dies that doesn´t believe in Christ. Many of you may not agree - and that is a personal choice - but it is the belief I was raised in and I am honored to uphold my beliefs though it isn´t easy. I was pretty upset when I realized how sick Ophelia is and that she doesn´t believe in God but at the same time it made me realize that God has purpose for my time here this summer. I will continue to visit Ophelia and be myself with her; joke, talk about our childhoods, have a good time, and pray. And maybe through this, she will have hope. Seeing her smile when I visit is the most rewarding and encouraging thing I have experienced this summer and reminds me of a quote I learned from Michael.
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
That is one thing that holds true despite your culture, religion or any other belief - people need kindness and hope.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Halfway Already?!
To begin, I`m not quite sure what to say about this week. It definitely flew by! My friendships with the women in Oaxaca are continuing to flourish, and I have learned a lot about the Mexican culture this week.
I learned quite a bit about Catholicism in Mexico...and I was floored how much is strays from the teachings of Christ. They believe in fantasmas which are evil spirits that can only be warded away by sacrificing and praying to the saints. And my good friend, Lucy, whom is 20 and works in her fathers clothing store, was shocked to find out that Catholics in the US don`t sacrifice in the name of the saints.
...she was also shocked to hear people don`t ride horses into the town for festivals in the US...
It has been awesome to form a true friendship with Lucy for the past two weeks. She finds my life in the US as fascinating as Ashley, my ministry partner, and I find her life in Mexico. Lucy gets bored pretty easily working in the store all day, and it has been so invigorating to see how genuinely happy she is when we visit!
Our conversations range from everything from how expensive college is, to gross materialism in the United States to her beliefs on the saints and church. She said she lives her life in fear because the fantasmas will capture your body and destroy your soul if you are not faithful to sacrificing and praying to the saints. She was completely amazed and excited to learn that not everyone in the world lives in fear. She said she doesn`t like believing in the powers of these evil spirits but it is all she has ever known, so she constantly asks Ashley and I questions about our faith.
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.”
She also asks a lot if we believe in miracles, which I do. Lucy wants to believe in miracles but she can`t. It was cool to have an honest conversation with her on what she believes and why, and what I believe and why. What is even more amazing is that at the end of the conversation, we are all still great friends. I do not judge her and she does not judge me. Friendships like this are hard to find in America...but even harder to find in Mexico. Honest conversations are rare in Mexico because the culture is so focused on being hospitable and conforming to others opinions to make them happy. I`m not one for conformity, and Lucy actually thanked Ashley and I for being different. For being geniuine people that aren`t afraid to talk about what they believe in. Praise God that I have been given the strength to be myself in Mexico even though it is a bit taboo!
In other news, I, along with the 6 other female interns, will be moving into an apartment tomorrow! This apartment is in a little barrio on the edge of Tlaxiaco, meaning no more taxi rides into town! This is a relief because all 7 of us girls are usually sqwished into 1 car meant for 5 people. Oh, and one thing everyone should experience before they die is driving in Mexico. It really is an adventure! There are speedbumps like crazy and there isn`t actually designated correct sides to drive on. But have no worries; as crazy as the drivers here are, it`s safe to say taxi`s are much safer than in America! And much cheaper. $0.40!
But in all seriousness, I am excited to be living closer to town; having real neighbors and really experiencing life in a Mexican ciudad! This last month is going to be pretty different than the first.
As of today I have 34 days remaining in Mexico. It`s pretty shocking and sad to know that this adventure will be over all too soon...but I am excited to return to the US to prepare for school, and begin my teaching observation/internship on September 19th! And of course because I miss everyone!
I`m excited about this coming week: More well drilling, 4th of July Mexican firework style- off the top of a mountain, and my friend Ellen turns 19 on July 3rd too - so it will be a week full of fiestas!
Thanks so much for checking in on my adventures, and keep me in your thoughts and prayers! I promise the next post will be better! I`m feeling pretty scatter-brained today!
Nos Vemos,
Daniela
I learned quite a bit about Catholicism in Mexico...and I was floored how much is strays from the teachings of Christ. They believe in fantasmas which are evil spirits that can only be warded away by sacrificing and praying to the saints. And my good friend, Lucy, whom is 20 and works in her fathers clothing store, was shocked to find out that Catholics in the US don`t sacrifice in the name of the saints.
...she was also shocked to hear people don`t ride horses into the town for festivals in the US...
It has been awesome to form a true friendship with Lucy for the past two weeks. She finds my life in the US as fascinating as Ashley, my ministry partner, and I find her life in Mexico. Lucy gets bored pretty easily working in the store all day, and it has been so invigorating to see how genuinely happy she is when we visit!
Our conversations range from everything from how expensive college is, to gross materialism in the United States to her beliefs on the saints and church. She said she lives her life in fear because the fantasmas will capture your body and destroy your soul if you are not faithful to sacrificing and praying to the saints. She was completely amazed and excited to learn that not everyone in the world lives in fear. She said she doesn`t like believing in the powers of these evil spirits but it is all she has ever known, so she constantly asks Ashley and I questions about our faith.
Isaiah 35:4
Say to those with fearful hearts,“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.”
She also asks a lot if we believe in miracles, which I do. Lucy wants to believe in miracles but she can`t. It was cool to have an honest conversation with her on what she believes and why, and what I believe and why. What is even more amazing is that at the end of the conversation, we are all still great friends. I do not judge her and she does not judge me. Friendships like this are hard to find in America...but even harder to find in Mexico. Honest conversations are rare in Mexico because the culture is so focused on being hospitable and conforming to others opinions to make them happy. I`m not one for conformity, and Lucy actually thanked Ashley and I for being different. For being geniuine people that aren`t afraid to talk about what they believe in. Praise God that I have been given the strength to be myself in Mexico even though it is a bit taboo!
In other news, I, along with the 6 other female interns, will be moving into an apartment tomorrow! This apartment is in a little barrio on the edge of Tlaxiaco, meaning no more taxi rides into town! This is a relief because all 7 of us girls are usually sqwished into 1 car meant for 5 people. Oh, and one thing everyone should experience before they die is driving in Mexico. It really is an adventure! There are speedbumps like crazy and there isn`t actually designated correct sides to drive on. But have no worries; as crazy as the drivers here are, it`s safe to say taxi`s are much safer than in America! And much cheaper. $0.40!
But in all seriousness, I am excited to be living closer to town; having real neighbors and really experiencing life in a Mexican ciudad! This last month is going to be pretty different than the first.
As of today I have 34 days remaining in Mexico. It`s pretty shocking and sad to know that this adventure will be over all too soon...but I am excited to return to the US to prepare for school, and begin my teaching observation/internship on September 19th! And of course because I miss everyone!
I`m excited about this coming week: More well drilling, 4th of July Mexican firework style- off the top of a mountain, and my friend Ellen turns 19 on July 3rd too - so it will be a week full of fiestas!
Thanks so much for checking in on my adventures, and keep me in your thoughts and prayers! I promise the next post will be better! I`m feeling pretty scatter-brained today!
Nos Vemos,
Daniela
Saturday, June 30, 2007
¡Muchas Gracias!
No time for a post today - that will come tomorrow!
I just wanted to say that I just finished reading the comments from everyone and they truly made my day!!
Your friendships, love, support and prayers are making a world of difference in my life this summer! Thank you so much! I have the biggest smile on my face because I love each of you so incredibly much!
Danielle
I just wanted to say that I just finished reading the comments from everyone and they truly made my day!!
Your friendships, love, support and prayers are making a world of difference in my life this summer! Thank you so much! I have the biggest smile on my face because I love each of you so incredibly much!
Danielle
Sunday, June 24, 2007
¡Que interesante!
Week three has by far been the most interesting week yet.
On Wednesday I once again visited the village of Yucanama, with my leader Angela and fellow interns Julia and Kenny (a girl.) While in Yucanama we:
visited a woman named Juana, and she gave us fresh miel y galletas (honey and crackers)
next she pounded the grey, paper machi type beehive on the table and all these dead grey larvae fell out, and she handed us some...to eat.
Yes, bee larvae is in fact a delicacy in Yucanama because it is full of protein. And yes, I ate them...
Next the other girls and I helped Juana tow her stubborn donkey up a mountain to gather fire wood for her stove. While we were gathering wood she found a live beehive. She tore large chunks off and instructed us to eat it. Now in Mexico, you can`t ever refuse food because that would be extremely offensive, so Julia, Kenny and I were stuck eating paper machi beehive with little bits of honey in it. And then we realize that we were also eating LIVE wiggling bee larvae. That yes, must be chewed because if you swallow it whole, you can feel it squirm in your throat. Seriously, I think I will be prepared for Fear Factor by the end of the summer!!
On Wednesday I also herded sheep up a mountain. . . in a skirt! Got butted in the hiney by a baby burro (it was my fault, I did whistle to get it to follow its mom), stepped on a cactus (luckily it didn´t go through my shoe) and ate pine tree sprouts. The people here think it tastes like lettuce. It does NOT taste like lettuce.
And amazingly, I was not sick on Thursday, praise God!
This week has made me realize that this trip truly is an adventure! I have continued to work on community service projects and make friends in Tlaxiaco, and my Spanish skills have been growing tremendously! Every Sunday I go to a Mexican Baptist church where everyone sings delightfully off key and I can sing as loud as my heart desires. It is simply beautiful. Today they had me take up the collection and pray over it in Spanish! It was amazing to fully understand the message today even though it was in Spanish - it is so exciting to know another language! Especially because everyone knows how much I love to talk! Haha.
Yesterday I climbed the mountain that I live at the bottom of. It is a beautiful, tree lined mountain with lush valleys between the forests of pines. The top is jagged red-rock and even from the bottom the sight of this mountain truly steals your breath! Hiking up the mountain took almost 2 hours and was an amazing team building experience! There was no trail, and the face was so steep that our group of 12 was often on all fours, clawing our way up the slopes. We would have to support each others feet as we tried to grasp the pine needle covered ground; no easy task. When we reach the peak, the view was astounding! You could see for hundreds of miles it seemed, mountains upon mountains with beautiful, lush forests in between the fields of corn. It was almost like my view from the airplane flying into Oaxaca. I`ll have plenty of pictures to post once I return to the states!
I can`t believe how fast the time is going now, barely more than a month remains of my trip, and although I am exstactic that I will return to those I love in the States, I know I will really miss the amazing people I have met through my internship, and the women of Tlaxiaco. So many of the women remind me of my grandmothers, and I truly value the friendships I have made, especially with the women in the market place. They understand the simple life, free from materialism and appreciative of the blessings they have received.
Thank you for the encouragement for everyone. Take care and God Bless!
Danielle
On Wednesday I once again visited the village of Yucanama, with my leader Angela and fellow interns Julia and Kenny (a girl.) While in Yucanama we:
visited a woman named Juana, and she gave us fresh miel y galletas (honey and crackers)
next she pounded the grey, paper machi type beehive on the table and all these dead grey larvae fell out, and she handed us some...to eat.
Yes, bee larvae is in fact a delicacy in Yucanama because it is full of protein. And yes, I ate them...
Next the other girls and I helped Juana tow her stubborn donkey up a mountain to gather fire wood for her stove. While we were gathering wood she found a live beehive. She tore large chunks off and instructed us to eat it. Now in Mexico, you can`t ever refuse food because that would be extremely offensive, so Julia, Kenny and I were stuck eating paper machi beehive with little bits of honey in it. And then we realize that we were also eating LIVE wiggling bee larvae. That yes, must be chewed because if you swallow it whole, you can feel it squirm in your throat. Seriously, I think I will be prepared for Fear Factor by the end of the summer!!
On Wednesday I also herded sheep up a mountain. . . in a skirt! Got butted in the hiney by a baby burro (it was my fault, I did whistle to get it to follow its mom), stepped on a cactus (luckily it didn´t go through my shoe) and ate pine tree sprouts. The people here think it tastes like lettuce. It does NOT taste like lettuce.
And amazingly, I was not sick on Thursday, praise God!
This week has made me realize that this trip truly is an adventure! I have continued to work on community service projects and make friends in Tlaxiaco, and my Spanish skills have been growing tremendously! Every Sunday I go to a Mexican Baptist church where everyone sings delightfully off key and I can sing as loud as my heart desires. It is simply beautiful. Today they had me take up the collection and pray over it in Spanish! It was amazing to fully understand the message today even though it was in Spanish - it is so exciting to know another language! Especially because everyone knows how much I love to talk! Haha.
Yesterday I climbed the mountain that I live at the bottom of. It is a beautiful, tree lined mountain with lush valleys between the forests of pines. The top is jagged red-rock and even from the bottom the sight of this mountain truly steals your breath! Hiking up the mountain took almost 2 hours and was an amazing team building experience! There was no trail, and the face was so steep that our group of 12 was often on all fours, clawing our way up the slopes. We would have to support each others feet as we tried to grasp the pine needle covered ground; no easy task. When we reach the peak, the view was astounding! You could see for hundreds of miles it seemed, mountains upon mountains with beautiful, lush forests in between the fields of corn. It was almost like my view from the airplane flying into Oaxaca. I`ll have plenty of pictures to post once I return to the states!
I can`t believe how fast the time is going now, barely more than a month remains of my trip, and although I am exstactic that I will return to those I love in the States, I know I will really miss the amazing people I have met through my internship, and the women of Tlaxiaco. So many of the women remind me of my grandmothers, and I truly value the friendships I have made, especially with the women in the market place. They understand the simple life, free from materialism and appreciative of the blessings they have received.
Thank you for the encouragement for everyone. Take care and God Bless!
Danielle
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Week Two
These past 7 days have been much much better than the first 4. In the beginning it was such a struggle to get used to a new language, and although I still can`t follow most conversations 100%, I usually understand what the people are saying and they are pretty nice about it when I accidentally say something totally inappropriate! The culture is extremely different here than in the United States and each day is a learning experience.
The area is so beautiful that words cannot describe. It rains most afternoons, but yesterday there was a large thunderstorm that although terrifying, was beautifully cleansing as well. The thunder here is the loudest I`ve ever heard it and it rolls from mountain top to mountain top. And there is no time to count between lightening strikes and and thunder; it is a constant cannon of light and sound.
The people in the town of Tlaxiaco are very open to friendship, and there are already at least 4 women between the ages of 30 and 60 that are offended if we don`t come visit at least once a day (except weekends!) I love these women so much and they have been such a blessing to learn Spanish from! It is not strange to wander into a shop and have a conversation or make friends without any intent of buying anything, and honestly it seems so rare for shops to actually sell their merchandise that I haven`t figured out how they stay open.
On Wednesday I visited a village called Yucanama with my leader Angela and another intern, Julia. This was an amazing experience! One of the women from the village has been sick for quite some time, and although she has believe in idol worship most of her life she has began to ask Angela (who has known her for at least 1 year) and now us, about Jesus, and she wants to know if we believe he really healed people. She reminded me so much of when I was in the hospital, and unsure of how my life would turn out, and unsure if the doctors would ever find out what was wrong. My heart hurt for her because I can sympathize with the look of hopelessness she wore. I was startlingly bold and asked her if it was ok to read her a story from the bible and she was excited to allow this. So I read her a story from the Gospels about the Miracles of Healing Jesus performed. She wept and thanked me, because although she is still ill and in pain, she said her heart felt comfort to know that people love her and wish to see her recover. It reminded me very much of when my Grandma was sick and many people from our small town came to pray for her and show their love. I am sure that not all of you reading this believe in miracles, or believe in Christ, but I write my experiences in confidence because of the healing I have experienced in my own life.
It is hard to not count down the days until I will be back in America because I miss my family, especially my Mom and Dad so much, but I am learning and growing so much from this experience it is indescribable.
This week I also helped dig a well for a woman that was in need of water for her corn crops. Which seems ironic since I just learned from my Dad that my home in Ohio hasn`t had rain since I left! ... But digging wells is one of my favorites parts of this trip. It is hard work, but the group of guy interns specifically requested my help because I did so well the first day, which made me feel really good about myself and my abilities. I am so excited to help provide water for people that truly need it. I also helped build a water purifier, designed by an engineering firm called Equip. Clean water is only found in bottles in Mexico and water purifiers are a new concept to this area. Being in Mexico has made me aware of so many blessings I have in the United States and overlook daily. Especially clean water. And showers. It is not rare to go weeks without a shower here...and I have been lucky to get 2 showers a week!
Thank you SO MUCH to those of you that have sent emails! I have read them all and hearing from my friends and family truly makes me smile and knowing I`m in your thoughts and prayers keeps me going throughout the week when I have no contact with those I love in the States! Keep the emails coming! Especially the words of encouragement- they mean more than you could ever know!
The area is so beautiful that words cannot describe. It rains most afternoons, but yesterday there was a large thunderstorm that although terrifying, was beautifully cleansing as well. The thunder here is the loudest I`ve ever heard it and it rolls from mountain top to mountain top. And there is no time to count between lightening strikes and and thunder; it is a constant cannon of light and sound.
The people in the town of Tlaxiaco are very open to friendship, and there are already at least 4 women between the ages of 30 and 60 that are offended if we don`t come visit at least once a day (except weekends!) I love these women so much and they have been such a blessing to learn Spanish from! It is not strange to wander into a shop and have a conversation or make friends without any intent of buying anything, and honestly it seems so rare for shops to actually sell their merchandise that I haven`t figured out how they stay open.
On Wednesday I visited a village called Yucanama with my leader Angela and another intern, Julia. This was an amazing experience! One of the women from the village has been sick for quite some time, and although she has believe in idol worship most of her life she has began to ask Angela (who has known her for at least 1 year) and now us, about Jesus, and she wants to know if we believe he really healed people. She reminded me so much of when I was in the hospital, and unsure of how my life would turn out, and unsure if the doctors would ever find out what was wrong. My heart hurt for her because I can sympathize with the look of hopelessness she wore. I was startlingly bold and asked her if it was ok to read her a story from the bible and she was excited to allow this. So I read her a story from the Gospels about the Miracles of Healing Jesus performed. She wept and thanked me, because although she is still ill and in pain, she said her heart felt comfort to know that people love her and wish to see her recover. It reminded me very much of when my Grandma was sick and many people from our small town came to pray for her and show their love. I am sure that not all of you reading this believe in miracles, or believe in Christ, but I write my experiences in confidence because of the healing I have experienced in my own life.
It is hard to not count down the days until I will be back in America because I miss my family, especially my Mom and Dad so much, but I am learning and growing so much from this experience it is indescribable.
This week I also helped dig a well for a woman that was in need of water for her corn crops. Which seems ironic since I just learned from my Dad that my home in Ohio hasn`t had rain since I left! ... But digging wells is one of my favorites parts of this trip. It is hard work, but the group of guy interns specifically requested my help because I did so well the first day, which made me feel really good about myself and my abilities. I am so excited to help provide water for people that truly need it. I also helped build a water purifier, designed by an engineering firm called Equip. Clean water is only found in bottles in Mexico and water purifiers are a new concept to this area. Being in Mexico has made me aware of so many blessings I have in the United States and overlook daily. Especially clean water. And showers. It is not rare to go weeks without a shower here...and I have been lucky to get 2 showers a week!
Thank you SO MUCH to those of you that have sent emails! I have read them all and hearing from my friends and family truly makes me smile and knowing I`m in your thoughts and prayers keeps me going throughout the week when I have no contact with those I love in the States! Keep the emails coming! Especially the words of encouragement- they mean more than you could ever know!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Week One
I stepped of the plane into Oaxaca City, Mexico Wednesday before noon, and couldn´t believe what a trip I´d had already. I managed to get my Passport in Chicago on Tuesday afternoon, make my flights without too many worries and arrive safely in Mexico.
My first day in Mexico was mostly sleeping. I hadn´t had more than an hours sleep since 6am Tuesday, meaning I´d been awake over 24 hours.
Thursday was my first real day as a missionay here in Mexico. In the morning I helped build a solar cooker. This summer part of my job is to perfect the solar cooker design so we can make them cheaply and then sell them to the locals. This is much needed because so many of the women have eye problems from stiring the fires all day, and wood is very expensive.
Most of my time is spent in the town of Tlaxiaco, about 30,000 people. The people here are so amiable and kind, the culture here is so open and inviting.
At the same time, language is still a small barrier for me, but the people are very understanding and just happy I am learning their language.
My favorite moments so far have been when the people ask me to teach them English. I know plenty of Spanish to teach English without question, and these times are so encouraging. I can´t wait to graduate and become a full time English teacher!
This summer is going to be a struggle; not talking on the phone with my Parents and Michael is going to be really difficult, but I am so excited for how much I will grow in my faith this summer!
I will post more details next weekend about my internship! Please keep me in your prayers, I miss you all!!
My first day in Mexico was mostly sleeping. I hadn´t had more than an hours sleep since 6am Tuesday, meaning I´d been awake over 24 hours.
Thursday was my first real day as a missionay here in Mexico. In the morning I helped build a solar cooker. This summer part of my job is to perfect the solar cooker design so we can make them cheaply and then sell them to the locals. This is much needed because so many of the women have eye problems from stiring the fires all day, and wood is very expensive.
Most of my time is spent in the town of Tlaxiaco, about 30,000 people. The people here are so amiable and kind, the culture here is so open and inviting.
At the same time, language is still a small barrier for me, but the people are very understanding and just happy I am learning their language.
My favorite moments so far have been when the people ask me to teach them English. I know plenty of Spanish to teach English without question, and these times are so encouraging. I can´t wait to graduate and become a full time English teacher!
This summer is going to be a struggle; not talking on the phone with my Parents and Michael is going to be really difficult, but I am so excited for how much I will grow in my faith this summer!
I will post more details next weekend about my internship! Please keep me in your prayers, I miss you all!!
Monday, June 4, 2007
A delayed start...
As many of you already know, I have yet to arrive in Oaxaca (Wa-HA-kaa) Mexico for my missions internship due to passport troubles. Despite having applied for my passport in February and being in contact with both my Senator and Congresswoman, my passport was not finished before my flight was scheduled to leave June 2nd. This was decidedly a blessing in disguise; I've been fortunate to spend several more days in Clifton spending quality time with the people I love, and also becoming more prepared for my trip.
To make a long story short: I am taking the MegaBus to Chicago at 1:30am Tuesday, and miraculously I have obtained an appointment at the passport agency in Chicago at 9am!! Continental has been an amazing blessing and they graciously scheduled a flight without a hefty charge. I feel so blessed that I know the area in Chicago well and not only can I get around the city on my own, but I can stay with my sister until my plane leaves on Wednesday.
This is a delayed start to my trip, but I feel it could not be more perfect. I am so excited to start my journey, and I plan to keep everyone posted through this blog and email. Over and over, I have been amazed at the difference between my planning, and the plans God has in store for my life. Thank you all for your prayers and support, I appreciate them more than you can imagine and they will make all the difference this summer!
To make a long story short: I am taking the MegaBus to Chicago at 1:30am Tuesday, and miraculously I have obtained an appointment at the passport agency in Chicago at 9am!! Continental has been an amazing blessing and they graciously scheduled a flight without a hefty charge. I feel so blessed that I know the area in Chicago well and not only can I get around the city on my own, but I can stay with my sister until my plane leaves on Wednesday.
This is a delayed start to my trip, but I feel it could not be more perfect. I am so excited to start my journey, and I plan to keep everyone posted through this blog and email. Over and over, I have been amazed at the difference between my planning, and the plans God has in store for my life. Thank you all for your prayers and support, I appreciate them more than you can imagine and they will make all the difference this summer!
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