I arrived at church greeted by huge smiles and great big hugs full of love. Yep. I am back at Iglesia Centro de Desarrollo Cristiano.
I arrived at school with the sound of spanish in the hallways, familiar faces excited to see me again and some new ones welcoming me with open arms. Yep. I am back at El Camino Academy.
I took a public Sitp bus to go up to FormaVida (the foundation where I'm working when I'm not at school) and it took about 40 minutes to get there. (Between walking to the bus stop, waiting for the bus, getting off and taking a "colectivo" Land Cruiser up the mountain.) Yep. I'm back in a ginormous city where it takes forever to get anywhere.
I took the public bus to go south to meet up with a friend, barely squeezed in the bus but somehow made it feeling like a sardine. Yep. I'm back using the Transmilenio bus system.
I ate bread for breakfast with hot chocolate, chicken, rice, potatoes, vegetables, soup, and salad for lunch. and an arepa with cheese for dinner. Yep. I'm back in the land of carbohydrates. (Thankfully you have to walk a lot to get anywhere!)
I had a package waiting for me in my apartment with bread, milk, cereal, coffee, powdered cream for the coffee, and sugar. Yep. I'm back to the country of beautiful hospitality.
At the foundation I get offered tinto the mornings I'm there and at El Camino Academy coffee is made and set out every morning. Yep. I am back in COLOMBIA.
It's kind of surreal being back. Part of me feels as if I never left and the other part of me knows that I have grown and changed since I last lived here.
It's good to be in a familiar place with familiar faces. A familiar language and back to a familiar lifestyle. Familiar expectations of the culture and a familiar surrounding.
Even though it's familiar I'm still having to adjust to new things.
A new role in school, a new ministry up at foundation FormaVida, new co-workers, new roommates, a new place to live and be familiarized with. New goals and new places. New expectations and new adventures.
I am excited for these things to become my new "familiars"
-Relationships at school (El Camino Academy, ECA) with students and co-workers to encourage one another in our walk with the Lord.
-Role at school teaching, encouraging, empowering, and preparing students to share the Gospel in creative ways.
-Being an English support at school for struggling students.
-A new roommate to encourage and pray for, pushing each other in a deeper relationship with the Lord.
-Helping with the Homework club up at foundation FormaVida.
-Teaching piano to some teens up at FormaVida.
-Discipling some of the teens at FormaVida.
Please pray for my role up at FormaVida. A schedule is slowly starting to fall into place but join me in praying in exactly what God wants me to do and how He wants me to serve there whether it's teaching piano, teaching English, helping with homework club, discipling, starting a sports ministry, or all the above!
I've been here three weeks and God has already surprised me and shown me ways He is at work in this beautiful country and how He wants to use me bringing His Hope to the people of Colombia.
It's different juggling between two different roles. I want to give 110% at each place. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays I'm at El Camino Academy and Wednesdays, Thursdays, and some Saturdays up at ministry Foundation FormaVida. It's great having a schedule and after three weeks I think I'm finally starting to get "familiar" with it. Praise the Lord!
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| Some of the teen girls at Foundation FormaVida |
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| Teaching Piano at Foundation FormaVida |
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| New awesome roomie, Hannah, a HS science teacher at El Camino Academy |
