sírvate más

I'm pretty sure our host mom here (Doña Mago) wants us to leave here fifty pounds heavier. Two minutes into every meal, it's "Sírvate más tú Colín" or "¿Te traigo un plátanito?" ("Get yourself some more, Colleen," and "Can I bring you a banana?"). I really am loving the eating schedule here. We eat pretty much right when we get up, a meal called almuerzo. Usually it's eggs, frijoles, tortillas, and nopales (cactus), and it usually fills me up. When we get back from English class at 2:00, we eat comida, which is usually about as heavy as almuerzo. At night, our cena is usually some avena (oatmeal) and a banana or mango. It's perfect!

Things are going well here. I am loving teaching English to my class of 6 kids ranging in age from 12 to 14. Today, for something fun to do on a Friday, we spent half of class playing Hangman, or Orcado, with English words for fruits and animals. We're also tutoring the students in different subjects afterschool, so I'm getting a refresher in geometry and algebra....in Spanish.

I'm also getting to know some of the younger kids here, and I love spending time with them. An hour of my Wednesday night was spent playing a game that Yesenia and I made up called ejercicio (exercise) because it literally is just that. We sit facing each other, holding hands, and do crunches back and forth. It gives me an ab workout, and it makes them laugh, so it must be a good game.

Living here is so tranquilo. I've loved having time to be in the Word and in prayer, and I pray that God would do big things here. I'm enjoying reading "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper, and he's reminded me to live in a way that magnifies Christ. He says, "The way we honor Christ in life is to treasure Jesus above life's gifts." I have to remember that while I'm here. God has given me so many gifts (for example, the opportunity to be here), but I have to remember to glorify the Giver, not the gifts.

Paz y amor!

"Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him." -Philippians 3:7-9