They call me Daniela

the end of an era and starting of a new...BLOG

2010-06-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Dear guests. I believe there are few of you left out there as my blogging has dwindled to a near nothing. So I'm going to wrap this one up. I have had this blog for three years and it served me through my first support raising, Costa Rican language school, and my year in Colombia. Now Aaron and I are starting our new journey of missions together and I think it appropriate for us to start a blog together. I would say that we can each have our own, but I don't believe Aaron will keep up with his all too often. So we'll take turns writing in our new one. The url is: aaronandzoedas.blogspot.com and I hope you will visit it often. Thank you for staying in touch and keeping me in your prayers. Here's to what lies ahead and so long to "they call me Daniela"!

In our Beloved Colombia!

2010-05-02T18:42:00.001-07:00

Here we are in Colombia (pictures to come soon). So much time counting down to this moment! Medellin is a beautiful place and when they say it sits in a bowl, they MEAN it! We are surrounded by extremely steep mountains in every direction. Sitting here, I feel the amazing breeze, hear the buzzing of cars driving by (way too fast I'm sure), and as we rode through the city today, I smelled about every possible smell in the course of one mile. From fresh bread to fresh sewage... But it doesn't bug me. Nor did my freezing cold shower this morning or the bed I slept in last night that is quite a bit firmer than I'm used to. Nope. At home, "some" (my father and husband) might tell you that I'm a princess. And I might agree with them on occasion (hey-just being honest here). But when I come here, its like no amount of rain, heat, mosquitos, or days without a real bathroom visit can bother me. (too honest?) :)

What DOES upset me greatly is some of the things I see here and am helpless with. The 5 or 6 people I saw sleeping next to eachother under a bridge this morning covered in newspaper. Or driving by the poor areas where the homes in NO WAY qualify as a house. This country, like EVERY country, is in need. And for some reason, God has placed Colombia in our heart. We're ready to be here, living amongst them and sharing His love. And so the be-patient-and-wait-on-God game begins.

More news to come as time allows. Please keep us in your prayers this week!
Z

Running a Race???...

2010-04-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

What to do what to do? (sigh) I'm currently trying to decide on whether or not I want to try and run a full marathon. I feel like if I'm ever going to do it, NOW would have to be the time. I can easily find one here in the States (pre-missionary-move) and I'm currently in somewhat good enough shape for it (pre-babies). I know I KNOW, plenty of women run marathons after babies, but I'm not sure how motivated I would be at that point. I have done several half marathons and I know that the memory of those seems to miraculously omit the pain I felt at miles 9-13 and how, as I approached each finish line I would say to myself "why on earth did I do this to myself????" But then the pain goes away and you do it all over again.

So I say to myself these days "I know I could do it, I could run 26.2 miles if I really put my mind to it". And then I go out for a 6 mile jog, come back a little sore, and say "then again, maybe not." Six miles, not a big deal...6 miles + 20 more....OUCH!!! Any thoughts out there in cyber world?

Puppy Woes

2010-04-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

Oh the challenges of puppy shopping. "He'll be too big" "She won't be a runner" "They require too much attention" "He's not even interested in the dang ball!" "I'm just not feelin that one"

We may be 75 years old before our four-legged member arrives. We decided to definitely get a dog, but now we have to wait until after our May Colombia trip because there is no sense in getting a dog and then leaving for week right afterward. Patience....I'm not a fan of that word! But I'm dealing with it because, as our landlord said, "God has the right dog for you and it'll be here right on time!'

In other news, we head to beloved Colombia in less than two weeks and I'm SO READY! We also just celebrated our 8 months of being married. I know for all you tenured folk out there that 8 months is NOTHING. And I would basically agree. But it is still true that those 8 months FLEW by. And what a happy 8 months they have been.

Sure do hope you are all enjoying this amazing spring (minus the pollen) and that 2010 will be a blessing!
Till next time!!
ZD

Puppy Love

2010-03-29T16:11:00.000-07:00

Aaron and I are trying to decide when to buy a dog. Its not a matter of IF-we know its going to happen. But when is a good time for it? For those who still read this blog (not sure how many of you are out there still) I would like for you to comment and tell us what you think. We both are split on it. Here's some info to help you vote:

-We want to adopt a mid-size dog (25-35 lbs) that is already housebroken (about a year old) from a reputable adoption agency
-We have been wanting a dog since before we got married. Aaron has never had I pet, I have and love it!
-We can take our dog with us when we move to Colombia for a little $ but not too much extra hastle
-We can buy a dog in Colombia but its harder to find a reputable adoption agency as most dogs for sale are pure-bred
-We are hoping for an early 2011 move to South America (but we know it may be later) which would give us plenty of time to bond with a dog before a major lifestyle change

We have a going Pro's and Con's list which include the following items:

PRO'S/Reasons to buy now-
1. Give us yet another reason to spend time together outside and going to parks etc. with our four-legged family member
2. We have been wanting one for a while and will help ease any baby fever that might be setting in :)
3. We are at the point where we would like to take something on that will give us some responsibility but isn't quite as expensive or serious as having a baby
4. A running buddy for me which I'm dying to have!

CONS/Reasons to wait-
1. It is an added expense every month that, while we can afford it, will dip into the amt. we are saving every month
2. We both are gone every day from 8 am to 6ish pm. I work close to home and can go home during my lunch to take care of it, but its still a long time to leave him alone
3. There may be some time when we first move to Colombia that our housing will be unsure. The dog would probably have to stay with somebody Stateside for a few months and then be shipped down to us once we had a permanent home

So, if you can think of any more pro's and con's to add, let us know in a comment as well as any other thoughts that will help us decide. Thanks for your help everybody!!!

We are booked!

2010-03-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

I recently received my new passport as a Das which is going to come in very handy for our Colombia trip we scheduled for May! Woohoo! We are so excited to have concrete plans to check out Medellin, Colombia and a ministry opportunity there. With less than 2 months to go, we are trying to finalize our plans for the week there as there are tons of things we need to get done...

-meet with the board of directors for the ministry
-check out apartments to get an estimate of cost of living
-check out language schools for Aaron
-go to a soccer match for the ministry
-visit some UCU friends/attend an UCU Bible study
-take a tour of the city to get a good feel for it

Our desire is for this to be the "make or break it" trip as a last step before we can start support raising and finalizing plans for a 2011 move. Aaron and I would greatly appreciate your prayers as we seek His will for our future in missions.

Below are some pictures from Aaron's birthday dinner/trip to FL and a little zoe-home-maker-pie I made. :) Happy Spring y'all!

4:57

2010-02-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

Its too early in the morning to be thinking about Colombia. Or is it? Couldn't sleep and woke up with Colombia on the mind. As we head full swing into it, I can't help but fear a few things. Mainly, that support won't get raised any time soon and we'll be stranded with only a dream and a never ending unknown departure date that is always slightly out of reach. Of course God is in control of this, but the economy is just about as bad as it could be for missionaries.

So as we begin to support raise and have written the first draft of what will be our May support letter, I can't help but toss and turn and pray that God will do a miracle. Somehow it'll get raised right? And how can I, in good conscious, ask struggling folks who have been out of work for a year+ to help send us to Colombia? These are ramblings, but they are the true happenings of a restless missionary's mind. So there ya have it folks...worry. Yes, we "super-spiritual-holy-missionary-people" can worry too! :)

Now to try and sleep at least one more hour until that alarm buzzez me to the bank...

Transparency

2010-02-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

Along with the new design of my blog, I am putting a new twist into my posts. I'm trying to blog more, but about what? These days I just go to work, go to the gym, cook dinner, and then sleep for a few hours before doing it all over again. I'm NOT complaining, but the truth is that nobody wants to read about what's for dinner or how many checks I cashed at the bank today. And since this blog is supposed to be about "the ups and downs of a missionary" I figured I should write about what's going on with that.

In order to report on "life as a missionary", things are probably going to get a little more personal. We aren't there yet. We aren't serving in that capacity yet. But everything in me wants to be there already. Fully immersed into service, Spanish, and ministry. But that's not where God has us quite yet. So this blog will, from here on out, be about what I deal with personally as we prepare to go, support raise, and long for the day to arrive when we'll board that flight to the unknown.

I can't promise there won't be posts where its obvious that I'm frustrated. After all, how many of us wish at times God would work with OUR schedule instead of feeling like He's just "penciled us in" for some unknown date out yonder?! Whatever the case, I look forward to sharing my journey with you, as transparently as I dare. So, enjoy reading about diary of a missionary in the making! Hasta Luego!

Job Title: Missionary/wedding coordinator/teller/translator???

2010-01-26T16:50:00.000-08:00

What DO I do?

Wedding Coordinator? I thought you were a missionary?! Oh you work at a bank? WHAT???

Yes Yes and Yes. I am an x-missionary/almost missionary again who currently works as a teller and translator and is building a small wedding business to make a little extra cash and do what I LOVE doing: organizing and planning weddings! So, until that miraculous day that Aaron and I get to head out to the field, if you know of any brides who need a little extra help with planning things I hope you'll send them to the website:
www.zoedasweddings.com

Wedding Bells and PTO

2010-01-24T19:11:00.000-08:00

Currently, Aaron and I are completely wrapped up in two things: trying to plan our Paid Time Off (PTO) from work and figuring out how we are going to attend THREE weddings in THREE different states all within THREE months of each other. YIKES!

First up, a short trip to Sarasota, FL to visit some good friends and get a little R&R. Shortly after that is a trip to Colombia where we plan on visiting a possible future ministry site in Medellin. While that will be PTO, it won't be vacation. This is a serious exploritory trip for which we are very excited. Then its Felice's wedding for which I am a bridesmaid in her St. Augustine, FL wedding in June. Next up is Aaron's best friend's wedding in none other than New Mexico in July. We're trying to plan a vacation around that trip. Last but certainly NOT least is my sister's wedding in August. I'm her matron of honor and I'm so looking forward to helping her. Somewhere in there we'll celebrate our one year anniversary and start support raising. Wow, I'm getting tired just writing it. But, its all going to be so fun and eventful and full of new love as our dearest friends and family take the plunge!

So, as January wraps up and the rest begins to unfold, all I can say is: ¡Que tengan un buen año! (Have a great year!)

2010

2010-01-05T07:52:00.000-08:00

Well dear friends, I'm officially the biggest blog slacker ever! Honestly it just hasn't seemed like there was anything going on that I thought anybody would want to read about. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE my life! I'm having a blast being married and Aaron shows me every day why it is God brought us together. But other than working at the bank, cooking meals, cleaning house, and spending time with Aaron, my life hasn't been any kind of super exciting. Until now.....

I'm MORE THAN EXCITED to write about the fact that Aaron and I have officially started the missionary process. This month we are sending out letters just to tell people what is going on with us. Some of the letter's content include things like planning a trip to Colombia for an exploritory trip, starting the support-raising process in the summer, and how we are doing in general.

While I can't promise to update the blog as much as I used to, I am definitely going to be updating it at least bi-monthly. So, until next time, we would appreciate your prayers as we are taking the babysteps into all that God has for us as missionaries to the Latin World. God bless and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

We TIED THE KNOT!!!

2009-08-28T14:50:00.001-07:00

Love is in the air folks! Aaron and I were married on August 15th and had a wonderful time in Mexico for our honeymoon (see pics below). Now its back to reality. But, reality is good right now, so there are no complaints. We both have jobs, a lovely apartment, and are pursuing with prayer our future in missions. I'm enjoying settling in as a wife with all the things that come with it. Most of them, I'm sure, are yet to be discovered. But I've had fun cooking, setting up our home, and yes, I have even enjoyed doing our laundry. Haha

Our missionary status with the Latin America Mission has changed back to "Missionary Appointees" which is the fancy way of saying that we are back in the support-raising stage of what missionaries do before heading to the field. We probably won't get too into the support-raising until late this year or early 2010. God has His hand in this and we trust Him completely with the timing and finances of this great life He has called us to. We are resting in Him and enjoying the life he has for us TODAY because a very good book tells us that tomorrow has its own issues! ;)

Enjoy the pics below. Unfortunately I do not have wedding pictures yet and probably won't for some time. But when I do, I'll be sure and post some for all you out there who were not able to be with us at our wedding. We appreciate your continued prayers as we learn to love each other as man and wife as well as explore what all the Lord has for us as a couple. Many blessings to you as this year already begins to come to a close!

WAY past due!

2009-07-22T05:43:00.000-07:00

I apologize for having completely slacked off in the blog department! There is no valid excuse other than I have been BUSY BUSY BUSY with job stuff, car stuff, and mostly....WEDDING stuff. Yay! I get married in 3 1/2 weeks and things are coming along wonderfully.

My month here has been an adjustment but good. I have loved seeing my family, friend, and AARON! I feel so bad about not keeping up with some of you and promise that, once thing settle down a bit and life becomes "normal" after the wedding, I will do a much better job of keeping you posted, putting up pictures, and hopefully entertaining you with my many adventures!

Until then, thanks so much for being patient and just know that your prayers are being heard because life has been good so far!
Thanks!!!

My last day

2009-06-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, just typing the title of this blog brings up a fountain of emotions. I'm SO EXCITED to arrive in Atlanta and see my sweetie and the family/friends I have been missing. And at the same time, I feel that somebody may have to drag me on the plane as I do not want to say goodbye. This is a short blog and I plan to write plenty about the 40th anniversary and about my last few days here. But I havn't updated in a while and just wanted you to know that I'm doing OK, but would appreciate any prayers you can offer up at this time on my behalf. Be looking for a re-cap video soon of my unbelievable year here! And THANK YOU for all of your support!

Beginning of the end...

2009-06-08T08:26:00.001-07:00

I start this week off with various thoughts floating around in that increasingly cramped mind of mine. This week we prepare to receive 400-500 people for a conference and 150 people for a retreat which will immediately follow the conference. Needless to say, our team of 5 is quite busy.

But, amongst all this hustle, the underlying thought that runs through my brain is that this is my last full week here in Colombia. :( So, aside from the things I'm in charge of with work, I am packing, saying goodbyes, and dealing with the emotions that come with knowing I'm going to see my fiance, family, and friends, but also that I am saying goodbye to many people I love here.

This past weekend there was a little get-together at my boss, Grace's, house because we know there won't be time for a goodbye party this weekend! Check out the picks and, if you think of it, keep me in your prayers this week. I leave in 9 days!

Honey-Do List

2009-06-01T12:32:00.001-07:00

I sit at work, on my lunch break, thinking of the hundreds of things I have to do in the next little bit. My list begins with all the things that must be done before I leave Colombia (in 2 1/2 weeks) as well as all the things I have to do so that I CAN leave Colombia:
1. clean out desk
2. pack up room
3. put together donation pile of things I'm leaving behind
4. finish planning for the 40th anniversary next week
etc...

But it doesn't end there. no no. That's actually the short list! The longer lists come with wedding prep and job hunting. I won't even give an example of that cause I wouldn't know where to start.

I am a list girl. I like them. I like writing them and checking off each item as it gets accomplished. But THIS! Woah. I'm hoping to be one of those easy-going brides as the date continues to sneak up on us. But....there is just SO MUCH TO DO! Well, here goes. I'm sure that the blogs from here on out will be entertaining to say the least. Enjoy!

Firsts...

2009-05-26T07:25:00.000-07:00

I, too, had a 3-day weekend. It wasn't memorial day for me here, but the holiday proved to be quite enjoyable. Among the festivities were several "firsts" for me and/or those around me. Even after a year of living here, there are plenty of firsts to be had! Check it out:

First of all...my roommate and I decided to take our last night out. These next 3 weeks are going to be super full and so I wanted to be sure we made time for this. I took her for Japanese. It was a FIRST for her as she had never had sushi OR eaten with chopsticks. She loved it and did great! Not the most flattering pic of her, but it tells the story:

Then there was a concert. It was my first concert here in Colombia. Aldaba is the group that played. They are a Christian group that get their style from the indigenous music from the peoples of the Andes Mountains here in Colombia. Very cool. The concert was a huge success as they released their 3rd cd.

I DROVE!!!! After a year of living here, I had yet to drive in Colombia. We took a road trip through the mountains to some hot springs and I got to drive. A First in Colombia and a First in 5 months!

A week in the life...

2009-05-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

Last Monday, as I browsed my missionary friends' blogs, I came across a very interesting one. "A day in the life" I thought that some of you may wonder what it is that I actually do. So, I spent the last week taking a few pictures of the things I do here. And now, I present to you my life:

I start off my day around 6:30-7:00 am when either my alarm wakes me up, or the paper business in my building turns on their machines and wake me up with the shaking of my entire apartment. :)

Then it's off to the gym for an hour or so. (this is not a picture of MY gym, but of a gym chain here in Colombia. I felt akward trying to take my camera into my gym)

Next comes my shower and walk to work. Before I leave the house though, I am sure to fix myself a hot cup of delicious, steaming, Colombian coffee. YUM!

On Mondays we all get to work and have a morning meeting. We discuss prayer requests, tasks/meetings for the week, and have a devotional time as a team. This picture is missing 3 staff members (including me, the photographer)

Next, I sit down and check my emails. I usually average between 10-15 non junkmail items, so it takes me quite a while to sort through them and respond.

I then spend my time emailing for work, putting together itineraries for various events, and doing anything else my superior may ask of me. This is all done at my desk; the "official" part of my work.

In no particular order, I am also the librarian for UCU. We have about 1,500 books that I am in charge of checking in/out, organizing, and making ID cards for students who want to become UCU library members.

The "relational" side of my job is in discipleship and mentoring. Various students come to me for advice or prayer and so I spend time with them whenever they are able to come to the office. Here is one of my regulars, Adriana.

On Wednesdays, we have our regular Bible Study. We average about 25-30 students per Wed. and it is about a 2 1/2 hour time of worship, prayer, and studying the Word. (note that this picture is not from our Bogota group but from our Barranquilla group. I completely forgot to take a pic of the group last Wed.)

And that wraps up what it is that I do. Until next time my friend!

Studying Romans

2009-05-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at the various moods I can take on. Not just throughout the month, or the week, but throughout one single DAY! I have met a few steady and constant people in my life. Its not to say that they are "better" than us more moody folks, but it sure is nice to always know what to expect from them. Yes, they too have their moments, but they aren't like my moments, which change with the wind. THAT is something I am working on. It has progressed over the years and I continue to move towards being a more emotionally steady person. But cut me some slack....I'm female! haha

Why talk about this? Isn't this blog's title about studying Romans? YES! I am constantly amazed at God's faithfulness as seen in Romans. Paul does such an incredible job of repeating in various examples how the Lord did save me (justification), continues to save me (sanctification) and will one day complete his salvation work in His second coming when I am forever changed into the absolute image of Christ (glorification)!

Paul also quotes Isaiah in Romans 10 when he reminds Israel that "all day long I [God] have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." There he stands, despite my contstant fight for control over my own life and my constant mood change, waiting for me to recognize that HIS ways are FAR BETTER than MINE! My heart can't help but recognize its selfishness while my Spirit sees God's hand at work and hears His voice saying "trust me Zoe"!

Since the news of my fallen support, I have researched various ways that I can, upon return to the States, make it 'on my own'. NOT SO! He has ALWAYS been faithful to me, even when I "was still a sinner". And so what has changed? Why is it all of the sudden up to me to save myself financially? ITS NOT! That's not to say I sit around on my rear and wait for some happy miracle where 1 million dollars will just fall into my lap. Of course not! But I can trust that God WILL provide...either through raised support, or a part-time job, or whichever other way I can't imagine that He already has set in place.

And so I am encouraged today to recognize that the Lord has been standing there with outstretched arms waiting for me to crawl back in His lap and say "Ok God, DO YOUR THING!"
How about you? Are you running out of yourself trying to work out your own "salvation"?

All I can say is...thank you God for Romans! hah! (and the the rest of the Bible too of course)

"...the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'the just shall live by faith'"
Romans 1:17

Is this when God comes in?

2009-04-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received my April finance report from the Latin America Mission. This is a monthly report where missionaries can see the income received from supporters and the amount paid from the account for salary. To make a LONG story short, I basically have a total of 4 months left before they have to starting cutting my pay big time. You see, at the beginning of the support raising process, any gifts given go into a support pool that collects until departure date. If the missionary is lacking in monthly support, they take some, bit by bit, out of that pool. Well, the pull has run dry my friends! Due to a few lost supporters as well as annual gifts that were not given this year I have lost some monthly support and my pool can no longer sustain the loss.

What does this mean for me? My up coming year in the States was meant to be a time of study leave for me to receive my certification in counseling. While I still do plan on studying, it appears I may need to find a more substantial job than just a few hours a week. Working for me has never been a problem. I have had various jobs since I could drive and generally enjoy the responsibility. But receiving my counseling certification, support raising for Aaron and I, and working 20-30 hours a week is going to prove to be very trying.

Please pray for Aaron and I as we seek out the best options for our year in the States. Thank you so much!
Zoe

Things I'll miss, things I'm ready for PART TWO

2009-04-20T09:06:00.001-07:00

As promised, you can now find out the things I have missed the most, and the things I'm ready to experience in good ole Atlanta. I left the United States in January of 2008. This puts me at being out of the country for a near total of 1 1/2 years. This, in the scheme of things, is a fairly short amount of time. However, when it comes to certain things, 1 1/2 years seems like a lifetime! Let's see...

Things I'm ready for:
I'm ready to start getting things for my first apartment with Aaron. We'll be living in a wonderful basement apartment with two bedrooms, one bath, a private driveway, and just enough space for two love birds. The pic below is not of our apartment, but it is representing all that I'm ready for: starting a home with my sweetie!

I'm ready for the WEDDING! I'm ready to wear the white dress, to carry the flowers, to eat the cake, and to become a Mrs. More specifically, Mrs. Zoe Danielle Das! WOOHOO It has a nice ring to it wouldn't you say?

Things I miss:
I miss cable TV in English. I haven't ever been one of those tv addicts. But it will be lovely to sit down in front of the tv with my favorite snack and watch an episode of Lost or American Idol. Yay!

I miss SEASONS! Oh my goodness. Bogota has two seasons. The rainy season which stays a wet and rainy 45-55 degrees, and the dry season which stays a dry 50-60 degrees. The leaves dont' change, there is no summer, and when it rains, it POURS! Atlanta seasons, here I come!

I miss my family. It will be so wonderful to just have dinner with them, watch a movie, drive in the car, and chat. Shopping with mom, hanging out with dad, discussing books with Joe, listening to Ben talk about his car, and staying up talking with Jill. I love you family! See you soon!

DRIVING! I know I know, the Atlanta traffic can be horrible! But I have spent the better part of 1 1/2 years taking buses and taxis or relying on others to drive me from a to b. I'm ready to sit behind the wheel. Now, as of yet, I will not have my own car for the year in the States. So, below is a pic of my precious husband-to-be's car who has so graciously offered to share it with me! Thanks honey!

And again, saving the absolute best for last....I miss my Aaron!!!!!! I'm ready to see his face every day and not just hear his voice coming from my phone. I'm ready for dates and holding hands and watching movies and doing puzzles and just staring at him in wonder! Haha, we're still in the gaga stage and proud of it!

So, there ya have it folks. This wraps up my two-part blog of all the things I'll miss in Colombia and all the things I'm looking forward to in the States. Visit soon as I will be slowly wrapping up my time here in Bogota!

Things I'll miss, things I'm ready for PART ONE

2009-04-20T08:52:00.001-07:00

Well, for those of you who were disappointed by my short blog entry last time, THIS should make up for it.

I have now been in Colombia for 9 months. During that time, I have fallen in love with certain aspects of the culture and life here. These are the things I will miss terribly when I leave in less than 2 months. They are the memories I will hold onto and the people I will keep in touch with.

I'm going to miss how inexpensive everything is here. This includes $2 manicures, $8 haircuts, $3 lunches, and $150 rent.

I'm going to miss speaking Spanish A LOT! I'm praying that I don't lose the level I have gained and that when I come back, it'll be like I never left. But this, I feel, is unlikely.

I'm going to miss my favorite restaurant, Crepes and Waffles. They serve the most unbelievably delicious food for way cheaper than you would get in the States. My mouth waters when I think of my Curry Crepe, Hindu Style or my Nutella and ice cream dessert crepe. YUM!

I'm going to miss the Ciclovia (cycle-way) where, on Sunday mornings, they shut down major streets in Bogota so that people can ride their bikes or jog through the streets that are usually wall-to-wall cars. This is where I do my long runs, and I'm going to miss it greatly!

I'm going to miss being able to walk just 6 blocks to my grocery store or the fruit and vegetable market. In the States, this generally requires the use of a car and an hour of your time.

Saving the best for last...I will definitely miss the friendships I have made, the students I mentor, and my office-mates! It will be an adjustment not seeing these wonderful faces on a daily basis. :(

Stay tuned for the next entry where you can find out all the things I'm ready for! Over a year from home can leave you longing for some of the "North American luxuries"...

Beaches, Buses, and lots of Paint Brushes

2009-04-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a super short re-cap of the last 3 1/2 weeks...

Aaron arrived.
We hung out.

We got on a bus:

We were on the bus for a total of 47 hours (round trip):

We toured the coast for future ministry locations:

We returned to Bogota.
We painted the UCU house and did some demo:

Aaron left.
And now I'm getting back to work!

Aaron's visit...headed to the coast!

2009-03-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

Aaron has now been here one week and we have been busy, but have enjoyed our time together. On Monday we head out from Bogota to visit the coast. We'll be traveling by bus. It is 18-20 hours from here to our first destination: Barranquilla.

We'll be visiting the UCU group there and doing some video filming for the up-coming 40th anniversary of UCU in June. From there we take a 2-hour ride to Cartagena. Cartagena is the city we will potentially be moving to after we are married and so we are going to see the possible language-schools as well as cost of living and the school where the LAM may place us.

After that we take another 2-3 hours to Sincelejo which is a bit inland and VERY hot! We are visiting some fellow-LAMers there and will be receiving pre-marital counseling from Connie Befus. From there, we head home and will arrive in Bogota on the 9th.

Its going to be a long drive, but we are looking forward to the time together and a break from the cold cold rain. The coast averages 75-85 degrees year round with 90-100% humidity and no air conditioning. Believe it or not, even that extreme heat will be a welcome change to my 50-degree, no indoor-heating, constant rainy Bogota.

Wish us safe travels! I'll write again either from the coast, or as soon as we get back. Here's a map of our route for those of you into geography...

A Girl Named Lisbeth

2009-03-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

Meet Lisbeth (pronounced Lizbet)

This young lady has been taken under our wing here at UCU. Originally from the coast, one of our staff workers has basically adopted her. She recently turned 16 and spends her days here at the UCU house. Her story is similar to that of many many adolescents and I'll hope you'll read on to see how the Lord is changing her life, and mine, through her being here.
Lisbeth is from the city of Valledupar in the far North of Colombia. While she is 16 years old, she has the emotional maturity of an 8 year old and has very little education. Raised by somebody who she thought was her grandmother, Lisbeth is the daughter of a prostitute. Only recently have we discovered that her "grandmother" is likely to be somebody who is not blood-related at all and simply took her on for the first 15 years of her life.
Lisbeth's upbringing was far from pleasant. We suspect an abusive past and her temper tantrums and complete lack of social norms all point to a past that is less than ideal. Taking her on has been a trial in patience for us all. But when she isn't upset about something or hyper-focusing on minor things, she is one of the most sincere and adoring people I have ever met.
Grace is working with her on some basic education. Lisbeth can read, but my guess is that she reads at about a 3rd grade level. Its painful to know that sometimes, my Spanish vocabulary is more expansive than hers. We are also working on her motor skills to help with hand-eye coordination. Don't get me wrong, as far as we know, she has no mental disabilities, but there are many things she was never taught. In addition, I am working on some geography basics with her. Before coming to UCU, she couldn't point to Colombia on a map. Now she is learning about North, Central, and South America. She is a quick learner and loves to discover knew things, including Biblical things.

She spends her days banging on the piano, though she has never taken lessons, and strumming on the guitar. She sings whatever tune comes to mind, which very seldomly reflects the melody she is trying to play on the piano. But she lacks no motivation to learn, even if it means being self-taught. She has been taking knitting lessons from me and is proud to have finished her first little square in a yarn color she calls "extravagant".

The most rewarding thing to watch is how she loves the Lord. Of course her outbursts and child-like behavior seem so inappropriate for somebody her age. But she does love the Lord with a child-like passion. She loves to re-tell Bible stories that she is learning and sings at the top of her lungs during times of praise and worship.
Please pray for Lisbeth in Bogota, Colombia. Pray that the Lord would continue to grant us wisdom in helping to teach her both the basics of life, and the Word. As she matures emotionally, it is certain that she will begin to recognize the terrible wounds that her past has left. The Lord can heal her from the inside out, and that is my hope for her. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. Lisbeth is just one of the many people that you are helping!

Recovery, Culture, and Bible Study

2009-03-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

Recovery: Things are going very well in that department. I got some AWESOME news from the Doctor last week. He informed me that I have very mild endometriosis. So, that is great! The cysts they removed were just regular ole cysts that do nothing except cause pain. Well, the cysts are gone, and so is the pain. So, I'm on some meds for the endometriosis but nothing too severe. God has showed himself so faithful to me this past week! YAY Jesus

Culture: Its been a while since I wrote about cultural things so I thought I'd take a second for that. I'll make it short....
Showers. Why showers? Well, first of all, there are little to no bathtubs here as is the norm for much of Latin America. AND there is seldom a hot water system in the house. So, we use a particular kind of shower head, called an electric shower, that heats up the water instantly before coming out to rain over you. The only downfall with this system is there is little to no water pressure. I'v gotten used to it though. When I was home for Christmas, I felt like my American shower water was going to drill through my skin. :) The other thing is that they take showers in the morning, every morning, and only in the morning. If you go anywhere without a morning shower, you are "nasty" :) In my experience in the States, shower times vary depending on the person. But so long as we bathe, there isn't a problem. NOT the case here. Weird huh? You MUST shower in the morning, no matter what the temp is.

Bible Study: A few weeks ago, before the surgery fiasco, I had a women's Bible Study. It was for the girls of UCU and we met at a local park outside on a beautiful day and studied about self esteem as seen in the Bible. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of this, which is frustrating. But, I will say that it was awesome! There were seven of us in total and, though the group was small, we had a wonderful time of sharing and learning together. I have another one this Thursday and am starting to work on it now. Please pray that more girls will come and that the Lord would lead me to talk about whatever needs are represented by the group. Till next time!

QUOTE: Here, then, is the real problem of our negligence. We fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy.

R. C. Sproul

Recovery...

2009-03-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

What is surgery like in Colombia? Well, mostly the same. The only thing that is particularly different is the care you receive post-op. As I was waking up from being under general anesthesia, the Dr. decided it would be a good time to talk to me about what he discovered. The ONLY thing I remember is that I have endometriosis. He didn't tell me how to take care of my wounds (I have three: 2 about 2-inches long and a small one in my belly button), He didn't tell me what exactly "one week of rest" means, and he prescribed regular, over-the-counter, Tylenol for my pain. On his way out, he gave me a hefty shot of Tramadol for the pain and then let me sit in recovery for two hours throwing up because the pain killer made me sick. I'm writing this all in humor because when all else fails, laugh at life. Then again, yesterday I had a time with friends where I laughed for 10 minutes straight and quite honestly I think I did some damage as today it hurts to do anything, including sit in my chair. :( Go figure

In all seriousness, I'm doing well except for pain. I go in later this week to meet with the Dr. to discuss treatment options. What is Endometriosis? Click HERE if you'd really like to read more about what I've been diagnosed with. My mom had it and, while it is manageable, it has some unfriendly symptoms.

I'm taking this week easy and mostly off my feet. I have missed a complete week of classes, which I'm annoyed about, but it looks like I'll be missing at least 2 more days. So, I'll deal with the mountain of make-up work this next weekend.

I got my computer back which has been so helpful since I'm required to stay off my feet. I've spent the time re-writing the many MANY documents I lost. Other than that, I'm happy to be alive and only in moderate pain. Aaron is coming for a visit in 2 1/2 weeks which I am very much looking forward to. Sorry it took so long to update. Thanks for your prayers!
Zoe
p.s. for all you medical types out there, here's a pic of my ultrasound. The big round object is the 4-inch cyst they removed. :)

Headed into Surgery

2009-02-25T09:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday as I was going about my business walking to and from....

I was hit with excrutiating pain and my legs went out from under me in the middle of the widewalk. What on earth? I went to an emergency room here at a private hospital and they did testing. It turns out I have some type of growth on one of my ovaries. Because they are not sure what it is, they are doing surgery to remove it today. They will go in through my belly button. The surgery is minimally intrusive and I´ll go home this evening if all goes as planned.

I was very impressed with the hospital yesterday as their staff and doctors were more than pleasant and helpful. I am not in much pain today as it did subside quite quickly. I do appreciate your prayers this evening and will be sure to post an update soon.

Thank you for your support!

life without computers...

2009-02-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

I was enjoying a pleasant evening alone after a long day of work last Wednesday. Well, it actually wasn´t that pleasant as I had a sinus infection and had to leave work early. Nonetheless, I decided to make the best of it and watch a movie. Of course I do not have a televion at home, so I´m always watching movies on my computer. The movie of choice: The Secret Life of Bees

I would like to tell you that it was a great movie with a moving ending. So touching! Unfortunately I cannot do that. When I had ten minutes left of my movie, my computer froze. After waiting for it to catch up with itself to no avail, I manually shut it down, waited, and then re-started it only to discover that it was still frozen. I repeated the above and found.........a blank white screen.....for 30 minutes without budging. I called Aaron who called AppleCare and they gave me about 3 things to try and re-start the system, all of which failed.

You guessed it, my hard drive is shot. I grieved my loss and made the trip to the Apple store here in Bogota on the following morning only to have the confirm that my hard drive had seen its last moment and so had all of my files from the past two years. I lost it all! My computer is still under warranty which is fabulous because otherwise it would require a hefty amount of pocket money. Now I am playing the waiting game as everything, EVERYTHING, takes longer in Latin America. I have been told that I should have my computer back and repaired in the first week of March. And, it´ll be like new! By new, I mean that i will spend HOURS upon HOURS trying to re-write everything I lost which includes but is not limited to: all of my supportrs information, all of my papers from college, all of my pictures, all of the wedding information, and all of my ESL teaching materials.

Computers, you CAN live without them, it just really stinks!

QUOTE: Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window.
Steve Wozniak

Retreats and Classes

2009-02-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

I went on a student-led retreat this past weekend. I think the pictures will speak for themselves, but the Lord definitely moved among some of the group in a powerful way. Retreats, for me, are some of the most difficult weekends, but they are worth every minute of work. Because our ministry is geared towards students, we have to take advantage of long weekends as they are generally very occupied during the school year, hence the many retreats we go on. I, however, am not a student. I am a worker. Retreats, from my end, include organizing, leading, cleaning, cooking, and discipling. But no matter the climate or conditions, God always moves in a mighty way.
the surroundings:
lifting each other up in prayer:
A new gal to the group, pouring out to the Lord:
9 guys slept on the floor in one room:
At His feet:

I should also write a small blurb on my class that I'm taking. Below, you can see the building, from various shots, that I study in. It is very modern and new. My class is going well. For classmates, I have a German, English gal, two Chinese ladies, and 3 Frenchmen. Its quite the class! I'm learning a lot of new things that I know will help me with my professionalism. Also, you can see my Colombian Student ID. FUN!

QUOTE: I could not say I believe. I know! I have had the experience of being gripped by something that is stronger than myself, something (someone) that people call God.

Carl Jung

Frustrations

2009-02-10T07:22:00.001-08:00

I had planned to do a full-out blog yesterday with pictures from this weekend's retreat etc. But I left my camera at home yesterday. Then, today I brought my camera, thinking the chord was here at the office. NOPE! The chord is at home. So, I promise that tomorrow I will post a nice blog with pictures etc. Sorry about that. All is well and I look forward to sharing with you about the past week!

A week in Miami and Spanish classes

2009-01-29T08:37:00.000-08:00

I arrived last night from Miami where I spent the week with Aaron as he went through the process of becoming a LAM missionary. He was accepted! So, we now face a long road ahead where we are expecting God to provide in the same way He provided for me when I was support raising. Some of you will receive more info on that at a later time. Here are some pictures of the week:

Upon returning, I immediately started off my day by heading over to the national university across the street. Its students number in the 30,000's and now, they have one more: ME! Crazy huh? I'm headed back to school this coming Monday for an advanced Spanish class to help with my professionalism. Classes are in the evenings, so it won't be interfering at all with work and ministry. Wish me luck!

QUOTE: Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
William Butler Yeats

Freezing hot in Miami

2009-01-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

I came to the sunshine state to warm up from my mountain climate in Botoga only to discover that it would have been warmer to just stay put. Temperature this morning in Miami: 22 degrees! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... But it'll be in teh 80's by Friday so I'll pull out the shorts and tank tops then!

The real reason I'm here is to walk alongside Aaron as he joins the Latin America Mission. We made the decision a while ago for him to join the LAM for our future together in missions. The Lord provided in an AWESOME way for us both to make it here this week. I'll be headed back to Bogota next Wednesday. We are making some fairly big decisions this week and so would greatly appreciate your prayers for the Lord's guidance.

Speaking of orientation.....we have the privilege this week of meeting the new LAM president. Steve Johnson is coming to us from Arizona and has a plethora of experience in the Latin World, missions, and pastoring. My AZ readers may also recognize his name as the founding pastor of North Ridge Community where I attended when living in Phoenix and where my Uncle Dwayne currently serves as the music director. Small world huh? I'll put up pictures next week of my time in Miami.

See you in Bogota!

Psalm 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.

Decisions Decisions...

2009-01-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

Apparently 2009 has come in with a BANG! And I'm not talking fireworks! No no, I'm not complaining, I like being busy. It makes me feel accomplished ya know? But THIS busy? Time will tell.

Why you ask? In the past 3 days I have been to 2 meetings laying out this semester's activities, needs, and projects. I had planned on continuing to teach English this semester, but it seems that that will not be a possibility. There is just too much on my plate. I am in charge of the music for the 40th anniversary where we are expecting about 800-1,000 people. Also, with my Spanish being more advanced than when I first arrived, I have decided to really begin to build strong relationships with the students. We have so many students who come from less than descent situations. They need people their age who will listen to them, pray with them, and encourage them with the Word and with love. I will be making house visits this semester to many young ladies who I know are struggling tremendously. That will take up many of my afternoons, evenings, and weekends.

Lastly, I'm going back to school. Yes, its kinda weird to even say it. I'm not going for my masters, yet. But I have decided to take an 8-week course in advanced Spanish here at the local university. I feel that this will give me the last nudge towards fluency that I need. With my wedding coming this year and my extended stay in the USA, I feel that it is necessary for me to have a professional level of Spanish that I can use anywhere in the world for teaching, translating, or, maybe one day far down the road, a career in a full-time Spanish-speaking job. The options are endless and its the only thing that makes sense. I have discussed this with my boss and have assured her that this will not interfere with my work, which it won't. I will attend class from 4-6 pm every afternoon. My work with UCU will be done during business hours and my visits to students will take place during lunch times, evenings, and weekends.

So, these are the decisions and changes that have started off the new year. I'm ready to plow ahead with your support and prayers. Thanks again!!!

Quote: Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.
Dean Acheson

Back to Bogota

2009-01-10T12:43:00.001-08:00

I write to you from my desk, in UCU, in Bogota! Yup, I arrived early morning on the 8th and am starting to get back into the swing of things. I have a busy January and, since its nearly halfway over, I guess I should get a move on. In an effort to not bore you with random details, I'll close this out. I'm ready for this year and these next 5 months in a city I am continuously growing to love!

Quote: And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln

Welcome to 2009!!

2009-01-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

Is it just me, or does it feel like we were just bringing in the new millennium a few weeks ago and now its already 2009???!!! Time flies when you're globe-trotting I suppose! I have enjoyed my break here in the States these past few weeks and am wrapping up the last-minute things before I head back to Colombia in a few days. I'm ready for these next 6 months and am anxious to see what the Lord has in my path.

Here's what I'm thankful for in 2008 and praying for for 2009:
2008:
God's constant help as I chopped my way through Spanish Language School in Costa Rica
The Lord's incredible provision for me to move to Colombia
His care and protection over me as I live in Bogota
The divine appointment He set up for me to meet my wonderful fiance
The funds to be able to come home and have an Atlanta Christmas with my family
All of you who never falter in encouraging, praying for, and supporting me through this journey

2009:
Continued Spanish learning and immersion into the Latin culture
The Lord's protection as I continue to travel throughout Colombia for ministry opportunities
The Spirit's movement both inward and outward among the Colombian students that I work with
Smooth sailing as I continue planning my wedding from afar
Continued provision from both those who have been with me from the start, and for new supporters
God's leading for Aaron and I as we make very big decisions for the immediate and distant future

Below are some more pictures from my stay at home. Happy New Year and may this be a great year for you and yours!!!

Our Engagement Pictures:

QUOTE: Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

Christmas and Wedding...

2008-12-26T07:53:00.000-08:00

This past week has been one for the books. As if the joys and stresses of the holidays aren't enough, I have added a long LONG list of wedding to do's. So, it has been a very fun and very hectic week. I'll start with the wedding stuff quickly and then move on to the wonderful Christmas that we celebrated yesterday.

Last saturday all of my bridesmaids came over for a brunch before heading over to David's Bridal to try on bridesmaids dresses. It was a fun day and it was so great to see all my girls. I have 3 bridesmaids and 1 Jr. bridesmaid. We picked out a dress (not shown below) for the girls along with some shoes for them as well. Thanks girls for making it a wonderful day!

Patrice being silly
Nicki pretending to propose
My T-shirt that Nicki gave me, so cute!
My three bridesmaids....so beautiful!

While we all know that Christmas falls on December 25th, it doesn't mean that the festivities are secluded to one day. I attended three Christmas parties last week, had a special Christmas Eve night with my family of 6, and then had an all-day event yesterday at my grandparent's home. It was a wonderful two days and I can't help but think of how next year a new member to the family will be added and the McLuhan-Hammond traditions will be tweaked a bit as Aaron and I come up with our own Das traditions. But until then, I have the wonderful memory of Christmas 08 to reflect on throughout 2009. I hope that it was as wonderful a time for you and that you are anticipating God's provision and blessings in this next year.

Below are Christmas pictures followed by my "wrap-up 2008" mini video to portray just a small amount of what the Lord has done in my life this past year. Many blessings and my next blog will come from the new year, 2009!
Christmas morning before opening gifts.

Our beautifully decorated Tree (thanks to Patrice)
Patrice, worn out from the festivities
3 generations for Christmas 08
Getting ready to dig in...thanks Mammy and PeePaw for the amazing feast!
The family picture for 08....until next year!

Now, here's the 2008 finale! Enjoy this short video and, as you watch, remember that while your picture may not appear, your love and support is behind each and every one of the significant moments! May the Lord richly bless you in 2009 and I look forward to another year of emails, blogs, and keeping in touch with you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

My E-trip home and Jill's graduation

2008-12-16T17:42:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday I got a phone call from my mom informing me that my grandmother, whom I call "Oma", had had a stroke. My dad went out there (to Arizona) last Thursday as I made the decision to up my Christmas travels and hop on a plane in the event that her situation got worse. Over the past week she has been from the lowest of low to what seemed to be a steady road to recovery. Dad returned today only to find out that during his flight she passed out again and had some kind of episode. Our family seems to be on a roller coaster ride and would truly appreciate your prayers at this time. She is one of the strongest women I have ever known and to see her suffer is difficult for all who know and love her.

While the circumstances for my early return were not desirable, there was definite good that came out of my Thursday night arrival. My sister Jill graduated from Lee University this past Saturday. Because my dad went to Arizona, it was great that I could be there for her with Patrice, Patrice's folks, Patrice's sister, and my brother Josiah. We were all so proud to see her walk across stage and receive her diploma. Great job Jill, we're SOOO proud of you!

In other news, Aaron is in India until the 28th so I'm just hangin out at my parent's home and getting ready to celebrate Christ's birth with those I love most (minus Aaron, of course) I can't wait to see him but until then, I'm surrounding myself by people I haven't seen for months. I'll keep the blog updated in regards to my grandmother and, if I dont' talk to you before, have a wonderful family-filled Christmas this year!

QUOTE: Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!
Charles Dickens

Retiro de Lideres (leadership retreat)

2008-12-09T11:48:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I helped coordinate/attended a retreat for the student leaders and national workers of UCU. Its something that UCU does at the close of every year to talk about the events of the previous year and plan ahead for the following. It was a time of constant meetings, planning, praying, and organizing. Nevertheless, this retreat is one of the most important times of the year as we pray about what God has for us and the ways in which we can mature and reach more people through our service and ministry. One of the things we did was decide on the "Lema y Libro". In other words, the slogan and book of the bible for 2009.
In Spanish: Escoge, pues, la vida: Jesucristo
In English: Therefore, choose life: Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 30:19)
The book of the Bible will be Deuteronomy
2009 is a huge year for UCU as we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary. (hence choosing Deuteronomy in symbolic reference with what the Israelites were going through after their 40 years in the desert and preparing to enter the promised land) Below are a couple of pictures and a silly little video (completely unedited) to show the hang-out times we had (which were FEW but FABULOUS!)

QUOTE:“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans” John Lennon

ExpoErotica Exito (success!)

2008-12-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

Words can't describe how awesome the whole experience was....on a campus with nearly 30,000 students, our UCU group of 30 spent the day on the National University's campus talking about God and Sex. Check out this video, it does it more justice than my words could!

The votes are in!...

2008-11-28T07:24:00.000-08:00

Faithful readers,
After reading many emails and blog comments, a decision has been reached. heehee

Well, right from the start Aaron was suggesting I keep my mac because I would undoubtedly regret the switch back to a regular PC (which I last used about 4 years ago). Many of your emails were educational in the fact that they taught me how to make my mac more compatible with the office system/computers. Other emails encouraged us to BOTH have a mac and sent links to see how eBay and other sites offered much lower prices than any Apple store would. So, here is the decision...

Since I have an almost co-dependent relationship my mac (sarcasm) and since I have found ways to make it more compatible, I am keeping my white beauty. As for Aaron, he is going to keep an eye out for refurbished macs or new macs on eBay that will serve him well in his future endeavors. We aren't a family yet, but when we become one, we will be a Mac Family! heehee Thanks for all your input.

In terms of Thanksgiving, well, it was nice. I worked during the day (its not any kind of holiday here) and then went to my boss' house for a real Thanksgiving dinner. There was turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce etc. I can't say that it was grandma's cookin, but it was a VERY close second and the fellowship was wonderful. No pictures to show, sorry about that, I must be slackin in the photo department. Hope that your Thanksgiving was amazing and that you had a special time with friends and family. Until next time!
Z

QUOTE: Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. ~E.P. Powell

My MacProblem and your needed MacVote.

2008-11-25T11:01:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm in a minor dilemma.
I have the not so easy decision of choosing between a PC or keeping my mac. Why would I get rid of a perfectly good mac laptop? Because my future husband is in great need of a computer and wants a mac. The problem is that macs are twice the price of a quality PC laptop these days. Aaron needs a mac to do some of the creative and artistic things that he is into and wants to further. Whereas I, well, I just like macs. But we don't have the cash to buy a mac for Aaron right now and I have been running into problems lately with compatibility issues between my mac and my office-mates' computers. I often have to work on projects, edit videos, and hook up to systems that are not mac friendly.

Here's where you come in. Do I give Aaron my laptop and have him help me out with buying an HP laptop for half the price, or do I put a white-knuckle grip on my Apple and tell him to fin for himself and we'll get him one when we win the lottery? Mac, or PC?
Please vote soon so I can count the ballots and decide before the end of the year. Every vote counts and please offer your opinion as to why or why not. Thanks!

QUOTE: Never let a computer know you're in a hurry. ~Author Unknown

Culture Take 3

2008-11-21T07:30:00.000-08:00

The only thing going on here these days is fervent prep. for a huge expo we have at the University next week. I'm thinking that you don't want to know the details at this point, so I'm giving a lesson in culture for the third time.

What do you think this gesture means???

It means that there were a lot of people. For example, you want to explain to somebody that the bus was SO full that there were people hanging out the doors. THAT is when you would use this.

What about this one???

It means something was delicious. I'm serious! Its actually a two-part deal. You start with your finger under your eye and then move it forward and away from your face. This signifies that the Tamale you had at Liliana's last night was delicious as you describe it to your friend over another eye-to-finger deserving coffee!

Greetings...in the States when one walks into a room full of people, you simply give a general "hello everyone" and then begin to mingle with your particular favorites (so to speak). NOT SO in Latin America. Upon entering a room, you MUST greet every person individually with an air-kiss to the left cheek and some time of salutation. Translated, it would go something like this:
"Hi, Angie, what's up? (muah) Hello Oscar, how are ya? (muah) Hey there Eliana. (muah) Hi Andres, how ya been? (muah)..." This would continue until all had been greeted and THEN, only THEN, could I be seated and begin to mingle or eat or whatever.

The not so enjoyable cat-calls. This is one of my least favorite things in this culture. Despite popular belief, you don't have to have a fresh layer of makeup, weigh less than 110 lbs, wear tight clothes, bla bla bla. In fact, the only requirement for a woman to receive cat-calls is to, well, be a woman with legs, arms, hair, a face and the other womanly essentials. Seeing as Bogota is full of people who walk to work, school etc (like me) it is a daily occurance that you pass construction workers, business men, grandpas and adolescent boys. Again, the requirement for the type of man is simply that he has eyes. Click-click go the heels and whistle-whistle come the calls. Sometimes its the simple whistle and stares. Other times, such as this morning, a middle-aged man will approach you and tell you where his apartment is located if you're interested. It is immediately followed by a blank look from the woman that sends the message "over my dead body Mr." followed by a quick turn of the eyes and continuing, at a faster pace, of her journey to work or wherever her day is taking her. In my case, the rest of the walk is comprised of me feeling like I need to take a shower again and dress myself in a parka and mask from now on. EW!

That's all for now! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY Thanksgiving to all!

My 100th post!

2008-11-14T08:26:00.000-08:00

Wow, so much has happened since I started this blog nearly two years ago and now we're on blog #100. How exciting!

Well, this week I celebrated my birthday with Aaron and my friends here in Colombia. This will be short and sweet, but basically I had a great time! How weird to think I'm a quarter of a century old. heehee
eating at a Mexican restaurant for my birthday lunch
the girls at bible study wishing me happy birthday
my home-made card and a balloon with my handsome fiance
me laughing cause Aaron smeared icing on my face!

Wednesday night was Bible study as usual and so they got me a cake and Aaron bought my favorite ice cream! They sang and we just hung out a bit after the study was over.

Then last night, my actual birthday, a bunch of people came to the UCU house and we watched a movie on the overhead projector, ate popcorn and brownies, and just had a great time. I feel so very blessed to have people here who love me and come from all over the city to celebrate with me. My 25th year is going to be full of great change, just as this last year has been. I look forward to discovering all that the Lord has in store.

QUOTE: Inside every older person is a younger person -
wondering what on earth happened.
- Cora Harvey Armstrong

The winding road ahead...

2008-11-07T07:47:00.000-08:00

Have you heard the song "Jesus Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood? If not, you can click HERE. The song is kind of depressing and I'm not, by any means, depressed. So that isn't the point. The point is that, no matter how "in control" we would like to be and often feel we are, that is a simple lie we tell ourselves. Whether you have tendencies to be a very controlling person, or whether you are more laid back and easy-going, nobody likes to think that their life is out of control. Well, not usually. This blog is a reflection just as much for me as for you. It is me recognizing and reminding myself for the 9,497, 842nd time that I am NOT in control.

Sometimes the road I'm on is gorgeous. Its the road that winds up and over the greenest grass and tallest mountains. Its the road I sense when Aaron asks me to marry him or when I find out that I'm finally at 100% support and can leave for Colombia. Its the road when I often forget to thank God for the green and the mountains because all is well in the world. We like this road. Its easy. Its fun. But it can be dangerous if we forget to recognize who laid the road out before us.

You may then quite suddenly find yourself in a valley. Its damp, its deep, and you are surrounded by seemingly insurmountable difficulties. This is when none of my dreams seem to be coming true, no doors are opening, and God seems to be just standing around on the other side of the mountain, totally out of sight. Its when I can't figure out which fork to take and I wonder what on earth God is trying to teach me. Its when my family is struggling, and I can do nothing to help. Its when I'm homesick and feel that I'v failed, its when the economy drops and my support shrinks a few digits. But this is when, as you have been trying to drive the impossible road, you must stop, pull over, try to see the beauty in the valley, and let Jesus take the wheel.

It is possible that after you finally leave the valley, in full expectation of arriving back on top, you enter the cold. The damp has frozen over, your car is dirty and tired, You have tried to re-take the wheel in thinking that your way will surely be better than the Lord's, and your gas light is warning you that you have almost run out of yourself. Its a lonely road. You have friends all around but you don't feel their holding hands nor can you hear the mute words of comfort they say. You are alone. This is when my friends forget my birthday, when my parents have too much on their plate to add my problems, its when Aaron is in his own world, out of touch with my needs, and when all I have worked for is on the brink of freezing over and cracking. Oh but look around you. Look at the snow-covered mountains that, while they seem out of reach, are still within view. Look at the branches weighted down with fresh snow. Listen to the stillness. The muted voices are only so because the Lord wants you to hear only ONE voice; HIS voice. And so we wait. We listen. We don't like having to rely so heavenly on Him. We want our control back. Just give me back my wheel GOD! If only Zoe would be quiet and listen to the one who knows the road better than any map or guide. Be still and KNOW that He is the only savior.

Then there is the traffic-infested, bright-lights-all-around, can't-get-a-word-in-edgewise, too-much-stuff-to-do road. Its a mouth-full to say cause its a truck-load to do! You don't know where to start and you feel closed in with a schedule that seems impossible. Its when I have nine projects to work on in 2 days when the last month was slow as snails. Its the months of planning my wedding from over-seas and wondering where the busy lights will take my future husband and I. Its wondering if, at any point, I'm going to try and switch lanes but run into the car next to me. Its wondering if the "policeman" will pull me over for reckless driving or speeding. But its a rush. Its fun. It swerves and moves. The river of cars curves and moves at lightening speed and its pure adrenaline that allows you to keep up. You may pull into your driveway worn-out. BUt you won't ever forget that ride you had! I suppose we could say its the road I'm on now. I can hardly catch my breath but am still not ready to get out of the car.

I pray for you my friend. I pray for you, my family. That whichever road you find yourself on today, whether it be one of these described or a different road all together, that you will soon find yourself at one common destination. It is at the foot of the Cross. Whether you see it on the horizon yet or not, you must know that it is there. Perhaps the less you try to search it out the more quickly you will find yourself under its shelter. BUt you will, precious friend, find yourself there. The Lord is faithful. He will lead you there. Just let Him take the wheel. Put away your earthly maps. Look to the Father. You can find my favorite song by Hillsong HERE. Listen, and rest.

QUOTE: “You often meet your fate on the road you take to avoid it”
A French proverb

From orange and black To red and green

2008-11-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

Colombia does not celebrate Thanksgiving, as you probably already know. I have, however, been invited to celebrate it with a missionary-friend that lives here in Bogota who works with the Presbyterian missions organization. That will have its own blog later.

What I really want to get into is the fact that Colombia does celebrate Halloween and Christmas. Halloween is a bit different in the fact that the kids don't go trick or treating from home to home. Instead, they go from business to business. If you own a restaurant, shoe store, hair salon, or telephone repair shop, you best be stocked up on candy every October 31st. And what do these dressed-up little munchkins go around chanting? The Spanish version is as follows...
Quiero Paz, Quiero Amor, Quiero Dulce por favor! (Give me peace, give me love, give me candy please...) It sounds better in Spanish. And so, after the night of costumes and candy is over, people retire to their homes to try and calm their children down from bouncing off the walls.

The next day, as you go about your business walking down your normal streets, you notice an unusual hustle a bustle....busier than the regular chaos that is Bogota......Green and Red are going up EVERYWHERE!!! Because we don't have Thanksgiving, they just move right on in to Christmas. The shopping malls of North America are NO MATCH for what this city is transformed into every Christmas. I had heard of its magnificance but had never lived it. The pictures I am showing are the ones I got off the internet but as we continue into the Christmas season, I'll put up some of my own. I can' do it quite yet out of sensitivity to all you North Americans that might stone me if I post a Christmas song or something until after Thanksgiving (Jill, Mom, etc). Though I should mention that I have already bought Faith Hill's new CHristmas CD and listened to it twice in its entirety. Haha...sorry Jill! Well, that's it for now! Enjoy the pics!

p.s. I may not be IN the USA, but please know that I recognize today's significance as you all go to the poles. Please know that I am praying for you and the outcome of this election.

QUOTE “Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”
John Quincy Adams

We're Engaged!

2008-10-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

WOOHOO!!!! Aaron got here last Thursday and popped the question on Saturday. The video tells all! It also includes the actual proposal as he was able to very sneakily get it on tape! Enjoy!

QUOTE: Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

A Hairy Experience

2008-10-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to dye my hair dark again but havn't had the time or cash. Well, I got a little extra in my paycheck this week so I decided to treat myself. Keep in mind that when I say "treat myself" a FULL head of color and some highlights throughout only costs $40. Crazy huh? At my salon in the States (which isn't the highest priced) it would cost me MINIMUM $80. So, I figure I'm getting a great deal. I went a little funky and put in a splash of red which is completely in style in Colombia and I happen to think its super fun.

Why am I telling you this? This blog is mostly for all you ladies out there who may just get a little giggle out of my experience yesterday. I walk in to the salon and they starting oo-ing and aw-ing at my hair color which is naturally quite light. This, to them, is the most fantastic thing and they can't fathom why I would want to go dark when 50% of Colombian women pay lots of money to stay blond. But, reluctantly, they comply to my wishes and start mixing up color. Ya know, I'm not too sure if they were new at putting in color on natural blondes or not...but based on their puzzled looks and constant under-the-breath questions to one another I was getting pretty nervous. I mean, you can relate right? You're about to do something a little on the wild side and you have your own doubts. But then the TWO stylists assigned to you both seem to be lost little puppies in a closet of hair color.

For the following 2 1/2 hours I had FOUR, yes FOUR hands in my hair. Why you need two people to color a head, I'm not sure. And so you're sitting there thinking "this is either gonna come out great because of all the extra attention, or its gonna be a mixture of black and orangy-pink, fried crispy, and frizzy as a cotton ball" I sat their, praying for the prior. We made it through the washing and drying and, well, I was in awe. They did an amazing job! Exactly what I wanted! But the nerves of the morning wore me out and by 9 last night I was staggering home to fall in bed. Despite my extreme excitement over Aaron's arrival today, I actually slept great! I'm headed out now to pick him up. Bellow are some pictures of the hair. It may take some getting used to for some of you but trust me, its super fun!

QUOTE:Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like.
Author Unknown

From the Word

2008-10-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

As part of my evening routine I read The Message Remix//Pause. What is that exactly? Well, I'm sure you've heard of The Message version of the Bible....you know, the one in every-day, plain speech? Its great. Well, the Remix//Pause is exactly what it sounds like.....it is a remixed version of the Bible; synchronizing old and new testament books and breaking them up in a way that allows you to read an O.T. passage and N.T. passage every day so as to read the entire Bible in one year. At the beginning of each book it gives a little history and some kind of insight. As I was reading the intro for 1 & 2 Samuel I couldn't help but have a "wow" moment. I just want to share with you what it says. It's nothing deeply profound. In fact, you may have heard something like this before. I know I have. But the wording is so understandable and applicable....I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. And now.....

I'm not writing it ALL down cause that would be super long....I'm just quoting the highlights, believe it or not.

"Four lives dominate the two-volume narrative of 1 & 2 Samuel: Hannah, Samuel, Saul, and David....these four lives become seminal for us at the moment we realize that our ego-bound experience is too small a context in which to understand and experience what it means to believe in God and follow His ways...
be reminded that these stories are not exemplary in the sense that we stand back and admire them, like statues in a gallery, knowing all the while that we will never be able to live either that gloriously or tragically ourselves. Rather they are immersions into the actual business of living itself: this is what it means to be human...
These four stories do not show us how we should live but how in fact we do live, authenticating the reality of our daily experience as the stuff that God uses to work out his purposes of salvation in us and in the world...
(here's the really good parts)...
One of many welcome consequences in learning to "read" our lives in the lives of Hannah, Smauel, Saul, and David is a sense of affirmation and freedom: we don't have to fit into prefabricated moral or mental or religious boxes before we are admitted into the company of God-we are taken seriously just as we are and given a place in his story, FOR IT IS, AFTER ALL, HIS STORY; NONE OF US IS THE LEADING CHARACTER IN THE STORY OF OUR LIFE! ...
for the biblical way is not so much to present us with a moral code and tell us "Live up to this"; nor is it to set out a system of doctrine that say, "Think like this and you will live well."
THE BIBLICAL WAY IS TO TELL A STORY AND INVITE US, "LIVE INTO THIS. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BE HUMAN; THIS IS WHAT IS INVOLVED IN ENTERING AND MATURING AS HUMAN BEINGS."...IN READING, WE FIND THAT WE ARE NOT BEING LED TO SEE GOD IN OUR STORIES BUT TO SEE OUR STORIES IN GOD'S."

Ok, it was a lot, I know. But wasn't it fantastic??? I just keep reading it. Ok, now, for just a moment I'll tell you what's up this week. We don't have internet at work which has proven to be a bit of a challenge. So I spend my time both at home and work trying to catch up on things (since I have internet at home). Aaron arrives Thursday so I'm busy getting last minute stuff ready for that. SUPER EXCITED! That about wraps it up. No quote this week as I think the excerpt from the Message is long enough! ;) Blessings as you live out of the box!

Buses, beaches, and an INCREDIBLE WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

What can I say? I had THE MOST incredible week of my time in Colombia so far. Where can I start and NOT make this 19 pages long? Ok, I'll start with the bus. 18 hours will get you to the Northern Coast from Bogota. But the drive is INCREDIBLE...through mountains and valleys and into the tropics. WOW! Using the bathroom on the bus was quite an experience and, if any of you women out there would like to laugh your tails off....email me and I'll fill you in on the hilarious details of that little experience.

I seriously can't give the day-by-day account of things cause it would take too long. I'll just sum it up. I went to the beach for an afternoon which was fabulous! We had two days of planning before the students started arriving from all over the coast of Colombia. There were 29 of us in total and we had an amazing time. The theme was "Can you have power without corruption?" How great is that for Colombia? Its also great for me! I'm learning to have some authority and "a say" here but I hope to learn to practice these things with complete humility and with an attitude of service. It was a great theme to study in detail and, even more, I UNDERSTOOD the lectures! WOOHOO

The retreat ended on Monday afternoon. We got all packed up and then hopped back on a bus for a 19 hour ride home. The travel time always depends on traffic and weather. I would make that trip again ANY TIME. I even had the thought more than once of "I could see myself living here". The culture in the coast is very different from the food, to the relationships, to the language. Its very very HOT and nobody has AC. And the coast tends to have a poorer population in general. But the people make up for it and I have definitely fallen in love with more of this country. The video will say it all! Enjoy the 2:30 minutes of my most incredible week so far!

QUOTE: Our culture runs on coffee and gasoline, the first often tasting like the second.
Edward Abbey

The Times

2008-10-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

It has been pretty ordinary around here lately. I'v been teaching classes and doing my normal UCU thing. So, at the risk of sounding a bit boring, I just wanted to update you on what lies ahead this month as it is already packed!

Tomorrow evening I leave, by bus, for the coast of Colombia. Its about an 18 hours ride up north to Santa Marta. I'm headed up there for a UCU regional retreat. Our team will be arriving a few days before the retreat to make the appropriate preparations before the students arrive. The retreat ends on Monday the 13th at which point I will head 4 hours south to Cartagena to spend 2-3 days with my roommate and her family (Yomaida is originally from the coast). I should be arriving back to Bogota on October 17th. I have never been to the coastal region of Colombia and am excited to visit.

The other exciting thing happening this month is that on Oct. 23rd my boyfriend will be arriving for a 10-day visit. He has been in Honduras for 2 months doing a short term missions program, language learning, and traveling. It will have been more than 3 months since I last saw him and we are very excited about seeing one another. I'll still be working during his visit but we'll have the evenings and 2 weekends to do touristy things and show him around.

Other than that, I suppose no news is good news. I continue to become accustomed to the many Colombian differences in culture and am truly enjoying my life here. I'll have a much more exciting entry after the retreat with all kinds of fun pictures. Until then, God Bless!

QUOTE: Life loves the liver of it.
Maya Angelou

Culture: Take 2

2008-10-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

I got some interesting reactions to my last blurb on culture, so I figured I'd keep it up! This one isn't quite as long....but hopefully just as entertaining!

Bills bills bills...
You may be interested to know that paying bills here is quite different. Whether it be a cell phone bill or electric for the house. First, the bill arrives at your mailbox (some of us are lucky enough to even HAVE mailboxes, others just get it placed in the lobby of their apartment building) You then take the bill to any bank that is listed on the bill. You generally have a VERY LONG line to stand in (particularly if your bill arrives at the end of the month). The teller takes your bill and the CASH ONLY that you pay it with. The money is deposited directly into that businesses' bank account and you're set for the month. Weird huh?

Cucumber juice
This one is a new one for me. I woke up this morning and my roomate was making cucumber juice. I gave the "what on earth is that" look and she explained candidly that there was no more fruit in the house and so she was making juice out of the cucumber. Ingredients: Cucumber, water, and sugar. BLend until mushy, strain, and drink up! I did not try it, but it smelled like a fresh salad. I think I like my OJ better! ;)

Cross walks.
What Cross Walks? There are absolutely NO pedestrian rights here. You wait until there is a clearing and then you run for dear life. If you take too long, you will either get run over or cussed out. I say this too lightly. Because the fact is that there are MANY deaths every week from people who don't quite make it across in time. It can be very dangerous!

Gringo tax
Any of you who have traveled have probably noticed that upon hearing your North America accent, local venders will spit out a price that is WELL above the item's worth. Something I'v noticed...they don't do that with the locals! Well, I'm not one to really accept that kind of treatment. So I generally firmly mention something like "Sir, around the corner they are selling this same item for 10,000 pesos Less ($5). Would you like to match that price or should I go back to that store?" Their faces usually drop momentarily before they give me the item for the lower price.
Taxis are the WORST about this. They either try to short-change you or up the price. The other day, for a 7,000 peso ride ($3.50) I paid with a 20,000 peso bill. He only gave me 3,000 pesos back, hoping I wouldn't notice. When I quickly corrected him by "asking" if I hadn't given him a 20,000 bill, he looked at me in the mirror and reluctantly handed me the remaining 10,000. He said in a mumbled Spanish "you're no gringa" HAH! What a compliment. What can I say, its the "gringo tax"

That's all for now folks. Just remember, when in Rome...

QUOTE: I think foreign countries really do like it when American artists sing in their language. And when you go over there and say, 'Hi, how are you?' in their language, they love it. It makes them feel like you're doing it just for them. We in America take so much for granted.
Natalie Cole

Another 29th of September

2008-09-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here we are at another anniversary. Do you actually call it that? Though most of you already know, mom passed away 7 years ago today. I'm doing well with it. It generally hits me on completely insignificant days and takes me by complete surprise. But on the "biggies", like today, I seem to do alright. I have gotten a few emails from some of you remember today's significance, thank you! She is missed and remembered, but always where she should be...up THERE and in HERE (pointing to my heart)! And, as dad reminded me today, she's probably up there serving dutch coffee and making the beds for the new comers! So, when its your turn to head that direction (hopefully not anytime soon) I can assure you that you will have top notch hospitality waiting to give you a hug and make some good ole chicken and trees (her famous family casserole). Here's to you, my sweet mamma!

Zuni

2008-09-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you for praying! Zuni left the hospital about 6 hours after arriving. Because of her lack of insurance, her care there was, well, minimal. Nevertheless, she made it through and they gave her an I.V. until she was released. As soon as she is signed up with her new insurance, she will go for testing to see what the cause was. Until then, my prayer is that there isn't a re-occurrence....it was quite a scary experience for us all. She is doing well and I am keeping a close eye on her! Thanks for your comments and emails!

Requesting Prayer

2008-09-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

Today, after teaching one of my ESL classes, a good friend of mine, Zuni, had some kind of weird attack. We had to rush her to the hospital, but as she has no insurance, they are hardly even tending to her. She drifts in and out of consciousness and is suffering from tremendous pain in her head and hands. I have never heard of this, if you have, feel free to let me know! Either way, I'm praying hard that, despite the hospitals carelessness, the Lord will work a little miracle and help my precious friend. Please join me! Thank you so much!
Zoe

LOVE LOVE LOVE ESL

2008-09-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I think the video will tell it all! Enjoy!

Roaches, Curtains, and Gas.

2008-09-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

Roaches: we have actually found a little home for roaches in the kitchen wall. So, all my bragging about no roaches has come back to haunt me. I will say that I have yet to see when larger than 3/4 of an inch, so I'm happy about that for sure! But yeah, I pretty much lose it when I see one. We're taking care of the situation PRONTO because they are NOT WELCOME GUESTS IN MY HOME!

Curtains: I finally got curtains and can happily say that my room is finished except for some decorations that I'll put up as time and money allow. I'm just happy for the privacy!

Gas: the natural gas repair man (can you repair gas?) came and hooked up the gas to our stove so we finally can use the gas burners. We've been using the electric ones (we have to elec. and 2 gas burners). Let me tell you that I am anti-electric stoves. They burn in the middle and don't cook on the outside AND they are expensive. So, we are thrilled to have good ole gas comin through.

And finally, check out the pictures and videos of my apartment AND my house-warming party from last night. There were like 18 people in my tiny living room and....we were dancing! Try and imagine that!
The people that came for the party!

My Roomie Yomaida and I

Yomaida cooking

eating in our living room since we have no table!

my room with curtains

the view from my living room window

playin cards at the party

here's a very short video of different clips of dancing...I think I could go pro...what ya think? Enjoy the laugh

QUOTE: Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching.
Satchel Paige

Teaching English as a Second Language

2008-09-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

a 1326-page English dictionary and a text book for my Intermediate students:

Tonight I will have my first English class. I have spent the last two weeks testing students for placement and planning my classes. I have three levels to teach in total: Advanced, Intermediate, and Beginning with a total of 34 students! YIKES! It may not sound like a lot but in ESL courses the goal is to keep the classes small so that students have more talk time. I'll do my best! I'm a bit nervous and definately excited. Tonight is the Advanced class. Say a little prayer please! The following is a poem that Aaron found and I thought it quite appropriate for the occasion. You may get a good giggle out of it! I'll be sure to post pictures and let you know how my first week goes!
p.s. I'm LOVIN the apartment!

The English Language:

Have you ever wondered why foreigners have trouble with the English Language?

Let's face it
English is a stupid language.
There is no egg in the eggplant
No ham in the hamburger
And neither pine nor apple in the pineapple.
English muffins were not invented in England
French fries were not invented in France.

We sometimes take English for granted
But if we examine its paradoxes we find that
Quicksand takes you down slowly
Boxing rings are square
And a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

If writers write, how come fingers don't fing.
If the plural of tooth is teeth
Shouldn't the plural of phone booth be phone beeth
If the teacher taught,
Why didn't the preacher praught.

If a vegetarian eats vegetables
What the heck does a humanitarian eat!?
Why do people recite at a play
Yet play at a recital?
Park on driveways and
Drive on parkways

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy
Of a language where a house can burn up as
It burns down
And in which you fill in a form
By filling it out
And a bell is only heard once it goes!

English was invented by people, not computers
And it reflects the creativity of the human race
(Which of course isn't a race at all)

That is why
When the stars are out they are visible
But when the lights are out they are invisible
And why it is that when I wind up my watch
It starts
But when I wind up this observation,
It ends.

Mi Casa es Tu Casa!

2008-09-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

I HAVE A HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yomaida (my roomate) and I have finally moved all of our things into our great new apartment. Below is a tour of the place, but there are just a couple things you should know before watching.
-We have no curtains yet and so I am using an old pair of sheets to cover my bedroom window
-There are still some boxes needing to be unpacked
-we haven't decorated the place at all yet
-We live on the 3rd and top floor of an apartment building that is a 8-minute walk from the office
-the apt. is about 1200 square feet and only $320 dollars per month!
-I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE MY NEW PLACE!!!

Enjoy the 2-min. video and remember...Mi casa es tu casa, so come on down any time you like!

QUOTE: A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.
Benjamin Franklin

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED!

2008-08-27T19:35:00.000-07:00

What does that really mean anyway? Well folks, I have an apartment! What a blessing...video to come! Thanks for the many prayers!

Colombian Ways...

2008-08-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

I want you to know where I live. I want you to be able to picture interactions with the people I work with. This is important to me because YOU are part of my life, even if you are across the ocean. And so I thought it important to give you just a tiny intro into Colombian Culture. Keep in mind that these are a) only minute details of daily life and b) from MY perspective and things people have told me here. This is kind of a long blog, but you might just find yourself laughing...so it may be worth the 5 minutes! heehee

Interesting facts:
Things we eat...Coffee with NO cream but VERY sweet (I still find cream to put in my coffee, I can't help the gringo within), "Arepa con queso" is a very typical breakfast or snack. Its similar to a small pancake made from corn and stuffed with delicious cheese, then you fry it and enjoy the delicious greasy snack...I'm becoming addicted! Vegetables....LOTS of vegetables. I bought THREE FULL GROCERY BAGS of fruits and veggies the other day. Grand total: $9. WOW! I could get used to this! And finally, while I could go on for days about the food here, an interesting fact is that everything comes in bags! The last picture you'll see of the food section is of typical groceries you'd buy at the store: milk in a bag, cream in a bag, pineapple sauce in a bag, and, yes, KETCHUP in a BAG! p.s. water comes in bags too!

Gestures we use and DON'T use...First of all, as in many cultures, it is rude to point at people. You only point at things! So, if you want a friend of yours to take a look at somebody across the bus aisle or the street, you point with your LIPS (as demonstrated). This can become quite challenging to those of us who have tiny lips! But, its still better than pointing and a lot more subtle if you do it right. We also do not indicate a PERSON's height in the typical U.S. way with palm facing downward. No, that is only to indicate the height of ANIMALS. Instead, you use a gesture with palm pointing outward (as demonstrated). I forget this one a lot...but they are gracious enough to remind me.

Things that I have had difficulty adjusting to, but hey-that's life in Colombia...TIME: oh gosh. I could tell you 15 stories about how time is NOT of the essence in this culture. Zoe: remembering how much she has to get done, politely asks her boss: "How long do you think the meeting will last today?"... Her boss replies: "Oh, probably an hour or so, I have a lot to do today..." Actual meeting time: 3-4 hours where we generally talk about the same thing in every possible light. We also talk about our relationships and struggles and accomplishments in this meeting, unlike the gringo meeting which is all work and no play. The culture is a lot more relationship-oriented which can be a wonderful thing! So, you just adjust your day accordingly and whatever doesn't get done...mmm...o-well!

BUSES: again with the buses. Well, the more I ride them, the more I realize...the drivers are on their own agenda. When you are approaching your stop, you must find the nearest "bell" to ring and do so, thus indicating to the driver that you would like him to at least slow down so that you can jump for dear life. However, if he doesn't feel like stopping just then, or if he stopped only 100 yards back, you just get to stand at the door and wait until he FEELS like stopping. Yes, this means you may end up back-tracking for a good 5 minute walk. The locals will often keep ringing the bell and even bang on the side of the buss or the GLASS door, but, me being the gentle and soft-spoken missionary that I am just wait quietly until he slows down enough for the jump...haha The Joke's on me GRINGA! ;)

"Se ARRIENDA" means "FOR RENT": Some of you have followed me on my journey to find an apartment and it is NO SMALL TASK. I won't go into detail, but after 3 weeks of searching, we are STILL waiting for a response. Hopefully it will come today but I'm telling you, patience is a virtue that I am learning, whether I like it or not!

The CELL PHONE system here is quite the maze. Its impossible to explain, but lets just say that there are 3 main cell phone companies and they don't work on "minutes" per month. Instead, its "pesos per month". So, there are different prices in calling a land-line, calling another cell that has your carrier, and calling a cell that is of the other 2 companies. In my case, its about 8 cents a minute to call my co-company phones and other land-lines, but to call another company's cell is about 15 cents per minute. Depending on who I call the most, I will run out of minutes accordingly and have to re-charge. It was confusing at first. But, I think I got it!

And finally...MONEY: There are approximately 1,800 Colombian Pesos to the US Dollar. So, I can go to the ATM and pull out ONE MILLION, yes MILLION, Pesos for the equivalant of $555 dollars. Crazy huh? The Dollar changes daily, so it isn't always that exact amount, but I'm just rounding. How much does it cost to live here?...here are some prices, not including the fruits and veggies which I already mentioned...
a new cell phone (basic): $35
A 10-minute taxi ride: $2
pair of shoes: $15-$25
manicure: $2.50
hair cut and COLOR: $28
Refrigerator: $250
Bed and mattress (double size): $250

And that about wraps it up for this lesson in Colombian Ways.
p.s. I think it should be noted for all you "Roach-aphobic" people out there....at 8,000 feet above sea level, there are quite practically NO BUGS in Bogota....the Lord sure knew what He was doing when He called me here!

QUOTE: "All good people agree,

And all good people say,

All nice people, like us, are We

And everyone else is They:

But if you cross over the sea,

Instead of over the way,

You may end by (think of it!) looking on We

As only a sort of They!"

Rudyard Kipling "We and They"

Shop till ya drop

2008-08-23T17:15:00.001-07:00

It seems that we MIGHT have an apartment. We found THE PERFECT place for the most amazing price. We turned in our paperwork and after talking to the landlord, things seem to be looking our way. However, we won't have a definite answer until Wed. or Thurs. Knowing that eventually I am going to need a WHOLE LOT of stuff for the apartment (because both Yomaida and I are going into this with nothing but some clothes and two couches), I decided to do some price shopping today. My current roomate, Zunny, accompanied me down town where there are thousands of little stores that sell descent stuff for reasonable prices. Here's what I got:
This little pile includes some amazing new dishes (a nice set for $20), 3 pans that were on sale, 3 tuperwear containers, and...well....there's a story with the coffee pot. Zunny and I decided to go to Carrifour which is their equivalent to Wal-Mart where we decided we needed some coffee for the house. I went to pick up my favorite brand and the lady in the aisle was showing the promotion....5 pounds of coffee got you a 6-cup coffee pot for FREE. HAH! So, for $15 I got 5 pounds of coffee and a coffee pot. I'm thinkin thats a good deal! I didn't have a coffee pot yet for the apt. so I killed two birds with one stone.
Being silly with my new pans...
Zunny and I getting back from out 6-hour shopping spree in the POURING rain!
And this HEAP is my current closet. Yes, this pile of sheer mess is how I am currently living with no space to call my own. Well, I absolutely adore Zunny and so it is worth having the mess to get to share a room with her for a week or so. No biggy!

I'll be sure to post an update as SOON as I get word on the apartment. Today's shopping was only a taste of what is to come....here are some of the things on my very long list
fridge
microwave
bed and mattress
curtains
a few rugs to help with the cold tile floors
silverware
glassware
etc...

QUOTE: "Wal-mart... do they like make walls there?"
Paris Hilton

Ibague

2008-08-19T08:46:00.001-07:00

What exactly IS Ibague? Heehee....its a city in Colombia. About a four-hour drive will take you to lower altitude (Bogota is about 8,000 feet), lush greenery, 85 degrees, and the smaller city of Ibague. I was there this past weekend for an UCU retreat with about 45 college students and recent graduates. In this case, pictures are definitely going to speak louder than words. So, enjoy!
This was the view from my bus window on the way to Ibague.

One of the pictures from the place we were staying-A retreat/farm just outside of Ibague. Roughin-it in a beautiful place!

Where the girls stayed...25 girls sharing a room and only TWO bathrooms. Heehee

Some of the girls! I made some good friends.

Me with the local farm pet...he could even talk, in Spanish of course!

Ok, this is a LONG story. We had a "talent show" and a big group of us did a skit. My role: the small "pool" that the Eunich was baptized in by Philip in Acts. It was HILARIOUS! The guy in the pic is the Eunich and he is being dipped. heehee

Sitting in one of the sessions.

A candle-lit time around a bonfire. Great fun!

leaving the property and headed to catch the bus back to Bogota

The official group shot for the weekend. Such a blast getting to know all these folks!

In terms of my apartment situation....what apartment? Yeah, the one that we were going for was turned down. So we're kinda back to square one. Meanwhile I am living at the UCU house. There are two spare rooms here and there's a kitchen. There are some definately pro's and con's to living here but I'm not worried. I see myself being here 2-3 weeks before we are able to get approved for an apartment so, what's a couple weeks? Its great because I just wake up, shower up, get dressed, and boom!...I'm already at work! The main downside is that there is a fairly large lack of privacy because students are coming and going all day. But, no biggy! Just keep praying that Yomaida and I find just the right place for us. God knows what's up! Until next time friends!

QUOTE:There is nothing so easy to learn as experience and nothing so hard to apply.
Josh Billings

What's up in Bogota...

2008-08-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

Here's some key points of interest to fill you in on what I'v been up to.

First of all, in silly news, I tried baking in Colombia. Sound stupid? Well baking in HIGH altitude (8,000 ft) is no joke! I tried my hand at brownies. I followed the "high altitude" directions and, well, they were a HIT to say the least. Brownies aren't common around here. They were a LOT more "fudgy" than normal but I actually like them better that way.

Yesterday they threw a "welcome home" party for me at Grace's house. It was actually held outside in her apartment complex but it was fun. We ate, played games, and just had some nice fellowship. It was also a going away party for another missionary from Germany named Astrid. She has worked in Colombia for 11 years and is headed back home to take care of her elderly parents. So it was kind of a bitter sweet party. But fun nevertheless.

I got my Colombian I.D.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so thrilled. After three visits to the appropriate offices, I finally got my Colombian "Cedula". This is actually very important as at any given moment you can be stopped on the street by the police and asked to present your Cedula. So, I'm official. I only had one week left before I became illegal. So it was good timing. Here's some proud pictures of my newly acquired residency!

And lastly, Yomaida and I turned in our papers to an apartment owner and are waiting to hear back. Its quite a process and you practically have to hand over your life to them for the approval process. Bank statements, copies of IDs, a total of six references, and a co-signer. So yeah, if they decide that we are worthy of the apartment we should be hearing back from them in the next 3-4 days. Pray hard! That's all for now folks!

QUOTE: The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border?
Pablo Casals

Quick prayer request.

2008-08-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hi friends. This isn't one of those urgent moments where we need to gather the troops for a 24-hour prayer fast. I would, however, truly appreciate you saying a word on my behalf. I am currently looking for an apartment with a fellow worker of mine and, well, its proving to be tougher than we thought. The sooner we can find one, the better it will be for both of us. Please pray specifically that we find one in a timely manner, in a very safe neighborhood, close to the office, and in our price range. I promise to let you know as soon as we find something.

Other than that, all is well in the land of coffee. Though I do recommend to all my fellow coffee-lovers that you not go overboard. I did that my first week here and became completely dehydrated! What can I say, Colombia makes GOOD coffee!

QUOTE: "The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce."
Oliver Wendall Holmes Sr.

So what DO I do all day and where do I do it?

2008-07-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

(This has turned into a fairly long blog. So, for those of you who may be short on time, I have the main and important ideas in bold lettering for your convenience. )
Welcome to a sneak peak into my day. Here's a video tour of where I work!

Every day is different for me depending on which day it is. For example, Monday mornings are team meetings so I have to be at work early....that means leaving my house at 6 a.m. to avoid rush hour but I get to leave work around 3:00. Wednesdays, on the other hand, are bible study days so I come to work around 1 p.m. and am here till about 9 p.m. So you can see how things change.

Instead of giving you a daily schedule, I will tell you the various jobs that I have. I am given various projects to complete during the week. This week and next week I am working on translating the UCU website. To see it in spanish, click HERE. So that is a big job I have at the time being. I am also diligently preparing materials for my ESL classes which I will start teaching at the end of August. I'll write more about that as it approaches. Lastly, I have been asked to be a major planner for UCU's 40th anniversary. The big bash is scheduled for the first week of June, 2009. Keep in mind that in Latin America everything takes twice as long, so we'll need these 10 months to get it right! I won't bore you with the details of it but trust me, its a project with a capital P!

I also, in time, have an opportunity to possibly pray about and begin a program for student moms. These would be single moms who are attending university and trying to be responsible moms at the same time. These are brave girls who choose to pick up the pieces of their lives and make something of themselves. Again, this would be WAY down the road, but I am thrilled to have been asked to start thinking about this as it is where my heart lies: with the young single moms of Colombia.

Wednesday nights are bible study nights here at UCU. Various student leaders are asked every week to speak. Here are some pictures of the Wed. night event:

In other news (just a side note) I am going to be moving! Yomaida (who you saw in the video) and I are going to be moving into an apartment together. I have decided that after nearly 2 weeks of my very trying commute, I need to be a lot closer to the office. This will be especially important when I start teaching evening classes as it is dangerous for me to make such a long commute every night. We'll be apartment-hunting this Saturday, start the paperwork, and should be moving in sometime towards the middle/end of August. More to come...

I realize that many of you may not know what UCU is and what we do. So, if you would like to find out, read on past the quote where I have outlined the basics of what we do.

QUOTE: "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."
Thomas A. Edison

UCU (United Christian University)
-UCU is a professional and student movement that seeks to:
1. Evangelize: to promote the kingdom of God and His righteousness in the field of Colombian students.
2. Build up: providing spaces in which students grow as a community of disciples of Jesus Christ.
3. Send: encourage students and graduated professionals to understand their careers as an opportunity to serve and
share as they identify with the poor and oppressed.

UCU does these things by discipleship training, bible study, and retreats. We have built relationships with students nation wide and the objective is to create student leaders who will be a key to Christ in their communities. We are not affiliated with any particular school, students from all universities are welcome. We are, however, very conveniently located directly across the street from the National University of Colombia.

Sundays

2008-07-28T05:26:00.001-07:00

I had my first Sunday in Bogota. I went to the church that I have been supporting and will be attending during my time here. It wasn't my first time there so it was nice to see familiar faces.

At the end of the service they presented me with flowers and a big welcome and asked me to say a little something. It was a bit nerve-racking but I succeeded in doing it all in Spanish AND they said they completely understood me. HAH!

One of the single moms at the church makes and sells Tamales for money. These are Colombian-style and boy are they good!

Then we went to the park with a huge group from the church and my big family. Its called the Simon Bolivar Park and its right in the middle of the city. Its beautiful and we simply sat around, played games, ate snacks and fellowshiped. All in all, I'd say it was a great Sunday!

QUOTE: "Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."
Russell Baker

Hanging out of MOVING vehicles!

2008-07-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

Since this is such a huge part of my day, I felt it necessary to blog about my transportation situation here. I´ll try to keep the words at a minimum but seriously, this stuff can get pretty funny.

I live anywhere from 20-40 minutes from work, by bus. The timing is relative to traffic. And so I do what any other Colombian would do: take the bus. Are you picturing it? Are you just imagining a lovely bus stop with an overhang to shelter you from the rain? Are you picturing a nice busdriver that waits until you are on the bus with both feet before slowly pulling away? Yeah, well, IF ONLY!!!!! Here in Bogotá the driver will sto p just long enough for you to grab ahold of the handle and put a foot on the step. After that, its up to you to hang on! And as for the overhang...
THIS is a bus stop in Bogota! Where? You might ask. Oh, anywhere along the side of that road that you might be able to catch a driver´s attention and where he may be able to have time to stop. And are you picturing nice big numbers at the top of the bus that you can see from a distance and that indicate your desired destination?
THIS is what you have to look for in the front left window of the bus as it approaches you at 60 MPH. It can be pretty tricky and if you have anything less than 20/20 vission, well, good luck to ya.
THIS is a typical bus that you would see throughout the various streets of Bogotá. The very first picture on the blog, the one of the red bus, is of a system they have here called the Transmilenio. The buses are nice but the routes are limited and don´t include any type of convenient way for me. So I use the little street busses.
THIS is what happens when lots and lots of little street buses make their way through roads that aren{t meant for anything weighing more than a large sedan. So the bus ride home isn´t exactly an ideal place for catching up with post-card writing or makeup applying.

And finally we come to the concept of firemarshal codes. HAH. Firemarshal! Yesterday, while trying to catch a bus home, I was inconveniently ignored by at least 8 buses that were headed to my neighborhood and that I flagged down in the usual way. As they passed, it was easy to see why they weren´t stopping for me. The buses are SO FULL during rush hour that there are literally people hanging out of the doors. Yes, HANGING! Its an incredible sight and I would capture it on film if I weren´t afraid of my camera being stolen.
I resorted to flagging down a taxi for 7x the cost of a bus. But, I didn´t have to hang outside of a moving vehicle.

To be completely honest, there is a great sense of accomplishment for me as I have succesfully gone to and from work alone now. The craziest thing of all is that I thoroughly enjoy my commute and bus situation. Its probably part of that initial culture shock...you know, that part that thinks EVERY SINGLE THING about the new culture is just peachy. Well, I´m still neck deep in that stage. Who knows, maybe I´ll get to stay in that state of mind. One simply must have a sense of humor about the conditions of the public transportation, laugh it off, and chalk it up to a life of adventure. Stay tuned...

QUOTE: Today´s quote comes from a distant relative of mine, seriously.
Mass transportation is doomed to failure in North America because a person's car is the only place where he can be alone and think.
Marshall McLuhan

Home Sweet Home!

2008-07-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful LAM retreat in a beautiful retreat center just outside of Medellin.
I will take many things with me from that experience. a) an incredible sense of community with my fellow LAMers b) a better understanding of what success looks like to God and that it isn't about belongings or what the world sees, its about Christ's work in us. c) dozens and dozens of some kind of bug bites that cover my legs from the knee down and actually kept me awake for the entirety of last night. I usually use self control in not scratching bug bites because we all know that the less you scratch, the less they itch and sooner they disappear. WELL NOT THESE BABIES They itch ALL the time. Call me crazy, but I even took a picture of it. Got any remedy ideas? Feel free to put in your ten cent's worth!!!

I am officially unpacked, settled in, and had my first day of work today here in Bogota. I can't believe I can finally say all of that! My day at work was probably what you would expect for first day. We had a team meeting and discussed my various jobs: data entry, organization of various office items etc., preparing for my English classes, and-the BIG job....helping organize and plan our huge 2009 40th anniversary of UCU. Trust me, its a BIG JOB!!! I can't wait to get started!

And finally, here are some pictures of my room here. I tried TWICE to take a video of my house and it wouldn't load onto my computer, so, sorry about that. But here's a video substitute. I'll be posting a video (hopefully) of my office at UCU some time later this week. BLESSINGS!

QUOTE: (my quote this week comes from a card that my sister gave me as I was leaving. I thought it quite appropriate. THANKS JILL!) "I have but one candle of life to burn and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light."
John Keith Falconer

Safe and Sound, almost

2008-07-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

There I am.....at one of my many airport waits today. I have arrived in Colombia safe and sound. I'm so thankful that I had no problems with luggage or security. None of my flights have been delayed and I'm here in Bogota waiting to board my flight to Medellin. Incase I haven't mentioned it before, I am on my way straight to a Latin America Mission retreat. One of my friends picked up my larger suitcases at the airport so that I could take just a carry one with me through to Medellin. I'll be back in Bogota on Sunday and you can expect a much longer blog at the beginning of next week. Stay tuned!

Houston, we are a GO!

2008-07-16T08:44:00.001-07:00

I guess you could say that I started packing 9 years ago. I have been mentally and spiritually packing my baggage and saying my goodbyes since March, 1999. Nobody could see it. But I knew it was happening. And now, for all the world to see, this is what nine years of packing looks like as I am at the eve of my launch: (yeah, I have a flare for the dramatic...but after nine years, who wouldn't?)

My Week started with a little packing.....

Then came a going away party at my house with about 35 guests in the Atlanta area...

Then I said goodbye to my family at Aaron with a dinner at Cheesecake Factory...

And then I was DONE!
Off to the airport!

QUOTE: "I tell people I'm too stupid to know what's impossible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true."
Debi Thomas

MOVING WEEK!

2008-07-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it. I can actually call this my official moving week! I wasn't sure if this would ever come. But here I am, overly excited and overly stressed. I find myself walking into my room and asking "where do I start???" Since I won't have my own place right away, I'm trying to decide if I need apartment essentials. Basics like sheets, towels, pillows, bla bla bla. I think I'm going to wait and bring those after Christmas. So yeah, its just the little decisions that will make a BIG difference when trying to stuff all my belongings into 3 suitcases and a backpack. I'm trying very diligently to not have to take more than the airlines allow. This will save a good $150 on Thursday when I fly. Well, when its all cleaned up and packed I'll be sure to take some pictures. I have seen some of my married friends/families move to other countries and, well, lets just say that being a single woman has some major advantages!!! :)

QUOTE: "Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is."
Francis Bacon

A Boy Named Aaron and a Place to Call Home!

2008-07-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

This week, I am very busy finishing up packing and saying my goodbyes. I was approved for my visa today and am thrilled to announce that I may legally live in Colombia for the next year! A lot of hard work went into that and I would like to thank everybody who helped with the various paperwork!!! In other news...

I HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE! Yes, this probably should have been established a while ago but with everything going on, it just hadn't been decided. Through my visits to Colombia I have become quite close to a particular family. My pastor's wife's parents (try to follow me here) once offered for me to live with them. The commute to my office will be significant and so I had to think long and hard about that option. But since nothing else was really coming up and since I know how well I get along with that family, I have decided to take them up on their offer. I'll be sure and post up a video of my home once I arrive. For now, you can know that, on Colombian terms, it is quite a large house with two stories. I'll have my own bedroom of course and, included in my rent, I'll have breakfasts and dinners there with them. It might sound strange, but after discovering my official place of residence yesterday, the excitement factor has been kicked WAY UP!

I have thought long and hard about this entry. I have all types of viewers out there, after all. I have my family, my close friends, my long-lost friends, my financial supporters, and my prayer partners. All of you play such a unique and wonderful role in my life and I have decided that since I share most everything on this blog (financial stuff, moving stuff, cultural shock, spiritual hurdle etc...) it is time to introduce a new little addition to my life. By little, I mean a 6 foot, tall and handsome, originally-from-India gentleman. Meet Aaron Das:

Aaron and I met a few months ago at our mutual friends' wedding. He was a groomsman and I was a bridesmaid....so cliche, I know. Well, we hit it off immediately seeing as he too is a missionary. His family is originally from India and he has lived here in GA since he was 9 years old. He graduated from Emmanuel College in North GA and has since worked at a bank while waiting for the right doors to open in the mission's world. Aaron was recently part of a YWAM discipleship training school and, after some unexpected turns, is coming home just barely in time to see me leave. Such is life. He's hoping for a possible October visit to Colombia. We'll see. While the long-distance relationship comes with its share of difficulties, we will communicate as best we can and enjoy taking our relationship one day at a time.

Now, back to packing. So much to do and only 8 days in which to do it!!! YIKES!

Quote: "Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't."
Richard Bach

Short short

2008-07-06T14:22:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Canada. This may be the shortest blog ever as I am neck-high in stuff to do before I can leave next week for Colombia. Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, appointments, and packing. Wish me luck! I'll blog better next week, I promise.
p.s. Canada was amazing!

Quote: Every man has his follies - and often they are the most interesting thing he has got.
Josh Billings

Canada eh?

2008-06-28T22:23:00.000-07:00

Hello from GORGEOUS Canada!!! What can I say-I'm having an incredible time. I didn't realize how much I would value this last big family event emmediately before my departure to Colombia. What a precious time. Words don't do it justice....so I put up pictures. In all honestly-they don't do it justice either. But they are the best I could do. Enjoy!
p.s. the video is of me and my brother after a LONG day....enjoy the laugh! (its only 45 seconds)

Travel upsets...

2008-06-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

As a person who has the slightest touch of OCD, I'm taking this opportunity to vent. Oh don't worry, this venting session is rated G and in all honesty is probably pointless. But I need an outlet for my frustration and figured that some of you might get a laugh out of it. So...here goes

THIS:

Is the backpack that I recently ordered. It is NEW, but being where this is the land of the "I want it now" and "I can find it cheaper on Amazon.com" I decided to use my trusty ole cyber friend and get the same backpack for half the price. And, in the spirit of fast food, I ordered it to arrive on expedited shipping so that I could have it before my Canada Trip. You see, I am traveling with the luggage Nazi, otherwise known as Derryck McLuhan. I say this lightly because I, in fact, am also generally quite anal when it comes to traveling light. But this is NOT one of my missions adventures, its vacation. I want OPTIONS people. I don't want to wear the same shirt 3 days in a row like I do in Colombia. I want cute pictures with my big family in lovely Canada and want them taken in STYLE! Well, "the Mcluhan family never checks on luggage when there are connecting flights involved" (says daddy earlier this evening). So I'm thinking...oh good, if my backpack gets here in time I can pack a large amount of clothes into a smaller space and still use it as a carry-on. Right? WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why? Because it's not coming. Yup, that's right. I checked the status today and, even though I ordered it SUNDAY, the silly company didn't send it out until THIS AFTERNOON. The other funny part is that my backpack will arrive some time on Friday when I'm already in Canada. It will sit in its not-so-inconspicuous box on my front porch for EIGHT FULL DAYS! Ugh

What can we learn from this lesson? We can learn that when you want something done right, do it the old fashioned way....GO TO THE STORE and PAY MORE! Yes, can't you just hear your grandfather going on and on about how we rush too much in this day and age. "We didn't even have backpack when i was a boy..." So, back to the ole rolling, heavy, and not space efficient suitcase. Guess my backpack will have to be broken in during my move to Colombia.

Tune in next week for pictures from Canada!

Books and Brushes

2008-06-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

Let the heat waves come, I'm staying INDOORS! So, as I continue with my fairly uneventful summer, I'm headed straight into a weekend filled with, well, absolutely nothing.
In my boredom, I volunteered to paint my grandparents' kitchen and 1/2 bath. Actually, I do enjoy painting and seeing as I painted 5 rooms of my parents' current home, I do have a little experience. Why this weekend? My parents are going away for a four-day beach getaway with some friends and my only at-home sibling is staying at a friend's. And so, it was either stay alone in a 3-story vacuum of space, or try and busy myself. Gaddis Kitchen, here I come!

The other thing I'm doing a lot of this summer is reading. I enjoy great fiction but rarely have time to delve into it. I'v been getting various recommendations from friends and, for those who may be interested, here's what's on my summer reading list:
Currently reading: "Angels Fall" by Nora Roberts
Next up: "The Shack" by William P. Young
Later on: "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
"The Russians" series by Michael Phillips
Any suggestions? Leave a comment and let me know!!!

Oh-my sister does a "quote" at the end of her blogs and I really like reading them. So, I'm copying her idea. Sorry Jill!
Quote: "Life can only be understood backwards, but it has to be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

Summer has landed!

2008-06-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

I sit here in the lovely 90 degree weather ready to move out of this heat and into the mountains of Bogota. Soon enough! You may have heard that I bought my ticket. Well, its true!!! If all goes well, I'll be leaving July 17th.

I started the visa process a while ago, but yesterday I really started getting into it. Talk about red tape. They are NOT making this an easy move for me. Do any of you out there know what it means to have a document apostilled? Well, I do, and it goes something like this. Apostille: the process of going through every governmental branch possible in order to confirm and re-confirm that a person is who they say they are and assures that by the time the process is over, that person has already died from stress and there is no need to issue a visa any longer.

Something like that. But, it'll get done. Louisianna was a great success! I spoke at one of my supporting churches and got a new supporter! I also got a new supporter yesterday so I am gradually climbing that ladder. I'm busy at home working on my paperwork. There is so much to be done and I am starting to realize how little time I have left. So, here's to visas, paperwork, and coffee!

Blessings to all and enjoy the heat!

Shreveport

2008-06-06T10:51:00.001-07:00

I'm back in Shreveport, LA visiting family and speaking at a church on Sunday. I'm fairly busy and so I will post a better blog on Monday night when I get back. My youngest brother Josiah has come along for the ride and what a ride its been. Keep ya posted!
Zoe

Where's my "Go-ahead"?

2008-05-28T09:06:00.001-07:00

So what have I been doing while in the States? A whole lot, and a whole lot of nothing. Well, that's how it feels anyway. In an effort to be honest but not complain, I will say that this entire process is indeed a long one. The Lord CLEARLY wants me to understand the idea of HIS timing. I came here with so many plans, all of which have been either canceled or re-scheduled. But, He's in control so I must give up my right to it all and fall back in His arms.

One thing I did was enjoy an amazing weekend with my ENTIRE family for Memorial Day. We had a total of TEN people at my house for the weekend and it was wonderful! Take a look at some family pictures below.

And what is next? More waiting. I'm working diligently on my Visa for Colombia. Boy is that an involved process! And I'm finishing up the last $150 per month support-need. I'm speaking at a church in Louisiana in June. AND I'm going to a family reunion in Canada. All while trying to finish up support-raising. I'm also needing to sort through my things again and decide what is and isn't necessary for Colombia.
Please pray that the Lord would bestow His peace upon me. That I wouldn't become anxious or restless as I wait for His final "go ahead" for Colombia.

I hope you have a wonderful summer and that you guys will keep in touch with me via email. I love to get news from you all! Blessings

Hospitals, Hospitals, Hospitals

2008-05-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a short update on the latest happenings of my not-so-boring family. My sweet 87 year-old grandmother, whom I call Oma, has been in Atlanta for a visit recently. She usually lives out in Arizona with some of my extended family. VERY LONG STORY short...she was brought by ambulance to the emergency room here in GA on Tuesday morning with what seemed to be the 4th "seizure" or stroke in the past month. Each one has gotten worse in terms of length as well as her mental state shortly following. She is dissoriented and has little to no short-term memory. She continuously asks how my parents, whom she believes OWN the hospital, can afford to feed all the staff and where exactly their rooms are located. At one point she thought it was 1988. Well, she isn't THAT bad off anymore but...big BUT...

She has to have surgery first thing Monday morning as the doctors have discovered a blockage in her carotit arteries. With more than an 80% blockage, it is vital that the surgery be performed as she is a major candidate for a serious stroke. She has been poked and tested and her little 4 foot 10 inch person is sick and tired of the commotion. In her words "this is all a bunch of rubbish!" That's my grandma. But she's a fighter and I'm trusting that she is placed securely in the fathers' hands. The surgery on Monday morning is very dangerous for a woman her age. But I have come to peace with the fact that after 66 years of marriage, 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and and 10 great-grandchildren, a quick and easy flight to heaven would be ok by me. What I dont' think I could handle would be for her to suffer a stroke and be in a vegative state. Lets all pray for a full recovery or a quick trip HOME!

So that's the happenings in Atlanta this week and next. Please keep my family in your prayers as it has been difficult to see our generally PEPPY Oma go through test after test and needle after needle.

My time in the States

2008-05-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

I arrived back here on April 21st with the intention of being here until the middle of June. God of course was not on my schedule and my visit has been prolonged until a projected mid-July move. With more support to raise than I initially intended, God is simply proving to me over and over again that this is HIS will for my life and it is according to HIS plans and schedule. I'm not at all disappointed with what He is doing. He has gone before and paved the way. I can't sit around and ask the "why's" because His word is clear...I don't need to understand every detail, I just need to be obedient and open to what He is saying and doing. He is pouring blessings upon me financially as I continue to receive very unexpected support gifts and pledges. He is answering the need for more support already!

This prolonged stay is serving as a blessing in several ways. There is a family reunion being held in Canada this year for my grandmother's side of the family (dad's mom). This is the first of its kind in the history of the Reesor family and there will be up to 80 of us there. I can't wait to see cousins that I haven't seen in years, some I have never even met. Heritage is so very important so I am looking forward to being connected with them.

My schedule, so far, is becoming more and more jam packed. Our family is having a garage/estate sale this weekend so I'm busy getting ready for that. I MIGHT be going to Arizona next week to take my grandmother back who has been visiting here and had some complications with her health. I plan on taking a 3-4 day trip up to Cleveland, TN to be with my sister for a few days. June may slow down a little and the family reunion is scheduled for the end of June and beginning of July. Needless to say I'm a movin' girl! But I like it that way.

I'll try to keep blogging but they may serve as mundane entries seeing as there is very little exciting activity going on right now for me. And if anybody in the Atlanta area would like to stop by this Friday and Saturday for some good buys, let me know! We are truly having a MAJOR blow-out sale! :)

Wedding Bells and Sailing

2008-05-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

There is nothing quite like sailing through the Caribbean on a miraculously paid for mini vacation for your best friend's wedding! Well that's exactly what I had the privilege of doing last week. And what a week it was! I met Nicki in 4th grade and we have been friends ever since. On May 2nd she married Austin Overstreet on the back of the Caribbean Princess in the middle of the ocean!

All the bridesmaids posed for a little shot.

This is where the ceremony took place. We had loads of spectators all around for the big event and the ceremony was so beautiful.

Mr. and Mrs. Overstreet

On the front of the boat right before sunset! So beautiful. God is so artistic!!!

In other news...I'm here now in Atlanta for the better part of the summer. God has already started to finish bringing in the rest of my support need. Just a few more dollars to go and I'll be on that plane to Bogota. We'll be in touch!

Raises and Cruises

2008-05-01T07:01:00.000-07:00

Who says missionaries have to survive paycheck to paycheck? I DO!!! Well, in an effort to avoid that and to attempt to accomodate the decline of the dollar around the world, the LAM and I have decided to increase my salary. Yes, this is great news. It just has one minor complication....I HAVE TO RAISE THE MONEY FOR THE RAISE MYSELF! Hah, I love this missions world I live in. Actually its important that it doesn't sound like I'm complaining because the truth is I am very thankful that this information came BEFORE I was deployed to the field.

In other news, I am leaving this evening for a 4-day cruise. Speaking of money...no, generally speaking a missionary's salary would not pay for such a luxury. But, one of my closest and longest-known friends, Nicki Douthit, is getting married!!! So today we'll all board the Caribbean Princess and tomorrow, at see, my precious friend will say her vows surrounded by family, friends, and the Caribbean Sea!!! I'll post a few pictures when I get back to Atlanta on Monday.
All Aboard!!!

We finished!!!!!

2008-04-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

All the training paid off!!! After 3 months of working hard, my mom and I finished the Country Music 1/2 Marathon in Nashville, TN. Along with about 30,000 others, we wore ourselves out, both beating our intended running. Patrice finished in an amazing 2 hours and 9 minutes and I finished in 2 hours and 1 minute. Both of those times put us at less than 10-minute miles the whole way. It was an amazing experience and look forward to doing it again as soon as possible!!!!

Home sweet Home!

2008-04-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Just a quick blog to let you all know that I reached home safely last night. My flights went smoothly and dad was there to pick me up with 3 beautiful roses! My next two week are very busy as I am planning a bridal shower for Thursday, running a half marathon on Saturday, and leaving town AGAIN on Monday for my friend's CRUISE WEDDING and exit counseling with the Latin America Mission in Miami. But I'll be back after May 4th and have 4 full weeks here in Atlanta at my folk's home. Thank you for your prayers yesterday and we will be in touch!

Its the end of the beginning...

2008-04-17T17:55:00.001-07:00

I said goodbye today to what seemed like hundreds of little faces. All wanting to know why I had to leave. Pulling out of La Carpio was harder than I imagined as little hands pressed up against my window and the voices became more distant. I'm trying to focus on where I'm going. After all, I have plenty to rejoice over...I have successfully finished language school with high scores (see the previous blog for details). And I'm THAT much closer to Colombia. How do a bunch of little Tico kids say goodbye with love?....THEY SMEAR YOUR FACE WITH FROSTING FROM YOUR GOOD-BYE CAKE!!! hahaha, wish I had pictures of that cause it sure was great! Instead, I have a 4-minute recap video of my time here. Enjoy and if you happen to be living in the Atlanta area...see you next week!

So they say...

2008-04-16T06:01:00.000-07:00

Well, just a short blog to let all of you know that I took my oral proficiency exam last week. Its basically a 30-minute interview, all in Spanish, to judge how far along I am in my Spanish speaking. The levels are as follows: Beginner: low, medium, or high. Intermediate: low, medium, or high. Advanced: low, medium, or high. And expert which is basically a fluent speaker with 2-3 years under their belt. Though I was not given an entrance exam in the same way, I would guess my level to have been at Intermediate low or mid in January. Well, I'm pleased to say that after this semester I have moved up to Advanced Low. I am pleased with my results and am looking forward to furthering my schools as time goes by in Colombia. So, all the work has paid off! Stay posted because I am putting up a re-cap video of my time in Costa Rica at some point this week!

The rainy season!!!

2008-04-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

Well folks, with 1 1/2 weeks left, I am just catching the front end of rainy season here in Costa Rica. What does rainy season really mean for those of us from non-tropical areas? Every day around 2 or 3 pm the rain starts. We wake up to sunshine and blue skies but by mid-day the clouds have arrived. The rain lasts for about one to two hours and then lets up. But the world comes to a pause during that time. Really. Ok, without exagerating I am going to try and explain this. The video below does not do it justice.

One way to explain it is by sharing the story of the leak. Last friday it rained for the first time. At that point, my Tica family's gutters had not yet been cleaned out and so there was nowhere for the rain to go. In a matter of ONE HOUR only, the rain was so hard it had leaked into the sun room to the point of flooding. We had about 8-12 towels on the floor as well as about 13-14 buckets. They were all full within the hour, the towels were soaked, and the water proceeded to go down the hall soaking all of the rugs in its path.

When it rains, umbrellas do absolutely no good. They keep the tip top of your head dry and that's it. It doesn't just rain sideways. It rains upways. How? Because the water drop are so huge and the road gets so full of water that when the rain hits the road water splashes back up to a near waste-height. Really guys. This is no lie. From now through mid-december this will be the way it is. Luckily, I get to enjoy it for a few weeks and then I'm outa here!

You can't really tell but, in this video, we had to stand on the bench because, as mentioned, the covering overhead did nearly nothing to keep us dry. It was unbelievable!

Food in Costa Rica.

2008-04-02T15:29:00.000-07:00

I realized today that I haven't written all that much about my food here. So, while this may seem boring for some (you can skip this blog entry if you'd like) I know that there are some serious food-lovers out there who may be interested to know about the good, the bad, and the down-right UGLY food of Costa Rica. Let's start with the good:

I generally wake up to a delicious cup of coffee and some type of fresh tropical fruit sitting out on the breakfast table for me. They have fruits here that you can't even dream of and boy are they amazing! Costa Rica is also world-known for their coffee and that is just fine by me! They are also big bread lovers and it just so happens that one of my favorite hobbies is eating bread! There is nothing like FRESH warm bread from the bakery to start your day off right!

The bad. Well, not necessarily bad. We'll just say....different. RUNNY eggs for breakfast. Often times it is not only the yoke that is runny. I finally got up the nerve to ask him to fry my egg longer the other morning because I can hardly force down a have-raw fried egg. But that's how they like em! RICE. Honestly, rice should have its very own blog entry. In the past three months I have eaten more rice than the entire country of China. Growing up, my family was never a big rice-eater. I do like rice. It can be tasty. But two HUGE servings of rice (lunch, dinner, and sometimes even breakfast) every day can be a bit tiresome. Well, when in Rome right? Finally, my family loves salad. You're thinking to yourself "well that's great!" right? Not just any salad. Cabbage salad. Not cole slaw. A WHOLE LOT of cabbage, no lettuce at all! Some cilantro, some tomatoes, a couple of slices of cucumber, and some lemon juice. Yup folks...I eat that twice a day. But, it does the colon good!

Moving on to the ugly. I realize I must be careful with this one as there are many of you who may infact like the following items. I would say that, for the most part, it wasn't the flavor of the food that was difficult. Sometimes yes, but mostly, it was the EFFECTS of the food that was ugly. Oh so ugly. Coconut, for example. Coconut is a natural laxative. Believe me, I KNOW. We'll just say that two servings of coconut rice will land you on the inodoro (toilet) for a good 2-3 hours. NOT KIDDING! Potato chips. Hmmm....many times for dinner I have been served Rice, Cabbage Salad, Black Beans, and POTATO CHIPS. Name the protein.....oh wait....that is a plate full of CARBS! Don't forget the ice cream for dessert! (which I do love)

And finally, saving the best (ugliest) for last....we arrive at the chicharon (chee-chaw-ron). What is it exactly?
Pig skin. No, not the yummy little packets of tasty road-trip snack that you can buy at the BP down the road. We are talking home-fried, hair IN TACT, layer of THICK fat and seared skin served over a heaping pile of rice. Chewy doesn't begin to describe it.

The best word of advice I ever received when it comes to unwanted food on the mission field.....Chew, swallow, and smile!
That's all for now folks, hope you enjoyed your tour through a Costa Rican kitchen!

I made it back!

2008-03-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

After 10 amazing days in Bogota, I am back in Costa Rica and ready to hit the road running. I have a good amount of school work to catch up on and plenty of thinking to do. I learned a lot while in Bogota and I have a better idea of how things will be once I'm living there. I was reminded that I definately love "big city" life. There's just something about polution, 9 million people, and big buildings that feels like home. Go figure. I learned that, while the culture is different, people are....well, just people. We may speak differently and look differently, but at the end of the day we all deal with similar things. We go through hard times with our family, we worry about money, we work hard, we like to laugh, and we serve the same God. Here's a video of the week. Its 5 minutes (I know that's lengthy) but the last 2 minutes are the best part so I hope you'll take the time to check it out.

Thank you for keeping me in your prayers during the week. I have 3 1/2 weeks left here in San Jose. I hope to make the best of it! Until next time.

I love Latin Travel...

2008-03-24T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I went to the aiport today to head back to Costa Rica and...they said NO! I have to wait 3 more days to fullfill the 10-day requirement. Its the 10 days after getting the Yellow Fever vaccine. I think they call it an incubation period??? Well whatever it is it was a bit frustrating but...they waved my $50 fee of changing ticket dates so I was very thankful for that. It does, however, mean missing 3 days of school which will be a challenge but I brought my books here so I´ll do some studying. This also means that I won´t have my fun video up and running until wednesday or thursday but it´ll get there and when it does...I hope you´ll get to see it! So, que sera sera right? Blessings to all!

Shots, servants, and Semana Santa.

2008-03-21T16:55:00.001-07:00

Short update to let you all know the happenings in Bogota this Holy Week. Many of you already know that I'm here during my Easter Break from school to attend a conference with my future ministry. I can't possibly write this without telling a short story.

On Monday morning I arrived in the airport of San Jose to catch my 2 hour flight to Bogota. I get to the ticket counter (after first going to the WRONG airline's ticket counter) only to be informed that I will be allowed to leave San Jose but not allowed to return. Why? Because I havn't had the yellow fever vaccine. Hmmm....how interesting that I didn't have to have it to get in the first time. Such is Latin life. So, I said that I would take my chances and hopped on board. Once in Bogota, at the airport, I went ahead and got the shot. Yes folks, they give shots in airports apparently! HAH! THEN, I was also informed that I would have to wait 10 days after receiving the shot before I could leave the country. OH GREAT! Considering that I have classes to get back to that really wasn't going to work out for the best. So, I spoke to some Colombians and they said to not worry, they only tell me that 10-day thing to make money off of the ticket-change. Well, we'll see how it goes but I just might land in Costa Rica only to find out that I have to be sequestered for a few days.

Anyway, I have some AMAZING pictures from this week but I don't want to let the cat out of the bag. So, I'll be sure and post a fun video first thing Tuesday! I will say that the topic for the conference is how to SERVE. This is definately a topic that we all benefit from and I have enjoyed the information. I would also add that I have had moments of pure frustration with the language. Its like I'm either hot or cold. I either walk away from a session or conversation feeling like I have conquered every nook and cranny of Spanish. Or, I feel like I know nothing and never will and wasted 2 hours of listening to somebody speak in weird sounds and tones. I have gotten to see how much I have learned and how much more there remains to be discovered. Well, be sure to check back in on Tuesday cause its going to be a good one! HAPPY HAPPY EASTER! Christ is RISEN!

Easter is a'comin

2008-03-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

Hello all! This is a tiny update to let you know that I am headed to Colombia in the morning for a week. There is a conference going on so I have a very busy week planned. Sorry that this isn't more exciting but I'll be sure to post a fun video when I get back. Have a wonderful Easter!
Celebrating Christ's resurrection,
Zoe

Spiritual Emphasis Week

2008-03-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

The upcoming week is called Spiritual Emphasis Week at school. Generally, we have two chapels per week, Tues. and Thurs. Well, this week we have two chapels per day except on Friday. While they are not a requirement, they come at a very convenient time in the trimester. About now, students are starting to pull their hair out.
All of the information has built up and serves as one of those block towers that you built up too high as a child: it comes tumbling down!

So, this week, the teachers are not allowed to give any homework or tests. Classes carry on, but we have chapel every morning and every evening. The school has brought in a missionary couple from Ireland to be the guest speakers. I have plans to go to most of the sessions and am looking forward to a time of refreshing. After that, we will have the week off for Holy Week.

Many of you may know that I will be in Colombia for that week. It happens that there is a conference/retreat going on with my ministry their during that week and is a very good time for me to come down. I will be meeting the national UCU staff as well as 50-60 students leaders. Of course the whole thing will be in Spanish, so we'll see how well these classes pay off! Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the two weeks ahead.

Blessings,
Zoe
p.s. for those of you who have kept up with Colombian news and may be worried about my safety, things have settled down and the presidents have reconciled. There is no need for concern at this point. Keep praying!

2008-03-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

Monday afternoon Jessica and I took on a project. We decided to try our hand at making homemade Baklava. Cooking? This may sound simple to all of you, and it wasn't really impossible. But it sure does make it interesting when you have to convert the measurements into the metric system, find Phyllo dough, pray you get an oven that cooks evenly, and use somebody else's kitchen! Well, it was a great success! The first few pictures are of the 2 1/2 hours of making the delicious treat. Why Baklava?

Well, a fellow-student, Cameron, is of Arab descent and wanted to make a tasty meal for some of the students. So we all headed over to Mike and Erin's place for dinner and desert. It was a great time of fellowship and a nice break from the typical Costa Rican dishes that I've been eating for 2 months. NOT that I'm complaining, but change can be a good thing sometimes!

Culture Day

2008-02-29T10:45:00.000-08:00

Today we did not have class. We did, however, still have to go to school. Every trimester the teachers get together and set up various culture "stations" for us to participate in. I chose to do the food station and dancing.

8:00 AM
Typical Costa Rican breakfast preparation

MENU:
Gallo Pinto-rice, black beans, onion, garlic, pepper, cilantro, and various sauces mixed together to make a great-tasting combo.
Platanos con Queso (Plantains with cheese)-ripe plantains fried in a pan with brown sugar and cinnamon. Once cooked, slit open down the center and stuffed with tico cheese.

I had a very delicous breakfast and now know how to make a typical Costa Rican dish all on my own!

10:30 AM
Dancing

We worked on the meringue and the salsa. We also worked on one more but for the life of me I can not remember the name. I forgot to bring my camera today so the pictures are just something to look at that I got of the web. I'm pretty sure that a picture of me attempting these dancing isn't worth looking at anyway! hahaha

All in all it was an extremely enjoyable day. I got to see a different side of my teachers and learn about the culture here. Monday, its back to work!

Musings...

2008-02-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

Sure did have fun with Felice! Her visit here was a much needed encouragement for me! NOT that I am having a hard time. No, its just nice to see a familiar face and a reminder of home. We had a good time of fellowship. I'll admit that it was hard to keep up with school and entertain. But I managed just fine. Had another test...still all A's! I'm pretty satisfied with that.

Now, I'm gonna sound a bit crazy on this next part. But I am becoming more and more obsessed with Colombia. Not in a psychopath type of way. Don't worry, your missionary hasn't fallen off the deep end yet. Actually, I take that back. I have fallen deep into my desire to live in Colombia. I crave it. I miss the people so very much. I know this is the Lord's doing. He never had to convince of my move to Colombia to begin with. He put the desire in my heart right from the start. But the other night I was asked some questions about Colombia. The basics you know....safety, why Colombia, stuff like that. The questions came from a co-student who is not a missionary. I found myself speaking of Colombia as if it were my home. My nationality. And I'm willing to give my life for it. The reality of it is that there are some dangers there. It isn't a light place to live. Yet every part of me wants to already be there yesterday! I teared up just a bit.

I'm going HOME! Not a home that I have ever known before. But its home because that's where the Lord has set up camp for me. Because I'm at home in Him and He has my home in Bogota. This may sound odd. But for a missionary kid, a sense of home is a miracle! I suppose that's enough for now. All I'll say is: VIVA COLOMBIA!!!

I'm feliz about Felice

2008-02-14T18:09:00.000-08:00

Let's see....tomorrow my good friend Felice comes for a short visit. She will be here a week. Knowing that I am in school the entire time she's here, we only had this up-coming weekend to try and do something "touristy" so I'm taking her to a local volcano which, yes, its ACTIVE 24/7. You can see lava all the time (depending on cloud coverage of course).

This week went well. I had one of those "ahah" moments when you really feel like you get the hang of something. Here's what I got....I can understand about 95% of everything that is said to me. AND....I had a full conversation on the phone in Spanish today. For those of you who may not know, speaking on the phone is an entire different monster when it comes to a foreign language. It is rough! You'll notice that I said I UNDERSTAND 95%. My hang-up is still on the speaking end of things. That will come with time.

I anticipate not writing too much this next week as I will be busy entertaining my dear friend. I expect to have a fun "felice video" next weekend though so check back in soon!
Blessings
Zoe
p.s. the title: "feliz" is the Spanish word for "happy." "Felice" is the name of my friend. Her parents don't even speak Spanish, go figure!

A day at the BEACH!

2008-02-10T08:46:00.000-08:00

Accompanied by 4 other students, I got my first taste of a Costa Rican beach yesterday. Costa Rica is exactly as the name states: "The Rich Coast." It borders the Pacific to the west and the Atlantic/Caribbean to the east. We went to a west-coast beach called Jaco. A two hour bus ride will take you from San Jose to the warm surfing beaches of Jaco. Our bus pulled out at 8 AM and we spend 8 wonderful hours soaking in the sun, riding the waves, and walking the touristy streets of the quaint beach resort. The sun is pretty intense down here so I was careful about sunscreen. No BURNS TO REPORT! I collapsed into my bed at 9:30 last night and am so thrilled to have enjoyed my time at Jaco. I can tell that this is going to have to be a somewhat regular event. I even studied my Spanish while laying in the sand! Language school can be quite stressful at times so I'm looking forward to occasional weekend get-aways. Total cost for the ENTIRE DAY: $11. Pretty cool huh? Until next time!
p.s. the picture IS of Jaco but isn't from my camera. It can be risky to take valuables with you sometimes.