I LOVE my small group!
They are all just so super awesome and really supportive. I love knowing that we share struggles and so I don't have to struggle alone. (I don't know what I was struggling with, I didn't write it down...) Today was another busy-ish day. We went to Nueva Vida which is a refugee camp for Hurrican Mitch that ended up becoming permanent housing. It's hard to even describe it. The roads were littered with trash and stray dogs. The houses were basically shacks made with scrap metal.
We got to the feeding center and had a tour. They have an area where they teach kids to make jewelery and a room where a gentle woman named Ana teaches girls to sew and do embroidery (basically teaching these kids a trade). They have a bakery and a woodworking shop that has so little, yet always gives 10% of its profits back to the feeding center. We got to play and hang out with the kids. They are all so full of joy and acceptance. One little girl took me by the hand and started speaking to me in Spanish but I didn't understand her, so I brought her to Jenn and it turned out she wanted me to come to her house, but I had to say no. Later as I was pushing some kids on the swing that same little girl and her little sister (?) came up to me and sat down on the swing. I asked her if she wanted me to push them and she said "yes please". So I pushed them for awhile and then she stopped the swing, looked at me for a moment and quietly said "thank you". It was such a sweet moment. Then it came time to feed the kids. The kids came in and sat at tables. They bring their own bowls and cups. We went to each table with a tray to collect the bowls and cups, brought them to the kitchen where they were filled, and then brought them back to the kids. They had white rice with some vegetables and torta carne (meatball). After the kids ate we played with them for a little while. I was so awkward and didn't really know what to do. I just sort of clammed up for whatever reason and was really frustrated with myself.
In the evening we had a really great small group time. Eddy joined us and Alissa and Karsen both shared some really awesome stuff (sorry, its confidential) Then we had a really awesome prayer time with Eddy.
What surprised me most about this culture? What are my feelings about this day?
The kids at the feeding center just had so much joy. They had huge smiles and hugs for us. I love that they walk by you and just grab your hand. They also took care of one another. The older kids helped feed the younger kids. There were some that couldn't eat all of the food and so they scraped it onto someone else's plate. Just a really good picture of what community should look like.
*The two Nueva Vida pictures don't belong to me... They are courtesy of the Litchys.... and the picture of Jen and I painting is Don Graffam's...
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