El Camino...: Sunny, blue sky....

El Camino...

Es largo y profundo, pero voy a caminar el camino...

Saturday, March 12, 2005

Sunny, blue sky....

Today is dang sweet outside... the sun is shining, no clouds are to be seen - I am in a camiseta y sandelias (or something like that) and it is good. Things here in Bogota are going well - I have been having a bit of a stomach something something, so I have made the concious decision to stop drinking tap water. Possibly a good idea? Meh, if not bright then beautiful right? Just kidding... in all seriousness, things here are progressing - today I have my first meeting at la iglesia Dios es Amor (what will be my home church for the year) for the youth group. It´s all obviously going to be in Spanish, so that should be interesting, but I am going anyway. I have become surrounded by a group of girls my age who are a combination of interesting, wonderful and patient - they are most kind about my brutalization of the spanish language, and laugh at me when I do something dumb (quite often). God is most definitely present along this journey, as just the right amoutn of English is mixed into my day. I have been especially blessed by a girl named Emma who has been in Canada for a year (2 years ago) with MCC`s exchange program, and who often understands my homesickness or confusion - what a blessing! On Monday I start work at El Camino Academy, which is a Christian school originally for the children of missionaries, but which now also is open to other students as a result of the growing¨dangerous^ situation. I will be helping as a grade 4 teacher´s assistant and am now solely responsible for the school´s ESL. Hehehe... that´s a nervous laugh for all who are wondering. I´m excited about this because I will be going every day for the next month while Paula is busy with MIJUCO training. In April I will join her and Tomas on a more regular basis with MIJUCO. At the school, I`ll be getting a free Spanish lesson everyday, along with fellowship with other Canadians and American teachers. I am pumped. Regarding the dangerous situation - there haven´t been any times thus far where I have felt ANY fear as a result of my surroundings. I am always with at least one or two people and so they tell me when it´s necessary to walk fast through an area or cross the street, etc... all is well! About my visa: More prayer is needed as our attempt the other day to apply for a different visa did not fare so well. Basically, we were sent to 2 wrong offices, and will have to attempt a third time this next week. I am leraning a lot about Colombia, I am learning a TON about myself... but most importantly, daily I am learning to trust that God is 100% in control, and 100% with me.

PRAY: That my homesickness would become less, and that my Spanish would become more. And that my visa situation can be resolved.

posted by Erica @ 8:57 a.m.

1 Comments:

At 5:35 a.m., Anonymous said…

Hi erica so i do hope you read the comments section. it is wonderful to hear how the first days are going for you. am praying, good to know what to pray for specificly. thanks for the beautiful email, love you tons and Gods taking care of you. love nicole