En Tu Cara/ Me Encanta Este Pais

     I am loving my time here in Mexico City! I enjoy the culture, the people, the food, etc... Over the past couple of days I have been able to learn the art of relaxing and of being relational! I am learning that it is not always about doing but it is also about being, which if you don't know me that well... I usually forget to be because I am so busy doing something else.
    So on Sunday, we didn't have church until 4 pm so Katrina, Joy, and I got to sleep in and just enjoy the morning. I read my Bible, did some homework, made some breakfast, and just relaxed... it was a very enjoyable morning. At four we went to church and I got to sit in with los ninos during Sunday School! I got to color, which is always a plus and I tried to talk to some of los ninos. Unfortunately, they were very timid and therefore spoke very quietly, making it impossible for me to understand. But that was okay, I still enjoyed being there! After that we had the church service, which I surprisingly could understand some of it (a huge accomplishment for me). He talked about how Christ is no longer dead but is alive and how our lives were once dead to sin but because Christ died for us we have a new life.
      One thing I have found that I love about this country is that everyone "kisses" everyone else on the cheek (Really they touch cheeks and give a kiss to the air). I really like this tradition because it makes me feel welcomed and cared about even if the person doesn't know me. It is just a polite way of saying I am glad to see you today. They do it when you come and when you go, so you always feel important. For some it may seem weird, I guess, but I think it is a great way of building community. After church, we played more football with a few boys and a couple little ninas. Los ninas are so funny and were pretty feisty on the soccer field. While we were playing this time, one of the boys accidently kicked me in the face and I have a nice little mark between my eyes (it is from that or I did something to myself in my sleep... I guess I'll never know for sure!)
    Yesterday, then the four of us had our Spanish class and then went back to Steve and Kay's house in order to relax and plan an English lesson for los ninos. It was such a great day for my team. I am so thankful to God for putting these people in my life for this trip. We are all different and that makes for a good team. Having a strong team was definitely one of my worries leading up to the summer but of course God provided. We spent a couple hours just debriefing about the week: what we did, how are time with God is going, how are experiences have been, etc.... It was nice to talk to and hear the stories from the boys since they hadn't been with us for a few days. We also got to plan for today's English class, which was 100% up my alley.

    Today was a very, very long day but it has been one of my favorites. We taught English from 10-12, had Spanish class from 12-3, and then taught English again from 4-6! We reviewed animals, colors, numbers, and parts of the body with the students. The early group only had 4 girls and then the later class had 15 students. We played many games, did charades, y sang Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes. It was so much fun and this experience so far has just verified for me that, I want to teach children in a school and I want to work with the youth in the church because both groups are so different but both full of so much joy and in need of a strong relationship with God. One of the girls Melissa (on the left in the picture above) was so sweet and we found out we both like to do artsy things and she loved that. Then she went on to explain to me the movie, "Era de Hielo", which in English is "Ice Age". I am excited to see here again next to Tuesday for English Class.
      After a long day of classes, Katrina and I talked to Cornelio ( a man that works and lives with his family at the church/school/community center). He was talking to us about our lives, how spanish and english are similar/different, pets, etc... He asked me if I played the piano because either he or his daughter wants to learn. I told him I could read music and took lessons for one year but that was it. However, I think I may be attempting to teach them something at some point... it could be an interesting experience for us all! I am thinking perhaps... "Dios Bueno Es" because it is all I know! Then after that Katrina, Joy, and I played Adrian and Oscar in a game of basketball... if we lost we had to watch a movie with them and pay for popcorn... we lost! But Katrina ended up not feeling well and we decided not to watch a movie, but instead, I went out with Oscar, Joy, and Adrian. I was a little intimidated because my brain was done for the day so translating Spanish was a little hard, but it was still fun. At one point I think Joy was telling the boys to guard me from something but I am not sure. I really enjoyed walking around with them and experiencing more of the Mexican culture while eating some delicious ice cream! Also Oscar was trying to teach Joy and I some trabalenguas (tongue twisters). Por ejemplo: Tres tristes tigres tragaban trigo en un trigal. En un trigal tres triste tigres tragaban trigo. You should definitely give it a try! They also have one really similar to Peter Piper.... but I stink at all of them!!
   My time here has been such a great experience so far! I feel closer to God than ever before and I truly believe He is changing me into a better woman for Him. He is an incredible God and I am excited to see what else He has in store this summer for my team and the people we have met so far.

(Oh and the title En Tu Cara is a phrase that one of los ninas would say to the boys whenever we would score... in English it is In your Face.... Katrina and I died laughing when she said it)