I went to bed last night early and had to make myself stay awake until 9pm. I slept pretty well all night long. I guess I was tired.
I woke up about 6am and read for a little bit and then dozed back off until 8:30. I guess I needed that sleep. I felt really good, but it was too late to go for a walk and still get my BP meds taken early enough. So I did some Bible study and messed around a little until Sherry and Manuel got here.
Sherry and I worked most of the morning on sorting and organizing sheets and towels for the team rooms. We found some old fraying towels and decided that we could cut them, hem them and make some good hand towels, which we are in need of. We also found some king size sheets (we don’t have any king beds) to make into curtains for some of the rooms. We don’t waste anything around here! That’s the way I like to live!
I found some king sheets to sew into a lightweight bedspread for my twin bed, to make a table cover for my desk/table (so I can store things underneath) and to make a structured cover for my kitchen tower of plastic shelves. So I have a little bit of sewing to do myself. I’m looking forward to getting out the new sewing machine that we brought down.
I washed my sheets and towels today and kept forgetting to hang them out this morning. When I finally got around to it, about 20 minutes later it started raining. Of course!!! But Elmo came and fixed the old dryer and I ended up using it. It will be nice to climb into fresh sheets tonight. Even though I put bug spray on after my shower, it’s the closest thing to fresh and clean I get down here. But I don’t mind.
Leslie came today to translate for Sherry so that she can have a little meeting with Alberto and Saturnino on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. These meetings will help Sherry to let them know what she wants done around the place and for them to ask her any questions that are above my limited Spanish. Arecelys comes on those days, too, so she can also converse with Sherry through Leslie. I tag along so I can know what is going on (to answer any questions when Sherry isn’t here) and to learn more Spanish as I listen in.
Saturnino put a second light bulb in my ceiling light today and it made such a great difference! Sherry had an extra new showerhead that got put on my shower and I love it! Saturnino and Alberto discussed and measured for and planned to make 2 long shelves for my room. It is so cute to see these two little men working together. They are both very sweet personalities and get along well. I like being around them. Anyway, I decided not to get the bookshelves that German was going to get for me. Instead, I’m going to use the 2 long shelves that the guys are making. I will also buy another square plastic table to make my desk/work space larger. I think it’s a better use of my money. There is a ton of things on the guys to-do list and they are getting started right away. There is much to do here to get the place ready for teams and to maintain it. But we have a good crew.
Mike and German were busy all day doing stuff in various offices around town. It’s frustrating to get much of anything accomplished here and everything takes a lot longer than we are used to, but that’s the way here. Mike wasn’t going to be able to pick up Sherry and Manuel to take them home to have dinner and get ready for the Bible study tonight. Our favorite taxi driver (Leslie’s husband) was not available so Mike asked if I would call Oscar the taxi driver that they used last week. I had a number from German. I called it and with my limited Spanish determined that it was Oscar’s home number and the women (his wife I think) gave me the number to his work. I called it and in my limited Spanish determined that I was speaking to his dispatcher. I explained who we are and where we needed a pick up and that we would like to have Oscar be dispatched to us, since he is familiar with the Mission House and with the Husley’s neighborhood. It seemed to work, because Oscar showed up in no time. I was very pleased that I could function in Spanish via cell phone (which is hard for me to hear on). God was faithful to make it happen. ☺
After Sherry and Manuel left, I made my bed up, changed the table covering to the new white one and changed the cover on the kitchen shelves to the white one (even though it’s not sewn yet). It looks much better. It helps to have a lot of white to brighten up the room. Then I had some soup and crackers. I then took a much needed shower and waited on everyone to show up for the Bible Study.
It started pouring rain and came down pretty hard for a while. I wondered if anyone would come to the study, since Nicas don’t go out in the hard rain much. Since they are on foot mostly, they stay home in really bad weather. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hear anyone knocking on the gates and wasn’t sure I would be able to hear the van honking. The rain is loud on our metal roof. Mike called to say they were at the gate. I ran out there in the pouring rain and waded through a river flowing on the steep drive to find that the gate was padlocked. Alberto thought that I had said that the people coming would only be using the people gate. (my bad Spanish) So I go up a muddy slope toward Alberto’s place yelling his name over the rain. I finally got there and he came out and unlocked for me. I was totally drenched (as was he). He held my elbow to make sure that I got back through the slippery muddy trail. He’s so nice to me. Anyway, we got the Hulsey’s in and everything was fine.
Francisco and Coco were with them. Francisco is one of our translators and a driver right now for us. He needed some info to take the new van to pick someone up. Coco came to help with childcare for the Bible study. It was nice to see Francisco, since he’ll be busy with this other thing we have going on and won’t be able to join in the Bible study for a while. Tonight was the first time that I met Coco. She comes to the Hulsey’s house early each day to watch Manuel while Mike and Sherry go for a run. They she cleans house for them. It gives her a much needed income. Anyway, she is nice and she is good with the kids.
We just had a few people for the Bible study because it kept raining hard most of the evening. I set up my computer and the projector to play a movie for the kids. We made a screen out of a white sheet, but it wouldn’t stay taped to the wall, so we put a form mattress on tubs against the wall and draped the sheet over it. I had trouble getting the new little speaker I got for a steal set up on the computer. Oscar (our friend and translator, not the taxi driver) has good A/V skills and he helped me out. We were watching the movie a little, but mostly the kids were running around. I was excited to see how to set up the computer/projector for when we need it for classes and such. I ended up staying in the room to help Coco with the kids and missed the Bible study, but I was glad to help.
Everyone left around 8:30 and it was still raining. It will be a good night to sleep. My clothes were still wet from trying to unlock the gate 3 hours before. I was glad to get into some dry jammies.
I’m ready for bed and sleep. I’m very tired again tonight, but it’s a good tired. I didn’t get to swim today for exercise, but perhaps I’ll get to walk in the morning before Sherry and Manuel get here to work on the rooms.
Tomorrow afternoon is my first day helping at the English Academy and getting tutored by Juan. I’m very excited. Then Wednesday afternoon is the first women’s Bible study. I’m looking forward to it all.
I’m so thankful for all the things that I get to experience here. I’m thankful that my Spanish is getting better. And at this moment, I’m thankful that it’s bedtime! Dulce sueños (sweet dreams)
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