I'm still alive.

The past couple weeks have been good and bad. Fighting with the car. The car one. It died, quit working, wouldn't start, not even a click. . . No way to get anywhere. To get stuff that we need. I was also a youth camp for 4 days which was a great time. Meet a lot of people, recieved a lot of challenging words. Now - feel like I have a big decision to make. I don't want to elaborate right now - just be in prayer please. I don't understand the way God works or what God is trying to say. I need to make a decision not by feeling or not b/c I'm at a weakpoint and feel like giving up or because someting better came along but because that's how God ordainded.
The past couple weeks have consisted of, spending each day of the week in a different mecanic working on a different problem of the car, and finding a new problem with the car. And once everyone says yeah it's fixed and everythings good - we went to a couple stores close by and we went to start the car to go home and it wouldn't start, checked the battery but the battery was charged and good. . . and well I don't know what the problem was but no one could get it to start, we 'towed' it to the church to park it, because the next day we were going to camp - I was fine didn't care about the car excited about Camp. Camp was on the beach with tents about 215 youth!!!!! We had 3 bathrooms this time and 2 showers!!!!!! Playing on the beach, volleyball, soccer, talking, joking around, . . . . . worship, workshops, and evening services with challenging messages - "Enfocate" - Focus. Being healed of past hurts, being complete, being focused on God. Good food, no - bad food camp food - (if you think pville is bad wow you got another thing coming!!) The most important is meeting with God and God meeting me there - now coming home (sick, sicker then I have ever been in my life) but now taking this time to reflect, dig, transform things in my life that God is showing me.
Life lessons for me right now: 1. Don't spend much time in the sun. (heat exhaustion)
2. Bring lots of water no matter how heavy or how much stuff you have. Drink lots of water always. Don't trust camp juice! (they use bad water)
3. Always get plenty of rest.
Being sick the past 5 days, has been tough for me. (I'm rarely sick) This is the first time I have been sick here too. When I get sick, I get sick - honestly this is the sickest I have even been in my life to the point I wasn't even keeping water in my body. Tuesday I started to retain water, juices and simple foods. I was up all night b/c I couldn't sleep my stomach hurt so bad. . . Wednesday - terrible pain in my stomach, that made me not want to eat but continued with my juices and water.
Today - thursday - woke up well ever hour last night to go the bathroom, get more water, calm my stomach. . Now about noon, I'm feeling okay drinking water successfully eating small things. And am feeling hungry and capable of eating.
At these points is here home wow it's true there is no place like home. I know what I can eat, what I can buy, what I can do to make me feel better, here no? At home I have people who take care of me here? Yeh, there has been one family that has taken care of me. I am very grateful for this family. (The Caripe family. )

Sorpresa!

It's been awhile again since I have written. My time keeps filling faster and faster and more things, My schedule is more full.. Church, Seminary, teaching classes, tuesdays - cell group of teenage girls, classes, wed Punta de Mata - working with children, classes, thrusday 'free', friday work with children, and youth at Sabana Grande, saturday work with children at La Toscana. Not counting time to plan lessons, plan children's programs, etc.. clean the house, cook food, take care of the care, clean my room.... Here in Venezuela everything takes longer then in the States - it is a processes. Nothing is 'easily' accessible. It took a 1/2 day to find a place to repair a tire, and they have to order the tire we need from a distributor and won't have the car actually fixed until tuesday - that is if everything goes well!! I am realizing I am not as patient, or flexible as I thought.. I need a different kind of patience and flexibility. Everything here is based on relationships, not tasks - accomplishing the tasks, planning the tasks - it's just wing it, the relationships and time talking is more important. At times that is hard for me b/c I feel like I need to plan and be well prepared in order for me to give my best, so I feel like I am not doing my best b/c I do not have enough time to plan or prepare. It's challenging. Slowly, I will easy into I think.
What has been going on in my life? Well, Yes Tuesday the 4th was my birthday. 1st birthday in a different country, I received many text messages, and greetings.. I had good day over all.. A hard day b/c it was different.. but good. I was ready for the day to be over and they had a surprise party for me. I was very overwhelmed, but grateful for the friends who wanted the best for my birthday!
I am getting along well with Lori, the missionary who is here to help me, guide me, show me the ropes, be my ministry partner. We usually split the work 50/50 if someone is having a rough day the other takes over. I have learned alot, she is a very outgoing, center of attention person and well I'm the opposite and so I let her take over a lot.. Maybe I should take initiative more times. I still have time though - just taking things one step at a time. I need to learn a lot more children's songs in spanish, childrens activities, and stories. Fun things to do with limited resources!! Any ideas, materials - PLEASE send them my way!
God still teaching me alot.. About myself, about himself, and about the work he as for me! I have a lot in me I need to change still. It's all a process - Still reminded of the importance to spending time daily with Him - He is my source of strength and if I don't tap into the source, I have nothing to give. I have attitudes, perspectives, and other things I need to change... Culture shock, clashes, that I need to get over, get through. Confidence to build.
No, adventures lately. I am doing well. Things are going well. Just very busy right now. I hope all is well... Sent me notes, messages, a line to let me hear from you, know how you are, what's going on... Take Care.. God Bless.. I love you all.. Miss you all...