I'm just going to put up a couple pictures from Sunday - when I went to "Las Cascadas" with a group of youth. We are at a huge mall with a food court, arcade, grocery store, movie theater. . .

Feliz Ano Nuevo 2008

Happy New Year Everyone! I spent New Years Eve here at the house with Pastor Casto and Marlene. I helped cook the food and clean the house. We celebrated New Years with a dinner - there were 11 of us. We had 'asado' - like a roast, salad of cooked potatoes, cooked carrots, peas, and apples - in a mayonase dressing, 'hallaca' - the traditional food for Christmas and New Years - it is not like anything American. It has a corn meal soft mushy outside with meat, olives, spices inside - (taco style) - and they wrap it in a banana leaf and boil it. Peel the banana leaf off and eat it. I tried 2 different 'hallacas' one I liked the other I didn't like.

New Years is a huge celebration here everyone gets dressed up - and the set of fireworks and fire crackers for HOURS. I mean from 7 in the evening until 1 or 2 in the morning. Everyone in the streets setting off fireworks, dancing. . . The sky was filled with smoke from the fireworks. It was amazing how many fireworks were going off all over the city, let alone to think about how many were all over the country!!! Everyone stays up late with family and then sleep in late b/c nothing is open on New Years Day!

A Dios Sea La Gloria

Here are some pictures of the church. Those of you who have been there before, it's a little different. I haven't taken pictures of the inside yet but the outside is different enough for now

Off to the right side of the church - is the preschool still, and another corridor of classrooms for the school

Now to the left side of the church where 6 years ago we were building the foundation of classrooms:

Time for some pictures.

To start off - just a nice Family picture from the Airport before I left. . :o)

Aw, how cute. My Mom, Dad, Me, Matt, Emily, Susie and Patrick.

I am currently staying at the Pastor's House which is located on the back right corner of the church property. Here is the house from the gate around the house itself -

A look inside the house: the kitchen

The dinning room.

My bedroom -

Day 2 - so far so good.

My 1st full day here in Maturin - actually pretty un-eventful. Everyone is on vacation so things are pretty quiet around here which is a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. Good because I have time to start adjusting and just relax bad because it gives me way too much time to think. I took a tour of the school buildings today and of the inside of the church. Talked with an old friend for a little while, Casto and Marlene took me out for lunch - we had soup it was pretty good - it was a broth with squash type thing, yuka, meat still on the bone...took a nap, later on went to 'el centro' Sigo. It's like a mall with a super market inside as well. Paul, Sue, and Eddie gave me a tour of Maturin - the 'inner city' with lots of stores, little street vendors, lots of traffic, and lots of people. Looked for a 'good' place to get a cell phone and coverage plan but didn't find one. For dinner Paul took us to "calle hambre" Hungry street for completos - hot dogs with ketchup, mustard, mayonase (sp?) green peppers, cabbage, and potato chip pieces on top.
It's going to take me a while to adjust to shopping, calculating prices for stuff, and getting around. Travel, streets, seems really confusing to me right now all the streets look the same to me. Even though I have been here before everything is different. I have a lot to learn, language, relationally, building new friendships, finding people to hang out with, how to buy stuff, where good places to shop are, how to get around, learn about education here in Venezuela - expectations they have for their teachers, taking classes at the seminary here. . . etc I feel kinda lost right now with no one close to talk to and talk things through - I'm sure that will change as time goes on and things are back to normal around here. It is going to be hard right now b/c I am 1 person expected to fill the place of 2 people - Emily and Lori the 2 VISA missionary girls that were here. . . . . we will see!

Let the Adventure Begin

After 16 hours in airports and on planes we, (Paul and Sue Frazier and I ) made it safely to Maturin, without any problems!!! Praise the Lord - another american guy who was on all the same flights as us had a PS2, gifts, and clothing stolen from his suitcase. My suitcases weren't even touched - still neatly packed just as I had left them. It was most exhusting sitting in Caracas airport for 5.5 hours waiting for our flight to Maturin. Everything went smoothly though. Practiced some patience. The whole 'latin time' where flights are supposed to board at 10am and don't board until 12.. . . . . (:o) On the flight from Caracas to Maturin I couldn't even keep my eyes open!!!
The city has changed a lot, airport really nice. Church beautiful, classroom buildings are nice - I will get pictures up later.. I will be staying with Pastor Casto and Marlene at first and they live on the church property. Marlene told me today that I will be teaching English for preschool - 3rd graders and most likely from preschool - 6th grade. Classes begin on the 7th of Jan.. So I have a lot of lesson planning and preparing to do before then. I have wireless internet working here at Pastor Casto's house, an airconditioned room, running water. There is a change of address for sending stuff to me. You should send it here:
Heidi Hoover
C/O Dr. Casto Rojas
Transversal 7 entre 5 y 6
Brisas del Aeropuerto
Maturin, Monagas, Venezuela

I should be getting a pre-paid cell phone dealio tomorrow to be able to communicate when necessary - when I get that all set up I will send along the number. I have been told that it is cheaper for me to call to the United states than it is for you to call down to Venezuela.. I am going to 'descansar' rest a little bit.. I don't know what else they have planned for me today.. :o) I am doing well. I arrived safe and sound. Thanks so much for your prayers. Your support. I couldn't be here with out you. You all are awesome! Take Care. God Bless..

Weak and Unworthy

A lot of things change by the months. Doubts. Discouragements. Feelings. Relationships. Plans. Fears. Joys. Perspectives. Hearts. I feel the past couple months I have been, "blown and tossed by the waves" so to speak. Avoiding reflection and updating afraid of what I would find. Not wanting to face failures.
Thursday December 27th I will be flying out for Maturin, Venezuela. A place I have been twice before. A place of memories. A place of regrets. A place where God wants me to be. As I embark on this next adventure in my life, I have already been through a roller coaster of emotions. Excitement. Fear. Nervous. Anxious. Giving up. Walking away. Persistance. Challenge. As each wave has come and gone, a new lesson was learned. I hope to apply these lessons to life, to keep them in front of me. To be wise in my decisions. To be steadfast in my convictions. To keep things in perspective. To be aware of my attitude, my words, my actions. To count my blessings. To surrender. To trust my God.
I have recently read the book, "Captivating" by Stasi and John Eldredge. Wonderful book for any woman. Today I experienced a renewed freedom in Christ - freedom from wounds, hurts, broken relationships that have been pulling me down. There's a new joy and hope in my heart.