Hey Team!

Well, it being the first of the month I thought it would be an appropriate time to post an update. I´ve only been here for 11 days yet it seems like so much has happened. To start off, I have a confession to make. I have not eaten a bean since I got here. I feel this is both a triumph and a copout.

 

I have been at the school every morning helping with English class in classes ranging from Preschool thourgh to Grade 6. The kids are truly wonderful though perhaps slightly rambunctious. I have made so many little friends in no time. They come running up to me with ''Hola Meghan'' and many hugs and kisses. I love being around the kids, teaching them what I can and just hanging out.

There is one boy in particular I´d like to mention, Javier. He is 12 years old but has the mental capacity of a 5 year old so he is in Grade 1. He has learning challenges so when Im in that class I have become his aid. He is such a beautiful and creative child! I love the time I get to spend with him. Mostly, he explains to me just about anything under the sun. So I sit there as he rattles away in Spanish as I try to keep up. He´ll bring out a book in Spanish and explain by looking at the pictures what is going on. I love it and also get to learn a bit of Spanish too.

Javier, my new found buddy!

 

On Saturday there was a celebration at the school. It was like an assembly for the parents. There is alot of encouragement for the parents to really take interest in their kids studies' and to commit to helping their kids. Its amazing working at a school where God is the main focus, where they have a devocion every monday morning put on by the students and where being Christlikeness is the goal. What a change from public school!

Dance Lessons

 

Sunday included church as per usual, a birthday party out in San Marcos and an afternoon of playing futbol. What a wonderful day that was! Last night there was a special event where several churches from San Salvador and San Marcos met together to pray for their country and for their government. I would compare it to World Day of Prayer in Canada. It was quite facsinating as the newly elected President of the Legislative Assembly, Sigfrido Reyes, attended and played a major part in the event. He was prayed for and made several commitments to the church and to God.  It was surprising to see the government mix with the church but I hope and pray that good things come of it. John 3:16, the band from IBE, played for the service which was great! After the 2.5 hour service, cleaning up all the sound equipment and driving it back to the church, we headed off for supper at McDonalds at about 9:30. Certainly not the best choice for gluten free but food non the less.

John 3:16

Sigfrido Reyes with "the people"

 

I'm finding one of the hardest parts about being here is being a white girl. I knew it would be problematic but its hard to get used to. Everywhere I go I get cat calls, whistles and the like. To me it seems so ridiculous. It wouldn't matter whether i was pretty or ugly, the fact is I'm "exotic". I'm different. White people are so rare here. I haven't seen any except a few at the church. I have considered dying my skin, but then realized i would then need to dye my hair too and then of course i would need to color my eyes. It would be similar to "If you give a mouse a cookie..." (if you haven't read that children's book you should). Whenever they whistle i just want to walk up to them and say "Hey! I'm a real person, just like everyone else, not an object. Just because my skin is different doesn't mean I'm different". Of course i don't have enough spanish to say all that confidently and it seems if you give them any attention at all, even eye contact it goes from bad to worse. I'm doing my best to give this frustration to God and to thank him for the blessing of Canada, where everyone looks different so that in the end no ones different.

Cal Pupil (the youth house)

Life in general is really good. Everyday seems to fill up with different activities or events to keep me busy. I am kept very occupied with learning Spanish. My brain is always working so Ive been trying to go to bed earlier and have also ended up eating more. My stomach is not doing so well but that is to be expected, or so I think. Thank you so much for all your prayers and thoughts! God is teaching me so much! Today I had a really good conversation with one of the teachers at the school today. Despite my broken Spanish and his broken English we had a good and interesting discussion about the political situations in Canada and El Salvador. It was really nice to be able to have a real conversation with someone, deeper than just the surface level. The more I can communicate the more encouraged I feel, so thanks for your prayers in the language department too! God is certainly answering them. Love to all you back home, and to those abroad too!

Observing the contrast