The Orphanage

On Sunday I went with people associated with my cell group to an orphanage in the city of Cuernavca. Its a nice little city of 2 million people! The orphanage is one that Heather Hahn has had an opportunity to visit in the past. It is Christian and is run completely by faith, meaning they have no constant source of income, but go month to month. There were about 100 children living there of all ages. We put on a clown show for them about the salvation message and then played games with them afterwards. It was bit of a gongshow as we had limited time to practice and work through what we were doing, but I think the kids enjoyed themselves. I did my lines in Spanish as best as I could and I think they understood me. When everyone was playing games at first I was really discouraged because I had no idea what was happening or how to speak to the kids so I went and sat down behind the little kids. In the middle of me asking God what exactly it was I was to do if I couldn't talk to those I came here to serve, a little hand found its way into mine. I looked up and there was this little girl, probably about two looking at me shyly. She couldn't or wouldn't speak Spanish so I was on her level. All she wanted was attention and I was glad to give it. Unfortunantly later on she got scared off when Carlos, one of the guys with our team tried to take a picture of us and she wouldn't come back to me afterwards. A few other girls spoke to me as they wanted to know how to say certain things in English, but half the time I wasn't sure what it was they wanted translated. There were a few other cultural miscommunications through out the day and by the time I came home I was exhausted and emotionally drained. It seems every moment here is a challenge to get through or if I find myself really enjoying myself the next day I will have really discouraging things happen. Such is the life of learning to live in another culture. Spanish is still discouraging too, it seems every time I think I've made a step forward, I get told by someone just how much farther I have to go in one way or another. Mixed amongst the great things are some trials.