An Ode to Mud

Exhibit A: Watch where you walk!
It's very squishy and slippery!

I thought I knew what mud was—back in Wisconsin: that slightly inconvenient, make-sure-you-wipe-your-feet-off-before-you-come-in-the-house type of mud. But really I knew nothing…maybe even less than nothing. When you live in a country where it rains pretty much every afternoon, you end up with a lot of mud. And generally it doesn’t just rain nice and gentle and stop after an hour or two—it pours. Hard. Sometimes for several hours, and, in the case of a couple weeks ago, for several days in a row.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Any community has a certain set of noises or sounds that are “normal” and expected. At some point after you've lived in one place for a number of months or years, you may not really hear or notice those sounds anymore. Maybe it’s the sound of birds chirping outside the kitchen window, traffic going passed the window in your office, or even the sounds that your house makes. Ukarumpa is no different; there are several sounds that, to me, emphasize where I am and why I’m here.

Bread and Tacos and Cookies, Oh My!

One of my better loaves of bread

If you know me at all, you know that I have lots of adventures—generally having to do with either cars or cooking. Since I don’t drive a manual, or have any desire to deal with a vehicle here, this post is about, you guessed it…cooking! Most of my “adventures” in the kitchen back home involved burned food, courtesy of me getting a little too engrossed in whatever I was currently reading. I’m happy to report that I haven’t been burning my meals—especially since I’ve (finally!) figured out the ins and outs of the gas oven.

Things that Make Me Smile :)

This week has been one full of changes (school starting!) and difficulties (someone attempted to break into my apartment early Monday morning—I’m all right, just a little jumpy and not sleeping very well at the moment). A few months ago when I was struggling to adjust, a friend back home challenged me to make a list of every blessing and provision from the Lord and dwell on those things, rather than the struggles. Anyways, I thought this week would be a good one to revisit the list—so here are the things that I’m thankful for this week:

1. Kids: Does this really need any explanation?! Nothing brightens my day like being with kids—hearing stories about their imaginary friend, Yak, playing games, teaching them, reading bedtime stories, all of it.
2. Christmas cards in January: Mail takes a while to get to Ukarumpa, but that just makes trips to the post office more fun!
3. Friends: I’m so blessed with great friends here in Ukarumpa, in Mexico, and at home in the States.
4. School: When I was really young, I got up and got dressed only a couple hours after my parents put me to bed because I was so excited to go to school…while I definitely don’t do that anymore, I do still love school.
5. Sunny days: They’re just cheerful and make hot water (solar powered hot water heaters)! (And help with #9!)
6. Playing guitar (or flute): I love everything about music, especially making it.
7. Spanish worship music: Again, I love music, but it also reminds me of my friends in Mexico and to pray for them.
8. Baking: Mmm, there’s just nothing like fresh baked cookies or bread (even if it doesn’t turn out quite right)!
9. Clean laundry: Folding clean, dry laundry, fresh off the clothes line is just much more enjoyable (albeit a bit more work) than from a dryer.
10. Earthquakes: Weird, I know, but they remind me of where I am and God’s faithfulness in getting me here and sustaining me.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  -Romans 15:13

Calling All Teachers!

Remember when you were a kid and school was called off for a day, or maybe even two? Why was school called off—snow, ice, -30F temperatures? Now imagine that you are a missionary on the field with school-aged children; there is a school on your mission center, but it isn’t fully staffed, and can’t offer classes until they find qualified teachers. This scenario is exactly where Ukarumpa International School (UIS) Primary Campus found itself last week.

Better than TV

Life in the village is typically slow paced and very routine: work in the gardens in the morning and then around 2 pm, it’s off to market with produce to sell. (Read about my market adventure here.) After the evening meal, everyone sits and talks for a while, and then it’s time for bed.

On occasion, though, things that are slightly out of the ordinary happen…

My Favorite Things

During the last week of school we talked about the Christmas story; I read the story out of the Bible to the younger kids and had the older ones tell me the story (which they did in great detail!). After we finished reading, I had the kids write out what their favorite part of the story was and why they liked it. When they finished writing, they illustrated what they wrote.