variety of updates with lots of fotos

Yesterday I started my work at the Asilo… So far, I’m meeting lots of new ancianos/volunteers and reconnecting with those that I knew from before and trying to remember 90+ names and literally being chased when passing out sweet bread and being told by many elderly men that I have beautiful eyes (and by one that I have beautiful teeth!) and trying to figure out my role there and feeling a little overwhelmed/inadequate and and wishing I’d been on the skin team at the hospital after seeing all of wound care that I’m going to be doing, etc etc etc! Your prayers are much appreciated!

On another note, I had a great time this past weekend with my friends Geovanny and Nereida and Israel! Some of the highlights:

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  making peanut butter cookies, lasagna and garlic bread in my new used gas stove, not to mention the adventure of finding all of the necessary ingredients here (in the truck with the dead battery and no windows so the rain comes in)…by now I’m getting pretty good at lighting the pilot light for the oven!

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  Israel trying out some new hairstyles on Nereida and I…this is only one of many...

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  worshipping together at our tiny no-name church that meets in Geovanny’s mom’s kitchen

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  playing “cup” games with the sobrinitos (I taught them one from camp…and Nere taught us some kind of musical chairs sort of game where you’re out if you’re left without a cup at the end of the song) and laughing like crazy

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  just doing life together!

And lastly, it’s COLD here! Especially inside, at night, and in my empty apartment! I’ve started wearing my winter hat whenever I’m at home in the evenings, and of course I always wear my long underwear at night! Usually I have 2 pairs of socks, 2 layers on the bottom and 3-6 layers on top… I keep joking that I want to go back to MN where it’s not so cold! Last night I figured out that I could warm my hands up while I boiled water for tea…

That’s all for now...