Well...finally a little time to update!

We have been so busy these last few days we haven´t had the time to stop and write in our blog. I´ll try and give a short summary of each day gone by.

Monday, July 4
We began the week of prayer with High School and Middle School...around 290 kids! Pr. Steve preached about Grace and Nelson translated. The real highlight was the music.
At the daycare we began (finally) putting on our background color on the walls (blue).
The dental team opened the clinic ar the Hogar to the community. They served around 30 people. They´ve been working so hard, they´ve barely had time to stop and eat!
That evening we had our Evangelistic meetings. The lights started flickering, but thankfully they remained on!

Tuesday, July 5
Week of prayer -- Nelson preached on "Who am I?" Presented the story by Max Lucado of  Bob´s many coats.
Celia, Jen, and Edith began working at the school. Jen helped teach 5-6 grade ad Edith and Celia with 1st grade.
The dental team (men only) went to the prison in Santa Barbara. They discribed it as looking like a city square surrounded with small houses (with bars). Nothing like our prisons.
In the afternoon we got to hang out with the kids at the Hogar. A lot of playing football (soccer), swinging the kids by their arms, painting with them, etc.
That night it rained cats, dogs, and I´m sure a few huge toads...(as we´ve been seeing them around). The electricity went out! Thankfully someone found us a generator for the main building so we were able to have our Evangelistic meeting. VBS had to be moved to a small room and have a car shine its lights on us. Along with a few candles (although we were cramped and very noisy), we were able to have the activities for the kids! They are always so excited about coming to VBS! We don´t even anounce for the kids to leave the meeting, they watch us like hawks, when they see us walk out, they all stream out after us!

Wednesday, July 6
Daniel Silva (Nelson´s brother) preached  about how to discover God´s will (for our Week of prayer).
The painting team finally began putting details on the underwater sea design for the Daycare building.
The dental team continued at the prison until noon, and Jen, Celia and Edith were at the School again.
We have had several of our team fall ill this week. It began with Tina (she might have picked something up during our trip here), then Helda. Tina felt much better quickly. Pr. Steve fell very ill as well. He is doing well now. Helda is also doing well. Yesterday, Jen got very sick. By this time we had all the meds we´ve needed, so everyone feels much better after they´ve stayed home a whole day and rested. Last night Catherine started feeling bad, but she seems to be doing better this morning.
Wednesday afternoon the whole team took off  to downtown Santa Barbara to tour and get some ice'cream and eat lunch!
That night, the electricity went out....again! Thankfully it didn´t rain, so were were able to have our meetings and VBS at our regular places with flashlights, candles and lights from a car.


July 5 ---I am really enjoying the Semana de Oracion in la manana, despite the fact that its so early in the morning. It has been such a blessing preparing for it and learning new songs. This morning, when we finished, a guy named kent came up to Tina dn I and told us how much he´s enjoying the music and apoligized that people here are more conservative but there were some who wanted to do it but were scare. He didn´t want us to be discouraged or disappointed. It was really nice to have this little boost of confidence. --- Jen

July 6 ---Yesterday and today some of our team members went to primary school. They are wonderful kids. They all wear uniforms. The school is beautiful. In the afternoon today visited the downtown in Santa Barbara, we all had ice cream. Many people in the streets walking and visiting with another. ---Edith ps. miss everybody. 


July 6 ---It´s very reassuring to know that in our time of need, the team or group that you´re with is willing to help you and take the time to cre for you. While I was sick, Abuelita (Raquel Vazquez) took care of me and asked for tea and other things I needed. I love that everyone in the group is a family and we get along so well. God is so good! ---Tina


Today I had the opportunity to help the Ingles teacher in 1st, 5th adn 6th grade. I taght the kids "This Little Light of Mine" and the chorus of "Over the Sea". The kids are doing such a great job singing and reading English. Actually, some of these kids read English better than some of my students back home. As I observed the teachers, I noticed that we all share some of the same classroom management techniques. Names written on the board for warning and marks for who doesn´t go to recess (sin recess). There´s the classic, wait until there is silence. I was able to stay in the 4th grade classroom to observe. The teacher encouraged parner work as well as small groups, just as we do in the States. The kids work well together and didn´t complain when paired with a random person. Boy-girl or whatever, there was no fighting and voices were kept low. --- Jen

People I´ve met (by Raquel Vazquez)
Elsa Munoz, an 11 year old girl is in the 2nd grade. She arrived at the Hogar 2 or 3 months ago. The police brought her because her dad beat her. She lived with her aunt, uncle and father, and the three of them beat her a lot.