I now find it normal to shower with a bowl getting my water from a bucket that was filled earlier that day. Little combs are seen everywhere, along with lots of head itching (lice). Instead of a tall glass of cold milk with my chocolate chip cookie, I prefer a wide mug of hot atoll. Fried plantains sound better than French fries. Bedtime is usually around 9 or 9:30, and we wake up most days at 5 or 5:30 (about a normal time, being 2 hours behind FL time). Brushing my teeth with bottled water and throwing away toilet paper is something I've gotten used to for a week or two in the past, but it seems normal to me now. Sometimes it feels as if I do live in an Asian nail salon (where they talk about you in another language), but I have been able to improve my comprehension of the Spanish language these past 3 weeks. I currently have at least 4 bruises on my legs, none of which I know the cause of. I feel incomplete without a fly on/around me. But I am still getting used to new people coming into the house each week to play with my kids. And being called "Amiga", "hermana", "gringa", and "mama".
Sunday night, around 7 when it was time time to give 16 kids showers, the lights went out. They were off for a good 15 minutes. I just stood in the center of the room using the flashlight on my iPhone lighting up the room. The kids were afraid, the house moms seemed used to it. That's when it hit me. I was excited when the lights went off. It reminded me that I am living life with 100 orphans. Those who have been neglected, abused, lost, and abandoned. Casa Shalom is the light in their lives. Without it, they would be living/dying in darkness. I was excited to bring the light and joy to those 16 children who have experienced darkness in the past. Those few minutes put my thoughts into perspective as to what a difference this ministry is making in so many lives, Guatemalans and Americans.
Taking care of 16 toddlers does not give me much time to make a spiritual difference in these lives as I was hoping I could. But I am trying to make the most of it. This past week, while Living Oaks was here, we did a craft with markers. Yes, all of their hands were covered in marker afterwards. I took each of them to the bathroom and scrubbed their hands. That was a symbol to me of washing their feet, like Jesus did the disciples (John 13). No, I did not wash their feet, but I washed their hands. The reason Jesus washed their feet is because it was the filthiest part of their body, walking barefoot through the desert. After three weeks of doing life with them, I am pretty confident that the filthiest parts of a toddler are their hands- I will spare you the details, but they touch EVERYTHING in reach, believe me! After about 5 minutes of scrubbing each hand, all the marker didn't come off, but they were far cleaner than before. "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." (vs. 7) "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (vs. 15) The kids didn't understand the symbol washing their hands meant to me, but as their faith grows and matures, they will know.
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