Here we go... well, here I go

My departure date is approaching quickly (9 days, October 21). I am amazed that it is so soon (it still has not sunk in to be completely honest). This weekend has made the trip even more real. I traveled to Orlando, FL to meet with Orlando and Ligia. It went so well; I have many more details and I feel more prepared!

We spent about 2 hours discussing what my time would include, asking questions of each other, and providing answers. I learned so much and I'm still processing all that we talked about. We decided that I would be teaching the children in two different classes. One class would be composed of 6 to 9 year-olds and the other class would include 10 to 12 year-olds. I will have access to a white board and some sort of projector (I'm not exactly sure what that means...) I will have a young teenager (I think she's 13) helping me. She is fluent in English so she will be a very helpful bridge person for the first few weeks when I will still be struggling to grasp Spanish. Orlando told me that she was excited to be asked to help me. He asked her if she wanted to help the missionary teach English and that she started jumping up and down saying "yes! yes! yes!" I will teach Saturday mornings from about 9 to 12. Sundays will be busy all day as well. The rest of the week however will be full of preparing my lessons and I'm not sure what else yet. I need to find a cirrculum for teaching, so if there are any ideas please let me know!! I

will have plenty of internet access while I'm there. The city has an abundance of internet cafes and Orlando and Ligia's house has wireless internet. So you will be getting many updates! :)

I am staying with several families from the church. It was hard at first for Orlando to find people willing to help becuase they have a very specific idea of how an American missionary will act. Many families have been insulted by Americans in the past (for example, one family was offended when they served their normal breakfast of black beans and rice to someone who thanked them and then asked for cereal). Orlando assured his parishoners that I was not like this and that I wanted to live as they live and eat as they eat so they had nothing to worry about. I assured him that he had not lied to them!

Another thing that I am really excited about is a people group that members of La Casa del Padre (Orlando's church) are reaching out to. It is a small tribe that is a four hour hike from San Jose into the mountains. The tribe is called the Cabecares. They are an animistic people group (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism). The interesting thing about this group is that they are tired of missionaries coming into their culture and they have learned to work the system. Many missionaries would come into their culture always bringing things (medicines, food, clothing, etc.) They eventually came to rely on these gifts and became lazy. They knew how to raise their hands and say "amen" at the right moments with out any real change; therefore they kept the gifts from the missionaries and satisfied them enough so that they would leave. The missionaries who came in never really developed relationships with the people. Eventually the Cabecares got tired of these missionaries. They have cut all visitors off from coming onto their reservation now, except for the two missionaries from La Casa del Padre. Pablo and Alba are different sorts of missionaries then these people have ever encountered. They spend time with the people and get to know them. They don't simply give physical gifts but they give the gift of time and energy to understand them. It's so awesome that the Cabecares are still allowing these two people into their midst even when no others are allowed. Orlando assured me that I will get to travel with Pablo and Alba to visit them. I have no idea what to expect but I'm really excited!!

So yea, that's all for now. Please be praying for me as I make my last preparations, especially that I would remember all the details I need to remember!