DStilled

Here I am…Send me.

June 7, 2005 on 9:29 pm | In Blog |

It’s been nearly a week now and I knew if I had my chance, I could make those people dance and maybe they’d be happy for a while. Well, that’s not quite true. Turns out one of the things that I have learned about the culture I am now in is that dancing Christians don’t exist. At least they are not suppose to. If you think dancing in Baptist churches is bad then imagine bringing an open bear into the sancutary (did I just type bear? goodness wouldn’t that be weird! anyway i meant to say beer) and that’s how the kids look at me when I groove at school. Needless to say I stopped immediately. It reminds me of when I used to grove for like the entire meal at the Pav before Agape.

Jennie and I arrived in Guatemala last wed night smoothly and Sam and Ivan picked us up at the airport. Quick story about the travel day. Jennie and I arrived super early at Cincinnati to fly to Dallas-Ft. Worth (the city of my and Garrett’s birth!) We got there wonderfully after a delay on the runway and right before we landed the flight attendant came up to tell us where our connecting gate was. B-14 she says. We get off and go directly to B-14. Jennie stays with the carry-ons and I go to make sure we don’t have to do anything with our checked luggage. The nice man says we’re fine and I decide to use the restroom. Well the nearest one is next to B-4. I walk down and while I’m still in the quietness of the restroom I hear, “Will Daniel Stillwell, Jennie Barrows, and Seashell McPhoon report to gate B-17 for immediate departure to Guatemala.” I darted out and ran the ten miles to Jennie and she looked incredibly content. She hadn’t heard a thing in the din of the terminal. (God thing that I went to the bathroom? I think so) So I grabbed my stuff and some of hers and ran best we could and caught the plane guy just as he was giving up on us.

We have all had some pretty sweet God moments but the best for me was Sunday morning church. The first sunday of every month they have extended services with baptism and communion. (Yes I tasted alcohol for the first time ever. It was the same tiny plastic cup we use in the states with 80% wine and 20% grape juice) The singing was amazing cuz I was singing in spanish and worshipping at the same time. The baptism and communion were cool because I was included even as an outsider as part of the Church. The sermon was amazing cuz it was a guy would drove three hours each way to go the Shalom Mission School and learn about Jesus. It made me really grateful that I can so easily have access to the best schools in the world, seminaries included. The talk was on what the church was both to christians and non, and Kenneth was there to translate since a team from Oklahoma was there.

Sam and I are living at Mark and Andrea’s house while they are still in the states. Jennie is at Andrea’s brother’s until M&A get back and then she’ll live there. School schedule is 7:30-1:30. We get up at 5 every morning and leave the house by 6 and here is a real kicker–we are in bed before 9:30. I got to do some of my first spanish teaching today in Andrea’s English class Sam is subbing for. My spanish is comming along but it is still so hard to communicate with people that don’t speak slowly or clearly. Sam took Jennie and I to fun Antigua on Sat and showed us around, the salsa bars, the place he lived at, and other touristy things. We will definately go back for some late night salsa dacing, or at least the atmosphere.

Praying in spanish aloud in front of dozens of natives is intimidating. So much so Sam doesn’t even like to do it. But I’ve braved it twice and I’m sure I’ll have to a ton more times before this is all over. So pray for me will you please. Pray that Spanish comes along well for the three of us. Pray that Jennie and I get into the programs where God can use us the most. Pray that Jesus really walks besides us throughout the day to truly love the kids and other teachers. Pray that we all come to Him daily in the Word and Spirit. If we don’t depend on Him for everything then this entire trip is sorely lacking in purpose and power.

Thank you for supporting me with your prayers and keep checking for updates and pictures. I will have a whole new Guatemala gallery for these pics.