Let's see - how to begin this update. For some reason I always feel I have a hard time getting started. There have been a couple of random themes the LORD has been showing me - I'm SURE they're NOT random - just not what I've been looking for if you know what I mean...
Proverbs 1:32-33 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them, but who ever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease without fear of harm. (emphasis mine)
2 Peter 3:8 But do not forget this one thing dear friends, with the LORD a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. The LORD is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you (ME!!!!), not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Then this I read after a study this week - Double Mindedness....There is a need for constant self-examination. We have to live in the world and worldly things are necessary for our daily subsistence, but it requires great watchfulness to keep our affections and hearts focused on the things that are above. - Halley's Bible Handbook
I see a theme here and it's making me uncomfortable. All things I struggle with as an A type personality (or sinner - whatever...). Patience. Faith. Soul Searching. Confession. Focus. Sigh, I have a long way to go....doing life during all this and staying gracious...Oh my.
This is a new week and I remember a promise that those mercies are new every morning - thank goodness. Actually it's Tuesday but I feel like I'm just getting started with things. (See above. :) )
The weather: WOW! I feel like we're back in WA at the moment. The rainy season has started. It actually started about a month ago (early) but it's getting more serious about dumping large amounts of water into the parched earth so now we have something akin to a LAKE in our "driveway". You can't see the gravel, you can't tell how deep it is, and it's rather f.u.l.l. I'm hoping the level doesn't rise to the doors of the house...This is probably NOTHIN' to you Washingtonians but for here it does tend to make a mess. The roads are becoming a real adventure in driving and life threatening to walk on. Alan's truck is several different shades of brown now - depending on the level of puddle he just drove through. :)
Believe it or not, rain does affect household things around here.
Laundry: This consists of staring a load right before I go to bed. I'm usually up pegging it out on the line by 6:30am to try and get as much dry time as possible. Any bit of sunshine and breeze is a benefit. Normally, I can get the one load done and dried before the rain starts at 1:30pm (like clockwork!) but today it didn't happen as we were all at the children's home 'till around 2. All of us did run out in the rain to pull down all the laundry there though! Our clothes here just needed an extra rinse cycle. :)
Floors: UGH. I KNOW I don't want carpet but there are times when my tile floors drive me nuts and the muddy season is one of them. For some reason that I'm positive has to do with the gene pool, my son is a DIRT magnet. Funny, but he doesn't even notice being wet, muddy, sweaty, or otherwise less than clean. :) I can always tell where he's been though because he leaves a trail. The two entrances are a dingy sort of white 'till the rain stops - there's just no way around it.
Animals: Hmmm... they don't like the rain either. So, what do they do??? Seek indoor cover, of course! I'm finding numerous beetles, flies, moths, a cockroach (BLECH), and various others seeking refuge. So far the cat seems to be keeping mice at bay - I should hope so. She now has children to teach... See - here they are! Tortuga and Tigre....spanish names of course. To go with Besitos, la mama. 
Anyway - the hills are turning a beautiful shade of green that is very refreshing to look at!
As far as work stuff goes - it IS a new week. There have been some things change at the children's home and a few workers have left. Looks as if they've either needed to find paying jobs, the work was too much, or other issues have taken precedence. We can't quite make out the turnover rate but I know that people get burn out pretty darn quick. Nancy and Alfredo are doing an AMAZING job but this last week has been pretty tough. They need our prayers.
I talked with her this afternoon about coming and kind of taking over the kitchen for a bit. It's a bit tricky for me as I don't want to push my way into a situation that is working but one of the workers that had to leave was doing all the cooking. So now there's not really anyone in charge and that area is difficult to leave to whoever. I would LOVE to have Concha come back and do what she'd been doing SO WELL the first year we were here but one, we don't have the money to pay her, and two, she fell a month and a half ago and broke her leg. It's bad, so if you could pray for her that would be wonderful. I don't know how long her recovery is going to be but it's looking like a long while. So, we're talking about how this is going to look but for a bit we're just going to wing it! They have great supplies built up there and I know how to cook 99% Mexican so I'm going to dive in starting tomorrow.
Alan has been doing his various handyman jobs as usual. The last week and the last couple of days were devoted to some translations work, errands for people, drywall at the church, trying to fix our camera to get pictures for the blog, and repairing and hooking up a dryer at the children's home to resolve the "nothing is getting dry in this weather" problem. He's so good....
Don't EVER disregard skills you have to learn. You just never know how they'll be used in the future...
We are getting ready for an evangelical camp that is coming to town and a couple of groups that are going to be helping with constructions projects and a VBS in the area. These next 3 weeks are going to go by f.a.s.t.
Wow - and it's ONLY Tuesday............
Janelle:
We will be very 'in and out' at the children's home until the first of August helping with another team that is here as of today! It's a nice change in pattern but my brain is very tired from the back and forth between languages. I'm feeling a bit like a train wreck in that my ability to talk or think in any language has apparently gone by the wayside...hopefully it will be back tomorrow.
