from Feb. 5th

“Be ready at 7:00 a.m. Andy will come pick you up then.” So we were told yesterday, so Ingrid, my Canadian roommate and I were up a bit before 6:00 getting ourselves together. Finally, sometime after 8:00 the busload from the farm (just outside of the city, where several staff and children live in 3 different houses) arrived, and then we went to pick up Andy and his wife.
Plans change.
Like Tuesday when I arrived at the airport, I was a little early and my luggage must’ve been some of the first unloaded, so I was through security very quickly… to wait 45 minutes until some folks arrived to collect me. I had called after 30 minutes to make sure they hadn’t forgotten, and was told that one person was coming for me, but it ended up being 5, none of whom were the one mentioned originally!
From the airport I went straight to El Otro Camino (the Other Way), a day center open 20-hours per week. There, we ate lunch and then waited while Andy (who is the director there) had conferences with parents. We left and went by to pick up some donations from a church (three mattresses, three chairs, an enormous desk, some shoes) then finally, around 3:00 p.m. that day I made it back to the house/office where I’m staying for this first month or so.
Ingrid arrived two days before me from Quito, Ecuador. She’s from Alberta, but had been there at a language school for a month (like what I did in Cusco, Peru). We get along very well. Living in this house right now are the two of us, Grecia from Dominican Republic, and Colombians Sonia and Diana (Sonia’s teenage “daughter”). Other ministry folks stay here sometimes, as do short-term groups.
Today (Thursday), when we finally left the house, Ingrid went to the school (Luz y Vida) and I went to El Otro Camino. My first job? Cleaning up the cat’s two puddles of diarrhea from the floor. Andy said it would help develop a servant’s heart in me. Thanks, Andy.
After that, some others arrived and we began to organize and clean the classrooms, in preparation for the children’s return next week (they’ve been closed down due to the holidays). After an hour or so, six of us went out for a walk through the neighborhood to pray for the people living there and for opportunities to get to know them, especially the children. Just a few blocks from the day center we entered into the “tolerance zone” where the police basically ignore the prevalent illegal activities and brothels. We would like children from this neighborhood to participate at Otro Camino in addition to the kids who are brought from different parts of the city.
What else? I’ve walked a lot but haven’t yet ventured on the bus system, which seems chaotic but I’m eager to attempt (with clear guidance on which one to take and where to get off). Still getting to know names and faces of the staff workers. Still waiting to get the internet password (which no one remembers, or won’t work anymore, or something like this) so that I can access my email from the house. I ate some good chicken today, and I’ve had some plantain (both sweet and green), so I’m happy!