Yesterday was my day off: wonderful. It was a beautiful, sunny day (all day long!) and I went for breakfast at a historical diner (Bogota-style), then I went shopping a bit. I tried to buy a cell phone to replace the one that got stolen (the company gave me a replacement SIM card for free, with the same number), but at the places I asked they didn't have ones that were compatible with my company. So instead of getting a phone, which I need, I bought clothes... and not even jeans, which I need! Oh well, that's part of being a girl, I suppose. :)
In the afternoon when J. got home, some friends also came over. We all went across the street and got milkshakes, then went to the park, where we took off our shoes and socks in the grass and J. and Luke played hide and seek.
We went back to the house and Liz and I left for my church, armed with a guitar, a chord sheet, and a cake. Last night there was an open-mic kind of night so we sang a song and hung out. Ingrid and Luke came also; Luke gave us a standing ovation, haha. We actually did a good job, and tomorrow I'm going to worship practice and the main singer-lady wants to do the song that Liz and I sang. Good stuff... I'm pretty happy to get involved with the music there, at least once or twice a month would be nice.
Today was decent. After a nap, I did get a cell phone, and then watched CARS with J. and we ate pizza.
Sometimes I wonder why God has entrusted me with this child. This adventure is definitely proof to me that I cannot do anything good enough on my own. That the things I want to do, I don't. I'm an adult and I shouldn't react poorly to a four-year-old's attitude. I should be able to handle it. I should I should I should... basically this is showing me a lot of my broken areas, but at least for tonight I haven't let Jesus sit down next to me and take that stuff and forgive it. I'm not believing that he can use my failures, I'm not trusting that he knows what he's doing in my life and in J's. I want to blame it on my being "alone" in 24-hour care, but it's not just that... I think it has more to do with my brokenness.
What will tomorrow hold?
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
villavicencio
Last weekend little J. went to the farm so I had Saturday-Monday off. Ingrid and I went out of town, about 2 1/2 hours away, to a small city called Villavicencio. It is the gateway to the plains... beautiful country, with layers of the Andes to the north, and opening into flat, broad expanses in the other directions.
We got into town late, but without any major problems (just more confusion about where the bus leaves from. It seems that I really need to research these things better before I go out of the house!). We found a hotel that we could afford, and settled in. The next day, we went horseback riding, because the plains area is famous for cowboy-type things. First, Ingrid got bitten (slightly) by a moody horse in the stable while we were waiting to begin the trail ride. Later, out on the trail through pastures, her horse ran her into a tree. Mine refused to canter, going from trot to bucking me when I tried to urge it into the next gait. The neat bits of the ride were the beautiful day, the warm weather, riding through a creek that covered half of the horses (up to mid-calf on me), seeing leaf cutter ants, and eating ice cream afterward.
That night we went out to eat and walked around a bit. Earlier I had seen some people setting up a stage in the main square, but it turned out not to be for Sunday night, but rather for Monday mid-day, since July 20 is the national holiday. The whole time we were there the town seemed a bit sleepy, had a beach town feel even though it's probably 15 hours from the ocean, and even the area that someone said was dangerous didn't seem bad at all, although of course we didn't just go hang out.
Monday morning, we decided to go find the river, which on the map is a huge, beautiful, blue expanse on the border of town. I had visions of swimming, or at least wading, in the water and generally enjoying a good time by the water, like we would in North Carolina.
Instead, the gray, muddy water seemed very low, and the banks were made of cobble-sized rocks. Off in the distance we saw people working by the shore and a community of houses. To the other direction it was deserted and seemed like we could go explore a bit.
Note: Rules of life are different here. For me, I feel safe in the country, but on-guard in the city. Here, that isn't necessarily true, as we were about to find out.
We walked down to the shore, by the bridge, and a group of teens accosted us, demanding everything. By the grace of God, they didn't harm us or even touch us. Also they let me take out my ID card, which really surprised me. The things I'm most bummed about losing are the camera that Mom and Dad just left for me (it was in the purse), and the purse itself, which was a gift from a Burmese student when I taught English in High Point. God was also gracious in having me leave my debit card and the equivalent of $35 in the hotel room that day, which was enough to get us back to Bogota without any more trouble.
We went straight to the police, but there was nothing to be done. I'm sure the kids had already dispersed and hidden the stuff to sell later. I hope their girlfriends enjoy the sunglasses... We got a ride back to the hotel in a police van, and called Bogota and packed our bags to the sound of the independence day parade.
For the rest of the day we were a bit shaken up, a bit subdued, very thankful to God, and feeling very stupid for going down there. Neither of us slept very well last night, but today I feel calm and super thankful for God's mercy.
When we explained to the police that we're in Colombia working with children at risk, with street kids, like those who robbed us, we had to laugh a bit at the irony of it all. But seeing first hand how they're living makes me more eager in my work, that they children I love on every day would not end up in street gangs, but instead would learn that there is another, better way to live.
We got into town late, but without any major problems (just more confusion about where the bus leaves from. It seems that I really need to research these things better before I go out of the house!). We found a hotel that we could afford, and settled in. The next day, we went horseback riding, because the plains area is famous for cowboy-type things. First, Ingrid got bitten (slightly) by a moody horse in the stable while we were waiting to begin the trail ride. Later, out on the trail through pastures, her horse ran her into a tree. Mine refused to canter, going from trot to bucking me when I tried to urge it into the next gait. The neat bits of the ride were the beautiful day, the warm weather, riding through a creek that covered half of the horses (up to mid-calf on me), seeing leaf cutter ants, and eating ice cream afterward.
That night we went out to eat and walked around a bit. Earlier I had seen some people setting up a stage in the main square, but it turned out not to be for Sunday night, but rather for Monday mid-day, since July 20 is the national holiday. The whole time we were there the town seemed a bit sleepy, had a beach town feel even though it's probably 15 hours from the ocean, and even the area that someone said was dangerous didn't seem bad at all, although of course we didn't just go hang out.
Monday morning, we decided to go find the river, which on the map is a huge, beautiful, blue expanse on the border of town. I had visions of swimming, or at least wading, in the water and generally enjoying a good time by the water, like we would in North Carolina.
Instead, the gray, muddy water seemed very low, and the banks were made of cobble-sized rocks. Off in the distance we saw people working by the shore and a community of houses. To the other direction it was deserted and seemed like we could go explore a bit.
Note: Rules of life are different here. For me, I feel safe in the country, but on-guard in the city. Here, that isn't necessarily true, as we were about to find out.
We walked down to the shore, by the bridge, and a group of teens accosted us, demanding everything. By the grace of God, they didn't harm us or even touch us. Also they let me take out my ID card, which really surprised me. The things I'm most bummed about losing are the camera that Mom and Dad just left for me (it was in the purse), and the purse itself, which was a gift from a Burmese student when I taught English in High Point. God was also gracious in having me leave my debit card and the equivalent of $35 in the hotel room that day, which was enough to get us back to Bogota without any more trouble.
We went straight to the police, but there was nothing to be done. I'm sure the kids had already dispersed and hidden the stuff to sell later. I hope their girlfriends enjoy the sunglasses... We got a ride back to the hotel in a police van, and called Bogota and packed our bags to the sound of the independence day parade.
For the rest of the day we were a bit shaken up, a bit subdued, very thankful to God, and feeling very stupid for going down there. Neither of us slept very well last night, but today I feel calm and super thankful for God's mercy.
When we explained to the police that we're in Colombia working with children at risk, with street kids, like those who robbed us, we had to laugh a bit at the irony of it all. But seeing first hand how they're living makes me more eager in my work, that they children I love on every day would not end up in street gangs, but instead would learn that there is another, better way to live.
Friday, July 10, 2009
vacation
Two days after the last post, Mom and Dad arrived to visit for a couple of weeks. What a relief! God's timing is perfect, even in knowing when I really need a break and how to encourage me. Among the things we did was take a 2-day trip out of the city. I had found a place that sounded neat on the internet, so Wednesday morning we went to Portal de la 80 to catch a bus out of Bogota to Tobia, in hot country. As soon as we went through the turnstile from the Transmilenio (like a subway or metro system) to the waiting flotas (buses between towns)I saw one with a sign in the window for the place we were headed to, so I asked the driver how much it cost and how long it would take and we piled in. I was surprised at how inexpensive the fare was, and how short he said the trip would be, but we arrived without problems after passing through the beautiful "savannah" of Bogota.
It didn't seem very hot, and I didn't know where the hotel was, so we went to a bakery for a snack and to wait for the hotel agent to call me back. When he did, I realized my error: the hotel in hot country is in Tobia and we had gotten on a bus for Tabio, less than an hour from Bogota! With instructions from the hotel guy and a man in the bakery we hopped on a bus back toward Bogota (whose driver was in a terrible hurry and liked to honk the horn a lot) until we arrived at the traffic circle of Siberia: a major crossroad for any vehicle leaving or heading toward the capital on the road to Medellin.
We waited about a half hour for the bus to Villeta to finally pass (meanwhile my foster kid picked me every dandelion, almost ran out into the major highway, and was put on a "leash" by my Dad.
This time the trip was more what I expected: we crossed through the beautiful mountains and as we started going lower, it got warmer and warmer! Hotel guy had told me to get off the bus at La Maria and take either a bus or a "carrito". Where the road to La Peña meets the carretera to Villeta there is a place for passersby to buy empanadas and sodas and sit under the shade of a little roof. Apparently this crossroads is called La Maria. We sat on the step of the store and finished the strawberries I had bought through the window of the bus. I lent a minute on my cell phone to the other family that had gotten off at the same spot. A red car pulled up and turned off the ignition. "Those who are going to Tobia: he'll take you."
It seemed a bit random, as I hadn't understood that a "carrito" would be someone's private vehicle, but we hopped in and started down the road which soon turned to gravel, some places so steep that I can't imagine how they make it in the rainy season. On our left Rio Tobia flowed on ahead of us, leading the way, and the car dropped us off in the hamlet, where the Rio Negro runs into the Tobia.
After all the adventure that was arriving, my delight in the perfect getaway was completed when we pulled in (in the hotel manager's car) and I saw the rushing river in front of the hotel, complete with pool and hammocks and beautiful nature.
The next night we were back in Bogota, but I felt better having been away from traffic and pollution and 8 million people for even a night.
It didn't seem very hot, and I didn't know where the hotel was, so we went to a bakery for a snack and to wait for the hotel agent to call me back. When he did, I realized my error: the hotel in hot country is in Tobia and we had gotten on a bus for Tabio, less than an hour from Bogota! With instructions from the hotel guy and a man in the bakery we hopped on a bus back toward Bogota (whose driver was in a terrible hurry and liked to honk the horn a lot) until we arrived at the traffic circle of Siberia: a major crossroad for any vehicle leaving or heading toward the capital on the road to Medellin.
We waited about a half hour for the bus to Villeta to finally pass (meanwhile my foster kid picked me every dandelion, almost ran out into the major highway, and was put on a "leash" by my Dad.
This time the trip was more what I expected: we crossed through the beautiful mountains and as we started going lower, it got warmer and warmer! Hotel guy had told me to get off the bus at La Maria and take either a bus or a "carrito". Where the road to La Peña meets the carretera to Villeta there is a place for passersby to buy empanadas and sodas and sit under the shade of a little roof. Apparently this crossroads is called La Maria. We sat on the step of the store and finished the strawberries I had bought through the window of the bus. I lent a minute on my cell phone to the other family that had gotten off at the same spot. A red car pulled up and turned off the ignition. "Those who are going to Tobia: he'll take you."
It seemed a bit random, as I hadn't understood that a "carrito" would be someone's private vehicle, but we hopped in and started down the road which soon turned to gravel, some places so steep that I can't imagine how they make it in the rainy season. On our left Rio Tobia flowed on ahead of us, leading the way, and the car dropped us off in the hamlet, where the Rio Negro runs into the Tobia.
After all the adventure that was arriving, my delight in the perfect getaway was completed when we pulled in (in the hotel manager's car) and I saw the rushing river in front of the hotel, complete with pool and hammocks and beautiful nature.
The next night we were back in Bogota, but I felt better having been away from traffic and pollution and 8 million people for even a night.
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