School, Puerto Vallarta, Valeria

Hey everyone!

I hope everyone is doing well!

The kids had two weeks off of school recently so teachers could catch up on planning.  They did this after they had started school in January.  Isn't that crazy?

It gave me time to get ahead in my lesson plans, which is such a relief!  This is what it looked like when I was working on my lesson plans!

I'm really excited about the new semester beginning.  Even though it's hard work, the kids are learning so much!  Their reading and math skills have improved in the past 7 months.  3 of the older girls I have been teaching are taking tests so that they can go to private and public high schools!  One of my girls has never been to school in her life, and she gets her chance this August.

Over the school break we traveled in two groups to Puerto Vallarta.  Some of the staff, including me, got to have a nice 4 day break from all of the work we do here at La Ola.  The kids went with the other staff members to a different beach and got to see whales!!  I was so jealous!  It was so great to have a break like that.  We got to just lay on the beach and enjoy silence for a while.  Even though we wanted to stay at the beach, it was good to get back home and get back into the routine.

Valeria, our youngest girl here (2 years old), has been caught washing the dishes lately.  She will scoot her chair up to the sink and wash her plate just like the older girls.

She has even been talking.  She calls me "Ewen, Ewen!"  She got in trouble today and had to sit "The Chair" for a few minutes (she does this quite often.  She throws many fits) and she said "Ewen, Ewen, Ya?"  Which means, "Erin, Erin, now?"  As in now can I get up?  It was so adorable, but I wasn't taken in my it!  haha, I made her sit for a few minutes longer and then let her down.  Something else that I recently found out about Valeria, is when she throws fits before taking naps or going to sleep at night, if I tap on the metal bunk bed above her, she goes silent and watches my tapping like a little cat.  So every time she throws a fit before bed, she drifts off to sleep to the quiet tapping of metal.  I'm sure glad I found that little trick...Pheww.

Anyway, I just wanted to send out a little update!

I love you all!

Goodnight,
Erin.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Woah.  Things have been crazy since my last post.  I'll try to fill you in without writing a book.  :)

First of all, Christmas is here!  Well, hats off to my parents...I never even realized how hectic Christmas can be when you have children.  Especially with 15 of them asking for different kinds of presents.  3 trips to Guadalajara malls.  Countless gifts purchased.  Hopefully happy kids on Christmas!  I can't wait to see the little kids faces on Christmas.  I'll definitely be video taping that for you all!

Recently, I took a road trip with Becky and Bob to fetch Cierra, a friend and fellow volunteer here.  I also had some issues with my visa so I had to get it reissued.  Into Texas we went.  It was so hilarious when we crossed the border because Becky and I started seeing American stuff everywhere!  Forever 21!  Olive Garden!  Red Lobster!  Wendy's!  JC Penny's!  Target!  Guitar Center!  We were thrilled.  I have a video that I will post at the end.

When we crossed the border into Mexico, it was amazing the change that immediately happens.  Buildings are different, everything is different.

                                                             •••

Since it's Christmas, La Ola is putting on a Christmas program on Monday.  I'm a Shepherd.  I'm sure the role will land me on Broadway, haha!  We've been practicing a lot, and we did a full dress rehearsal today.

Yesterday I drove, yes DROVE through Guadalajara (a city as large or larger than L.A.) in a manual no less!  I'm trying to learn my way around and Bob was a great teacher.  Hopefully I will know where we normally go down pat soon.  I drove through Guadalajara to take some of our kids to the science center there.  The kids had a blast!

That brings us to today!  All we really did today was practice for the play, hand out Christmas present to needy kids, had pizza, and headed home.  So it hasn't been as hectic as usual.

Well, I just want to update you all on what's been happening here recently.  And I'm so sorry, that I haven't updated sooner!

Love you all!

Erin.

A Quiet Day at La Ola

Here's a new video for you all! :) 

Letters From Erin #1:  About what I do here at the orphanage.

Yo Ho Yo Ho a Teacher's Life for Me!

Let me just start off by saying, I now know how my family felt raising me....haha! 

Taking care of 14 kids is hard work but so very fulfilling.  So to all you mothers out there, I appreciate the hard work!

I'm still teaching my four students everyday and taking Master's classes.  Teaching is going pretty well, some of my kids have their "horribly off days" where they don't listen, cooperate, do any of their homework or make good marks on their tests.  Sometimes it's really hard to get one of my younger girls to listen or feel good about the work she's doing in school.  A lot of her problems come from her past which involves living in the street, being drugged and rapped.  She has many learning disabilities because of this.  For the most part though, she's been doing really well working from home.  It's just going to take some time to get used to learning.

None of my kids have ever had this much homework or this much learning expected of them.  And by a lot of homework, I mean, not much at all.  At public school here, the kids are overlooked and the aren't expected to do much at all except recess.  And the kids in public school that are the least bit behind?   The teachers don't want to take the time with them so they pass them to the next grade.

I'm now teaching the kids History and Geography.  On Fridays I'm going to start teaching on a major world historical event.  Starting with one they are ALL interested in: Titanic.  I talked a little bit about the tragedy of Titanic today, since I too was a crazy fanatic over Titanic when I was 13.  I probably crushed their little hearts when I told them that Jack and Rose weren't real people, but fictional characters.

I'm also teaching them (in Reading), The Hobbit and The Magician's Nephew which is really fun.  It's sad that I can't go in depth into symbolism, but I AM scratching the surface.  (I'm so glad I took that Lewis/Toliken class in college!)

It's amazing to see their faces light up (or fall in the case of Jack and Rose) when they learn something new.  It's a lot of hard work, but it definitely pays off in the end.

All in all everything is going great here! :)  I love you all, and I thank you so much for your prayers!  You rock!


Erin.

Teaching

Things have been going great here at La Ola!  Summer is over, the kids are back in school, and I have been given a new job.  I am now the teacher for 3 (ages 10, 11 & 13) of the girls here.  (They haven't had much schooling and are catching up.)  For those of you who know me well, you know that I have NEVER wanted to be a teacher. Ever.  Back in the States, when people would ask me if I were going to use my English Major to teach I would sometimes get frustrated and say, "No, I want to write!"

I'm not sure how teaching in America works (although I know what learning in America is like) but here at La Ola it goes a little bit like this:


We start class at 7:30 a.m. everyday with Spelling.  I'm currently teaching Spelling, Reading, Art, Math, Science & Geography.  I teach all of these class in Spanish/English.  (This has really improved my Spanish as well!)  I really love teaching my three girls here because it's in a small setting.  And I really love challenging them and watching them learn new things.

For instance, today in Science we were talking about soil and what it's purpose was.  (Last week we talked about plants and how they grow, etc)  I told them that for our Science Project on Monday were going to build a compost bin and see what happens for a few months.  They asked me what would happen after the fruits and veggies were put in the bin, and I told them it would eventually be turned into composted soil.  There mouths dropped open in amazement!  It's so awesome to see them learning and understanding how things work.  I can't wait to teach them about outer space!  They just finished a leaf collection project where they had to find and label 15 or more leaves.  It really got the younger girls to learn about how to do research.  Also, during the first week they planted a bean seed and watched it grow...that is until our new little girl, Enkerlin (age 1) got into our tiny flower pots.  That's what happens when you teach at home.  :)  I'll have them plant some sunflower seeds soon as a replacement though.

In Spelling, the girls get 10 new words to learn each week. During that week they have to write the definitions, write them 10x's, write sentences, write a short story with the words and have a test.

The younger girls, Ana & Nayeli, are reading Peter Pan out loud every day and learning about Characters, Setting, Climax & Plot.  This is one subject that I'm trying to work the most on because they are a bit behind with their reading levels.  My older girl, Angeles, is reading Treasure Island and also learning about the parts of a story.  I'm also going to get her used to writing outlines, first drafts, final drafts and doing oral reports.

Art is our creative outlet class that we have everyday.  Since manga is my forte, and they love anime & manga here, I've decided to show them how to draw that type of art first or until they get sick of it.  So far they absolutely love it and are asking for more.  So I've lined up lots of how to draw emotions, eyes, hair, hands, legs, bodies, clothes etc.  I really love teaching this class! :)   

Math is one of the subjects that I have lots of people who are willing to help me on.  A few people come a couple times a week to teach the girls the Math they need.  On the days those ladies aren't there, I drill the girls on multiplication and try to get them to memorize their multiplication tables as well.   We do lots of writing on the board and worksheets to get them plenty of practice.

They haven't really had an experience with a geography class so I've started at the beginning with all of them for this class.  We've been learning about to make maps the past few weeks.  This week we have started learning about the surrounding states of Jalisco and we will eventually work our way out from there.  I also want them to write short papers about the culture of the different states and countries along with giving oral reports on different places.

Even though it is so much fun teaching these girls, there are days when they have behavior issues and try to close up on me.  I just have to keep telling them that they can do anything they set their mind to and that even though they are behind in school that they are catching up fast and have already learned so much in these last 2 weeks.

I also have a couple of field trips planned, which really doesn't happen in the public schools here.  I plan to take the girls to a couple different museums (History, Science and Art) in Guadalajara.

So far, I really love teaching the girls here, and I'm excited to see them continue to learn.  Thank you so much for being part of my ministry through your prayers and financial support.  I wouldn't be able to do any of this without your help!  Know that I think and pray for you often. :)

Erin.


P.S.  Also, September 10th, I will be starting my classes for my Master's Degree in Theology & Ministry!  I'm really excited about this! :)
 



 


 

Aztecas vs Toltecas, School & General Life in Mexico

Hey all!

Sorry it's been awhile since I've written!  There's so much to update you guys on!  Warning:  This blog entry may be seriously long!

La Ola Olympics
--
A couple of weeks ago we had our yearly La Ola Olympics.  The two teams competing were the Aztecas and the Toltecas.  I was the team captain for the Aztecas.

Me, Acacia, Esme, Ana, Jhoana & Nayeli

Yosselyn, Karla, Angeles, Yessi, Jeff, Erendida, & Chuy

The day started early for the kids (7 a.m. which is early for a Saturday) with Becky banging a pan to wake everyone up.  The teams rolled out of bed, still in their pajamas and dragged themselves downstairs waiting for what would happen next.  The morning event was a surprise scavenger hunt!  The two teams were running around the entire compound looking for clues and trying to figure out riddles.  The scavenger hunt ended with someone from each team jumping into the pool (at 7am!) to retrieve one of Chuy's toy cars.  Toltecas 1, Aztecas, 0.

Although slightly let down, the Aztecas regained their team spirit when we drove to the Malecon (like a boardwalk/park) to participate in the relay race.  Kids were positioned all over the Malecon and had to hand off a baton to the next girl as they raced.  It was a super close event but the Aztecas won!  Toltecas 1, Aztecas, 1.

The third event was the sack race.  Even though one of the Toltecas fell down they still won!  Toltecas 2, Aztecas 1.

Next was the balloon toss where with a lot of luck, the Aztecas won.  Toltecas 2, Aztecas, 2.

The next challenge was the water relay race where we had to swim from one end of our pool to the other and touch the wall.  And then the next person would jump in and so on.  Super close race but the Aztecas won!  Toltecas 2, Aztecas, 3.

After that we had a water ball game (a mix between basket ball and soccer) and after 30 minutes the Toltecas had wiped the floor with us Aztecas.  Toltecas 3, Aztecas 3.

It was all down to the last challenge, pulling as many gummy worms out of whipped cream as possible with only your mouth.  After a really close day of games and good sportsmanship, the Aztecas won the La Ola Olympics this year!  I was so proud of my team and the Toltecas!  Everyone did such a great job.



School
--
Some of our older girls have already started back to school, however the rest of the kids start back around August 20th.  4 of our girls were blessed to be sponsored and accepted into a nearby private school.  These girls are super smart and they are all so excited to begin school in a few weeks.  Through generous donations they were able to get their uniforms, shoes, and everything else needed to be ready to start classes.  3 of our girls will be home schooled at La Ola by Yours Truly.  I've never undertaken anything like this before so please, when you think about it, pray that I have the knowledge to teach creatively and in ways that the kids understand.

Of course, I'm also still learning Spanish through books and online study so please keep that in your prayers as well.  I will be teaching the kids all the subjects needed to jump ahead to the grade they should be in for their age.  All three girls will be completing 3 grades this year.  The reason they are behind is because when they came to La Ola, they hadn't been in school much.  All of these girls are so smart and excited and willing to learn the material required for them to catch up.  I will be teaching them (Spanish, Science, Math, Geography, etc.) everyday for about 6 hours.


Theology & Ministry Master's Program
--
I have been given a wonderful opportunity to begin taking classes toward my Master's degree.  As some of you know, I had wanted to get my Master's at Fuller Theological Seminary after college, but it didn't quite work out.  I made a choice to fully pursue missions and decided that if God wanted me to have my Master's then I would pursue that later when it was God's time.  Well, God is being SO good to me, as usual!  The pastor of the church we attend here, Ross Arnold, is starting his own Theological University here in Mexico.  He actually graduated from Fuller with his Master's and from Regent College in Vancover with his doctorate in Theology.  He has all the permissions from Mexico to begin this school, and we start classes in September.  The best thing about all of this is that he is not charging us to take these classes!  What a generous man!  We only have to pay for the books which are fairly inexpensive here. Becky, Bob, Ciera and I are all taking these classes together and will be working towards our Theology & Ministry Master's degree.  We will begin with three classes:  Old Testament Survey, Old Testament Theology, & How to Study the Bible.  If you think about it, please pray that all goes well and that I can take what I learn and apply it to my work here at La Ola.  Our staff is extremely excited about starting these classes!  (This Master's degree will not be accredited in the U.S. or Canada.  It will only be accredited in Mexico and probably South America, however the information learned in these classes will be extremely beneficial.  And it's free so no loans!  Woot woot!)


General Life
--

La Ola received their new van a week or so ago and it's brand spankin' new!  And, it's a stick shift.  I learned how to drive stick shift in high school and practiced a little more in college so I figured that all of my past knowledge on the subject would have dissipated from my brain.  However, when I took it for a spin the other day, I remembered most everything and did a pretty good job while "re-learning!"  I will probably be driving it sometime tomorrow with our kids.  Be proud Dad, be proud! haha!

I've been working a lot on my Spanish so that I can become fluent.  I gets frustrating sometimes not understanding things (and having the kids making fun of you for saying things wrong, haha).  Please pray that I stay dedicated in learning this language fully.

This summer the kids have had so much fun with riding the horse and swimming and just forgetting about school for a few weeks.  2 of our kids, Chuy (6) and Mili (3) don't know how to swim yet, and I have been working with them a lot in the pool the past few weeks.  I was told that they wouldn't even go near the water last year.  Now they are holding onto my back and letting me swim them around, as well as letting me hold them as they practice kicking and moving their arms in the water.  Mili swallowed some water the other day, and I was afraid that she would tell me she was finished.  She covered her mouth and coughed for a few minutes and then said, "Otra Vez," which means "Again."  That is one determined little 3 year old!

Anyway, I know this week was a long blog entry.  You can read it in spurts if need be!  :)

You have no idea how much you guys mean to me.  I love you so much and think of you all the time.  I'll try to make some videos soon so that you can see and hear the kids.  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for supporting me with your finances and prayers!

Erin.

Spontaneity Is Required

In less than a second, Becky had told us that we were leaving for the Puerto Vallarta in two hours time.  That meant getting all 12 kids packed and ready, getting my laundry out of the dryer and packing myself.  Then loading up the vans with bags of food and clothes and making sure we had all 12 kids on the van.  We didn't want to relive the movie, "Home Alone." 

We had a generous donation to pay for our rent, electricity, gas & water while we were gone and also had the trip to the beach paid for by an excellent man who moved here years and years ago.  So we packed up the nino's and made the 3-4 hour drive to the beach.  Let's just say, spontaneity is required here in Mexico.  (I'm sure some of my other missionary friends could tell me the same thing about doing things at the drop of a hat.) 

When we got to the beach we stopped at a taco stand since everyone was closed already and let me tell you, they had some excellent tacos!  When we got to our house the kids were so excited!  Half of them jumped into the pool outside (it being 9 p.m. so they couldn't get in the ocean) and played for about an hour.  The next day I was one of the first awake and then the kids followed.  We were out on the ocean by 8 a.m.  The kids went non-stop all day long and by the end of the day I was ready for bed.  All in all, it was an excellent last minute trip (except at the end when I got sick.  But I'm better now! :) )

Fun in the pool!

Lo de Marcos

The Beach House

Me and Jhoana

Sunset at Lo de Marcos

Before church

Me and Jhoana

The past few days here at La Ola, we have been cleaning up and organizing things like cabinets, teaching music lessons, singing and helping with some of the girls reading.  Today Becky asked me if I wanted to be three of the girls home school teacher and English teacher.  I said yes, and  I'm really excited!  So when August 20th gets here and school is back in session (if everything goes as planned) I will be teaching them!  It should be really fun but also a lot of hard work!  So I've been looking up lots of ESL things online like worksheets and such so I will be prepared.

Things to pray for:

•  That I'm prepared for teaching these three girls August 20th.
•  That I stay dedicated in practicing my Spanish in depth.
•  That I continue to trust God with everything

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!  I'm loving being here, although I do miss you all very much!  It's just like a big family here, and I love that God chose me to be a part of God's work down here.  These kids are really awesome!

Also check out the La Ola blog:  http://laolacasahogar.com/blog/?p=1425
Talk to you soon!
Erin.

Quienceañera & More!

This past weekend we had a quienceanera for one of our girls, Karla.  Unfortunately, my camera wasn't charged for the occasion so the only picture I have from the day is the one above.  But it was beautiful!  We all spent the day decorating and that night we had the party.  And I finally had a reason to wear that dress I love so much!  Even though you can't tell I'm even wearing a dress in the picture.  (And yes, Stephi, I stole your picture.  :) I love you! haha!)

Also this week another one of our girls, Yessi, graduated from Kinder!  It was such a cute graduation.  I felt like a proud mom as I watched her go up to get her little certificate and pictures.

I rode Lucero yesterday on our street a little ways but he got bored and ran with me all the way back to the main gate and waited for someone to open it.  THEN he proceeded to run all the way back to his pin and wait for me to put him back.  I think he can only take so much of adventure.

This past week we started our new schedule.  There are lots of activities since the kids are out of school.  I teach four different kids how to play the guitar and ukulele, we have group singing, singing before bed, I help monitor some swimming classes & sports, and I help with Lucero.

Today, Ceira (a fellow staff member and friend) and I went to a market for our day off and ate tacos.  It was so much fun to just get out, walk around and look at all of the fabulous artisans in the area.  Later we went to the movies and watched Snow White and the Huntsman, which was pretty good!

Anyway, I just wanted to give you guys a little update!

Here are some things you can pray about for me:

•Patience
•That I continue to seek God's will first
•To be a good witness
•That my sinus problem goes away!  It's dreadfully hard to sing with a clogged throat and nose. (My dear doctor, Bob, has given me some extra medicine.)
•That I fall in love with Jesus all over again every single day
•That we grow as a team here and trust God fully

I love you guys!  You mean the world to me! :)

Erin.

Lucero

This week I learned how to take care of Lucero, our horse here.  He's about 12 years old and super gentle and sweet.  I have always wanted to learn how to take care of a horse!  I don't know if it was the "My Little Pony" episodes I watched when I was younger or the plastic, toy horses that were made in China that I played with, but I have always been interested in horses.  I learned how to get him out of his pin and into the field, brush him off with 3 different brushes, saddle him, put his bit in and ride him.  The last time I rode a horse, I was probably in the 7-13 range.  When the little kids get on him, Lucero goes really slow, but when the older girls or I get on him he tends to automatically speed up.  He loves to follow us around.  We don't even have to have a tether on him and he will nudge us and follow us around the field.  We try to get him out at least once everyday so that he can get some exercise.  (I'll make sure to get some pictures of the kids riding him in the next couple of days.)

Lucero was a riding horse at one time and possibly a race horse, but in his later years he became neglected.  He is a rescued horse and we are taking really good care of him.  He is now in a really good home. 

The kids really love riding the horse, swimming and singing.  Which brings me to my next topic:

I have started giving guitar lessons to the older girls (13-17 years)  I will be teaching 5 girls how to play guitar and/or ukulele.  I made out my lesson plans for the girls earlier this morning.  All of the older girls LOVE to sing!  It's amazing how I can pull out my guitar and they will all congregate around me and start singing.  And one of my favorite things to do is sing them to sleep.  I hope that when I sing them to sleep that they have beautiful dreams and not ones about the things that have unfortunately happened to them in the past.

On Monday, I did a lot of the driving.  I drove the kids to school (Kinder, Primary, & Secondary schools)  All of these schools start and end at different times, so I really got to learn my way around the city better that day.    

Wednesdays and Thursdays are my days off, so today I'm just hanging out and resting up for the next week.  I'll probably work on learning more Spanish later today.  It can be a little frustrating sometimes not understanding what everyone is saying, but I will say, I am learning so much more everyday!

Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support!

I love you all! <3

Erin.

Life in Mexico

When I first arrived at La Ola, I felt like I was dreaming.  I had seen so many pictures of the new place that I felt as though I were having an out-of-body experience.  Things here are excellent!  On the property we have many fruit trees (pomegranates, mangos, bananas, coconuts, grapevines, and other Mexican fruit that I can't pronounce yet.)  We also have a small horse named Lucherro (and that may not be the correct spelling)  He's 12 years old and really sweet.  I walked over to the small field yesterday, and he started walking toward me when he saw me.  It was so sweet!  The kids love to ride him and a few can ride really well.  One of the girls, Ana, takes lessons for therapy, and she can get up to a good canter on him.  Mili, the youngest girl likes to piggy back on me instead.

My Spanish is improving, I hope.  Sometimes one of the house mothers talks really loud to me, but I don't think she's angry or anything.  I think she's just trying to make me understand what she's saying by talking louder.  I just laugh sometimes and she tries again or just gives up! haha!

Can I just say that Skype is one of the greatest inventions ever?!

I will start giving music and guitar lessons today at 2:00 p.m.   I'm pretty excited because the older girls are really excited about learning.  They really like singing songs in Spanish and English.  And they LOVE, My Heart Will Go On, by Celine Dion.

At night I sing them to sleep, and they ask me to sing mas mas mas!  haha.

Well the kids just got back from school.  I'm gonna go down and talk with them for a bit and get some lunch.  I'll update more soon and with pictures!

Love you guys!

Erin.

Two Months...

Hi everyone!

It's been a while.  A long while...but I'll keep things short.

I just wanted to update everyone on what's going on with me right now.  After much waiting and prayer I finally have big news!  Without further ado, I give you the second week in June 2012!  :)  The second week of June 2012 is when I will be making my way back to Mexico to stay for 2 years or longer.  It all seems so surreal, and I know I probably won't realize what's happening until I get there.  The same thing happened when I went to Africa and also when I visited Mexico last July.

It's been such a long time coming as well.  I graduated college in December 2008 and since then I have been wondering where and when God would have me serve others.  It's been 3 1/2 years since then.  I can't believe how slow AND fast time can seem to pass.  Now, at this very moment in time, I feel like time has flown by.  On the other hand, I remember through those years thinking that time was crawling along.  But here I am with only 2 months or so left here in the good ol' US of A.

I can't wait for this new journey to begin!  It's amazing how God has come through for me with money, sponsors and people who are praying for me frequently.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

I love you all! :)

It's Hard Waiting in that Field!

Hello friends,

Every single time I come here to post a blog, I always stop halfway thinking that what I've written isn't any good.  So I'm gonna have another go at it. 

I had a chocolate covered strawberry fundraiser at church recently and it was a huge success.  I made a ton of strawberries and if I can get a picture up here of them, I will.  Half of our dinner table was covered in the strawberry goodness. 

I'm going to be having a spaghetti dinner and a singing at the church sometime soon.  I still need to get all the specifics down so I can get that going.  So, that's exciting!  Please pray that tons and tons of people show up so I can get back to Mexico to stay.

So, in our Women's Bible Study we are reading, "Becoming More that Just a Good Bible Study Girl."  We learned about David a few weeks ago.  And I've never read the David story like this before.  It was a totally new way of looking at it for me.  We learned that when God told Samuel to choose David as the new king, that David had been watching the sheep in the field before he was even invited to come inside to be considered as the new king.  (Kinda, in a way, like Cinderella when you think about it, don't you think? haha)  But after he was chosen to be the next king, David went back to the field and watched those sheep.  We were thinking that David was probably wondering why he wasn't going to a nice "King School" or why he wasn't being trained someplace better than a boring field.  But God had other plans.  When David went up against Goliath, he had all the proper training.  While he was in that field, David killed a lion and a bear and he told Saul about this when he was preparing to go against Goliath.  And because of the training David had in that field, he was courageous enough to kill Goliath. 

Now, I wonder what would have happened if David hadn't been trained in that field?  If he hadn't waited and been patient...

But I gotta tell ya'll, it's hard to waiting in that field!  I'm in that field right now being trained up, preparing for what God has for me in Mexico.  But man, it's hard.  Especially, when you dream about Mexico and those kids at least once a week (and that isn't an over-exaggeration either)  It can be really difficult waiting when you know exactly where God wants you to be and you aren't there yet.  This is the first time I've experienced this so strongly.  I know where God wants me to be and right now the only way to get a glimpse of that place is through my dreams.  And believe that God sends me those dreams, so that I don't forget or lose my passion for that place.  So please pray that I don't lose heart and continue to let God mold me and train me up in his ways.  I want to continue to patiently wait upon Him during my time in the field.

Well, that's about all I have time for today.

See ya in the funny papers.

Erin.

We Are Such Stuff as Dreams Are Made On...

"We are such stuff

As dreams are made on, and our little life

Is rounded with a sleep."

 

-William Shakespeare, The Tempest 

 

 

Ahh, William.  What a beautiful writer. 

 

Since I left Mexico, I have had about a dozen dreams about getting back there.  One where I went back only to visit, one where I taught school and guitar lessons, one where I lived my life there, many others and one where I had to go through an alligators mouth to get to the orphanage.  (Yes, I realize the last one was a little weird, must be from all the Swamp People I watch, but I have had many many many odd dreams in my life.  Ask my family...)

 

I've been learning Spanish like crazy.  I've put up labels throughout my parents house that say all kinds of things.  Cuchara-Spoon  Cuchillo- Knife  Lampara- Lamp  Hundirse- Sink  They really have helped because I just remembered what all that means!  I'm getting to some tough parts in Spanish where you have to flip words around and conjugate and all kinds of crazy stuff.  Sometimes I feel like pulling my hair out, but I WILL LEARN SPANISH AND SPEAK IT FLUENTLY!  I will!  (< . >)

Anyway, just thought I'd update.  I'm paying my loans as quickly as I can!  I'm gonna have a yard sale when it cools down and hopefully a dinner.  

If you would like donate to my trip back to Mexico, just hit the Donate button at the top of the page.  

 

Also, I'm selling scarves at    http://www.etsy.com/shop/eeperry86     (I'll have more up soon!)

Love you all!

 

Back from La Ola Orphanage

When I arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico I was expecting a whole lot more danger than what I ran into.  The stories that people had scared me with before I left America had rooted in my mind.  I got off the tiny plane and walked into immigration.

"You," said a man, looking at me and pointing to a desk a few feet away.  I walked to it quickly as though I would be wasting their time if I walked slowly.  The lady at the desk said something in Spanish, and I quickly regretted not spending every minute before I left Tennessee immersed in learning Espanol.

"Hablas Espanol?" she asked.  I knew what that meant.

"No, sorry," I said, guilty.

"No problem," she said and stamped a piece of paper.  I thanked her and continued through customs where a man in a green uniform, with a machine gun hanging loosed over his arm, searched my guitar and bag.

"Beautiful guitar," he said in English.  He chatted with me for a few minutes while he searched for drugs or what-not and then let me pass.  When I walked through the door I saw my new friend, Abby immediately and we walked to a rusty red van and rode to the orphanage.

The children greeted me sweetly when I arrived and Abby and I began working on lunch.  Tuna with everything on a tostada.  The kids lined up and got their food and ate quickly.  They started asking questions in spanish and no matter how hard I listened, I just couldn't understand.

"We're going swimming at a friend's house," said Abby.  I suddenly wished that I had packed a swimsuit.

"You can ride with me," said a woman, with a personality just like mine.  I knew we would be fast friends.

"Great," I said, following her to the car with some of the older Mexican girls.  It took no time at all to get to the house because Barbara and I talked the entire way.

"I fit here.  I really fit here, and I just arrived," I thought quietly, as I got out of the small car and walked inside the gate.  An entire table of wonderful looking people greeted me and beckoned me to sit and talk with them.  Some told jokes and other told stories about the military and service experience.  They told me about the kids and how loving the Mexican people were towards them.  We talked for hours, and I listened to their stories about how they came to be in Mexico and before I knew it, it was time to leave.

The next day after church, one of the girls, Nayeli came up to me as I finished lunch.  "You go swimming with me?"  She had snagged me.  I was a goner.  I would most definitely be coming back to stay.

"Yes," I told her, thinking it had been a good idea to bring my thin, brown shorts.  I changed and she grabbed my hand, leading me to the rusty red van.  We looked like a can of packed tuna as we rode to the park pool.  And I looked like one of those sharks that has those little sucker fish all over him when I got in the pool, because six girls clung to me as we swam in the green water.  It was amazing how much Spanish I learned in those few hours.

That night before bed, Esme, a seven year old bundle of responsibility asked me if I would sing and play them a song on the guitar.  "Canter, Canter," she said, pleading.  I pulled out my sunburst guitar and strummed lightly as the girls climbed in bed.  Esme looked over the top of her bunk (my bunk was below hers) and watched as I picked out "Wonderful Tonight," by Eric Clapton.  I climbed into my small bunk when I finished playing and all I could hear was soft crying coming from the bed above me.

A few days later a four year old girl, Jessie, fell asleep on my lap on the porch.  She started shivering, even though it was 70 plus degrees outside, and I grabbed a small blanket to cover her.  While she slept, I helped fix dinner and get plates out for the kids when they got home from school.  I saw Jessie stir, get up and head to her room.  I gave some plates to the children who had just walked through the door and went to check on Jessie.  She said something in Spanish but I only caught a few words.  Ropa=Clothes  Pee pee=Pee pee.  I helped her clean up and put her in the shower.  I washed her hair and went to get a towel while she finished.  When she was dressed, she asked if she could eat and I lead her to the kitchen to get her a plate of food.

"Gracias, Mommie," she said taking her plate.  I stood in shock as she ran happily outside to eat, tears filling my eyes.  "This is what it's all about," I thought.  "Letting these children feel safe and loved.  And I want to spend my life doing it."


***
Sadly, I don't have time to write every single story on here today.  I'll probably write more later though.  But I had the most wonderful time.  Thanks for keeping me in your prayers!  :)

Now roll the pictures!

Esme, Millie, Rahina & Ana Karen

Campfire Songs before it rained

View from the orphanage

Me and Rahina

Nayeli

Carlos, Roderigo, Maria & Marla

Esme, Rahina, Noelia & Nayeli

Millie & Jessie

Tomorrow is the day!

Hi all!

Just thought I would write a short note to let you all know that I'm leaving tomorrow!  I'm really excited!  I've been praying for a LONG time for a mission trip and it's finally right around the corner.  Please continue to pray for me:

•  That I will have a safe trip.

•  That I will stay healthy.

•  That I get through the airports, immigration and customs easily.

Thank you all for your support and prayers.  It means so much to me, you have no idea.  :)

Love you all!

Erin. 

Mexico is just around the corner!

I can't believe I'm going to Mexico in only a few weeks!  I made sure that my passport was still in my sock drawer, where it has been since my last trip in 2007.  It was there safe and sound, snug against the white socks.

I'm making sure I have plenty of medicine to take with me too (I don't want to run out!) 

My church took up a love offering at the end of church last Sunday and they are taking up another one this Sunday!  YAY!  I am so blessed to be loved by such a wonderful church. 

I'm not sure what else to tell ya'll except that I'm super duper excited to get down there and see what the orphanage is doing and to meet all of those kids and teens!  It doesn't feel like I'm really going, and  I know it won't sink in until I actually get on that plane.

Anyway, short and sweet.

See ya'll in the Mexican funny papers! 

Erin.

Guadalajara is a Go!

"This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose"


-Switchfoot

Hola amigos! (or/and amigas? idk)

The waiting period is nearly over for me.  Hallelujah!  (For missions, that is) 

I am in the process of looking for plane tickets for the end of May, and I'm super stoked!  Woot Woot!  I will be heading to a little place called Guadalajara, Mexico where I will be working with an orphanage for a little over a week.  As most of you know, I want to pursue full-time missions, and I have been praying for a long time about where, when and how long I should serve.  After years of waiting and learning to be extremely patient, I believe that things are coming together.  I am going to this orphanage to help out, but also to see if it is where God wants me to stay for a longer period of time to serve (1-2 or more years).

There had been 2 different organizations I had looked to go with on mission trips, but in the end God led me to a small orphanage, owned and operated by a couple from Cookeville, TN.  A wonderful women at my church helped to start the orphanage and it has been up and running for a year now.

I'm so excited to be a part of this amazing ministry and can't wait to tell you more about it!




See ya'll in the funny papers!

Erin.

Missions/Travel Blog

Howdy family and friends!

A beautiful and very wonderful friend of mine (ahem, Emily, ahem) gave me this grand idea. I'm sorry, I'm a copycat, I know. But I'm just so excited about missions that I had to go ahead and start this blog! So anything pertaining to mission work or traveling will be in this new blog that I have conveniently named, "Nomad Memoirs."

So what is in store for me right now? Well, I'll tell you. I'm learning patience. I've actually been learning patience for a long time now. From helping my grandmother full-time when she went through breast cancer (for about 5 months before she died) to waiting and waiting for God to give me the "go ahead" on a place to serve as a missionary to being diagnosed with Addison's Disease and Schmidt's Syndrome and having to deal with taking medicine daily (and the doctor's getting my dosage just right.) Like I said, I have definitely been learning patience over the past few years.

Galatians 6:9 says: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Now I am in the process of going on a mission trip to Guadalajara, Mexico. A wonderful lady in my church, Patty, is helping me along in this process. If all goes well, I will be on my there in May or June to visit for a week. I'm really excited about this! I'm trying not to plan too much and just let God do his thing.

I guess that's all for now.

See ya'll in the funny papers.

Erin.


Current Location: Tennessee