SO i realized yesterday that I neglected my blog yet again! I’m so sorry! Even with all the reminders and encouragements I get from so many of you!
I do not even have a good excuse, besides the fact that I’ve moved into my own apartment, started locating furnishings – I finally got a table on Monday, attempted to get internet set up (unsuccessfully), gone to the Latin Link conference in Nicaragua, organized that majority of the stuff for the STEP team that’s coming in 3 weeks – i just realized how quickly it’s approaching and panicked a little until i remembered that I’m almost ready for them! I’ve also been making friends, visiting old ones…oooh the list goes on! It’s been a lot of travel, meetings, and a lot of learning on the fly!
These past few months have seemed to just whiz by, I am loving having my own space! Although some days it is hard to be alone, for example I bought my fridge second hand and so before setting it up I gave it a heavy duty cleaning, I was working my way to the back when a beige tail slipped into the fridge…..my heart stopped and then began to race! I panicked “there is a mouse in my fridge, a MOUSE!!!! What am I going to do??? Yes I am wearing rubber gloves but my toes are naked!!! I only have flip flops on!!! OHMYGOSH!!! It can’t be a mouse…which means it’s a RAT!!!…THERE…IS A RAT…in MY fridge!!!!!” at this point I started pacing and panicking and wishing I had a boy in the house to deal with my giant rat and all the rat babies procreating in my fridge…. I also determined that no matter how great a deal I got…anything that included vermin was not worth it.
So after about 10 minutes of all this going on I put my foot down, I said “Kayla! (think Mel Gibson in the The Patriot when he’s giving his big motivational speech to the warriors) Kayla! You are the man of this house! It is your responsibility to deal with this…no one is coming to save you! You can do this!” So I marched into my laundry room grabbed a can of cockroach spray, took and big breath and doused the back of my fridge like there was no tomorrow!!! Then i, of course, had to leave the room as I had just fumigated my kitchen and could not breathe.
After a little while I come back into the kitchen, try to listen for the screaming rat babies and instead find a gecko on the floor, i let out a huge sigh oh relief “Oh it’s was just you.” He spots me and starts to wobble away – and I don’t blame him, I was quite the sight in my cleaning apparel. He was running funny, swerving and weaving and i thought to myself “man this guy has pizazz! what style! what flair!” I guided him outside where he then came to a slow halt (picture a car running out of gas)…sadly, his tank never refilled…I had killed him. I shot down my ally, geckos eat the things i don’t like, like mosquitos, spiders and cucarachas. I was sad to have lost a compadre but my sadness was greatly overshadowed by my relief that Master Splinter was not living in my fridge.
Aside from battling, imaginary, giant genetically mutated rats I have also been doing the work outlined in my job description. 2 weeks ago I went up to finalize details for the April STEP team. I hung out with the Pastor and we had a great chat. It always amazes me that my job is to visit with people, talk about how great God is and just watch him work miracles on a daily basis. I left Valle Verde so blessed, so excited, and much more confident than I was when I had arrived. I am eager to see what happens when the team arrives! I am nervous too but I think that’s normal when one embarks into unknown territory.
I do not even have a good excuse, besides the fact that I’ve moved into my own apartment, started locating furnishings – I finally got a table on Monday, attempted to get internet set up (unsuccessfully), gone to the Latin Link conference in Nicaragua, organized that majority of the stuff for the STEP team that’s coming in 3 weeks – i just realized how quickly it’s approaching and panicked a little until i remembered that I’m almost ready for them! I’ve also been making friends, visiting old ones…oooh the list goes on! It’s been a lot of travel, meetings, and a lot of learning on the fly!
These past few months have seemed to just whiz by, I am loving having my own space! Although some days it is hard to be alone, for example I bought my fridge second hand and so before setting it up I gave it a heavy duty cleaning, I was working my way to the back when a beige tail slipped into the fridge…..my heart stopped and then began to race! I panicked “there is a mouse in my fridge, a MOUSE!!!! What am I going to do??? Yes I am wearing rubber gloves but my toes are naked!!! I only have flip flops on!!! OHMYGOSH!!! It can’t be a mouse…which means it’s a RAT!!!…THERE…IS A RAT…in MY fridge!!!!!” at this point I started pacing and panicking and wishing I had a boy in the house to deal with my giant rat and all the rat babies procreating in my fridge…. I also determined that no matter how great a deal I got…anything that included vermin was not worth it.
So after about 10 minutes of all this going on I put my foot down, I said “Kayla! (think Mel Gibson in the The Patriot when he’s giving his big motivational speech to the warriors) Kayla! You are the man of this house! It is your responsibility to deal with this…no one is coming to save you! You can do this!” So I marched into my laundry room grabbed a can of cockroach spray, took and big breath and doused the back of my fridge like there was no tomorrow!!! Then i, of course, had to leave the room as I had just fumigated my kitchen and could not breathe.
After a little while I come back into the kitchen, try to listen for the screaming rat babies and instead find a gecko on the floor, i let out a huge sigh oh relief “Oh it’s was just you.” He spots me and starts to wobble away – and I don’t blame him, I was quite the sight in my cleaning apparel. He was running funny, swerving and weaving and i thought to myself “man this guy has pizazz! what style! what flair!” I guided him outside where he then came to a slow halt (picture a car running out of gas)…sadly, his tank never refilled…I had killed him. I shot down my ally, geckos eat the things i don’t like, like mosquitos, spiders and cucarachas. I was sad to have lost a compadre but my sadness was greatly overshadowed by my relief that Master Splinter was not living in my fridge.
Aside from battling, imaginary, giant genetically mutated rats I have also been doing the work outlined in my job description. 2 weeks ago I went up to finalize details for the April STEP team. I hung out with the Pastor and we had a great chat. It always amazes me that my job is to visit with people, talk about how great God is and just watch him work miracles on a daily basis. I left Valle Verde so blessed, so excited, and much more confident than I was when I had arrived. I am eager to see what happens when the team arrives! I am nervous too but I think that’s normal when one embarks into unknown territory.
“We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success.
We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do;
and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.” – Samuel Smiles
It’s an interesting thought and based on my track record I can attest to the wisdom in what Mr. Smiles says. I’m not saying I’m hoping to fail this team that’s coming but nothing and no one is perfect, something will not go according to plan. I’m almost more excited to see where I screw up than what goes well…it feels weird to say that out loud but it’s true. I am excited to be able to have my first team under my belt!
Praise!
- I got a sweet deal on all my kitchen appliances and some furniture for the living room!
- so far I still have enough money for rent and utilities!
- I have been attending the same church and bible study for a while now and have made some delightful friends
- Pretty much all the big stuff for the team is established
- A friend of mine is coming to visit next week
- My computer is still alive and kicking!
- For those of you who take the time to keep up with my comings and goings, for praying for me, supporting me spiritually and financially. I am very grateful and don’t think I mention it enough!
Prayer Requests- The team is coming April 4-25, pray they will make it here safely (with all their luggage) and healthy. Please pray that this time will be a blessing to both them and the locals, that there would be no illness or injury, and that we will all grow and enjoy this experience.
- my friend`s cat has been missing for 2 weeks
- wisdom to know what to do/how to do it during this time with the team – that I will be able to lead well.
- for my dad, my mom texted me on Thursday informing me that he had gone to the hospital with chest pains. So far everything is fine but I would appreciate extra prayer for them. It is a scary message to get.
- healing for my left thumb (there is a glomus tumour/paraganglioma in it – it’s not dangerous, it just hurts), there has been a searing pain in it for the past month, please pray that it will disappear and take the pain with it.
“I will delightPraise!
- I got a sweet deal on all my kitchen appliances and some furniture for the living room!
- so far I still have enough money for rent and utilities!
- I have been attending the same church and bible study for a while now and have made some delightful friends
- Pretty much all the big stuff for the team is established
- A friend of mine is coming to visit next week
- My computer is still alive and kicking!
- For those of you who take the time to keep up with my comings and goings, for praying for me, supporting me spiritually and financially. I am very grateful and don’t think I mention it enough!
Prayer Requests- The team is coming April 4-25, pray they will make it here safely (with all their luggage) and healthy. Please pray that this time will be a blessing to both them and the locals, that there would be no illness or injury, and that we will all grow and enjoy this experience.
- my friend`s cat has been missing for 2 weeks
- wisdom to know what to do/how to do it during this time with the team – that I will be able to lead well.
- for my dad, my mom texted me on Thursday informing me that he had gone to the hospital with chest pains. So far everything is fine but I would appreciate extra prayer for them. It is a scary message to get.
- healing for my left thumb (there is a glomus tumour/paraganglioma in it – it’s not dangerous, it just hurts), there has been a searing pain in it for the past month, please pray that it will disappear and take the pain with it.
in weakness
in insults
in hardships
in persecutions
in difficulties
For when I am weak I am strong” - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
