still alive & running

Hello all!

This month Dan and I have felt like we have been running.

We had a college team from First Baptists Eugene this month. The time with them went well and for it being our first team I think the overall consensus was pretty good. My in laws were also here for the month, partly to visit but mainly to help with childcare so that I could help Dan with the team. Next week another team from Grace will be arriving and helping us out with painting a classroom in an orphanage. This week is being spent planning for their time with us.

And what have I been doing this week? Running of course. Running errands, running around the house cleaning up and sorting(after all we moved at the beginning of June), running after the kids, running, running, running.

There is so much to tell about the last month with the kids, the team, ministry, and life. But first I wanted to start with an email that Judy (my mother in law) wrote during one of the days she was here. What she talks about is something that seems so simple, going for a walk. However, when you are in a foreign culture going for a walk can be pretty intense. Returning to the house after accomplishing a task can be very rewarding.

Dear friends & family,

Yesterday, Thursday, Denny and I took a huge step to independence in a foreign country. We walked to the Palace Portales as there was a scheduled tour in English at 11 am. When we arrived we learned that it will be today at 3:30 pm. Normally Dan & Daryl would have taken us in their car or called a cab but we wanted to try it on our own. We had a map and could follow the streets. We had a good time just walking by ourselves. We had also learned enough to be able to greet people on the street with "good morning" and a smile.

Since the tour was rescheduled we decided to continue walking downtown, at last along the Prado, toward a wonderful ice cream place, Globos. Once there I was able to order 2 double scoop cones in Spanish. I felt so accomplished! Of course the menu was printed so I didn't need to remember the words just read them and pronounce them. I am sure my pronunciation was not perfect but we got the cones. :) Yummy!

Dan had told us about a leather shop where Denny could buy a good belt. We found it on the other side of the plaza but the shop was being remodeled and their stock didn't have too many choices. We did find a shoe store 3 shops down, however. Shoes are our weakness. I was able to find 2 pairs of shoes and 1 pair of boots. The owner spoke some English so we were able to get the right sizes and colors. Denny found a pair of shoes for him also. It was just nice to be able to do some simple things in another country and another language without needing Dan or Daryl there all the time.

We stopped for lunch and people watched along the sidewalks. It was interesting to watch the guards keep the beggars away from the clientele who were eating lunch. All in all it was a great day for us. When we returned home Dan was proud of us also for finding our way around and getting back home without getting lost or hit by random drivers.

Today we are headed for a bus tour of Cochabamba in the morning and hopefully the palace tour this afternoon. Ciao, Judy (Mom)