first ten days

Hi everyone,

things are going awesome down here in mexico.  i've been having a blast visiting churches, making friends, and putting the house together.  camp visitation and teaching start soon, so i've been putting all my energy these past 10 days into getting the house livable.

 here's a brief outline of how its gone:

saturday night:  arrived at airport and went to dinner with roommates, booboo included, at 11:30pm, why not.

sunday went to church, came home, passed out, woke up, went to depot, taught my roommates how to dance, gave self black eye building shelf unit, fun!

monday:  called schools,  emails, online homework, washed clothes by hand, cleaned house, hid from humanity on account of hideous looking black eye

tuesday: took dog on bus to migration office, then out to village on bus, booboo head out window.  met friend who doesn't own a phone or a car, brought friend here, let him chat with my boss, mike, on compu for the first time in his life.  you may have seen the picture on Facebook.  prepped soil for garden

wednesday:visited depot, again for garden tools, bought floor mats, organizers, dishes, etc came home, installed same. annoyed at leaky pipes under sinks and mounting ant and cockroach numbers.

thursday:planted square foot style veg garden (with help) in front plot, pulled weeds, started compost heap.  bought morning catch shrimp from some guy in a truck on street, yum!

friday: took dog to village funeral.  hung out ALL DAY with family while kids played with dog near an open casket, 6 ft away, women made food, some cried, some sang.  very odd but very touching

saturday: went downtown to singing practice, electric so loud you can't hear singers, at all.  lol.  went to fabric store, paid $1.50 a yard for oodles of curtain fabric

sunday: dog and i both ill,  we just do everything together now ;o/   started curtains, huge job, 9ft ceilings  whew! video taped booboo attacking cockroach.

monday:  called school, papers nearly done,  built pantry shelving, pulled weeds, more visits to walmart and depot on foot. taught arturo and alfredo to dance.

tuesday: man fumigated house to lower population of termites, cockroaches, ants, etc,  took dog downtown on bus, got lost, ate coconut.  brought home ridiculous amount of fabric, looked hilarious, like overloaded santa with dog and curtain rods on bus.

wednesday: plumber replaced two leaky faucets and a totally stopped up drain, i sewed, jael ironed, arturo installed curtain rods, one more dance lesson. then bible study, then walmart, turned down 11pm dinner offer, time for bed, and here we are!

tomorrow we install light fixtures, find a bed frame, finish living room curtains, visit school and migration again, do online homework, visit a village cell group and teach another dance class!

so yes, i'm having a great time.  just really love it here.  i guess i'm doing well at living in the moment because i keep forgetting to write people back home and tell them whats up and how its going.  i walk slower, i wait with more patience, i think i worry less.  there are very few mirrors and clocks around too,  that helps.

my equipment comes in just a few days so we'll start camp visitation and evangelism next week.  I'll likely start teaching english next week too.  Good time to pray.   Another key prayer request:  Mike found a van in new mexico we have decided to purchase.  i'll attach pictures.  looks like its a donation from another mission minded church.  we only have to pay for some repairs, it will come to around $1000.  if thats something you'd like to be a part of just let me know.  i'd like to be able to pay mike when i pass thru phoenix on my way home in december.

Thanks again to all of your for your faithful prayers and financial support.  i'll write again after evangelism starts and let you all know how that went.  Pray for open hearts!

all for now

sal