Wow time is going by so fast and I am learning so many new things. I am learning many new Spanish words and phrases, but more importantly I am learning the love of God. He is doing some amazing things in my life and the lives of those around me in Seville. God has opened and is still opening up many doors to talk about him to non-christians. There are so many times that I have a conversation with someone and out of nowhere we get on the topic of our belief's and faith's. God is everpresent and I am so happy that through all the hard work of preparing and praying for these conversations to come up, they are now being fulfilled.
We are still going to the schools every week and teaching English. This week we talked about Halloween and we taught the students vocabulary words like: Trick or treat, costumes, candy, and pumpkin carving. Then we played a game to see if they were paying attention. Those who who paid attention received a piece of candy. Needless to say many of the kids loved us for bringing candy.
We also talked about Halloween during English club and there were many interesting conversations from that, which I really enjoyed talking about. It led more into faith and not believing in the dark side of Halloween. It is a hard topic to talk about, but I also thought it is important to talk about so if anybody did ask how I felt about Halloween I could talk about my faith.
So in spite of all the bad history of Halloween, there are chances for each one of us to start a conversation about our faith, and I encourage you to get that opportunity to talk to someone about your faith. Thanks again for all the prayers! Paz y Amor! lol
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
English Teacher
So it has officially been a month and I feel like the time is just passing me by, but definetely in a good way. I love being here and meeting so many new people everyday. This week was the first time I really got to go inside of the classrooms and teach english to the students. The kids are all so sweet and the teachers are so kind and really appreciative of our help. They love having native english speakers in their classrooms, and we are just so happy to be involved with the process as well.
This week we just introduced ourselves to the classes. I told them my name, how old I was, where I am from, and what i like to do for fun. When I told them i was from Houston, Texas I asked if they know where it is and they said yes and they know that city for their cancer hospitals. I thought that was very interesting because that just wouldnt be the first thing I think of when I talk about Houston, but it does make sense. Of course many others asked if there are cowboys and horses everywhere, and I told them yes and that I ride a horse everywhere I go-just kidding. No, but the students are really nice and I am so happy just to be there and volunteering.
The downside to the this week is that it is last week for Feria de Naciones, which is a festival that celebrates all different countries. They have stands set up in the park with items like scarfs, paintings, jewelry, food and much much more. It has been here for a month, but today is the last day and I am going to be sad when it is not in the park anymore. I bought some very neat things there. I hope they have another feria soon!
Actually a group of us went to the feria on Friday. That was alot of fun because we made homemade brownies and had a very cool party. The party got a little interesting when one of the lamps at the apartment caught on fire by a little candle. We had to stop the flames, but it ended up being a great story and a really fun night. (no one was injured in the process lol). So we had yummy food, good company, and a fun night at the feria. It is so amazing the people I have met. All the spaniards are so nice and hospitable. I am very impressed with Spanish culture and I am learning new things everyday. God is definetely challenging me on a daily basis, so pray that I stay strong and I keep meeting new people.
Thanks for all the prayers!
This week we just introduced ourselves to the classes. I told them my name, how old I was, where I am from, and what i like to do for fun. When I told them i was from Houston, Texas I asked if they know where it is and they said yes and they know that city for their cancer hospitals. I thought that was very interesting because that just wouldnt be the first thing I think of when I talk about Houston, but it does make sense. Of course many others asked if there are cowboys and horses everywhere, and I told them yes and that I ride a horse everywhere I go-just kidding. No, but the students are really nice and I am so happy just to be there and volunteering.
The downside to the this week is that it is last week for Feria de Naciones, which is a festival that celebrates all different countries. They have stands set up in the park with items like scarfs, paintings, jewelry, food and much much more. It has been here for a month, but today is the last day and I am going to be sad when it is not in the park anymore. I bought some very neat things there. I hope they have another feria soon!
Actually a group of us went to the feria on Friday. That was alot of fun because we made homemade brownies and had a very cool party. The party got a little interesting when one of the lamps at the apartment caught on fire by a little candle. We had to stop the flames, but it ended up being a great story and a really fun night. (no one was injured in the process lol). So we had yummy food, good company, and a fun night at the feria. It is so amazing the people I have met. All the spaniards are so nice and hospitable. I am very impressed with Spanish culture and I am learning new things everyday. God is definetely challenging me on a daily basis, so pray that I stay strong and I keep meeting new people.
Thanks for all the prayers!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
WOW Week
Ok so the week so far has been pretty hectic and amazing. I am absolutely loving every minute of it, but I also realize that my time is going by too quickly. I mean its almost been a month, and I am only going to be here for a total of three months! Crazy!
On Sunday the girls that I live with and I ran a 5k for breast cancer awareness. It was so cool to run with 4,000 other women for an amazing cause. I just want to say that I ran it for Lynda Mills because she is definetely a hero to me and I love her so much and I am so glad I could be a part of something that makes a difference all around the globe.
So after the race the girls and I had to get ready for the Germans who are here for a week doing mission work on the universities. They had to go from bus to train to airplane just to get to Seville in one day, so by the time they arrived they were exhausted. However, they were in amazing spirits and we had a great time getting to know each other and planning out our week of events. So this week we have been handing out flyers for events that we have at night time and promoting our English club in the universities.
Monday we had a party called Octoberfest to celebrate one of Germany's biggest parties (without all the alcohol of course lol). It was a blast and there was a great turnout. We played games and got talk to university students. On Tuesday I went to school to teach English to the high school students. The kids are so sweet and really responsive. I had so much fun hanging out with the kids and teaching English in a fun way. Later I went into Seville and I got to go to see a free Flamenco show which was amazing. The culture of Seville is so beautiful and authentic; I understand why they are so proud of their city.
The following day we had English club at the university and then had dinner at a cafe where we invited university students to come to. It was so much fun and the food was delicious. The custom really is to eat appetizers and pass it around the table, so you dont really get to eat a plate by yourself but you share with everyone. There is always bread, water, and olives that comes before the meal which is really nice to have while waiting for the appettizers.
Today I went to another high school to set up times to teach english, and I am really excited to get started and be inside the classrooms and having conversations with the students. I love their culture and the way that they are always so flexible with situations. So after setting up times for next week I hopped a bus to go meet the German group in the city. When I got to the city I decided to take a short-cut and of course I lost my way. NEVER take a shortcut in Seville! lol Oh well, now I know and it was a good experience. So when I finally arrived we went touring around the city and it was so nice. God truly is amazing in His creation!
So then tonight we had our worship service and we had a great turnout for that so I am so happy to see the progress in the hard efforts of this week. It was been so amazing to be part of this team and see what God has done and is still doing. Keep praying that He will be our foundation and strength because the days are long and I dont want us to loose our energy. Thank you for all the previous prayers, God is doing wonderful things in Seville!
On Sunday the girls that I live with and I ran a 5k for breast cancer awareness. It was so cool to run with 4,000 other women for an amazing cause. I just want to say that I ran it for Lynda Mills because she is definetely a hero to me and I love her so much and I am so glad I could be a part of something that makes a difference all around the globe.
So after the race the girls and I had to get ready for the Germans who are here for a week doing mission work on the universities. They had to go from bus to train to airplane just to get to Seville in one day, so by the time they arrived they were exhausted. However, they were in amazing spirits and we had a great time getting to know each other and planning out our week of events. So this week we have been handing out flyers for events that we have at night time and promoting our English club in the universities.
Monday we had a party called Octoberfest to celebrate one of Germany's biggest parties (without all the alcohol of course lol). It was a blast and there was a great turnout. We played games and got talk to university students. On Tuesday I went to school to teach English to the high school students. The kids are so sweet and really responsive. I had so much fun hanging out with the kids and teaching English in a fun way. Later I went into Seville and I got to go to see a free Flamenco show which was amazing. The culture of Seville is so beautiful and authentic; I understand why they are so proud of their city.
The following day we had English club at the university and then had dinner at a cafe where we invited university students to come to. It was so much fun and the food was delicious. The custom really is to eat appetizers and pass it around the table, so you dont really get to eat a plate by yourself but you share with everyone. There is always bread, water, and olives that comes before the meal which is really nice to have while waiting for the appettizers.
Today I went to another high school to set up times to teach english, and I am really excited to get started and be inside the classrooms and having conversations with the students. I love their culture and the way that they are always so flexible with situations. So after setting up times for next week I hopped a bus to go meet the German group in the city. When I got to the city I decided to take a short-cut and of course I lost my way. NEVER take a shortcut in Seville! lol Oh well, now I know and it was a good experience. So when I finally arrived we went touring around the city and it was so nice. God truly is amazing in His creation!
So then tonight we had our worship service and we had a great turnout for that so I am so happy to see the progress in the hard efforts of this week. It was been so amazing to be part of this team and see what God has done and is still doing. Keep praying that He will be our foundation and strength because the days are long and I dont want us to loose our energy. Thank you for all the previous prayers, God is doing wonderful things in Seville!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
10k run
Ok so let me tell you about the 10k. It was pretty much the coolest thing I have ever done! There were about 15,000 people in the race and there were four of us on the Seville team who ran in the race. We were in the back part of the line because we showed up really close to start time, but it was still awesome. All you could see were a sea of runners! So the alarm sounded and we were off. There were people dressed up in costumes, for example, chicken suits, men with wigs on, and women with rollers in their hairs. There were plenty other outifts but those were the funniest. So we started running and there was alot of cheering and clapping and chanting pretty awesome stuff. Oh yeah and at one part we did a wave going fowards and backwards-now that is something I have never done while running.
So we are running and pretty much at every kilometer we cheered, and we looked for our supporters in the crowd. I gave the other intern my camcorder and she got it all on video so I will post it on facebook/youtube. We basically did a loop and the half way mark was when we crossed the bridge backover to the other side. It was so cool to run at night too. I felt great and I still had alot of energy and we all stayed together. When we finally got to 10k we still had to run into the Olympic Stadium which was so cool because I felt like a super runner and with all that adrenline I sprinted on the track part once I got inside. So I finished in like 1hour and 10min. Pretty cool, and a good pace for someone who hasnt ran over 5 miles since last year. So when I crossed I saw the official time which was 1hr and 16min which means we didnt even start our official run until six minutes later (if that makes sense). So yeah I felt awesome and accomplished! YEAH!
So after the race we got a bag of goodies with a medal, a neon yellow running shirt, blue shorts, a green dew rag, and a power bar. Very cool! I am so proud of myself and the other runners for doing the 10k, especially since some of us didnt really train for the race lol. Now I think we are gearing up for a 5k that will happen early October and I am super excited about that because its a race against breast cancer.
So we are running and pretty much at every kilometer we cheered, and we looked for our supporters in the crowd. I gave the other intern my camcorder and she got it all on video so I will post it on facebook/youtube. We basically did a loop and the half way mark was when we crossed the bridge backover to the other side. It was so cool to run at night too. I felt great and I still had alot of energy and we all stayed together. When we finally got to 10k we still had to run into the Olympic Stadium which was so cool because I felt like a super runner and with all that adrenline I sprinted on the track part once I got inside. So I finished in like 1hour and 10min. Pretty cool, and a good pace for someone who hasnt ran over 5 miles since last year. So when I crossed I saw the official time which was 1hr and 16min which means we didnt even start our official run until six minutes later (if that makes sense). So yeah I felt awesome and accomplished! YEAH!
So after the race we got a bag of goodies with a medal, a neon yellow running shirt, blue shorts, a green dew rag, and a power bar. Very cool! I am so proud of myself and the other runners for doing the 10k, especially since some of us didnt really train for the race lol. Now I think we are gearing up for a 5k that will happen early October and I am super excited about that because its a race against breast cancer.
Friday, September 25, 2009
A week has already gone by!
So it has officially been a week and two days since I left Texas and came to Spain. I am still having a wonderful time, but more importantly I am meeting new people everyday. I am very excited about the relationships I am going to create and build on during the time I am here. Keep praying that God opens up doors for meeting new Spaniards and developing strong friendships with them.
The past few days the other intern and I have been helping the other missionaries get prepared for the weeks to come. We went to high schools nearby and are starting the English clubs in the classes. We also are getting geared up for a German group coming down to do mission work in Sevilla in October. Another thing we are getting ready for is English clubs at the universities in Sevilla, and we are making flyers and things like that to hand out when the students come back to school.
So alot of things are going on but we are all really excited and cannot wait for things to get going. I am learning new things everyday about Spanish culture, food, language and much much more. It is such a blessing to be here and I know God will give us opportunities to get to know more Spaniards and to get to spread the gospel. Keep praying for the people of Spain!
The past few days the other intern and I have been helping the other missionaries get prepared for the weeks to come. We went to high schools nearby and are starting the English clubs in the classes. We also are getting geared up for a German group coming down to do mission work in Sevilla in October. Another thing we are getting ready for is English clubs at the universities in Sevilla, and we are making flyers and things like that to hand out when the students come back to school.
So alot of things are going on but we are all really excited and cannot wait for things to get going. I am learning new things everyday about Spanish culture, food, language and much much more. It is such a blessing to be here and I know God will give us opportunities to get to know more Spaniards and to get to spread the gospel. Keep praying for the people of Spain!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Hello All!
Well I have been in Spain for almost a week and I absolutely love Sevilla!!!! I am so blessed to be here with people who love the Lord and who want to serve Him and others. I live in a quaint neighborhood outside of Sevilla and I have wonderful roommates! When I first arrived to Spain they did not have my luggage at the airport, so I had to walk around the city with a limited amount of clothes for five days. However, I learned that for someone who doesn't have much patience, I can last a week without my other clothes and be ok with it, so I am pretty happy about that :-)
I arrived in Sevilla on Wednesday night, so I met everyone that is part of the mission the next day at a worship service called Tapas y Temas. It was wonderful singing music and listening to a sermon in Spanish. It is like learning the same lessons heard in English, but in a totally different way in Spanish. That was a very cool experience, and our mission group is having Tapas y Temas every thursday, so keeping praying that more Spaniards show up and we can have more intimate relationships with the people of Spain.
The following days the missionaries took the other intern and I into Sevilla to explore. There are so many beautiful buildings and statues. Many of the streets are made of cobblestone, which give it this antique and rustic feel for such a historical city. We ate at a Spanish resturant Las Coloniales, which was so tasty. We had different types of cheeses to eat and our chicken came with some flavorful sauces. Oh and we also went to a Flamenco show, and that was amazing!
I am so excited for the couple of days coming up because we are going into schools/universities and starting up our English clubs. So keep the students and us in your prayers!
Well I have been in Spain for almost a week and I absolutely love Sevilla!!!! I am so blessed to be here with people who love the Lord and who want to serve Him and others. I live in a quaint neighborhood outside of Sevilla and I have wonderful roommates! When I first arrived to Spain they did not have my luggage at the airport, so I had to walk around the city with a limited amount of clothes for five days. However, I learned that for someone who doesn't have much patience, I can last a week without my other clothes and be ok with it, so I am pretty happy about that :-)
I arrived in Sevilla on Wednesday night, so I met everyone that is part of the mission the next day at a worship service called Tapas y Temas. It was wonderful singing music and listening to a sermon in Spanish. It is like learning the same lessons heard in English, but in a totally different way in Spanish. That was a very cool experience, and our mission group is having Tapas y Temas every thursday, so keeping praying that more Spaniards show up and we can have more intimate relationships with the people of Spain.
The following days the missionaries took the other intern and I into Sevilla to explore. There are so many beautiful buildings and statues. Many of the streets are made of cobblestone, which give it this antique and rustic feel for such a historical city. We ate at a Spanish resturant Las Coloniales, which was so tasty. We had different types of cheeses to eat and our chicken came with some flavorful sauces. Oh and we also went to a Flamenco show, and that was amazing!
I am so excited for the couple of days coming up because we are going into schools/universities and starting up our English clubs. So keep the students and us in your prayers!
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