From Ciempies to Futbol

Hi Friends, It's been a busy couple of weeks since I last wrote. One thing that's impressed me is that Nature however beautiful, can be dangerous. My last health talks at the children's home have been on Earthquake Safety and What To Do in Lightning Storms. You'd think I'd be more careful. I found a lightning bug in my house and thought I'd help him outside. I discovered that he had electricity left over. Yeoww! Then I saw one of those creepy, wiggling a thousand ways, centipedes (ciempies). Didn't realize it had crawled into my bed. Aghh! They sting!

Jane had to make a trip to California, so I was on my own for a week. As it worked out I was able to help out with a medical team down here from Tennesee. My first time to help out translating for doctors. It was pretty challenging. The area for consultation was about 10x20 feet with 5 tables, an MD, a translator, and a family at each. Noisy! Then I discovered that many people were using words in ways different from dictionary definitions. Fortunately being altogether in a tight space, I could get help from other translators. After a while it seemed that patients were comparing notes and their symptoms were sounding very similar. That's when the physical exam was essential. We saw probably 300 plus every day. My last day with the team, I had to get my residency papers renewed( I'm good for another 30 days), so my translator job was filled. I was pressed into community relations, which meant I was out in the street playing Frisbee (platillo), volleyball (capia), and soccer (futbol). We did a lot of retrieving frisbees from roof tops and soccerballs from ditches. I learned anew how important it is to learn peoples names. I made more friends that day. I got to know some really kind and friendly brothers and sisters from Tennesee, too.

We celebrated National Student day by taking a hike. It was a long way to the trail head so we were really tired by the time we got to a river with a nice pool. We decided to make that our objective and soon all were splashing and whooping it up. Who cared if our clothes were drenched, it was hot! We made it back, big kids carrying little kids. You'd think they'd had enough of hiking for a while, but they were asking me about next day's hike. That's another story, we did find another mango tree. The kids are a real team, some climbers, some gatherers, some carriers... they really help each other. I do think God was watching out for us...no one was injured badly by falling mangos...I had only one first aid call and I was carrying bandaids...and the rain held off until we got home.

Speaking of fruit, I've been reading John 15:4-5. Jesus is the tree and we are the branches. Sticking to him is our work and the work of the Jesus and the work of God's Spirit. Fruit comes out of this unified cooperative community. What is this fruit? It's love for each other, like those kids take care of each other, and it's praise and thanks to God. Like oranges are liquid sunshine, love is a spiritual wine, we lift our glasses to him.

Hasta luego amigos!