Busy Life Begins

Holy moly! It’s already Thursday!

On Tuesday, I had a meeting with some musically gifted students about creating a Spanish worship band for our Wednesday night youth group (Encuentro).  We split up into two groups so we would only have to do every other week.  Well, I was the guitarist for the first group and we ended up leading last night.  I was a little bit nervous since it all happened so quickly, but I ended up having a good amount of time to practice.  Since we met in the park for the first Encuentro, we wouldn’t be using any other instruments besides the guitar. AH!  Anyway, we met up beforehand and practiced for an hour before Encuentro started.  It ended up going pretty well, I just hope everyone could hear the guitar since we were in a park.  Our Students Activities Director gave her testimony and shared with us the current religious situation of Spain.  I was shocked to find out about .01% of people say that they have a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Here, when you say you’re evangelico, there are some people that even think it’s on the level of Mormonism or Jehovah's Witness.  In essence, there is very little knowledge about Christianity and how one can have a personal relationship with a God who loves him/her.  People here, in a developed country, need God, too.  I think we (myself included) can get worked up in the idea that we need to go to other countries (particularly third world ones) to be missionaries, but our neighbors need God's love just as much.  With this knowledge of the current situation in Spain, I am encouraged/challenged to be even more Christlike.  I hope and pray that God can use me to better advance His Kingdom.

Back to the daily life events... Today I had a  hard time focusing in class.  I think I was just mentally exhausted.  I forgot how mentally straining it is to speak a different language all of the time and trying to do life in that language.  But I tried to stay focus, because if I drift off, then I have a hard time regaining where the class is--particularly in a different language.  Anyway, classes went well. I'm glad that I don't have too much homework as of yet.  Fortunately, I have that break between my classes, so I usually do my homework during that time so I can focus more on other things here!

I realized that I signed up for so many things! I'm just super excited to participate in everything!  Besides leading worship at Encuentro, I also signed up to be a Bible Study discussion leader.  Basically that means that I will have some material that they give me, and I learn it and go through it with other students who are also into getting deeper (theologically) into Christianity and the themes of the week.  NERD ALERT! Sounds like a blast to me!  I wouldn't want it any other way ;)  I also would love to participate in a Flamenco dancing class that our school holds, too.  I also signed up for Intercambio, where we pair up with a Spaniard who is trying to learn English, and go have coffee or hang out or do what Spaniards do.  I've heard of some good experiences that came from that, and I would love to have an awesome Spanish friend!

After school today, Kayla and I headed back home to have lunch with the family.  Turns out it was just us that was going to be eating together because my hermanos had sailing practice.  Hey, that was okay, since I was having a hard time communicating since my mental health was drained.  Then I decided I'd do some homework and then go for a run.  I haven't done that since being here, so it was awesome to explore the city.  But remember how I said it's been hot here? Yea, it was "cool" today at about 87 degrees.  The sun here is a lot stronger than I'm used to in the States.  I was surprised how extraordinarily hot it was at the end of it.  However, I did notice that there maybe was one other woman out running, but I saw a bunch of men running. Interesting...

After getting sweaty, Kayla, Andrea, and I hung out and got some helado at Rayas!  We heard that it was the best helado in town, and we just had to try it!  Andrea and I were a little homesick today, but being together, eating some ice cream, and laughing made it all better.  I am so blessed to be studying a beautiful city like this!  Just a quiet evening with friends is what I needed after a long week that we've all had.  I had forgotten how hard culture shock can hit.  But it's been a good experience so far, and I am excited to see what is in store for me this semester! 

God, I pray that You use me this semester to better myself and to also pour out love to others around me. Amen.

"El Río" (Realmente es un canal.)