My Heritage Beckons

The chirp of a hiccup breaks the silence and I pat her back, soothing her with my touch.  This bundle of cuddles was my gift to hold this morning, a small sleeping baby girl barely two weeks old J  Snuggled up in a pink fuzzy blanket, only her tiny little socks peeking out—how much more precious can you get?  God is good, that’s all I can say.

 

Back (from left): Jim, Tali
Middle (from left): Osian, Caty, Menna, Luli, Maya, Me
Front (from left) Chabe, Ruth, Ginna

As I sit here writing this, I can’t wait to share with you what happened to me this past week.  You see, of all the random experiences in the world, I’m really glad this one happened to me.  Let me explain: I’ve been given a new job title around here: anfitriona or hostess.  While being in charge of the house and visitor’s coming and going is nothing strange or new, our visitors this past week were a great surprise for me.  Three Welshmen (well, one Welshman and two Welshwomen) graced our halls for a few days, a joy I cannot even begin to express.  Menna, Caty, and Osian are traveling throughout Central America, visiting different communities and learning how they live out God’s Kingdom in this world—they've visited self-sustaining agricultural communities, indigenous social groups, and most recently us here at Casa Adobe.  They wish to bring back what they learn to the communities they live in in Wales.  In particular, they are looking at how they can strengthen their Welsh-speaking communities who are experiencing threats of becoming obsolete—to some, Welsh is a dying language.  To these three, Welsh is their heritage and their life—they won’t let it die if they can help it.  I had the wonderful privilege to learn some Welsh this weekend as well, something they were more than happy to teach those of us here, especially once they found out I have a bit of Welsh blood in me.  It was so fun exchanging stories and experiences of our time in Wales (not to mention I felt super cool knowing places like Cardiff and Llandudno and a few Welsh words here and there—bonus points!!).  Just for my own sanity and pride, I’ll share with you a few words I’ve learned:

• Shwmae (shoe-MY) = hello, how are you?
• Llan (shlan) = church/chapel
• Tyddyn (TI-then) = farm
• Diolch (Dee-OCH (with phlegm)) = thank you
• Gwych (Gweech (with phlegm)) = brilliant

 Casa Adobe now has a new name too:  it’s the Welsh name Tyddyn Clai (or small farm/homestead of clay/mud).  It was the closest thing we could come up with to Casa Adobe.  I personally love it.  In fact, I’m trying to figure out how to make a plaque of it and hang it up somewhere J

 

I also have to mention quickly about how our soccer court project is coming along.  We have officially made it to the “work” phase of the project.  The kids are now organized into three work teams: events and promotions, donations, and governmental permissions and contracts.  These teams meet once a week and are “run” by the kids with everyone having their role not only in the meetings but also outside of them (from being a secretary during the meeting to heading up the events team and planning our next big activity).  We also have a strategy and coordination team with a representative from each group, a team that meets bi-weekly to make sure every is on the same page.  It is so inspiring to see these kids take initiative and eagerly take on the next task—it definitely challenges me to put in the extra effort, if only to match their gusto and enthusiasm J

I also want to quickly mention that I will be traveling this Saturday to Nicaragua once again.  There is a retreat there for CRWM missionaries throughout Central America.  Even though it’s my first time going, I’m already going to be leading two events with the help of Luli: music night and fun night.  Please pray for safe travels for all who are going.

Happy upcoming Semana Santa (Holy Week)!  Stay tuned!

There and Back Again

 

Another place, another adventure, another tale :)

The Whole Faithwalking Group

For a week I had the coolest opportunity to be a part of a spiritual formation conference, known as Faithwalking, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras with people from all over North, Central, and South America as well as the Caribbean.  Missionaries and community leaders from all over the Americas and the Caribbean were there—quite an impressive group (so impressive that little ol’ me felt quite out of place)! The first three days were filled with intense sessions about delving deeper into our motivations and memories and finding God amidst it all, learning how to find Him in the past, present and the future.  After each session, we had time to share our life experiences with each other, sharing how through our struggles and failings we found God.  These sharing times were intensely personal and were therefore at times really difficult and uncomfortable but I really feel we all as a team grew closer together and to God.  At the end of the week, we participated in several meetings/presentations where we discussed both Faithwalking but also the different missions that each group was a part of and how we could combine our efforts to improve or embellish each site.  It was a fun time of listening and collaborating—Rachel, Guiss and I even got to present our project with the kids and the soccer court!  Everyone was very interested and encouraged us to write up a report sometime to share our experiences so that they can read and learn from them.  We learned that we are doing great things and that, yes, there are plenty of areas to improve in and now we have some ideas of how to do just that!  I cannot even begin to describe what a great time I had and how many new amazing friends I have.  Thanks be to God!



Chris, Me, Guissel, her cousin Samara and her boyfriend
(There are 2 volcanoes in the background btw)

On the way back home, Rachel, Guiss, Chris (Rachel’s boyfriend) and I took a couple days to explore Nicaragua.  Guissell is from Nicaragua and so she invited us to her hometown in Cuapa to meet her relatives and see where she grew up.  Though I had to use an outhouse and sleep in a house with dirt floors, it was one of the most exciting trips I’ve ever had.  We rode in the back of pickup trucks, went to swim in Lake Nicaragua (you can see volcanoes in the distance while swimming, I might add), climbed a huge rocky mountain thing (no handrails, no real path, and my shoes didn’t have much grip…), ate food cooked over a fire, sampled Nicaraguan rum (a great beach treat), met more people than I can remember, was told many times that I needed to find me a boy and get married already, rode in a boat (which I was so scared that it was going to tip or something), ate mangos picked right from the tree, watched tons of music videos (it must be a pastime favorite in Nicaragua or something… ), got woken up by loud music and pigs (yes pigs) every morning before 5,


Rachel and I on top of
La Piedra de Cuapa

rode a bus where nearly every part of my body was pressed up against someone standing next to me, and, of course, got really sunburned.  It was such a fantastic time (minus the sunburned part, but I did find an aloe plant on the side of the road and used that—thanks to whoever planted it there!)!!! 

So, in sum, these past two weeks were gift wrapped, big bow on top, addressed to Kelsey, express delivery from God himself.  What did I ever do to deserve it I wonder?  But I will give thanks, in all circumstances, and rejoice in the blessings He has given me.  And with that, I bid you adieu.  Stay tuned!