Started last weekend helping out at the orphanage and going to a ballet with my parents (Romeo and Juliet--AH!) and then...Sebas and I took a road trip to a nature reserve called Pasachoa. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Even some of the most incredible postcards I've bought here couldn't hold up to this. The reserve was basically several hiking trails up the mountain, varying in time required to make it back. I initially opted for the shortest one so we could spend the majority of our time sitting and writing and thinking and praying. But when it only took 15 minutes to make it to the end, we decided to keep going. ....And going ....and going. We contemplated heading back, but then we met some people along the way who told us we would reach a gorgeous view if we went 20 minutes longer. So we kept going... and an hour and a half later? Still no view. Only the view of the abounding forest surrounding us. Which was also nice, but I was frustrated. I was looking forward to the view. On the way back, we took a different path, which was more fun, but almost completely covered in mud. Not sure yet if my shoes will recover. lol We were slipping and sliding and singing and telling the path how we loathed it and wished it would die. It was a blast. We thought we would never make it out. At one point, Sebastian slipped into the splits and couldn't get up. Though did I help him right away? No. I stood there laughing hysterically and taking pictures of him.On the way home, I rode in the bed of Sebas' truck. It's incredible how different and more real things seem when your watching them in the open air, uncontained, as opposed to through the window of a car.ThoughtsIt's like I'm transported back to Tulsa. For a few hours, I shut my door, turn on my music in English, read facebook messages from people in Tulsa, talk to my family and friends in English on SKYPE, and from there see in the background my house and the places I know so well.Then I turn off my computer, go to the kitchen for a glass of water, when I pause half-way down the stairs, and realize--this isn't my house. I'm not in Tulsa. I'm still in Ecuador. And in a completely different world than I was a second ago. I have to speak Spanish and call someone else mommy and daddy and sissy. I'm not going to Silver Dollar City in 2 weeks. There will be no Turkey on Thanksgiving. It's not going to snow at Christmas. I can't drive over to Rachel or Katie's and talk the night away about everything and nothing until we fall asleep mid-conversation, too tired from laughing and crying to say anything else. My sister and source of bottomless hugs, isn't across the hall.It's just not---not...home.I am here.And I am happy to be here.I can't tell you how happy I am to be here.I have the opportunity to learn a different language, a different culture, to pour into these beautiful people for an entire year, to grow, to rest, to learn about myself and my strengths and my weaknesses, to be a person Ecuador needs, to wholly trust Him for everything and learn to hear His voice...It's amazing and beautiful--But it's still not home.Meditate on this...A letter from Paul to the Philipian church--"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for what He has already done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than any human mind can understand. His peace will guard your heart and your mind as you live in Christ Jesus." More Pics of Ecuador
Halloween in Shell
We went to shell for Halloween, but they don't celebrate Halloween here--so we celebrated "Dia de las Brujas" or "Dia de los Muertos." The tradition in Ecuador is to eat "wawas de pan" and "colada morada," --bread that looks like babies and purple colada-- IN A CEMETERY --with your dead relatives. Luckily, my parents here agree that this is a demented tradition, so we didn't eat in a cemetery. I love holidays here. The whole family gets together to celebrate and eat incredible food.
One of our days in Shell, we went to the "Casa de Arbol," or "tree house;" although, I've never quite seen one like this....
click the pic
11 freakin' stories tall!! It was sweet. The view from the top was incredible. I felt like I could see the entire jungle.
We also celebrated the birthday of my cousin Kyle-- 2 years! woot!
Carrying him up that tree house was a trip.
One the way home, we stopped to look at all the waterfalls in Banos, and at some point--I lost my ipod. I have NO idea what happened to it. I was listening to it in the car, until we got out to watch a girl bungee jump off a bridge (which I'm planning on for next trip), and when we returned to the car, it wasn't there. Or on the ground. Or anywhere. It was like it disappeared. And their was no sign of a break in.
...I cried.
Mostly because it was a gift.
But then I remembered it's just stuff, and stuff I can live without. I think God is stripping me of my technology so I will spend more time with him and do the things I'm supposed to be doing here. Because the times when I did use my ipod were in the car, when I should be talking with my family, and in the bus to and from school, when I should be talking with my classmates. My ipod was making this more about me..... when it's not about me at all.
And my camera--Well, I think I got so into taking photos, that I forgot to sit back and just soak it in. My 200$ flat iron also stopped working in Shell, but I think that one's a lesson in vanity : )
Because of my recent "losses," I got to know my dad better on the way back from Shell, I made friends on the bus, I stopped isolating, I've been immersing myself in the music culture of Ecuador more, I've been using all my senses as fully as possible when admiring nature, and--well--I still can't say I don't care what my hair looks like, but I'm working on it...actually--I'm not...I'm trying to buy a new flat iron. lol AWESOME, heidi.
Partay
Went to my first party last Saturday night! It was fun. The party was more like a benefit concert for a learning foundation here, and a bunch of bands from my school and my class played. It was a blast to get to dance salsa and meringue and all the tropical dances at a party, as opposed to the type of "dancing" we see so often at parties in the States. I was fairly shocked when all the adults at the party were serving beers and cigarettes to the kids. And these weren't like "chaperone adults", these are their parents (because the party wasn't just for teens).
Another cultural difference ..and a different idea of fun.
Earlier that morning, we had a school function in which we chose the prettiest girl in the school...-- That was the point of the function-- ...--the prettiest girl-- WHAT THE CRAP? I almost flipped out when I found out that was the reason we had to spend 10 bucks on a class t-shirt that doesn't fit, decorate the whole school, make banners, and be at school on a Saturday morning at 8!! ...Poor girls! I mean, how horrible would you feel if you were a candidate for prettiest girl and lost? And guess who chose the winner? The nuns at my school!!! Of all people...
I was pretty upset about the whole thing.
Thoughts
I'm getting my wisdom teeth out.
They don't put you under here.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For awhile, I thought I didn't care what people thought about me...Oh, but I do. And I care a lot. I care about how people view me AND my appearance. And I would say that's okay. After all, I should be conscious of the fact that I'm a representative for Christ here, and therefore constantly trying to reflect Him and His actions... however, sometimes it's not from the heart and my motives are more about me (and trying to appear a nicer person) then about representing Christ. And there are definitely days when I just feel ugly, but instead of acting like I'm still the same person, I act like everyone should treat me differently because of the fact that I don't look as polished... and when they don't treat me differently, I'm surprised.
And that's just plain crap.
Father, change my heart to be more like yours. To plead and weep and feel for the things you do, and to constantly remember this is all about you. To die to myself every moment of every day and not look back. But keep my eyes upward and on the prize of the high calling of Jesus Christ. Help me to remember I am made in your image and that my true value lies in my spirit. I speak against Satan who plants these misconceptions and lies in me and bind him to Hell, in Jesus' name. You have no place in the mind of a daughter of the Most High God. Holy Spirit, replace these lies with truth. Constantly whisper your sweet truths in my ear-- changing my mindset and giving me a pure heart. Thank you for your grace : ) I LOVE YOU!!
