Retreat, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, and Hotdogs

The men in the kitchen- Loren and Rod.
Playing ga-ga, a completely viscious game that includes scrapes and other injuries.

Miguel wasn't content to ride the bike the normal way.

Eating at the taqueria...lots of us!

Hiking up the mountain.

A beautiful view!

Suzanne, Maria, Regina, and Janessa at the top of the mountain.

Jeffrey and Chuyito...they wouldn't cooperate for the camera.

Fernando, Carol, and Kyle ready to race.

Caleb on the high jump during track and field.

Playing guitar.

The entire retreat group.

We had to push the truck Sunday morning. We thought our troubles were over when Loren bought a new battery two weeks ago...but alas. Kedric and I looked pathetic enough to recruit two other gentlemen to help us push it the entire block. Unfortunately, Janessa had the brainy idea to get the camera, capturing our humiliation forever in digital proof. In San Pedro, Rod preached a sermon about putting our faith into action as children howled and screamed behind the pulpit. We came back for lunch and a tiny bit of siesta time before the Choix service. I had a hard time keeping children straight during the service, and I braced myself for the ride to Mochiqui with both Jorge and Santos. Loren told them both that I was the "jefa" (boss) of the back and they had to listen to everything I told them. It worked a little. But boys will be boys. We came back home and planned for the retreat starting on Tuesday. Then Janessa and I walked up to the clocktower which was not climb-able. According to the guard at the bottom of the tower, he wanted protection aroung the three new clock faces before little Mexican deviants wrote their names all over them. I went to bed with a headache.

My headache was only worse by Monday morning. I then realized that I was getting a case of "gripa" (a cold). I went to buy groceries and had to avoid two dogs wandering around Don Josecito's little store. I had a hard time with speaking and understanding Spanish while I visited Vanessa's family; my mind was tired and my ears were closed, thanks to my cold. Overall, the visit went well. I left them feeding little Alejito some Hershey's chocolate. I helped with laundry and lunch. and made some phone calls after lunch. Then we headed to San Pedro. Fransisca tried to fill me with her radical philosophy that if I truly fell in love with a Mexican, the language barrier wouldn't matter at all. Aloud, I imagined a confession of love that went like this: "No puedo hablar contigo, pero te quiero mucho!" (I can't talk to you, but I love you so much!). We came home, scarfed down some food (that I am incapable of spelling and therefore will not). And then we trotted off to Caleb and Kedric's first basketball game at the stadium. I had a lot of fun watching the kids play a relaxed game of Mexican basketball.

Tuesday was the first day of retreat. All of the missionaries from Choix gathered at the orphanage for a three day retreat. For most of the morning, the ladies sat around and watched Rod cook lunch (the men were in charge of the food all week). He did a very good job with spaghetti, garlic bread, cucumber salad, and chocobananas. I played knockout with some of the kids and managed to get Miguel out... I was proud of myself since I haven't shot a basketball for muchas meses (many months). I watched the kids play games and then we all went out to the taqueria that evening. We had two long tables full of people (there's around forty of us altogether). When we got back, we sat around the campfire and then had cake and ice cream for Kedric's, Debbie's, and Fernando's birthday. I set up my cot in the playroom and crashed, totally exhausted.

Loren made potatoes, eggs, and toast for breakfast, but I was too tired to enjoy it to its potential enjoyment...Chuyito had been up several times during the night and I hadn't slept good because of my cold. After devotions, a large crew of us went hiking up a mountain. Rach, Fernando, Domingo, and I brought up the tail of a long line of energetic hikers. But we had better conversation, I'm sure. LOL. The lookout was gorgeous; we could see the orphanage, Mochiqui, and Choix. On the way back down, poor little Fernando was so weary that Rach carried him part of the way. Back at the orphanage, I helped Rosaline color a picture she had drawn and then we all went out to eat at Pollos Mayos. There were so many people packed into that tiny little restaurant that I got weary just looking around. But the food was delicious. Rachel had made flan for Sam's birthday and we devoured that when we returned. To fight my cold, I took a caffeine pill (no, I doubt it is scientifically proven that it works, but it did!). Bri and I took a little walk to escape the noise from the dozens of children underfoot. Those were a blissful 15 minutes. I helped Loren fry up onions, although I was breaking the rules and helping in the kitchen. We all roasted our own hotdogs, during which I got stuck with hotdog sticks several times from kids who remembered that one of my nicknames is salchicha (hotdog). We ended the evening, watching the first half of Mary Poppins in our little outdoor theater. The neighbors behind us were hooting, like they too were watching it.

Good luck with a good night of sleep. My cold was merciless. Lenn made oatmeal and then we set up track and field day for the kids. I was in charge of the high jump and had a lot of fun. I got my first real sunburn which wasn't even very bad thanks to the sunscreen I lathered on beforehand. Lenn made fish for lunch. Miguel passed his lunch hour by watching me through a pair of binoculars as I ate. I spent the afternoon sitting on the porch and reading. Others joined me to observe the men try the high jump. I think the record was Rod jumping over 17 stools stacked together which means nothing to anyone who does not live in Choix, Sinaloa, Mexico. LOL. We went to the taqueria again that night. Rach and I sat across from Scott, his friend Dean, and Ian. We had interesting conversation about issues we didn't agree on. But we weren't fighting; I promise. I showered and then joined the movie watchers with the end of Mary Poppins.

On Friday we ate breakfast, compliments of Rod, and then had a group photo. We packed up and then parted ways, realizing that we would all be together again for the special activities that afternoon. I made food for the special activities and then took a nap before we headed back out to the orphanage. A lot of kids had said all of their Saturday school verses, so we had many more children plus all of the gringos. I love kids a lot, but I was very weary by the time I served my 80th plus hotdog... We ate s'mores and piled back into Loren's truck to come home. The girls sang as we drove through Choix, a shining light to the little city. Marlen and Aile stayed overnight but they slept in the livingroom with Janessa...which meant that I got the room entirely to myself.

Saturday morning I woke up after many long hours of uninterrupted sleep; it was marvelous. We had Saturday school. I spent the majority of the morning inside, answering the door and ushering children in and out. Afterwards, I made lunch and did up dishes. I walked out the door and practically ran into Bri and Rach who were heading uptown. So I joined them in doing a little shopping. But first, they helped me make hotel reservations for my family. I'm getting more and more excited for March 9th to arrive. I can't wait to see seven people I haven't seen in six months (that's a LONG TIME!!!). When I got back, I helped Donna with crafts for this weekend's meetings. And then we had pizza...