So today I spent almost 2 hours helping a girl delice her head. This girl is 26 and lives in a gutter between the highway. Last Friday I noticed that she had lice crawling- I mean I saw multiple crawling- in her hair. I think I mentioned this in my last post. So over the weekend, I looked up some remedies, asked around to figure out how to say lice in Spanish, and went in on a mission with a jar of mayonnaise. I talked to her this morning and talked to Patty (the lady I work with). Patty said she wanted her to shave her head and she freaked out. So we talked her into letting us put the mayonnaise in her hair and figured we'd talk her into the rest of it later. We doused her with the mayonnaise, wrapped her head in a bag, and let it sit for 2 hours. This may sound excessive, but if only I'd taken pictures, you would understand. Not only was her head full of lice (without exaggerating there were hundreds), but she told me (as we were out behind the center trying to brush out her hair) that she hadn't brushed it since she moved to the streets and that had been 12 years ago. She always kept it up in a pony tail so I always knew it wasn't the cleanest hair, but this was to a whole other level. Most of her hair had at least an inch covered in the eggs too. The poor thing said they keep her from sleeping and wake her up. At that I looked at her and asked her why in heaven's name she hadn't done something already?!? We ran out of time tonight but we cut her hair to her chin, and didn't have time to get all of the eggs and everything out. Tomorrow will be round two but at least from what we could tell they were all dead. I'm just hoping she does let us shave her head or at least cut it really short. I still keep feeling things crawling on me lol.
Unfortunately she isn't all there in the head. Everyday I go into this place the more I realize how much all of them are a little off. For example, the girl with the lice is 26 and today had a baby doll under her shirt all day. It was just this random awkward lump. I asked her what it was and she said it was her baby. She has an 8 yr old daughter that lives in some kind of children's home because they took her away. She was calling the doll by her daughter's name. Another girl came into day with a black eye and was just really beat up. I asked her what had happened and she said something to the effect of the guy she was staying with kicked her out because she wouldn't have sex with him. Another girl has all kinds of random stuff with her all the time and she's kind of obsessive about it. She always makes sure that we keep her back in the back room and guard it for her. It if full of random things like headbands and empty containers and notebooks. She always talks about going to the library and just rambles and rambles. I don't even know how to explain it. It makes me wish I had more of a background in that. The couples that work down at La Raza have the biggest hearts for these kids. They have one of the most radically changing testimonies of their lives of any I've ever heard before. They have more patience for these people than anyone. They've taken classes at the seminary and have life experience, but none of them have gone to college and none of them have any kind of background to help these people change unless it's a 180 degree miracle. I'm not saying that can't happen, because it can and has in their ministry, but so much more could be done. The other fact of the matter is that I don't know what other help there is in Mexico for homeless people. I'm still trying to learn and figure it out.
Well that's all I can think about for now. It's been a long long day. 6+ hours on the bus. This morning there was dead stopped traffic on the way to La Raza and then a car hit us. Now this turned some heads haha. Apparently not as normal as the other things I've mentioned. Luckily we weren't really going fast, it was just really loud.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Pyramids of Teotihuacan
One quick addition to the bus post- I forgot to include the bus driver who pulled over the bus not to pick someone up but to get up out of his seat and spit out the door. Again, no one even batted an eye.
Anyways... haha... today Margaret (one of the women I'm staying with) took me to the pyramids. I really didn't know what to expect except... that they were pyramids. They are the tallest step pyramids in the world. The people disappeared and they have no idea what happened to them. They were thought to be mountains because they were covered with grass and everything until a little ways back when they discovered what they actually are. I climbed both of them. One of them is to the sun and the smaller one is to the moon. On cloudy days they would give people opiates and drag them on the Avenue of the Dead passing the sun temple and sacrifice the people in front of the moon temple. It was apparently a struggle between the moon and the sun to see who was brightest. So there is your history lesson for the day. Here are some pictures.
These are all the larger pyramid... the one to the sun.
And that is a lot of steps... that I climbed I might add. At almost 8000 ft. Let's just say I felt like I had never ever climbed steps before in my life lol. And they are big ones... and narrow :)
I'm on top of the sun but you can see the moon behind me.
And this is the moon.
and the moon again. You can see where they used to make the sacrifices.
And this path is the Avenue of the Dead.
And a look at the sun from the top of the moon.
Anyways... haha... today Margaret (one of the women I'm staying with) took me to the pyramids. I really didn't know what to expect except... that they were pyramids. They are the tallest step pyramids in the world. The people disappeared and they have no idea what happened to them. They were thought to be mountains because they were covered with grass and everything until a little ways back when they discovered what they actually are. I climbed both of them. One of them is to the sun and the smaller one is to the moon. On cloudy days they would give people opiates and drag them on the Avenue of the Dead passing the sun temple and sacrifice the people in front of the moon temple. It was apparently a struggle between the moon and the sun to see who was brightest. So there is your history lesson for the day. Here are some pictures.
These are all the larger pyramid... the one to the sun.
And that is a lot of steps... that I climbed I might add. At almost 8000 ft. Let's just say I felt like I had never ever climbed steps before in my life lol. And they are big ones... and narrow :)
I'm on top of the sun but you can see the moon behind me.
And this is the moon.
and the moon again. You can see where they used to make the sacrifices.
And this path is the Avenue of the Dead.
And a look at the sun from the top of the moon.
Friday, June 11, 2010
The Chavos
So I haven't had much time to talk about the people I'm working with yet. I mentioned that they aren't kids like I had originally thought but getting to know some of them has been interesting.
The guy I have gotten to know the best knows English because he grew up in the states (All of the social work classes on confidentiality are keeping me from listing his name haha). His aunt and uncle went illegally and took him with them when he was 2 years old. His parent's weren't around anymore. He never really fit with their family though and was always kind of an outsider. I'm trying to remember the age he told me but when he was 12 or 14 he ran away and started living on his own. He got into some trouble and had a juvenile record that had to do with drugs and grand theft auto. He ended up back with his aunt and uncle. Just after he turned 18, he was using his aunt's car with her permission but illegally because his license had been revoked. He got pulled over and the cops were going to take him home and his aunt was going to be reprimanded for letting him drive the car (keep in mind she is there illegally). However, the aunt said that she hadn't let him borrow the car which therefore meant he had another grand theft auto charge on his hands and this time as an adult. When they strip searched him they found his fake green card. He spent 2 years in federal prison while his trial was in process because they couldn't afford bail and then they deported him back to Mexico. Basically he was set loose here having no family whatsoever, barely knowing any Spanish, and with absolutely nothing in regards of finances or a knowledge of how life works in Mexico. He was almost 21. That was almost 10 years ago. He seems to have the most potential of all of these guys. He's really intelligent and has lots of leadership skills (they come from basically a gang type situation, but if you talk to him, you'd understand). He is completely fluent in Spanish and English and asks really good questions and participates in the devotions they have for the chavos who come Monday through Wednesday. They have services on Thursday nights and he came for the first time last night. To me, the fact that he came shows that he is actually thinking about the whole God thing. I think you could fake the answers and fake paying attention just to get a shower and 2 meals. But to come an extra few hours sober and drug free says something. I was talking to him about what all of them do and how they make their money and basically it's a gang type mentality. With the public transportation they have it split up in sections and certain "vendors" can be in certain places because they have paid their dues to the security guards. If they cause problems or people complain, they aren't allowed to come back and are "grounded" for a week. What most of the guys that come into La Raza do is a show on the metro. They lay out broken glass on the ground and do flips and summer saults and stuff like that over it. Their backs are completely covered with scars and cuts. But they were explaining to me that is the best way to make money and they have nothing else to do. I've seen people on buses come in dressed like clowns and do a little sketch and then ask for money and then at the next stop they get off and then get on the next bus. Others sell candy or ice cream. One guy today was selling sewing kits. People here are so desperate and there just aren't any jobs.
Most of the chavos who are coming have been obviously affected by so much drug use. I wonder how much of it was some kind of mental problem initially that led them to being on the street and to drugs. There are two guys who come that can barely walk. They shake and shake and shake. We have to feed them and someone helps them shower and everything because they simply don't have control over their bodies. They are so thin. It's really just a sad sight to see. One thing I'm learning while I'm here is not to be afraid of people. The first day the guy that has the least control scared me. I'm not going to lie to you. Mostly because I can't understand a word he says and he's just a sad sight. But now I'll just go up behind him and grab his elbow and give him a little extra support to get to where he is going. Most of the time I don't even think he knows. There is another guy who I've "met" probably 50 times in the past couple weeks. Finally yesterday he remembered I was from the United States and didn't ask me after I told him my name. He remembered. It's just such a sad sight.
One of the girls was always touching her hair and I noticed it but didn't really think anything of it. Then yesterday I was sitting by her and realized she was scratching her head because it was infested with lice. I mean awful. I got some lice shampoo today to take down to the center for here. I can't even imagine. However, I have seen where she lives. I have to walk over a bridge from the metro to La Raza and there is a gully there that like 4 of the people who come live in. They have a tarp set up kind of like a tent and have an old mattress and all of their stuff down there. Again, I can't even imagine.
The thing that they are missing most here is an actual professional. Their main goal is to lure these people in with food and a shower and somehow reach them for Christ. There are quite a few people that they've gotten off the streets and have helped out over the past few years that they've had this program. In my mind I keep thinking of all of the ways we could help them, but at this place, they don't have the resources. They are just there to kind of provide a family for them. And that they have. You can sense the respect that they have for the 2 couples that run the center. Some of them even call them Mama or Papa. Patience is a big thing. Most of these people know nothing else. They've been in the streets since they were little kids and now, why would life be any other way. But they really are doing a good thing for them. I'm just trying to figure out what else could happen with in their abilities.
On another note, the people here are absolutely amazing and I feel guilty most of the time. I have so so much and come here and the Mexicans keep giving me dinner and buying me ice cream and things like that. They have absolutely nothing and give everything away. It is definitely a much more communal way of life. They just want to share everything. The people I've met are so generous with their money and time especially in their churches and they don't really know where their next meal is coming from. Here I am living free for the summer because of the grant I got and they keep giving me things. One of the Chavos even brought me a rose for my birthday haha (He very well could have stolen it). But in the end, I just keep sitting there thinking please stop giving me things. You are all the most hospitable people ever, but how can I repay you? I've been thinking of some ways, but still, it's been hard for me to figure out what to do.
Here are a few pictures of the city. You can kind of see what I meant by everything being concrete, but I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow.
Tomorrow I'm off to see the Pyramids :)
The guy I have gotten to know the best knows English because he grew up in the states (All of the social work classes on confidentiality are keeping me from listing his name haha). His aunt and uncle went illegally and took him with them when he was 2 years old. His parent's weren't around anymore. He never really fit with their family though and was always kind of an outsider. I'm trying to remember the age he told me but when he was 12 or 14 he ran away and started living on his own. He got into some trouble and had a juvenile record that had to do with drugs and grand theft auto. He ended up back with his aunt and uncle. Just after he turned 18, he was using his aunt's car with her permission but illegally because his license had been revoked. He got pulled over and the cops were going to take him home and his aunt was going to be reprimanded for letting him drive the car (keep in mind she is there illegally). However, the aunt said that she hadn't let him borrow the car which therefore meant he had another grand theft auto charge on his hands and this time as an adult. When they strip searched him they found his fake green card. He spent 2 years in federal prison while his trial was in process because they couldn't afford bail and then they deported him back to Mexico. Basically he was set loose here having no family whatsoever, barely knowing any Spanish, and with absolutely nothing in regards of finances or a knowledge of how life works in Mexico. He was almost 21. That was almost 10 years ago. He seems to have the most potential of all of these guys. He's really intelligent and has lots of leadership skills (they come from basically a gang type situation, but if you talk to him, you'd understand). He is completely fluent in Spanish and English and asks really good questions and participates in the devotions they have for the chavos who come Monday through Wednesday. They have services on Thursday nights and he came for the first time last night. To me, the fact that he came shows that he is actually thinking about the whole God thing. I think you could fake the answers and fake paying attention just to get a shower and 2 meals. But to come an extra few hours sober and drug free says something. I was talking to him about what all of them do and how they make their money and basically it's a gang type mentality. With the public transportation they have it split up in sections and certain "vendors" can be in certain places because they have paid their dues to the security guards. If they cause problems or people complain, they aren't allowed to come back and are "grounded" for a week. What most of the guys that come into La Raza do is a show on the metro. They lay out broken glass on the ground and do flips and summer saults and stuff like that over it. Their backs are completely covered with scars and cuts. But they were explaining to me that is the best way to make money and they have nothing else to do. I've seen people on buses come in dressed like clowns and do a little sketch and then ask for money and then at the next stop they get off and then get on the next bus. Others sell candy or ice cream. One guy today was selling sewing kits. People here are so desperate and there just aren't any jobs.
Most of the chavos who are coming have been obviously affected by so much drug use. I wonder how much of it was some kind of mental problem initially that led them to being on the street and to drugs. There are two guys who come that can barely walk. They shake and shake and shake. We have to feed them and someone helps them shower and everything because they simply don't have control over their bodies. They are so thin. It's really just a sad sight to see. One thing I'm learning while I'm here is not to be afraid of people. The first day the guy that has the least control scared me. I'm not going to lie to you. Mostly because I can't understand a word he says and he's just a sad sight. But now I'll just go up behind him and grab his elbow and give him a little extra support to get to where he is going. Most of the time I don't even think he knows. There is another guy who I've "met" probably 50 times in the past couple weeks. Finally yesterday he remembered I was from the United States and didn't ask me after I told him my name. He remembered. It's just such a sad sight.
One of the girls was always touching her hair and I noticed it but didn't really think anything of it. Then yesterday I was sitting by her and realized she was scratching her head because it was infested with lice. I mean awful. I got some lice shampoo today to take down to the center for here. I can't even imagine. However, I have seen where she lives. I have to walk over a bridge from the metro to La Raza and there is a gully there that like 4 of the people who come live in. They have a tarp set up kind of like a tent and have an old mattress and all of their stuff down there. Again, I can't even imagine.
The thing that they are missing most here is an actual professional. Their main goal is to lure these people in with food and a shower and somehow reach them for Christ. There are quite a few people that they've gotten off the streets and have helped out over the past few years that they've had this program. In my mind I keep thinking of all of the ways we could help them, but at this place, they don't have the resources. They are just there to kind of provide a family for them. And that they have. You can sense the respect that they have for the 2 couples that run the center. Some of them even call them Mama or Papa. Patience is a big thing. Most of these people know nothing else. They've been in the streets since they were little kids and now, why would life be any other way. But they really are doing a good thing for them. I'm just trying to figure out what else could happen with in their abilities.
On another note, the people here are absolutely amazing and I feel guilty most of the time. I have so so much and come here and the Mexicans keep giving me dinner and buying me ice cream and things like that. They have absolutely nothing and give everything away. It is definitely a much more communal way of life. They just want to share everything. The people I've met are so generous with their money and time especially in their churches and they don't really know where their next meal is coming from. Here I am living free for the summer because of the grant I got and they keep giving me things. One of the Chavos even brought me a rose for my birthday haha (He very well could have stolen it). But in the end, I just keep sitting there thinking please stop giving me things. You are all the most hospitable people ever, but how can I repay you? I've been thinking of some ways, but still, it's been hard for me to figure out what to do.
Here are a few pictures of the city. You can kind of see what I meant by everything being concrete, but I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow.
Tomorrow I'm off to see the Pyramids :)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Mexican Bus System
So as I've already mentioned to most of you, I spend a lot of time on the buses here in Mexico... between 2.5 and 3.5 hours a day depending on the traffic. Let me just tell you, buses here are full of excitement. In my not even 2 weeks here I have been in 2 buses as they have been pulled over by the police. One time we ran a red light and the other time I have no idea what happened. But everyone on the bus seemed like it was completely normal. No one even sighed or said anything. I sat there giggling to myself. From what I have heard, the police are really corrupt and you can buy your way out of pretty much everything. Apparently, the bus drivers just pay them to not mark it on their record or turn it in. Good one Mexico.
Another thing that happens when you are in buses in Mexico is that you will probably go the wrong way on roads. For example... On the 2nd leg of my trip to La Raza, there is a ton of construction so everyone on the highway is completely stopped. In order to get past a chunk of this traffic, the bus drivers have decided to get onto the high way by going the wrong way on the off ramp and then making a u-turn onto the stopped traffic in the high way. Again I say- Good one Mexico. The first time that happened I again was looking around to see if anyone was surprised by what was going on and again... it was completely normal.
Along the same lines- tonight there was a lot of traffic (as always) because of construction and a detour and we were stopped. We were still on the main road not even to the detour yet. A section of the road was closed. There was no one coming from the other direction (it was kind of like a divided high way) so what did we do? Let me tell you. We sped up to probably about 50 mph down that road going the wrong way bypassing almost all of the traffic and entering where the road opened again. Who knows how many people followed us.
That is the excitement of the day. Tomorrow we're going out to the streets to hunt down some Chavos (not kids lol).
Another thing that happens when you are in buses in Mexico is that you will probably go the wrong way on roads. For example... On the 2nd leg of my trip to La Raza, there is a ton of construction so everyone on the highway is completely stopped. In order to get past a chunk of this traffic, the bus drivers have decided to get onto the high way by going the wrong way on the off ramp and then making a u-turn onto the stopped traffic in the high way. Again I say- Good one Mexico. The first time that happened I again was looking around to see if anyone was surprised by what was going on and again... it was completely normal.
Along the same lines- tonight there was a lot of traffic (as always) because of construction and a detour and we were stopped. We were still on the main road not even to the detour yet. A section of the road was closed. There was no one coming from the other direction (it was kind of like a divided high way) so what did we do? Let me tell you. We sped up to probably about 50 mph down that road going the wrong way bypassing almost all of the traffic and entering where the road opened again. Who knows how many people followed us.
That is the excitement of the day. Tomorrow we're going out to the streets to hunt down some Chavos (not kids lol).
Monday, June 7, 2010
A Day at La Raza
So today I went again and it was the second time I was there with all of the "chavos". They have a main room that is pretty big and then a kitchen, shower rooms, a wood shop and a clothing donation closet. This is the wood shop. They have the people who come help out. A bunch of them have been in jail where they have learned a lot about wood work and they make all kinds of stuff.
Later we walked to a park and played soccer or football... I kept saying I am horrible at soccer but they were like as long as you have fun. So I did. None of the other girls ended up playing- good one Jenelle. But I had to so it was funny, they laughed... My team won so we'll just leave it at that. They we played basketball for a whole 5 minutes. They didn't like it as much... we played 21 and my team totally won... after I guarded a guy on my team and stole the ball from him. He kept saying something but I couldn't understand him so I just kept going for the ball and finally I understood. He kept saying I'm on your team... but not in so many words. It was more like I'm your's which didn't click until it was too late and everyone was laughing at me. haha
Here's everyone that was there today.
And here is an old van on the side of the road. We passed it and Paty- the lady that is kind of like my mom when I'm over there- told me to take a picture. She was all excited that I had my camera today. She said that someone lives in there with her two kids. It's down the street from where I work.
Now a bunch of people are apparently coming over for a birthday fiesta so I'm excited :)
That was my day. Talk to you all later!
Later we walked to a park and played soccer or football... I kept saying I am horrible at soccer but they were like as long as you have fun. So I did. None of the other girls ended up playing- good one Jenelle. But I had to so it was funny, they laughed... My team won so we'll just leave it at that. They we played basketball for a whole 5 minutes. They didn't like it as much... we played 21 and my team totally won... after I guarded a guy on my team and stole the ball from him. He kept saying something but I couldn't understand him so I just kept going for the ball and finally I understood. He kept saying I'm on your team... but not in so many words. It was more like I'm your's which didn't click until it was too late and everyone was laughing at me. haha
Here's everyone that was there today.
And here is an old van on the side of the road. We passed it and Paty- the lady that is kind of like my mom when I'm over there- told me to take a picture. She was all excited that I had my camera today. She said that someone lives in there with her two kids. It's down the street from where I work.
Now a bunch of people are apparently coming over for a birthday fiesta so I'm excited :)
That was my day. Talk to you all later!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
One Week Down
So since my last post I've definitely become more comfortable with being here. I've taken a few pictures of my house so you can see where I'm staying.
I'm staying in a really nice neighborhood it seems from what I've seen. There is a gate with guards as you come in and I had to go meet them so they would recognize me. This is my street.
(In case you didn't know... Mexico City is in a big valley and there are mountains everywhere. At night the lights are awesome. I'll take a pic of it asap.)
This is the whole house where the three of us live. It's a normal sized and layed out house. Which from what I can tell so far is not the norm but isn't abnormal.
This is my little guest house. I have my own bedroom and bathroom which is nice and weird all at once. Last night was the first night I wasn't freaking out a little bit on the inside when I walked out the back door of the main house to my own room by myself. I'm never by myself at night haha or usually ever so it's been an adjustment.
And this is inside my room.
So here's a little more about what I've been doing since I got here.
Last week on Thursday I went out to La Raza again (where I'll be working Monday through Friday. Monday through Wednesday the street Chavos (not kids... but what they call them... Basically between kids and adults haha). Thursday they have a church service and Friday they go and talk to people in the streets to spread word that they are there. They don't have a sign or really anything that lets people know that they are there. I might try and talk them into letting me paint something on the front of their building or make a sign that they can at least put out front on Thursdays so that people know. They've been at this church for about a year and they still don't have many people coming to their service. Thursday night there were only 5 people including 3 kids. I feel like it would be fairly obvious that a sign would be needed, but we'll see how it goes.
We went to a couple houses near the church and talked with a few of the families that hadn't been in a while. La Raza is one of the sketchier and poorer parts of the city and it was crazy how this family was living. They were living in a sliver of a building and there were tons of people in there. I really don't know how many. I sat there on an old mattress and listened as the couple I was with talked to the family members. I sat there listening and trying to look around as much as I could without being rude. I wasn't surprised necessarily, I just really didn't know what to think.
Everything here is made out of concrete and lots of the time it isn't painted or anything and the floors don't necessarily have any kind of finishing. Everything is dirty. There is trash everywhere. A few times when I've been on the bus I have seen a whole section of a building (like what used to be a store in a downtown looking area where there are different store fronts) that has caved in and there are just piles of trash and junk in it's place. It's hard to understand how they can live like that. I haven't taken my camera with me much yet, but I will this week so you can all see a little more of the city and understand what I'm talking about. I haven't felt like I'm unsafe or in danger and all of the Mexicans I'm working with guard me (not really the right word but what can you do) and definitely look out for me.
Friday I went to where some of the chavos live and was surprised. They were in the center of the city where a lot of the more legitimate shops are. It looks more like a normal city that you would think of. They had some old nasty mattresses and some tarps propped up like tents all a long on of the sidewalks. They all had a wad of stuff in their hands and were sniffing it every 30 seconds or so. From what I understood it's some kind of cleaning supply that's really cheap and really common among them. All I know is that we all went and washed our hands after every group of people we went to talk to. All of them were asking me where I was from and if I had a boyfriend which was kind of funny. I kept telling them that they need to come down to the center and I'll teach them some English. That might have helped a little bit, but we'll see what happens tomorrow.
I've had some really interesting conversations in both Spanish and English since I've been here with all kinds of people.
The people here are wonderful and so welcoming and patient. It's been way easier to meet people here than it was in Spain for sure. The problem is that everything is so far away. Once I get home from work its like 7pm (I have 3hrs worth of bus rides every day) and its too late to do anything because you don't want to be on the buses after 10 which means you have time to go somewhere and get right back lol. The city is absolutely enormous. I'm working on getting a map so I can actually figure out how far I go in my hour and a half commute. Traffic is absolutely awful here.
Anyways... that's probably way too much to write in a day, but I hope you are all doing marvelously!!!
I'm staying in a really nice neighborhood it seems from what I've seen. There is a gate with guards as you come in and I had to go meet them so they would recognize me. This is my street.
(In case you didn't know... Mexico City is in a big valley and there are mountains everywhere. At night the lights are awesome. I'll take a pic of it asap.)
This is the whole house where the three of us live. It's a normal sized and layed out house. Which from what I can tell so far is not the norm but isn't abnormal.
This is my little guest house. I have my own bedroom and bathroom which is nice and weird all at once. Last night was the first night I wasn't freaking out a little bit on the inside when I walked out the back door of the main house to my own room by myself. I'm never by myself at night haha or usually ever so it's been an adjustment.
And this is inside my room.
So here's a little more about what I've been doing since I got here.
Last week on Thursday I went out to La Raza again (where I'll be working Monday through Friday. Monday through Wednesday the street Chavos (not kids... but what they call them... Basically between kids and adults haha). Thursday they have a church service and Friday they go and talk to people in the streets to spread word that they are there. They don't have a sign or really anything that lets people know that they are there. I might try and talk them into letting me paint something on the front of their building or make a sign that they can at least put out front on Thursdays so that people know. They've been at this church for about a year and they still don't have many people coming to their service. Thursday night there were only 5 people including 3 kids. I feel like it would be fairly obvious that a sign would be needed, but we'll see how it goes.
We went to a couple houses near the church and talked with a few of the families that hadn't been in a while. La Raza is one of the sketchier and poorer parts of the city and it was crazy how this family was living. They were living in a sliver of a building and there were tons of people in there. I really don't know how many. I sat there on an old mattress and listened as the couple I was with talked to the family members. I sat there listening and trying to look around as much as I could without being rude. I wasn't surprised necessarily, I just really didn't know what to think.
Everything here is made out of concrete and lots of the time it isn't painted or anything and the floors don't necessarily have any kind of finishing. Everything is dirty. There is trash everywhere. A few times when I've been on the bus I have seen a whole section of a building (like what used to be a store in a downtown looking area where there are different store fronts) that has caved in and there are just piles of trash and junk in it's place. It's hard to understand how they can live like that. I haven't taken my camera with me much yet, but I will this week so you can all see a little more of the city and understand what I'm talking about. I haven't felt like I'm unsafe or in danger and all of the Mexicans I'm working with guard me (not really the right word but what can you do) and definitely look out for me.
Friday I went to where some of the chavos live and was surprised. They were in the center of the city where a lot of the more legitimate shops are. It looks more like a normal city that you would think of. They had some old nasty mattresses and some tarps propped up like tents all a long on of the sidewalks. They all had a wad of stuff in their hands and were sniffing it every 30 seconds or so. From what I understood it's some kind of cleaning supply that's really cheap and really common among them. All I know is that we all went and washed our hands after every group of people we went to talk to. All of them were asking me where I was from and if I had a boyfriend which was kind of funny. I kept telling them that they need to come down to the center and I'll teach them some English. That might have helped a little bit, but we'll see what happens tomorrow.
I've had some really interesting conversations in both Spanish and English since I've been here with all kinds of people.
The people here are wonderful and so welcoming and patient. It's been way easier to meet people here than it was in Spain for sure. The problem is that everything is so far away. Once I get home from work its like 7pm (I have 3hrs worth of bus rides every day) and its too late to do anything because you don't want to be on the buses after 10 which means you have time to go somewhere and get right back lol. The city is absolutely enormous. I'm working on getting a map so I can actually figure out how far I go in my hour and a half commute. Traffic is absolutely awful here.
Anyways... that's probably way too much to write in a day, but I hope you are all doing marvelously!!!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
First Impressions
My goodness Mexico. I still don't know what I think about it yet. Everyone keeps asking me, "Do you like it here in Mexico?" and I keep saying "I've only been here for 2 days and barely that." haha
I got here and was hit with some altitude sickness that I didn't even think about but apparently when you increase 7000 feet in altitude, dizziness and headaches are bound to follow. But today I am feeling much better so I am thankful for that!
I am living with 2 missionaries here who are with OMS. They're from the US but have lived here for 15 yrs + so they've been really helpful. There are also two other girls my age... one from Ireland and the other from Illinois... that have been here for a couple months already. It's definitely a blessing that they are here because they have welcomed me and made me feel much more at home than if I was with all older people or Mexicans. Not that I don't love them as well, it's just nice to have that here too. All of the people at OMS call us the Ninas Poderosas which the English speaking missionaries have translated into the Powderpuff Girls haha
I went to work for the first time today and the street "kids" I am going to be working with are more my age than younger kids. A lot of them have been in and out of the US and are back here in gangs and on drugs and come into the center to take showers and have food and have a bible study during the week. I'm working with 2 mexican couples and they are truly amazing. They also do church planting in that area and have some of the biggest hearts for leading people to God that I have ever seen. This is their job and passion full time and you can tell by the way they work with and pray for the kids. It is definitely going to be a stretch for me in almost every way but hopefully I will be picking up Spanish really quickly and will be able to relate with them and serve them in some way to point them towards God. I'm definitely glad that I will be working with them because it is forcing me to live in Spanish during the day. A few of the "kids" know some English but for the most part I'm going to have to do the talking. I can't really do anything if I can't talk with them.
So... I'm still not exactly sure what's going on after two days, but I have a small glimpse of what I'll be doing and I'm excited about it for sure. I'm just hoping and praying that God uses me as I'm working with these kids as also as I'm living with the missionaries here. Hopefully I'll be an encouragement to them and give them some relief from their work while I'm here.
Also... random comment... I will never ever drive in Mexico. It is the craziest thing I've ever seen... not to mention the "speed bumps" that are almost bigger than the cars every 100 ft. Insane. That is all I have to say.
Love you all!
I got here and was hit with some altitude sickness that I didn't even think about but apparently when you increase 7000 feet in altitude, dizziness and headaches are bound to follow. But today I am feeling much better so I am thankful for that!
I am living with 2 missionaries here who are with OMS. They're from the US but have lived here for 15 yrs + so they've been really helpful. There are also two other girls my age... one from Ireland and the other from Illinois... that have been here for a couple months already. It's definitely a blessing that they are here because they have welcomed me and made me feel much more at home than if I was with all older people or Mexicans. Not that I don't love them as well, it's just nice to have that here too. All of the people at OMS call us the Ninas Poderosas which the English speaking missionaries have translated into the Powderpuff Girls haha
I went to work for the first time today and the street "kids" I am going to be working with are more my age than younger kids. A lot of them have been in and out of the US and are back here in gangs and on drugs and come into the center to take showers and have food and have a bible study during the week. I'm working with 2 mexican couples and they are truly amazing. They also do church planting in that area and have some of the biggest hearts for leading people to God that I have ever seen. This is their job and passion full time and you can tell by the way they work with and pray for the kids. It is definitely going to be a stretch for me in almost every way but hopefully I will be picking up Spanish really quickly and will be able to relate with them and serve them in some way to point them towards God. I'm definitely glad that I will be working with them because it is forcing me to live in Spanish during the day. A few of the "kids" know some English but for the most part I'm going to have to do the talking. I can't really do anything if I can't talk with them.
So... I'm still not exactly sure what's going on after two days, but I have a small glimpse of what I'll be doing and I'm excited about it for sure. I'm just hoping and praying that God uses me as I'm working with these kids as also as I'm living with the missionaries here. Hopefully I'll be an encouragement to them and give them some relief from their work while I'm here.
Also... random comment... I will never ever drive in Mexico. It is the craziest thing I've ever seen... not to mention the "speed bumps" that are almost bigger than the cars every 100 ft. Insane. That is all I have to say.
Love you all!
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