First Impressions

Well today was my first full day on the job. I went with Florencio to Zapata, and we picked up Raquel, Pati, & Isaias on the way. We sorted through and organized lots of bags of donated items. I think most everything was from a church in Marietta, GA. A lot of the toys were just junk that we had to throw away. I was kinda disappointed that a church would donate broken scraps of toys. But there was a lot of good stuff too, like 4 full garbage bags of almost-brand-new crocs! Those shoes are great for kids in Mexico.

We got lunch from the tienda next door, and let me tell you, it was interesting. Everyone knows that I'll try any kind of food at least once, but this was a whole new experience. It was just standard mexican tacos (which are absolutely nothing like the american version; they consist of soft corn tortillas, meat, homemade salsa, & 1/2 a lime squeezed on it), but the meat was definitely unidentifiable. It looked like some sort of cross between bones and calamari. I think it was pork, but I really have no clue. I didn't want to ask. Nor did I nor do I ever want to know. But I tried it! After that first taco I stuck with just the tortillas and limes.

We finished the organizing, loaded the truck with the gifts, and headed back to town. I was able to get a quick nap and practice some spanish christmas songs, then Florencio and I went to Amilpa. We met up with Raquel and Pati again, and I was thrown into my first experience leading a children's choir! And it didn't help that my first time was in another language. I taught a group of about 20 students 4 songs; 3 were ones I already knew (Little Drummer Boy, Silent Night, and Hark the Herald Angels Sing), and the other one (Campana sobre Campana) the kids knew the best. So it worked out great. Plus, Pati knew all the songs so she helped me lead them and she translated my broken spanish so the kids would understand what I was saying.

When we got home Florencio took me to the church to meet Johnny's bible study (college and career age, I think) that was meeting.

It's been a busy day, and there are many more busy days to come!