Christ in us

Well it's my last day at the Hacienda...in about 28 hours I'm supposed to be at the airport in Guayaquil waiting to get out of Ecuador. It'll be mixed emotions. Alaska is my home and I do miss it. It drives me nuts that the sun goes down at 615 every evening. No change. But it's a good note to end on, hence the title. Maria asked me today why I wore a cross on my neckless. A couple of the girls have asked before but I really couldn't put it into English words, much less Spanish. Today I didn't think, just spoke in Spanish (I actually had to think to put it back in English)... I told her Christ lives in our hearts. "Aqui y aqui" Here pointing to my cross, and here pointing to where it would have been on her. God lives in me? she asked. I told her shocked face "God lives in you" a couple times before going on to say He's in all of us. I told her it was a reminder for me and a little physically present thing to fiddle with when I'm confused or nervous or need more strength then I have. She was bound and determined to hug me through the entire breakfast then. Poor girl, I eventually told her she needed to eat.

I've gotten my Spanish to the point where I can communicate pretty effectively now, although not always gramatically correct or as fast as I'd like. Last night I translated how to play Canasta to mixed language company. Someone else could have, but it fell to me and went great. I explained again to someone else today. I feel good about that, but tomorrow is Guayaquil and they talk funny down there! I was really hoping to work at that same clinic again but it fell through so I'm now in a bus dilema with all the times off and ackward. Spiritually I don't know why the clinic didn't work out, that's were I felt the most used and at the right place through this entire place. But like Ross said when he left it isn't for us to always know the whys. Maybe I'll run into and encourage someone tomorrow that really needed it. I hope so.