It does get cold in Ecuador

There are 8 kids at the home, 2 of them I haven't even met yet but the other 6 I'm now well acquainted with. They learned really fast that we (Ross especially) make great human jungle gyms. That's good, I'd rather have the giggles than the crying. There is Katy (10), Juan and Jorge (9), Maria, Gladis, and Deanna (6 or 7ish). And it is funny what they will say...I warned Ross I was going to post this so it's all good....the first breakfast when Ross came to the table one of the younger ones told him to go comb his hair. It's even funnier in Spanish. Then another little girl called him a cute little boy. This is one of the four girls he was carrying at one time the night before so I don't know where that came from...Then today Maria told me I was loca (crazy), when I asked her why she said it was because I was happy. It really didn't make any sense to me in that setting but it made a lot of sense in the world's viewpoint. The joy that comes from knowing and spending time with God isn't circumstantial. It's constant, never-changing. I find it easy to let my mood be dictated by the circumstances I'm in and that is what the world considers normal. yet when Im really following and walking with him those circumstances do get overruled, not by gidy happiness but by a joy that says everything else is temporary. That's seems to be where the world steps in and starts labeling "Jesus Freaks" and "Crazy" I told Maria I liked being crazy then...and if that's what it means yup count me in. I remember one of our women's bible studies where they talked about peace like a river...not stagnant, not boring, but new, adventurous, and a promise of ending at one spot. But to get there we have to jump into the river. And thinking that, I really want to go cliff jumping again.

Well back to the Hacienda, Ross left this morning to take his plane back to the states. I'll miss having him around but am definitely in the place I need to be. Justin, the associate director for the Hacienda found out I could sew so now I'm sewing curtains for the school they're building. This place is incredibly immense and beautiful, all brick, tile and handmade wood furniture, doors etc. I'll take some pictures before I leave. It is cold though. Last night I got locked out the girl's house because we were at Justin and his wife Amanda's house playing cards late and I borrow a guys computer when they all went to bed. I tried every window, door, including the 2nd floor balcony ones, knocked multiple times throughout the night. No one at the guy's place would wake up either. It was actually really strange and I doubt a coincidence. I'm not sure what was going on spiritually there, but I do know I spent an incredibly cold night on the floor as close to the oven as I could get not sleeping, just shivering. I've spent cold nights before, but usually do to my own choice camping ill-prepared. I now have a new empathy room homeless people and understand why the cardboard. (I used the foot mat at the door to curl up off the cold stone) And I have to say I'll be more likely to work and find a place for someone to stay that needs a hand...I'm glad my floor has carpeting.

Oh yeah, and today I was playing American football with the Juan and Jorge....and I caught it 98% of time, even one-handed and diving at times. That's instead of my normal 1% catch rate. The boys were all smiles too of course and I guess that's why I'm here.