"You´ll get used to the screaming"

That´s what my host sister , Karla, said to me as I was getting in the shower the other day. Thinking I had misunderstood her, I smiled and nodded. Then, a few minutes later, I heard it. Someone being tortured (that is, someone other than me in the scalding shower). I couldnt figure out what would make someone scream like that! Then it dawned on me, someone in the house was having a baby.
This is a common occurance in my house. Sometimes the women scream, but sometimes they dont, I dont know which is more discomferting. Let me tell you about my host mom- the woman´s a machine. Some days (like yesterday) she delivers as many as three babies! It´s like drive thru baby delivering, the women come in, have the baby in about 20 minutes, maybe rest for an hour or two, and then they leave. Back to life. They come from all over at all hours to see my host mom. I am in awe of her.

The other day we were making lunch and my host mom leaned too close to the wood burning stove and her apron caught on fire. Personally, I would have screamed like a small child, and then been very grauchy about ruining my apron. But not Doña Susana. She calmly put the fire out and then laughed and laughed about the gaping hole that made her beautiful, hand-woven apron, virtually unusable, I told her that I would have been so angry if that had happened to me. "What can I do?" She said, "being angry won´t fix it, I may as well laugh." That´s an attitude I hope I can learn from her.

Another anecdote about my amazing Mam mom: When we go to the Sunday market, we usually fill up a huge bag of delicious produce, and then we drop it off with someone we know while we continue shopping, and pick it up again on our way out (at which point my host mom carries it on her head--dang). Well, last Sunday the bag was gone. Someone had taken our bag of already purchased produce. Anyone I know would have been furious, would have found someone to yell at or blame, would have complained about it the rest of the day. Money doesnt grow on trees here in Guatemala, we couldnt just go re-purchace what had been taken. My host mom, again, just laughed. "What else can I do? I can´t get it back, so I may as well laugh about it." Wow, I want to be like her.

Work at CEIPA is going well, everyone is very nice to me, but I spend a lot of time cleaning out file cabinets. The graduation was last week, and it was really moving. Without this organization, none of those kids would have been able to attend school at all, much less graduate and have the oppurtinity to find better paying jobs than what they have already been doing (shining shoes, selling candies, being bus aydantes). I really feel honored and blessed to be a part of this amazing organization. When school starts again in January, I´ll probably help out at the elementary school, I´m really excited!

I´ve started attending the women´s group at my church. At our first meeting I was asked to give a surprise sermon (in Spanish, mind you). I tore through my Bible to find a verse I was familiar with and talked a little about God being the closest when we feel that He is the farthest away. I think they got it. They threw in several encouraging "Amens" so I felt pretty good. My first surpise mini-sermon, I feel like I can do just about anything now.

Last weekend we had our first retreat at a coffee finca on the coast (the coast of the mountains, not the beach). We got to pick coffee and we learned all about bananas (which, by the way, are a grass!). It was very encouraging to be with the other girls and speak in English for a few days. I came back feeling refreshed and ready for the holiday season.

OK, bottom 3 things about Guatemala:

1. So, every day I take the bus from San Juan to Xela. The bus goes right by my house in San Juan so I dont get off at the main stop. Lots of people do this, but when I dont get off at the main stop, the bus driver always feels the need to tell me "this is San Juan." "Yes, I know." " But, you need to get off here, this is San Juan." "Yes, I know, I live here, a little bit up the road." "oh" I guess it isnt a big deal, but for some reason I find it very annoying. I should just laugh, like my host mom!

2. Running at this altitude, My lungs are on fire after only 1/2 an hour. I´m sure I´ll get used to it, but for now it is no fun.

3. 2 hour church services in Mam. On the bright side, I should have finished reading the Bible by early January.

Top 3 things about Guatemala:

1. Tea! I drink tea all the time and it is so warm and delightful.

2. Did I mention I gave a surprise sermon in Spanish? Let me just pat myself on the back one more time...

3. The bus ride to and from Xela everyday is BEAUTIFUL! We pass by farmland and small towns and I can see the Santa Maria volcano the whole way. I watch the senery and think in English knowing that no one is going to ask me anything, so I can relax a little.

Special thanks to Asia for the package, the candy corn was enjoyed by all the volunteers. I miss you all, and I highly suggest planning a little trip down to the Guat, maybe sometime in May? Check your schedules!

Oh yeah- YAY FOR OBAMA!!!!