On a mission to learn Spanish

We started Spanish lessons on Monday.  Our teacher's name is Julio - Jed calls him Mr. Hood-ee-o. Jack is learning very fast and Chris and I are not as fast as Jack.  Jon...well he's been sick so he hasn't learned anything yet.  Of course this cannot go off without  a hitch - our hitch has been Jon and Jed getting a stomach bug and throwing up.  The best part was last night when we realized we were out of running water AFTER Jed threw up on got it all over himself and me as well.  Thankfully we brought a case of baby wipes with us.  The way water works here is that the municipality turns on the water supply every morning between 6-8am.  Our home has a tank on the roof and a cistern underground.  Our water is pumped into these and that is the water we have for the day.  Not everyone has a tank though.  Some people use plastic barrels, buckets, or whatever they have.  Although we have only been here a little over 2 weeks, I have never noticed the water coming on at night, only in the morning.  Well guess what?  The water came on last night at 10pm!!!  (Thank you God).  I think someone, somewhere was praying for us.  So whoever you are - thank you for your prayers and thank you God for bringing us water!! 

Rafaela and wood fire

Her old bed

Her new bed

Kids

Some great guys

Men's team, Rafaela, her family & new home

Her old house and old sink

Last week a men's team was here so the boys and I packed up and went to live with the Schmidt's for the week.  It was a great week for us and for the men that came.  They did some great things but the one I want to tell you about has to do with an elderly lady named Rafaela.  She lived alone in a dingy shack in the remote village of Tablon.  I met her one year ago when I was visiting  here and her situation really broke my heart.  I remember her telling us how scared she was to live alone.   Her "house" was made out of old sheets of tin and the ceiling was covered in soot from her wood burning fire - very dark and dirty.  I didn't know this but she lived near a soccer field and the balls would constantly hit her "house" making a loud noise and Rafaela would just sit and cry.  Not anymore!  The team built her a new tin home (with a skylight) on some property near her family members.  She got a new bed and a kitchen too.  How cool is that!  I can't imagine how she must feel sleeping in her new bed inside a bright and quiet new home.  I am thanking God that He put her on the hearts of the men here and blessed her with a new home.  I can't wait to go visit her.