9/7/06

Our first night in

San Juan was pretty lonely and unfamiliar.
  Carrie and I laid in bed and tried to sleep as motorcycles sped by, dogs barked, and people yelled.
  We laid there and wondered where we were and what we were doing.
  It really hit us that we weren’t going to be here for one week, but for 52.
  God was our comfort that night and Carrie was my companion.
  We awoke the next morning to the bright sunshine and to life in the streets.
  It was a refreshing sight that got us excited for the day.
 We walked around the town and familiarized ourselves with points of interest.
  It is a city of smiling faces, street vendors, and motorcycles, lots of motorcycles.
  Carrie spent much of the day with Kristen (one of the base directors) and four little girls.
  They had a great time playing games and doing girly things.
 

Miguel (the other base director) and I ran several errands in the city.
  Miguel sent me on a couple of missions by myself.
  One excursion in particular was quite humorous.
  I was to go to the market and buy honey and baking powder.
  By the time I arrived at the market I forgot how to say baking powder in Spanish.
  I had the whole store trying to help me find what I needed.
  I was at a loss of how to explain to them what I needed.
  After about ten minutes of trying to find it, the word just came out in English, “Baking powder.”
  One of the employees said, “Si, baking powder!”
  She then got it for me.
  We all began to laugh.

It will take a while to get adjusted to the culture and the language.
  There will be times where it is uncomfortable and awkward, but that is normal.
  One thing we know is that God has called us here for this time and we are ready for the challenge.

                                                                                                -Jonathan