I’ve got about ten minutes, but let me give you a quick run down. I just got back from visiting my future site. I’m overwhelmed. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the people there and I’m overwhelmed with the feeling of inadequacy. Compared to what they expect and hope to receive from me I feel like a little kid. They have organized committees and are hardworking. On my sheet it said there was no running water and I was expecting really campo. It may be far removed from a large city, but compared to my training site it was an upgrade. Most of the wells had electric pumps so this is just like running water. Not only did I have a hot shower and flushing toilet, but the family I stayed with had a washing machine and a wringer to wring out the water. The site it just beautiful situated among rolling hills and 1km from a pretty river. It’s lush and green. It gets hot, but while I was there it raining enough to keep things constantly at a refreshing temperature. A lot of the neighborhood cooks with soy on a regular basis and my family had a machine that pulverized the soy and separated the soy meat from the milk. I drank lots of soy juice and enjoyed plenty of tasty food. I even taught my family how to make peanut butter—it was a hit! This was the best peanut butter you’ve ever tasted. After hand shelling the peanuts, we toasted and ground them up finely. Finally, added some sugar, salt, and oil.
Over the past 5 days I also picked mandarins from the grove of trees, dug up mandi’o, played many a game of volleyball, and taught the kids to lay out for the Frisbee. I listened to a Taylor Swift sing on the radio, played PYan hide and go seek, drank gallons of Terere and stood in from of the church congregation to be introduced to the community. It was a trip of tranquility, but it wasn’t dull. I got a lot of language practice and I’m excited to go back and begin serving them in any way I can. Yes, I’m nervous, but I serve a great God and I’m trusting Him to lead. Please keep me in your prayers. And now I’m going to enjoy some thanksgiving dinner with my fellow PCTs. Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers I’m thankful for you!
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Hey, it was great talking to you yesterday. We really enjoy your comments about your experiences and the people you are with. Really happy that you have a good location for your future site. You will do a good job--you have had a lot of experiences and education of all kinds (home, farm, high school, community college, university--more than most of the people you will meet, and you will be able to innovate to fill in what you don't know. We're really proud of you.
ReplyDeleteTalked to Greg & Ronni yesterday--they stayed overnite w/Aunt Rachel. Carol Ann & Will & Carrie were there also. When they called they were headed to South Lake Tahoe to visit Ronni's sister & family. They were 30 minutes away & it was snowing!
We had a good time at your folks for Thanksgiving dinner at 5:30p. Sarah's parents & brothers were there as well as G & G Graham, & your family. Carissa baked 5 pies--we ate 3 of them that night & she had a couple left for a party with her friends. We missed you!!!
Love,
G & G Curtis
We miss you so much. When I am doing something I remind myself that I need to tell Rachel about it. I baked almost 200 pies for Thanksgiving orders. I had a great helper--Joseph-a senior at the Univ. He is a self thinker and a self motivator. He's always checking on everything and then goes ahead and does it without asking me. I wish he was going to be here next year but he will be going to graduate school somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteIt was very slow today (11-29-30 Sun.) We
made 4 batches of donuts but had 16 dozen left so I won't be making many tomorrow. Becky's last day was Friday so now I am the donut maker during the week and Carissa makes them on Sat. & Sunday. Did you know that Becky had swine flu and was off work for one week? I taught Barbara how to make them and she did just fine. She is a fast learner. She was here several days doing some cleaning and we were getting low on donuts so I asked her if she would mind stopping what she was cleaning and help me make some donuts. That happened on two different days. She also helped Becky sugar for a fund raiser on my day off. She was great for Debbie in the cafe. We both wish she would come back next year but she will start graduate school somewhere.
Santa's Breakfast with Kay/David Lemons is this Saturday. Jo Perkins is getting tickets for them to something at Krannert--several of us go in on the gift (makes shopping easy!!) I will give David some chocolate fudge since he is a chocolate lover.
Pastor Ron, Sandy, Stephen and his wife (Anna Lee who is expecting in early June, Stephanie (who is expecting in late May), Pastor Ron's sister and her family with three small children were all visiting them for Thanksgiving and they all came out to the orchard on Sat. Also Pastor Adam and Lindy with their new baby girl and Lindy's two sisters (Loni & Deanna), their mother-Karen and Karen's mother (Bernie Clark)came out to the orchard late Sat. afternoon.
We miss you very much. It was great to see you and talk to you.
I pray the Lord will protect you as you walk to the different places that you go. May you be a light that they will see Jesus in your life and they will want the joy that you have in knowing Him and serving Him. Bye for now-I will write more later. I love you. Grandma Curtis. 11-29-09