Monday, May 2, 2011
Prayers Answered
My oldest sister, Kelli, has just accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour! I've been praying for this day for a while and it's finally here. God is great and I am so happy that He has answered my prayers. I see good things in store for my family. He's a GREAT God!!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Carrera de Cinta
Hello All,
This post is a little late, but it's really important for me to write about it because it was one of the happiest moments that I've experienced as a PCV.
So back in early March, my community and I began to plan a carrera de cinta to raise money for the health clinic. A carrera de cinta is almost like a horse race. Ok so picture a limbo pole with small rings hanging from loosely tied strings. As the rider pass under the pole they reach up and try to grab one of the rings with a small pencil. The riders that get the most rings gets the most gifts from the "madrinas"(godmothers) at the end of the race.
At our event, the health committee and I got 50 madrinas (including two really great PCVs, Jordan Fox and Megan Butler) to participate and I was the "reina" (queen) of the entire event so I got to start the parade on top of one of the prettiest horses in town. Once the race was over each rider recieved at least one gift and some received two. Now, I dont find Salvo men to be particularly attractive, but there is something very sexy about a man on top of a horse...lol.
All in all, it was a great day. We raised more than $257 for the clinic and I felt like just another member of the community instead of the freakishly tall gringa. Life in El Pastor just might suit me :)
This post is a little late, but it's really important for me to write about it because it was one of the happiest moments that I've experienced as a PCV.
So back in early March, my community and I began to plan a carrera de cinta to raise money for the health clinic. A carrera de cinta is almost like a horse race. Ok so picture a limbo pole with small rings hanging from loosely tied strings. As the rider pass under the pole they reach up and try to grab one of the rings with a small pencil. The riders that get the most rings gets the most gifts from the "madrinas"(godmothers) at the end of the race.
At our event, the health committee and I got 50 madrinas (including two really great PCVs, Jordan Fox and Megan Butler) to participate and I was the "reina" (queen) of the entire event so I got to start the parade on top of one of the prettiest horses in town. Once the race was over each rider recieved at least one gift and some received two. Now, I dont find Salvo men to be particularly attractive, but there is something very sexy about a man on top of a horse...lol.
All in all, it was a great day. We raised more than $257 for the clinic and I felt like just another member of the community instead of the freakishly tall gringa. Life in El Pastor just might suit me :)
HIV Workshop El Tamarindo
Greetings!
This past weekend I took five community leaders to an HIV workshop and it was probably the best workshop that I've ever participated in. The chemistry amongst all of the participants was amazing. We invited a person living with HIV to give his testimony to the 25 others participants and it must have been the most impacting moment of the workshop. I was afraid that the participants might treat him differently after they found out the person that they had thought, up to that moment,to be just another community leader there to learn about the prevention of HIV/AIDS. Once the news was revealed the question started coming, but everyone took the news really well. I was really surprised by these Salvos...who can at times be very judgemental. Their interactions with the invited speaker changed FOR THE BETTER. It was probably one of the most emotional moments that I've experienced as a volunteer.
Life's good!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Life's Good
I'm happier than I've been in a very long time. Thank God! Learning to be patient with the things that I have absolutely no control over. Life's good and it's still calling.
Salu,
Mya
p.s. I will not be meeting Mr. Obama....such is life
Salu,
Mya
p.s. I will not be meeting Mr. Obama....such is life
Monday, January 24, 2011
The Rundown
Here's what's been going on lately:
1. Some guy threatened me in my site (the pic is the view from my bedroom window...i really hate to leave this place)
2. I now have to change sites
3. Went to visit my possible new site, it seems like there's a lot to be done!!
4. For some reason I'm still in my old site and now my running water isn't running
5. Seriously thought about going home for good
6.
Celebrated my birthday!
7. Realized that some people that I thought were genuine actually aren't
8. Realized that God is the only one that can help me
9. Renewed my faith. THANK YOU, JESUS!
Love you all,
Mya
1. Some guy threatened me in my site (the pic is the view from my bedroom window...i really hate to leave this place)
2. I now have to change sites
3. Went to visit my possible new site, it seems like there's a lot to be done!!
4. For some reason I'm still in my old site and now my running water isn't running
5. Seriously thought about going home for good
6.
Celebrated my birthday!
7. Realized that some people that I thought were genuine actually aren't
8. Realized that God is the only one that can help me
9. Renewed my faith. THANK YOU, JESUS!
Love you all,
Mya
Renewal
Recently I've been going through severe emotional problems due to my job and all that comes along with it. I feel so lonely at times and it's so hard to deal with it. There are people here that I can talk to, but I don't reall have enough confianza with office staff and volunteers wil give you advice one minute and then the next they'll be bad mouthing you, questioning whether or not you're here for the right reasons. My family doesn't call me as often as I would like...actually they really never call unless they know that I'm upset that they haven't called.
Basically, I have been feeling very much neglected and alone (plus I had an intestinal infection ast week and thought that I was going to die). I just wanted someone to hold me and listen to what I had to say without judging me. I called an old friend and he encouraged me to stop looking to man and to start turning to God. In my mind I had been hearing this message for weeks, but I never sought Him out. Yes, I prayed...but only half-heartedly. I read the Bible...again half-heartedly. I was so caught up in how my family and friends were NOT checking up on me that I forgot that there is someone who will NEVER LEAVE ME! Someone that will be there when no one else can or will be there. Someone that'll listen to all of my problems, whether they're valid or not. SOmeone who loves me more than anyone has or ever will love me. I didn't turn to Him and I continued to suffer. I continued to let depression ruin weeks of my life.
I thank God for Akwasi's life. I thank Him for placing someone in my life that encourages me to nurture my faith and rely on The Most High. Today I'm feeling renewed, knowing that problems will come,but feeling capable of handling them. I know who's on my side and I can do nothing without His help.
Stay blessed,
Mya
Basically, I have been feeling very much neglected and alone (plus I had an intestinal infection ast week and thought that I was going to die). I just wanted someone to hold me and listen to what I had to say without judging me. I called an old friend and he encouraged me to stop looking to man and to start turning to God. In my mind I had been hearing this message for weeks, but I never sought Him out. Yes, I prayed...but only half-heartedly. I read the Bible...again half-heartedly. I was so caught up in how my family and friends were NOT checking up on me that I forgot that there is someone who will NEVER LEAVE ME! Someone that will be there when no one else can or will be there. Someone that'll listen to all of my problems, whether they're valid or not. SOmeone who loves me more than anyone has or ever will love me. I didn't turn to Him and I continued to suffer. I continued to let depression ruin weeks of my life.
I thank God for Akwasi's life. I thank Him for placing someone in my life that encourages me to nurture my faith and rely on The Most High. Today I'm feeling renewed, knowing that problems will come,but feeling capable of handling them. I know who's on my side and I can do nothing without His help.
Stay blessed,
Mya
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Thanksgiving Weekend
I had thanksgiving dinner with an US embassy family and a couple other volunteers. Lindsey and I helped prepare the cornbread dressing (missing gizzards and celery) and some of the vegetables. I was in a weird mood the entire night and I’m not really sure why. I could throw out some ideas, but I’ll be nice today. Stepping into the family’s penthouse was like stepping into another world. HE HAD A PRIVATE ELEVATOR! It was really weird to have traveled from my site, where people make their houses out of plastic bags and palm leaves, to then spend a few hours in a place like that. It really messed with my head. After a few hours of eating, drinking, and socializing with a breed of Salvadorans that I didn’t know existed I was more than ready to head back to my hotel room. Unfortunately, I was the only one ready to leave, so I had to wait around for everyone else (didn’t want to be rude to my host). Finally we left and I returned to the real world…where my hotel room costs $10 a night and in order to save money I order a $5 pizza and split it with someone else. Next year, I’m pretty sure that I won’t spend my thanksgiving with an embassy family. Maybe I’ll make dinner in my site!
On Friday we had the party for the group that came down in July at a club called FOUR. This party was so much better than the party we had for my group. The club was a lot nicer and the dance floor was bigger. Needless to say many volunteers were fall down drunk and they made fools of themselves…and I was there to take it all in…mmmmmmmHAHAHA.
I also saw the new Harry Potter movie with 3 CO-EDers (Dan, Jess, and Erica). It was a good movie, but so much has happened since the second movie (which was the last HP movie that I’d seen before #7) and I’m really confused. I’ll have to go to Centro and find #3-6 and catch up on everything that’s going on.
It was a great weekend! I returned home and there was about 2 weeks of laundry waiting to be done. I left a few household chores slide while I was preparing for my HIV workshop. Washing 2 weeks worth of dirty laundry by hand makes for a very sweaty morning.
Love you all,
Mya
On Friday we had the party for the group that came down in July at a club called FOUR. This party was so much better than the party we had for my group. The club was a lot nicer and the dance floor was bigger. Needless to say many volunteers were fall down drunk and they made fools of themselves…and I was there to take it all in…mmmmmmmHAHAHA.
I also saw the new Harry Potter movie with 3 CO-EDers (Dan, Jess, and Erica). It was a good movie, but so much has happened since the second movie (which was the last HP movie that I’d seen before #7) and I’m really confused. I’ll have to go to Centro and find #3-6 and catch up on everything that’s going on.
It was a great weekend! I returned home and there was about 2 weeks of laundry waiting to be done. I left a few household chores slide while I was preparing for my HIV workshop. Washing 2 weeks worth of dirty laundry by hand makes for a very sweaty morning.
Love you all,
Mya
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