Can you guess what I did today? I scrubbed our toilets, cleaned the bathrooms, did some laundry, and even mopped. Do you know how long it has been since I've done that kind of work? Over 10 months. This sounds a little weird but I enjoyed it. Our househelper, Isabel, is in Mexico and I've had a little more housework to do. I didn't realize how good old-fashioned work can really make a person feel. We love Isabel - she really is a big help. I miss doing some housework but I know Isabel needs the work and the money more than we do. Plus, it has been such a special opportunity to get to know her. And it has led to minsitry with not only our own maid but also a group of ten other maids. I miss the satisfaction I get from housework (sounds ridiculous, I know) but I wouldn't miss the opportunity to know, love, and work with such an amazing group of women.
We've discovered that the work we do here is a different kind - mostly mental. Sean and I both are the type that need to do some kind of physical work in order to feel that we've actually accomplished anything. That is one thing that has been particularly hard for us here - neither one of us do a lot of physical work and although we are working very hard mentally we still somehow feel like we're not doing much. I don't understand the phsycology behind it but, if anything has discouraged us this year, it has been a feeling of "worthlessness" that really has no basis.
Whenever we doubt that we've done much this year, God is faithful to show us what we have accomplished. For instance, today we went to eat hamburgers at a little place that a man runs out of the side of his house. It isn't far from our house but we hadn't tried it yet. As we sat there we talked with the man (in Spanish, of course). Later it occurred to both of us that 10 months ago there was no way we would have been able to have the conversation that we had. We might have caught a word here or there but as we sat talking to this man neither one of us was even flinching. We understood everything that man said and were able to respond to what he said in complete senteces that even sounded intelligent...and we didn't think about it. Sure, we still have so much to learn. But we've come a long way. Thank you Lord for that little encouaragement!
1 comment:
When you come to visit me, I'll let you scrub my toilets, Becca. Anything to make you feel loved and appreciated.... :)
You HAVE accomplished a lot since being there! I remember being so impressed with both you and Sean all the way back in October. You had already learned so much and were so good at communicating with the locals. I'm proud of you!
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