This weekend was a long one. In Spanish, long weekends are called a puente (bridge). Today is Constitution Day so we had the day off of school. Friday, I went to my first Charismatic Adoration here in Mexico. It was nice, and hope to go back again next Friday. I met with the leaders afterwards and they told me of a place that I can pick up some praise music (both books and I think recordings.). I am hoping that I can use some for the kid's choir Emma and I lead every Sunday, as well as for my own personal/community use.
I spent alot of time at the parish at night during this past week. It was not planned that way, but it was wonderful to be able to go over there to get a little exercise, and end up conversing around a table with some of my closer parish friends until late at night, getting a little bit of exercise, and then walking back home together. I haven't had much time to just sit around the parish lately, so to get to do so is a wonderful unexpected surprise.
Saturday, we got up bright and early and took a group of thirteen to the "Joven Crientes" (Young Believer) event held by the (arch?) dioceses. The diocese opened up one of the high schools for a day of skits, games, tents, music, and to give the youth a place to play sports while learning/engaging their faith. My personal favorite was seeing about 25 nuns dancing and singing on stage while another one played the electric guitar and lead the youth in some songs. Some of the youth put on a powerful, and moving, skit about Christ's love for humanity. It moved me to tears, and afterwards, the teens/young adults in the audience split up to enact their own skits. From there, Emma and I had to rush home and change to go to a birthday party for one of our co-workers from the guardaria. We had everyone over for Thanksgiving, but this is the first time we had been invited over to one of the teacher's homes. We had a fun time sitting around talking, dancing (they were trying to teach me to dance "cumba". It is a pervasive way to dance down here, and though I understand it in theory, the actuation is lacking. A lot of laughing was had by all, and I think I might have a new dance teacher or two when I get back to work! :), and watching the kids and the other adults sing karaoke. It was nice to be able to share in that fellowship out of work.
Sunday we had children's choir rehearsal with mass afterwards. I am still having problems communicating in Spanish, but I have wonderful help, and the choir is growing. We added some new songs ("I have decided to follow Jesus" (in spanish) was a hit) and we are hoping to add some more soon. It can be challenging to ride the line between the culturally out-of-tune foreigner, and what are simply good habits, ie. cultural tardiness, what is kid chattiness, what to say when kids/teenagers chose to plug into an ipod/music during the homily or during mass, and what to just let go. The language/my own expectations can be a challenge at times, and things can be misconstrued. Sunday we had a community meeting in the middle of the day to talk about house matters, and decided to change our daily prayer so that there is more of a specific focus each day. Monday - World, Tuesday - Santa Fe (were we live), Wednesday - Mexico, Thursday - Our own individual missions, and missions overseas, Friday - Family and personal matters.
Today (Monday), Emma and I had the day off, so, after going to the market and running some errands (I had to get a new chip for my phone), we met a few friends and went down to the Condessa to for lunch and to walk around. It is beautiful and green there. It is a more "rich" or "nice" part of town, and today was the first time I had been there. One of our friends used to live down there, so she showed us around. We bummed around, watched the dogs playing in the park water fountain while we ate middle eastern food, and shopped for some essentials before the rain started again and we headed home. On to more spanish practice tonight, and then hopefully off to bed. Good night.
What about "Like a Sunflower"?
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