Update from the tomato

Hello family and friends! Colin is finally letting me use his phone :) Now it is time for me to update you and let you know how I am doing.

I left with some fears. I was nervous about being away from my family for so long. Not only was I leaving the country for the first time without a family member but I also going with a group of people that I didn't know very well. Thankfully, I was able to let go of all of my fears not long after we left.

The whole trip has been such an awesome adventure so far. I loved the homestay. I stayed with a single woman who was deaf. Thankfully I knew enough spanish for us to communicate. She read my lips and I watched her point and picked out some of the words that she said. We only had to pull out a piece of paper a couple of times. I am very glad that I got to stay with her. She had such a kind and hospitable personality. I really enjoyed giving her the gifts that I had brought her from home. She loved the huckleberry lotion and the hot chocolate.

On the last night at her house, I was able to go into my room and spend a lot of time in prayer for her and her family. I will definitely be emailing her when I get home.

The beach has been quite the experience. Unfortunately, I got a sunburn on my face and my shoulders. I am slowly recovering and I am afraid that I may peel from this one...

Last night was one of the most fun nights that I have had so far. We went to a flamenco restaurant where we got to watch a flamenco dancing session while we ate. After dessert, they began pulling us up to dance with them one at a time. Then they turned on the Mocarina and we all got on stage and danced.

After dinner we went back to the hotel and went on a walk in the dark. Five of us stopped at a photo booth and took a couple of great pictures. Then we found a concert going on close to the hotel. They were playing on a stage that was in a pond. They were singing in English. I really enjoyed sitting down and listening to them.

Today we played some beach volleyball and I kicked butt :) we are on our way to lunch right now. We get to make paella. I am excited.

(update: here's some pics from lunch!)
















Hopefully I will be able to write more soon. Please keep us in your prayers. Specifically for rest and more team bonding.

Kona

Funny things I've seen:

- a clown kiss one of our team members the lips
- a mother holding her five year old daughter while she peed on a tree in public
- mannequins dressed in trash bag dresses