Full-Fledged Fun

 Here is the bird full grown.  He walks around the furniture and they are teaching him to say "Corre"  "Run".  He climbed on Rod's hand with no hesitation. 

We had a concert Friday night.  It was the low-key variety.  This is Kenneth Acosta (right) and Ruben Vasquez.  They were enjoying one another's music before we started.  One of the challenges here is the organ.  It is much larger (I think a full-sized keyboard) and when you sit down to it you don't know where middle C is.  I've been tempted to mark it, but I've preached not marking keyboards for so long that I really hesitate.

We had 33 kids play just one verse of a hymn. We had them put their name in a bottle as they came in and then I drew names and they played in that order.

 We played name that tune to begin because people are always late here.  Those who come on time, I believe, deserve to have something to do, but I hate to begin and have the first students who play have only a few people to play for. And if you can follow that convoluted grammar you are doing well!

Some of the students played marvelously, like Gabriel Miranda who played Called to Serve flawlessly and maybe a little more than as fast as it should be.  Others, surprisingly some of our most accomplished, flubbed miserably.  I feel so badly for them when that happens.  One young man who we never would have expected came flawlessly dressed and played flawlessly.  It was a miracle.  Rod and I both confessed that we were praying hard on that one. We want so desperately for the whole experience to bless their lives and the lives of their families.

I prayed all day for no rain.  It held off until after the concert.  People don't like to come out in the rain.  They really believe that they will get sick if they get wet, even though for us this seems highly unlikely with warm rain.

We took Kenneth and his sister Ana and Ruben and his brother home after.  I asked them what we could do to make the next one better.  Ruben said "practice!!"  His mom told us that sometimes she makes him quit practicing just so she can hear herself think.  She said HER mother told her that she should hush up or just ask for lower volume.
 Ruben played the nation anthem and did a great job of it.  We really did get great variety.  We worried we'd get many repeats, but I think we only got 3.


Here is Gabriel Miranda playing called to serve.


Here is 'medley' of youth gathered sharing, after the 'concert'.

 Usually after an affair like this I am wired and have a hard time going to sleep.  This time, incredibly, it was Rod who couldn't stop talking about it.  It is fun to share something so fully.  We will do it at least once more, maybe twice before we go.

Last Thursday at Krishna Betia's home her father, whom we had never met, came out and visited with us. After a while he came in with a snack for Rod.  It was boiled bananas with a bit of rice and lots of milk.  For some reason boiled bananas (which we have had only once before) is the least favorite (except Noni, of course) of both of us.  Rod began to eat and I continued teaching.  We made it through at least two more verses and still he ate.  When he finished, we packed up, prayed, and went to the car.  When we arrived there her dad called out to us that he'd prepared some for "la hermana".  I gratefully told him we were late to our next appointment and couldn't return.  I counted it as my tender mercy of the day.  I hope he really enjoyed it himself.

One of our students requested books in English to practice with.  I have been wanting books to read, so when we had a cancellation I asked Rod to take me to the Importadora Americana.  They have children's books, often Newberry Award ones for garage sale prices.  We bought a few dollars worth and have been reading all week.  I love the escape of a good book.  It really is relaxing and keeps me from feeling like I need to drive myself all the time. I think my body appreciates it.  Now we have read them and will give them to her.  What a deal!

I love working here.  It is such a blessing to be part of the Lord's work.