Day Eight ~ God Delights in Giving Us the Desires of Our Hearts!

Saturday, April 24, 2010
A song I remember from childhood said, “Delight yourself, delight yourself, also in the Lord, & He will give you the desires of your heart.” That is straight from the Bible! In Psalm 37:3 to 5, it says, “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safety. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this”

Today, God did that for me TWICE ~ it had been the desire of my heart to see a particular movie before I left the states to come to Mexico. I had tried to go with my teenage niece, but it was no longer in the theaters. Well, today, I saw that movie. Also, one of the things I always miss the most when I travel to a different country is “good” pizza. Of course, the word “good” is relative to each person’s different tastes! Well, today, I had GOOD pizza, accompanied by wonderful, godly fellowship! The desires of my heart…blessings unexpected… Keep counting those blessings, brothers & sisters!!!

I woke up at 4-something, back to sleep until 6-something, awake again, back to sleep, stayed in bed until 9:00!

Breakfast was cornflakes with milk and sliced banana, and 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with sugar-free blackberry jam.

I went online for just ten minutes, but there were no updates.

I read 16 pages of a book I brought with me, Max Lucado’s Come Thirsty. Then, I started the workbook pages in the companion study workbook. Then, I wrote up a grocery list, because we would be going this afternoon (for my breakfasts & lunches). I updated my journal of my experiences here until 11:10. I started typing up my journal pages.

Just before 12, Julie took me to the grocery store. She helped me to find everything on my list, including tuna fish, sliced deli ham, sliced cheese, whole wheat bread, whole wheat tortillas, brown rice, multi grain pasta, skim milk, fresh veggies & fruit. I spent about 40 dollars & hope that it will last me a week or two! This was the second grocery store I had been in with Julie. They were both different names, but they were major grocery stores! They had groceries PLUS clothing, electronics, housewares…they are kind of like a grocery store merged with a Super Walmart. Here are a couple of observations: Yogurt is really big here! There was an entire wall of different kinds and sizes! Cottage cheese apparently is not very big here. There were 2 kinds, 1 size, no varieties of low-fat, sodium-free, etc… Carrots are less than 50 cents per kilo! They had a huge table displaying the most beautiful cakes & pastries I’ve ever seen! For example, there was a sheet cake, covered in smooth white icing, icing flowers designating each serving size, then a rainbow of fresh fruit slices on each serving!

We got back to the house at 2 & quickly unpacked, because we were planning on going to a movie that started at 2:35.

For lunch, we had hamburgers that they had grilled over a charcoal grill before & then frozen. They were SO delicious! We had them on buns, with mayo, ketchup, cheese, tomato, lettuce, & pickles. They were so juicy that they were dripping! SUPER YUMMY!

We left the house at 2:15 to walk to the movie theater to see Dear John, the Nicholas Sparks movie starring Channing Tatum. We met Nate & Abby there. He is the Office Administrator for SIL & she is the Volunteer Coordinator. Apparently tickets are much cheaper here than at home? Plus, Julie has a card for people their age, so they were 2 or 3 dollars each! Roy & Julie had planned on getting soda & popcorn. I wanted to get a soda too. So, Roy got a combo that had popcorn & 2 sodas for 90 pesos & they gave me the extra soda. I thought the movie was SO good! What a great story, with several unexpected twists! I didn’t know that it was a Nicholas Sparks novel (like The Notebook). Nate & Abby had taken the bus to get there & they had also invited us over for pizza for supper. So, we decided to walk to the house & all drive together in the van.
Here are some pictures of the views while walking between the house & the shopping center:



As we walked back to the house, we stopped at the local indoor market to buy flowers for church tomorrow. About half of the stalls had already closed for the day, but I got to see the flowers, the piñatas, & a couple other little stores.


So, yesterday, as I was sitting outside the house, waiting for my morning ride to school, the beautiful orange tree across the street was calling my name! I SO wanted to just go pick one & take it with me for a morning snack! I had noticed it before that too…but, yesterday morning, it almost got the best of me! I literally had to restrain myself from walking across the street & taking an orange! So, when we walked back to the house this afternoon, from the market, I asked Roy, “So, if a fruit tree is hanging into the street, does that make its fruit public property?” He told me no, but that he would go ask permission to get me one. A couple minutes later, he came back with SEVEN oranges! What a kind & thoughtful brother in Christ he is! And, what a generous neighbor we have! Personally, I have never seen him outside the house, but I’ll have to find a way to say thanks. Oh my goodness gracious ~ that orange, fresh off of the tree, was SO delicious! It was warm, it was sweet, & it dripped its goodness all over my fingers! YUMMY!


So, after a bit, the 5 of us got in the van & went to Nate & Abby’s house. I got to know them better over some scrumptious frozen pizzas! They’ve been missionaries here for a few years & in Guatemala before that. It was a really neat time of fellowship, with all of us getting to know each other better!!!

We left their house just after 8pm. At 8:15, I said, “It’s been a week since my plane touched down here in Oaxaca!” In some ways, it seems like it’s been much longer than just a week! So much has happened & I’ve met so many new people & gone so many new places!

When we got home, I spent 30 minutes sanitizing my newly purchased fresh fruits & veggies.

I uploaded my pictures & edited them. Then, I watched a Disney movie that took place in the 1950s at a boys’ school, while I was online, until 11pm.

I spent time finishing typing up the Day 5 Diary Page 4 the blog & played a cool trial version of Yahtzee on my laptop for an hour and a half, till 1:30am!!!! For the record, this was NOT a good idea! I couldn’t fall asleep right away, I had such an itchy throat! So, I took some NyQuill Sinus & let a Hall’s dissolve in my mouth, before I finally fell asleep, just before 3AM! UGH, stinkin allergies!!!!

Day Seven ~ The Day I Was Amazed By the Students of Oaxaca Christian School

Friday, April 23, 2010
I woke up before the alarm at 5-something, fell back 2 sleep until 6, & out of bed at 6:30.

Julie had made Belgium waffles, so I put a bit of soft margarine on one, put 3 sliced strawberries on it, & folded it in half. WHAT A TREAT THAT WAS!!! It was SO yummy!

I was ready for my second day at the school. I waited outside from 7:10 to 7:30 for my ride (from the family with 3 kids at OCS). While I was waiting, I was eying the fruit trees across the street from the house…MAN, that fruit looks so good! It just calls my name! While I was waiting I saw this adorable little black Scottish Terrier prancing by. It came past 3 times while I was out there. It was fighting with a cat that was in a bush. It would go up to the bush, bark and bark, then go prancing back up the road. It just really struck me as funny.

We got to the school at 7:57. I thought that school was to start at 8:00, but there was no one in the classroom. So, I thought maybe they were somewhere else – I knew chapel was today, so I wondered if maybe chapel was first thing & I was in the wrong place? But, it turned out that the rest of the class was just running late.

So, I was observing again in the third/fourth grade classroom. Since I don’t have my visa yet, I am not allowed to teach. So, I just did whatever I could to help Nancy & learn about the regular classroom routine from her.

I was excited to show the class the presentation about the volcano in Iceland, that I had created last night. But, for several hours, I was having lots of trouble with the “low” / “poor” signal strength of their wireless internet. It comes from the office, which is just across the courtyard from the classroom, but it just wouldn’t work & wouldn’t work & wouldn’t work…I was really disappointed!

I bought lunch again. It was potato chowder and a hard roll for 25 pesos. At lunch time, I enjoyed conversation with Lorri for about 20 minutes ~ learning more about the school, the ministry, & Oaxaca. I mentioned to her in that conversation that I was so disappointed that I couldn’t show what I had prepared to the class.  When we parted ways, I spent about 10 mintues taking pictures of plants, flowers, & trees around the school.

Then, for the rest of the lunch & recess time, I sat in the classroom, trying again to open the internet. MIRACLE ~ it suddenly worked! So, I thought the kids would be back at 1:00…turns out that they have gym class right after a 45 minute lunch & recess time on Fridays. So, fortunately, when the kids came back into the classroom, the internet signal was still good enough to show them the Brainpop video & a few articles & pictures. But, then the signal went away, so I couldn’t show them everything I had planned. At least I got to show some.

Nancy showed me how to use the copier while a classroom Mom read a few chapters of a story to the class. Then, school was over at 2:30. BUT ~ their Cultural Arts Festival was beginning at 3. So, I helped to watch the first through fourth grade kids until it started.

I was SOOOOOOO impressed by the art that was displayed at the festival!!!! Keep in mind that this is a school with only about 50 students, from Kindergarten through Twelfth grades. The art that was on display was a couple selections from each student, from throughout the whole school year. There was everything from watercolors, to poetry, to hand-made jewelry, to mosaics, to drawing, to photography, and more!!! And, it was ALL REALLY WELL DONE!!! In addition to what was being displayed, there was more than an hour “talent show”. That included skits, spoken poetry, dramatic poetry, a comedy routine, a salsa dance, a gymnastics routine, & a trumpet demonstration. At the beginning of this part, David (the principal) introduced me to the audience of parents. (I was embarrassed because I didn’t know if anyone noticed that my skirt totally stuck to the back of my legs when I stood up from the plastic chair, where I’d been sitting.) There were refreshments afterwards.

Also at the festival, there was a lady selling tamales. She had 3 different kinds, all with chicken ~ mole, green, and red. They were 8 pesos for one (about 75 cents). I bought 6 of them for 45 pesos (about 4 dollars). Miriam (the Spanish teacher) had told me that she knew the best place to buy tamales & that she would get some for me when I saw her on Sunday. But, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try these for 4 bucks. I figured it was worth it to pay 4 dollars for 2 or 3 meals. I got a ride home again with that same family. When I got in, I knew that Julie & Roy would not be there. So, as soon as I let myself in, I washed my hands, & took 3 tamales out of the corn husks. I tried one of each type. OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS! They were SOOOO good! I was easting too fast & I chomped a bone! Then, I was eating more carefully & found 4 more bones!

Then, I played a trial version of Yahtzee on my laptop, while listening to music, until Julie & Roy came home, about 30 minutes later. They turned on the internet, so… I got on it. Then, they left for the evening. I was online, uploading and editing photos, typing up Day 4 diary page & putting it on the blog until 11:45 when I went to bed.

Ten Memorable Moments in Oaxaca, Mexico (From Days 4, 5, & 6)

On past missions trips, our team would meet together at the end of each day to regroup & decompress, with what we called "Highs and Lows" ~ this was a chance to share what God had taught us that day, what really made us smile, OR what made us cry, or was bothering us.
I decided that I'm going to share with you my HIGHS & just keep the "lows" to myself (only to be shared with God & with those who ask).


So, these posts of HIGHS are for:
* those who want the "short" version, instead of reading each day's diary page I've posted.
* those who are interested in the HIGH points of my trip so far
* those who just want a quick glimpse of what it is like being a volunteer missionary here in Oaxaca, Mexico

HIGHS of Days 4, 5, & 6:

* I was blessed to be invited to join a Ladies’ Bible Study in the book of Colossians. They were just getting ready to begin the book, so it was perfect timing!


* Learning a Spiritual lesson while sitting outside the hospital room of a missionary man who is terminally ill


* Discovering a FREE museum about stamps from around the world with Julie


* My Canon PowerShot D10 miraculously turned back on after it would only display an irreparable error message the day before!


* The accomplishment of finishing the immigration application process that I’ve been working on for several weeks (This includes: Rosa FINDING me, after I was “lost” in the huge immigration building / Julie being available and willing to bring my passport & tourist visa down to the immigration office / And meeting Debbie, a single missionary.)


* Debbie bought me a churro, my very FIRST authentic Mexican churro!


* Joining a weekly prayer meeting with SIL missionaries


* Bonding with the students of the third and fourth grade class a bit during two days of observation at OCS


* Hearing a bit about the backgrounds and ministries of both the missionary family who is giving me a ride home from school & the Kindergarten teacher


* Finally feeling like a teacher again, as I spent the evening finding online resources and preparing a visual presentation for the third/fourth grade class about the Iceland volcano

Day Six Diary Page ~ A Day That Began With Me Looking Like A Monster From A Scary Movie!

Thursday, April 22, 2010
I woke up at 6:25 this morning with BADLY swollen eyelids & under the eyes. Apparently it is an allergic reaction, but I don’t know to what exactly?

Another teacher (who came here from the US two years ago) told me today that she gets it too. She said she thinks it’s because of the heat. Yesterday was 90 degrees, today will hit 91. She said that for a few days after it rains she doesn’t have any problems, but then it will come back.

We left just before 8. Julie drove me to the school. We got there at 8:20 & met in David’s office (the principal). He showed me around the school grounds, explaining each room…
I observed from 9 to 12 in Nancy’s class, the third & fourth grade class.

I bought lunch at the school. For 20 pesos, I got a cold hamburger with melted cheese, wilted lettuce, tomato, melted avocado, & salsa. But, I was so hungry that I prayed over it and gobbled it right up.

I spent about an hour and a half going over lesson plans with the Kindergarten teacher, seeing her room, etc… They only have Kindergarten two days a week. Her son is in the third/fourth grade classroom only on those two days.  Then, I was back to observing in Nancy’s class until 2:30, when school ends.

I sat at a picnic table to wait for my ride. I took pictures, watched the children playing, & just enjoyed the scenery. We left at about 3. My ride home was with a missionary family who has 3 kids at the school. The mother is the one who drives the kids to & from school. The father is a pilot/mechanic with Missionary Aviation Fellowship. Their boy is in the third/fourth grade class that I’ll be spending time in. So, it is really neat getting to know them all a bit on the ride.

The DELICIOUS supper Julie prepared was sliced ham, boiled potatoes, & broccoli with sliced strawberries & blueberries for dessert!

I spent the evening washing dishes, doing a load of laundry, hanging laundry, taking down laundry, uploading pictures to Facebook & Flickr, & watching a show online. I am SO disappointed that I cannot view any of the US shows online, like I could if I were living in the US. ABC & CBS both say that the episode videos cannot be watched outside of the US because of some legal permissions or something? NBC says the same thing, but I was able to see one show. I just assumed that I’d be able to keep up with a few of my favorite shows during my down time.

Then, Julie & Roy came back, telling me that I was invited to go with them to the house of another missionary couple who lives just a block away. So, I went with them. We enjoyed a few bites of coconut ice cream & an older movie about Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson. There were 2 other single girls there as well. One was Debbie, who I had met the day before at the immigration building. It was good to see them all & was fun to be out…  We got back about 10:30?

I spent 2 hours online, creating a Word Doc with links of several sites with news and pictures of the Iceland volcano & found Brainpop video clips on volcanoes as well. Then, I installed Google Earth on this new laptop & spent time exploring, putting pins in my home, in Oaxaca, & in the Iceland volcano so I could show the kids tomorrow.

Then, I quickly checked Facebook & was in bed at 12:30. (TOO LATE!!!)

Day Five Diary Page ~ “Dear Officials, I Would Like to be Allowed to Teach”

Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Today was a really tough day, both emotionally & spiritually, as I spent several hours at immigration. If it wasn’t for the Lord’s grace, the help of a Mexican national, a “chance” meeting with another missionary, and the availability of Julie, I don’t think I would have managed to submit my visa application.

Today was the day that I was going to the immigration office, to hand in my tourist visa and apply for a visa that would allow me to teach here. I had asked so many people to pray! By the time we left the house, just before 9am, I was feeling pretty confident. Little did I know that things would not go at all as planned!

Before I left the house, Roy had printed out the scanned pages of my passport for me (all 15 of them). Days earlier, he had given me a printout of the scanned pages of my tourist visa, & I made sure I had that in my folder of papers. So, in going through my mental checklist, making sure I had everything for the day, I made sure I had those copies, made sure I had my 3 months worth of original bank statements, made sure I had my original teaching certificate and original letter of apostille attached. I knew it would be about 450 pesos, so I made sure I had plenty of cash in my wallet. The plan was that after immigration, I would hang out in the city a bit with April, a single missionary who had been here since January. So, in anticipation of spending the afternoon outside, I had applied sunblock to my face & sunscreen to my arms, etc… My water bottle was full. I had a granola bar and an apple. I knew I would be coming home on the bus or by taxi, so I made sure I had change and the house keys. I had the phone numbers of the house & Julie in my journal & my journal was packed. I FELT ready!

So, just before 9, Julie drove me to the immigration building, where I was to meet Rosa at 9. (Rosa is the secretary at the SIL office who had helped me with filling out the visa application paperwork on Monday.) She was to be my Spanish-speaking “advocate”. Julie dropped me off at 9:15. I walked in & looked around. I didn’t see Rosa anywhere. There were 2 uniformed officials there who told me to sign in. In Spanish, they helped me know what to write in each column, since the only words I could figure out myself were name, date, and time. They could tell that I didn’t know where I was going, so I told them that I needed the office of immigration (necessito la officina de imigracion). He pointed for me to walk through the courtyard & go up the steps. I looked around again for Rosa & April, but didn’t see Rosa or any girls with red hair (which is all that I knew about April).

At the top of the steps was another sign in book, but I didn’t know if I needed to sign it or not, since I had just signed downstairs? So, I just stood there, looking at all the office doors around me, looking at the courtyard below me, looking at the main entrance ~ looking for Rosa & April. As I stood there & minute after minute passed, I was fighting the feeling of fear from entering…

After 15 minutes…I was on the verge of crying. I thought maybe Rosa had been there & had already left, since we didn’t get there until 9:15? Or, maybe she was in one of the office surrounding me, waiting for me, but how could I know? So, finally, I got up the guts to ask the uniformed lady at the sign in book behind me if she spoke English. She said no. I tried formulating a sentence that would say I was looking for my 2 friends & needed to apply for my visa, but I didn’t know where to go. All I was able to get out was that I was looking for my 2 friends. (Soy buscando mi dos amigas). I think that she then asked me what their names were. Of course, I only knew their first names & I wasn’t even sure if that was what she had asked me.

She told me to hold on & a minute later another uniformed lady came out. She spoke English really pretty well. I explained that I needed to apply for my visa, but that I was waiting for my 2 friends because one had my paperwork, & I didn’t know if my friends might already be here. I didn’t know what to do. She spoke to the other lady & she walked me back through a couple hallways to an office.

There were only 2 officials in that office, no Rosa, no April. One of the uniformed officials in that office asked me a question in Spanish. I didn’t understand her. I asked her if she spoke English, but she didn’t. She asked me for my tourist card. I didn’t want to get anything started without Rosa, since she had my official paperwork. So, I tried to explain that I was waiting for my 2 friends & that my friend has my paperwork. But, I couldn’t remember the verb for wait…She just told me then to sit down.

By this time, the tears were almost brimming, I was fighting them hard, but they started squeezing out. I felt that NOW, Rosa & April had even less of a chance of finding me! I was in some back office of the immigration building, with people who didn’t speak English & I didn’t speak Spanish… I waited as 5 minutes passed & then 10 minutes passed. By now, it was almost 9:45, 45 minutes AFTER I was supposed to meet Rosa. I was just praying and praying that someone who spoke English would find me. I was trying not to be fearful, but I was lost in a foreign country, where I didn’t know the language well enough, & INSIDE a small office in a government building!

Despite the prayers & my attempts at positive thinking, tears started rolling down my face. The lady in the office then asked me a question I didn’t understand. Then, I understood that she was asking me the telephone number of my friends. I DIDN’T have the phone number of either Rosa or April, but I DID have the house phone number & Julie’s cell phone number. I knew Julie had a busy day ahead, as she had planned to go grocery shopping after dropping me off. So, I pointed to the house number, explaining the best I could that I didn’t have the phone numbers of my 2 friends, but that this was the phone number of the house where I was staying. (Yo no se los numeros de mis amigas, tengo telephono de la casa.) By now, I was crying between words. She patted my shoulder, took the book, & left the office.

I sat down now, trying to control myself. I was so grateful that she had done that & was just prayerful that Roy would be there to answer the phone. Shortly after she left, a head popped in that, through my teary eyes, I recognized as Rosa. I jumped up and hugged her, crying. In Spanish, she told me sorry & said something about the bus. Then, the lady came back in with my book, & she & Rosa talked briefly. In Spanish, Rosa told me to stay there.

She left & returned a minute later with a number ticket for us. Soon, a different lady came to get us & took us into another office. Rosa was speaking with her & showing her documentation. Then, they asked for my “pasaporte original” ~ I didn’t think I had it with me, so I started shaking my head, but I looked anyway through my bag. I tried to explain to her that I thought I only needed the paperwork we had, the copies. (Yo no se necessito original, solo los copy.) So, we had to leave the office.

Rosa asked me for Julie’s number. I gave it to her & she went out in the hall to call. She came back in to get me, so I could tell Julie where my passport & tourist visa were. She found them immediately & told me she would be right over with them. So, we went downstairs to the front door to wait for Julie.

While we were waiting another missionary, named Debbie, came by. She translated between Rosa & me. When Debbie asked me about what had happened, I involuntarily started crying again…

When Julie showed up, we went back upstairs to that first office. On the way up, she told me that she had decided not to go to the store & that is why she was available to bring me my passport & tourist visa! What a blessing! When we got back upstairs, we had to take another number & wait a bit to get back into the second office. Once we got back into the other office, everything went very smoothly with completing the application process.

Then, we had to go wait in line at the bank, so I could pay 491 pesos for the application fee. Then, we went to the internet place across the street to pay for copies of the receipt saying that I had paid. Then, we walked back to the second office to hand in the receipt.

While we were in there, Debbie had come back to give us some churros she had bought. That was SO thoughtful of her! We ate them as we were walking out of the immigration building. I was super hungry, since I had eaten breakfast 5 hours earlier & they were SO yummy!

Julie took the bus home with me.

That evening, there was a weekly prayer meeting of the area’s SIL missionaries at our house. It was a true blessing to hear their HIGHS & lows, to pray together & get to know each a little bit! WOW ~ God is really working in & through the missionaries here!

I shared that my HIGH & low was the same thing ~ my day at immigration…it was an emotional day, but God worked through it. Now, I was just asking people to pray for favor, that the visa application will be accepted quickly, so I can begin teaching. SO MUCH time and effort and money has gone into this process…the reason I was brought here to Oaxaca is to teach! So, I am asking, “Dear Officials, Please, Accept My Application, Because I Really Want To Teach!”

Please, brothers & sisters in Christ, pray with me!

I’ll keep you updated!

Day Four Diary Page ~ A Day of Unexpected Happenings

Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Today was a day of unexpected happenings, including: enjoying a stamp museum, discovering my purpose while sitting outside of a hospital room, an impromptu meeting with the entire school board, & my beloved & treasured camera deciding to die.

I woke up at 7:45, without an alarm. Showered. For breakfast I had granola, milk, & fresh squeezed orange juice (THANKS 2 Julie!)

We decided not to go on the cathedral tour yet, as we had planned, because of the enormous amount of walking involved. (I was still having altitude sickness symptoms & not yet used to the heat.)

Instead, I did Facebook, Flickr, & Blog until 11:20 with my feet up, to try to reduce the swelling.

We took the bus to a free stamp museum. (Free is the best kind!) I didn’t know quite what to expect. I had collected stamps for a time when I was a young child, but didn’t know if it would be worth the bus trip & walking… It turned out to be really VERY fascinating, especially the room with the world map on the cement floor & then stamps from all over the world on the 4 walls!

I found stamps from every country I have been & took pictures each. That was cool. I also bought 3 really neat bookmarks, made from used stamps from Mexico. They are stamps from like 40 years ago! Really neat!

Then, we walked to a local hospital for Julie to visit her friend… Along the way, I saw some interesting things ~ including walking underneath a lime tree & some cars & trucks I've never seen before. 

It was during this part of the day that I was reminded, “it’s not about me!” I was sitting outside the room, perfectly occupied with going through my receipts in my purse, then writing in my journal, then looking at the pictures I’d taken on my camera, then eating a granola bar… Then, I found myself wondering what to do next. My selfish brain even wondered what was taking so long. Then, KLUNK! It was like I was hit in the head with the reminder that this is NOT about me! We were there to visit someone in the hospital!!!! Even if I couldn’t go in, I could still minister to him with prayer! So, I began praying, first to thank God for reminding me that my life is not my own, it was bought with a price, & then for comfort for this man that I didn’t know & for wisdom for Julie as she talked with him. It was a good reminder to check myself.


We took the bus back to the house, arriving at 2:30. Then, we quickly left again for 3:00 Bible study at the school, with Julie, Lorri, & Nancy (2 teachers there at OCS). They were just beginning the Bible study in the book of Colossians that week, so they had invited me to join them. On our way TO the school, a phone call with David (the school’s principal) ended by him announcing that he wanted me to meet the school board before the Bible study. Oh my goodness gracious! Meeting the school board while sweaty from hours of being outside & on public transportation?? So, when we arrived ~ I met the entire school board! They were very nice & welcoming (considering how I looked & considering that they were in the middle of a board meeting).


Bible study was really good ~ it was a detailed introduction with a good amount of discussion. I learned quite a bit too, that’s always good! It lasted until about 5. I took 3 pictures of the 2 teachers, Nancy & Lorri, with my little handheld camera. It was School Spirit Week at the school, and that day was Twin Day. They looked so adorable, so I offered 2 take a picture & said I’d email it to them.

I was SHOCKED & DISMAYED to discover that only minutes later, the camera wouldn’t work! It would beep & give me this error message about the lens. I couldn’t believe it! I had only been in the country for 4 days out of a 7 week trip & already my camera had broken??? The whole ride back to the house & the rest of the evening, I kept trying it. I even took the battery & camera card out of the camera…still the same error message. I looked at the manual & looked at the Canon website, searching for answers. It said that this message would come on if the lens had too much pressure applied to it. So, I guess I squeezed it in its case too hard? All I know is I was really sad about it.


The loss of my camera, plus the way I was feeling, equaled me falling into discouragement. With tears in my eyes, I typed this as my Facebook status that evening:


Jenn Noll is trying NOT to be discouraged... Please pray for my STILL swollen feet & ankles, the rumbly in my tummy, & my handheld camera that I apparently broke today after taking a picture of 2 teachers I'll be volunteering with. :( Also, please pray for my visa application as I go to immigration WED morning! On a positive note, I got to see the school where I’ll be, met some staff, & enjoyed a Bible study there today.

10 Memorable Moments in Oaxaca, Mexico (from Days 1, 2, & 3)

On past missions trips, our team would meet together at the end of each day to regroup & decompress, with what we called "Highs and Lows" ~ this was a chance to share what God had taught us that day, what really made us smile, OR what made us cry, or was bothering us.  Then, we'd pray for each other & for the ministry, praising God for the things that were the HIGHS & asking for help with the lows.

I decided that I'm going to share with you my HIGHS & just keep the "lows" to myself (only to be shared with God & with those of you who ask).

So, these posts of HIGHS are for:
     * those who want the "short" version, instead of reading each day's diary page I've posted.
     * those who are interested in the HIGH points of my trip so far
     * those who just want a quick glimpse of what it is like being a volunteer missionary here in Oaxaca, Mexico

HIGHS of Days 1, 2, & 3:

* that God helped both of my laptops get here safely & Roy was able to fix the power cord that was irreparable (there are 2 because one is being donated to SIL)

* meeting the famous author of beloved children’s books, Harry Allard (I LOVE the Miss Nelson books!!!!)

* enjoying fellowship with 3 teachers from Oaxaca Christian School (toured a museum together that used to be the governor’s palace where we learned and played an ancient board game & saw beautiful murals, then went to lunch where I had my first taste of authentic Oaxacan food)

* sitting on a bed in Oaxaca, Mexico listening online to Pastor Joe’s Sunday morning message just a few hours after he had preached it at Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia = PRICELESS!

* visiting an impressive English Lending Library & ending up buying Thai food inside the library & enjoying it for supper (my first time eating Thai)

* relaxing with an iced mocha at The Italian Coffee Company, next to the beautiful Park of the Lions

* answering all of Rosa’s questions about my immigration paperwork in Spanish (It’s been 3 years since I’ve even attempted speaking Spanish & I was only a beginner even then…to say that I NEED PRACTICE is an understatement!!!)

* the encouragement and smiles that come from being able to chat online with Facebook with family, friends, & former coworkers  (IF you see me online on FB, FEEL FREE to open a chat ~ it's great to hear from "home" when I'm out of the country!)

* trying to keep a straight face when I got my pictures taken at a professional photographer for my immigration papers (He instructed me to be solemn, but I was giggling inside that I was an unattractive, sweaty mess with a swollen face and eyelids!)

* relaxing with feet up & watching the movie Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood with Julie & Roy (Although I’d seen it several times before, it was so much fun to watch it with people who’d never seen it before!)

Day Three Diary Page ~ A Day Like None I’ve Ever Had Before

Monday, April 19, 2010
Today was a day FILLED with new experiences: riding a public bus in Oaxaca, visiting an English lending library where famous authors hang out & they sold Thai food, enjoying a yummy iced drink that looked like art, visiting the SIL office, & seeing the biggest mountains my eyes have ever seen!

I woke up this morning before the alarm clocks again, at 7 something. This is two days in a row this has happened & it’s cracking me up because at home, it takes like 3 alarms to pull me out of bed! Well, it’s better to be up early, then to sleep through the alarm, so it’s all good! I stayed in bed till 8, & was downstairs by 8:30. I had oatmeal, a piece of toast, & milk. The milk here is the ultra-pasteurized kind that is in a box & is sold on a shelf instead of refrigerated.

Julie drove the 3 of us into the SIL office. She introduced me to several of the members & also showed me a wall with pictures of about 100 members, telling me where they were ministering. It is all really interesting!

Then, we walked to the ATM, walked to the bus stop, took the bus, then walked a few more blocks to get my picture taken for my immigration visa. By the time I arrived, I was “glowing” ~ I knew it wouldn’t be an attractive picture, because my hair was all pulled back, my face & eyes were still all puffy, & my face was still dripping from the exercise & the heat. But, I figured, at least I still have my winning smile! So, the photographer placed me on the stool, tilted my head one way, then another, pushed back my shoulders, & nodded approvingly. As he stood behind the camera, adjusting the lens, I was smiling my widest smile. He was shaking his head & speaking in Spanish…all I caught was a word that sounded similar to “solemn” ~ sure enough, he didn’t want me to smile! By now, I was giggling inside, just imagining what this picture would look like ~ a sweaty, white girl with apparently no hair, puffy eyes, and no smile. It was so hard to keep a straight face, because I was laughing about the unattractive picture that would portray me on my official documents!

Then, we walked to a nearby English Lending Library. Imagine my surprise when I once again saw the world-famous author, Harry Allard! Julie bought a movie that I suggested (for 5 pesos) and I bought a non-fiction book about the survivors of the 1930s dust bowl (for 30 pesos).

I was also surprised to find a lady selling Thai food right there inside the library! Joy bought a shrimp & rice dish and spring rolls for us to eat for supper.

As we walked back to the bus stop, Julie suggested that we take a break by stopping at The Italian Coffee Company.  I knew I wanted something iced, to refresh from the heat. After I decided what I wanted, Joy told me she & Roy both liked that one too. I guess great minds think alike. It was an iced mocha with chocolate syrup, and topped with super yummy whipped cream, jimmies, & an Oreo. It was SO good! They also had nice comfy chairs & a great view of the beautiful park across the street!

We took the bus back & then walked a couple blocks uphill to the SIL office.

Boy, walking back up that hill was tough!

After drinking a bunch of water, I sat with Rosa (the SIL office receptionist) to do final paperwork that would be needed to apply for my visa. This was my first attempt at speaking and reading in Spanish.

Julie made us yummy ham & cheese quesadillas for lunch at 3:30. We had an interesting conversation over lunch where I learned about a couple of enlightening topics. We left the office at about 5 & drove over a mountain to get back to the house. It was really neat to get that view of the valley! Man, those mountains are HUGE!

We all watched The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood together when we got back. (This was the movie I had recommended from the library.) I had already seen it more than once, but it was such fun watching it with people who hadn’t seen it before. Good times, many laughs…

At 8 I had a small plate of the Thai food for supper. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it or not, as I had never tried Thai food before, but it was really tasty.

Julie went to aerobics class then & I spent time chatting on Facebook & editing & uploading pictures. I also had good conversation with Roy on & off during this time ~ I so enjoy learning about this area & the people of this area from both the English speaking Mexicans and from others who have spent many years here! In my opinion, it’s better to hear the facts from those who’ve experienced it than just reading about these things online or from a book.

I went to bed at 12:15, but didn’t sleep well...

Day Two Diary Page, Waking Up In Oaxaca, Mexico for the Very First Time

Sunday, April 18, 2010
Today was a day of pleasant surprises: a yummy homemade breakfast, finding so many things in common with Miriam, meeting a world famous author, finding inspiration in a liturgical Anglican church, visiting the governor's palace, finding authentic Oaxacan food delicious, & finding comfort in a message streamed all the way from Philadelphia!

I woke up, without an alarm, at 8 & stayed in bed till 8:30. I got in the shower for the first time here…I was told that it would take a little while for the hot water to come on. So, as soon as it was warm enough, I stepped under & did my thing. But, the water kept getting warmer & warmer until it was hot! I was turning the hot knob down & the cold knob up, but it didn’t make a difference. I finished quickly, but boy oh boy, that was some hot water. Here, it turns out that the cold water had run out. Well, it sure woke me up!

When I came downstairs, I found out that Julie was stomach sick all night. So, Roy made scrambled eggs. Miriam came over to drive us to church. This is the girl who is my age & teaches Spanish at the school where I’ll be volunteering. She is going to be the one driving me into school each day. I got to know her a bit then at the house & on the way to church.

Pastor Steve was outside the Anglican Holy Trinity Church building & greeted us. I walked in to find that this was actually their house & we were meeting in their living room, which had been converted into a small, but effective sanctuary. I had only been to a liturgical service once & just looking at the order of service in the bulletin was a bit overwhelming. So, I suggested to Miriam that I would be in charge of finding the songs in the hymnal if she would be in charge of finding all the prayers & readings in the prayer book. The sharing idea worked well & we managed to stay mostly on track. The whole service was in English. There were about 15 other people at the service, including Lori & Nancy, who are 2 of the other teachers at the school. I really appreciated the pastor’s message, which touched on topics of coping with commitments, the dangers of self-sufficiency, seeing God through stressful circumstances, & staying focused on counting our blessings!

After the service, they had a time of fellowship with refreshments provided by one of the missionaries. There were yummy bite-sized spinach quiche, of which I had two. There were also Triscuits (which apparently are really tough to get here) with dip & black coffee. As Miriam, Lori, Nancy & I were sitting down, Lori asked me if I’d ever heard of the Miss Nelson books. I said, “Oh yeah! That is one of my very favorite series!” To which she said, “Well, let me introduce you to Harry, the author.” I TOTALLY THOUGHT SHE MUST BE JOKING! I mean, seriously, what are the chances that I would come to a tiny, English-speaking Anglican church in Oaxaca, Mexico and meet one of my very favorite authors??? So, I stumbled out a few phrases that made it evident I thought she was joking. Meanwhile, my head just kept going back and forth from him to her, shaking in disbelief! When I finally realized it was true, I shook his hand & told him that I use the 3 Miss Nelson books in my classroom, to start off the first few days of every new school year! We all had good conversation during the time of fellowship & I was able to get to know all 3 teachers a bit more.

Joy had thoughtfully arranged a plan for lunch after church, but because she was still sick, it was just 3 teachers & me. They showed me around the zocolo, which was a busy square where people gathered to shop, sell, meet, & eat...  The state band was playing and we listened to it for a few minutes. There must have been 50 to 75 people playing in that band. Their music sounded great. Then, we decided to walk into the museum that borders the zocolo. It is a state museum that used to be the Governor’s palace.  The inside was amazingly beautiful!  While there, we had fun learning and playing an ancient board game with beans & corn as our playing pieces. It was such fun that Nancy bought one! The museum was really interesting, although we didn’t look at every single exhibit. Another fascinating thing were the 2 murals. I’ve been fascinated with murals for a long time, so I was excited to see some Mexican mural art in person!

Finally (at 3:30) we sat down, outdoors, at a restaurant to have lunch. I wanted to have some authentic Oaxacan food, so I picked from a few that were recommended. I don’t remember what it was called, but it was a large, thin slice of Oaxacan beef with crispy tortillas, covered with a chile sauce made with green tomatoes, covered with 2 different kinds of cheeses that I’ve never had before. I was so super hungry & it was so super good!!!

After Miriam dropped me off at the house, I spent about an hour online – checking email, Flickr, & Facebook. Then, I took notes in my journal as I streamed Pastor Joe’s message from that morning at Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia into my new room in Oaxaca, Mexico = GOTTA LOVE IT!

When I went downstairs, we got to talking about movies. Julie showed me this dvd they had called The Ultimate Gift. Since I’d never seen it, Julie watched it with me. It was a really good story & I recommend it for sure.

At 10ish, I had a ham & cheese sandwich for a late supper & was in bed by 11:15.

I AM disappointed that I didn’t have my camera with me to capture the events of the day, but it was a GOOD day, waking up in Oaxaca, Mexico for the very first time!

Day One Diary Page ~ Getting To Oaxaca, Mexico from Pennsylvania, USA

Saturday, April 17, 2010
I want to say a gigantic “Thank you” to my prayer partners for praying over all the details of this day for me! There were so many steps ~ so many things that had to go right for me to catch my flights, make my connections… All in all, things went very smoothly!

My sister Jackie, who lives 5 minutes from our house, was in the kitchen making breakfast for me when I came downstairs! What a blessing it was to eat a warm meal & to visit with Jackie & my 3 nieces a bit before leaving for the airport! My Mommy & Daddy drove me to the Philadelphia International Airport, where we arrived at 10am.

I bought a BIG water bottle before the flight & sat next to a very nice Texan man on the flight to Houston, TX. When we arrived, they told us the tram was down, so we would need to walk. It was 35 minutes of walking & sweating & walking & sweating through the airport! I bought a jumbo diet coke & sat down with my sandwich to relax & cool down.

I hadn’t remembered that when you fly on one of these much smaller planes, that your carry-on suitcases aren't allowed on the tiny airplane. Instead, they tag them & stow them under the plane.  I had my laptop computer in the front pocket of the suitcase, because that is where it fit.  But, now that it wasn't with me, safe in an overhead compartment, during the flight, I was concerned that the laptop would get cracked or crushed by the other luggage in the belly of the plane. For 2 ½ hours, we flew down the coast, through thunderstorms & there was turbulence the entire way from TX to Oaxaca.

While on that plane, I had filled out the customs declaration form. But, I didn’t realize that there was ANOTHER form that I was supposed to be given while on the plane. It was a form for immigration, to receive the tourist visa.  When I found out there was a different form that I needed, I was standing in front of the immigration agent, dumbfounded as to what to do next.  Then, by God’s provision, a girl who had been sitting a couple seats behind me on the flight had an extra form. I remembered hearing her tell the flight attendant that she had an extra & the flight attendant told her to go ahead & keep it as a souvenir. Well, she gave me the form & I got it filled out & all was well!

Praise the Lord, I picked up my luggage & got through customs with no issues. Roy was right there to help me to the van & Julie was there at the van. It was so great to finally be there, to meet them, & to know that the day’s journey was almost over! It was maybe a 15 minute ride to their house? I called my parents when we arrived. (It was nice to hear their voices! Of all the short-term missions trips I had been on, I had never had the opportunity to speak with family from the field! So, that was a true blessing! I unpacked into the room they were providing for me, visited with them a bit, used the laptop, & got to bed about 12:30.

It's Official!

IT IS OFFICIAL!!!!  I'm Going to Serve, with Wycliffe Associates, at Oaxaca Christian School, in Mexico, for 7 Weeks!!! 

I wanted to share all the details I know with each of you!  But, since I am leaving in just two weeks, there's no way I can speak with each of you. 
So, I created a Partnership Letter, filled with details.  You can read it (and print it) by clicking HERE.

I also created a Prayer Card, with the trip dates and specific prayer requests about this trip.  My intention for this Prayer Card is that you would have it hanging on your fridge, or in your office, or put it in your Bible ~ somewhere that you will see it daily and remember to pray for me. Prayer is SO powerful & is really needed when on a missions trip!!  You can view it (and print it) by clicking HERE. 

Lastly, there's a Partnership Response Card, provided by Wycliffe Associates.  This is for anyone who is able to financially contribute to this trip AND who wants to receive a receipt, for tax purposes.  To print this Partnership Response Card, click HERE.   

I have been told that I will have access to high-speed internet while I am in Mexico.  So, it is my intention to regularly update this blog with stories and pictures from the trip. 
STAY TUNED!!!  Feel free to comment on this blog and feel free to share it with others.  :)

Also, feel free to email me while I am away...I cannot explain how wonderful it is to hear "from home" ~ share whatever you like = words of encouragement, prayer requests, updates on your life... 


THANK YOU for ALL you are doing, to partner with me as I minister in Oaxaca, Mexico!  Thank you for your prayers!  Thank you for your financial donations!  Thank you for sharing the news with others!  “You are the world’s light…You glow in the night for all to see! Don’t hide your light! Let it shine!  Let your good works shine so others will see them and praise your Heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16