Fin de Ano

Since the end of the year coincides with the end of the school year, December is by far the busiest month. I find myself in awe of how fast the time is flying. While I am grateful that the time is going quickly so I can see my friends and family, I feel like I am just getting started here and know in June it will be hard to leave Uruguay.

In La Obra Ecumenica, we are preparing for our field trip to Cabo Polonio and the end of year party. From a very generous donation, the kids and teachers have the opportunity to go to the east coast of Uruguay and see a new part of the country. I do not think any of the kids or teachers have been here, and everyone is very excited for this Saturday! For the end of they year celebration, I am teaching the younger kids the Cha Cha Slide. While it is easy for any English-speaker to catch on, it is a bit harder for kids who do not understand what the words say. I have probably done the dance 20 times in the past two weeks and will not be disappointed if I do not ever have to do it again after the 19th!

The kids at La Obra are precious and it seems like they understand me and I understand them a lot better than 3 1/2 months ago.

A funny story (that requires a little background):
Soccer (or futbol as it is called here) is huge and the fact that I am not a fan of one team or another is incomprehensible to the kids. One of the teams is called Penarol and another Nacional. Well, today we were talking about our field trip, and on the way to Cabo Polonio we are stopping at a national park (or a parque nacional in Spanish). While the teacher was explaining that we were going to this "Parque Nacional," one boy spoke up and asked if we were also going to go to the Parque Penarol! So we had to explain that "nacional" did not only refer to a soccer team, but also to the country.

At church this Sunday, we had three visitors from the United States! It was a brother and sister whose father was the missionary who helped to start the Lutheran church here in Montevideo. They spent most of their childhood here and this was the man's first time back and the woman's second. The wife of the man was also there. They both got up and shared some of their experience in the church and what they remembered. Some people that were members of the youth group with them were also at the service, and it was so neat to hear their stories. They both graduated from Wittenburg in Ohio and the man knew of Marietta and had even been there! He was a food service manager, and served Marietta! What a small world!

While one was talking during the service, a candle on the advent wreath fell over and the plastic wreath starting burning! AHHH! Luckily someone noticed right away and Wilma blew out the fire and someone took the smelly wreath out of the chapel.

This Friday, I get to see Betsy Curry who is coming to Montevideo for a day on a trip with her friend Cathy, from Parkersburg. It will be so nice to get to see friends from home.

I am looking forward to spending my Christmas with one of my adopted Uruguayan families. Analia is my friend here who is the secretary at the Waldensian church and she graciously invited me to spend Christmas in Colonia with her family.

The day after Christmas, I am going to Montevideo to welcome Megan, Josh, Laura and Anne to South America for a week! I cannot wait to show them what I have been up to!