We just got back from El Mosco which is in the mountains. (Indecently, el mosco means the mosquito and I counted 43 bites just now! lol) El Mosco was amazing. Our group got to work with the kids for most of the time and we really had a fabulous time. We did coloring and jump rope for the most part. The kids would run around and want up to write our names on their papers. I felt like a celebrity signing autographs!
For the guys who went on the trip last year – and the girls too – I thought you all would like to know how Mateo is doing. His mom is a Christian and his older brother, Mario, is working at Roca Blanca now. Mateo’s a beast at jump rope and keep away! While we were signing our names on their papers, he got a hold of my pen and wrote his name on my arm. We all thought it was really cute un
til we found out that that was saying that he liked me a lot and the fact that I kept it there meant I liked him too (not a brother in Christ type way). Everyone had a good laugh over that one! The joke now is that I almost got married to Mateo! Beyond that, he’s doing well! He’s going to school and his parents enforce his attendance! It will be exciting to watch him grow throughout my visits to the mountains.Another happy tidbit of information from the mountains, we went to a village called Pueblo Viejo. I’m sure that many of the LCS group that went last year will remember the drunk guy that I had the pleasure of talking to for an extended period of time. Well, I had the privilege of seeing him again on this last trip. He was wearing a Christian shirt from Roca Blanca and helping out around the church we were at. It was sooo exciting! I don’t know if he’s a Christian or not but I was glad to see him at least heading in the right direction!
One of the most memorable experiences from this last trip was a lady named Catalina. She had no use of her legs and had to drag herself every where she went. She came for medical help at Pueblo Viejo and after, she had almost a mile to get home. Eddie and I took her home. We put her in a plastic lawn chair and carried her when the road stopped. The path to her house went over a creek that had stepping stones overit and then up and extremely steep hill. Her house was on top of the hill. It was tough carrying her and climbing up the hill. Then I thought about how much harder it must be for her to get around. It was a sobering thought.
Right now I’m enjoying some down time on top of the guest house. My team just finished cleaning the Bodaga, or storage room at the medical clinic. Hopefully soon, I’ll be able to post some pictures of all that’s been going on!
