584 (from Sunday) - Youth Venture Part 1

As I sit here typing out this blog post there are a great deal of thoughts and memories going through my mind.  One, is that my poor 5-year old Macbook is nearing the end of it's life.  For the last 5 years it has served me quite well!  Even after spilling an entire glass of water on it 4 years ago, it has given me minimal problems.  About 6 months ago out of no where the attached keyboard and trackpad decided that they didn't want to work any more.  So, I went out and found a good deal on an external set of both and they have served me well.  I used these for about 2 1/2 months before my computer magically fixed itself (that is after going to the Mac store in the mall here and having them look at it twice and telling me that they had no way of fixing it because the part that it needs is no longer in stock, because my computer is so old, and they can't order it).  I was beyond excited at this point!  I was cleaning the dust off the trackpad one day and I saw my little cursor move!  Excitement doesn't begin to express the emotions that I felt.  It worked great again for about 3 months or so, then out of no where it stopped again.  So, I'm back to the external ones.  But, that's alright with me!

I'm reminded of the humidity here and how electronics are said to have half the amount of life that they would normally have in other circumstances.  Which is very surprising to me, because cell phones, tablets, and laptops here are a MUST for all people.  It might be because I left the US right as tablets were really taking off, but I would say that more people here in Barranquilla have tablets than other places that I've been!

My current second thought is that there must be a soccer game going on right now.  Outside there is hardly any traffic and there seems to be a small party going on in my neighbor's apartment and I hear them cheering for something!  I just heard the famous "Goooooooooooooool!!" scream that can only mean one thing!  We're doing well!  I should be wearing my jersey...

The third, more important, memory that I am reflecting on is my time with Mennonite Mission Network's Youth Venture team that was here recently (Did you see that?!  My first hyperlink, I didn't even know I could do that... now I feel silly).

Youth Venture is a learning tour between 2 and 3 weeks, either international or State-side that is put on by Mennonite Mission Network.  This year there were 8 locations to choose from, 4 international (Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, and South Africa) and 4 North American (Anchorage, Brownsville, Fort Myers, and Seattle).  Four lucky applicants and their two leaders had the good fortune to come and spend three weeks with me here in Barranquilla!

Firstly, I have to say that I love it when groups come to visit.  Not only is it a great opportunity to speak in English and catch up on what is going on in North America, it's a nice time to meet new people and also to show the visitors around Barranquilla and the work that the church and I do here.

When a group visits I see a whole new side of the church and it's members.  There is a newfound hospitality that emerges in the congregation that just fills my heart with joy and excitement.  As a whole the people of this church are generally quite hospitable, but when there are newcomers, it is exponentially greater!  We are blessed by seeing people open up their homes for people who they have never met, invitations to dinner, birthday parties, activities, and coffee are extended.  It is incredible.

Since there is not a lot of "physical" work that takes place in my position here, we were able to explore the more relational and learning aspects of what I do here in Barranquilla.  By far my favorite things that I do here is learn.  I learn about the culture, I learn about the people in the congregation, I learn about the situation here in Colombia.  I love to learn.  When groups are here, something that I am able to do is truly think about what all I've learned since being here.  It's a great time for me to process my experience and put it into words, rather than pictures, experiences, and emotions in my mind.  So, I string together words and thoughts and hope for the best!

One of our very first activities was going on a retreat to a little cabin on the beach with the church's youth group.  We had planned on trying to make this a city wide (for the churches in the city) retreat, but unfortunately that didn't work out as planned.

While there, we relaxed in hammocks...

Found crabs in our camp... Aldo is the brave one who caught our intruder! Although I suppose we were more intruding on his turf than he was ours.

We sang some songs... (top) Jean Carlos is playing a few songs and (bottom) Aldo and Isaías are here showing us how it's done!

We also played bi-lingual telephone pictionary, which was hilarious!

We also of course played on the beach that was just a 30 second walk from the cabin!

One of our next activities, possibly my favorite activity, was learning to cook with pastora Mitzi! 

Here, Mitzi is showing Graham how to make patacones (or tostones in most other Spanish speaking places).  They are cut up and twice-fried green plantains.  They are DELICIOUS!

Leah, Rachel and I are also taking a stab at the patacones.

Natalia (Mitzi's oldest daughter) is also learning!

Making arepas is sticky business!

Haley's doing a great job balling!

Anya's got some delicious arepas all balled up and ready to be fried!

Samuel, Mitzi's son, and third child, had a new found best friend while the group was here!  Even though he and Graham didn't speak much of each other's native languages they built a pretty meaningful relationship!

All together we made arepas (a fried Colombian bread that is to die for), lentils, rice, and patacones!  We got made fun of for wanting to make those all together as one meal, but I thought it was delicious!


Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Youth Venture updates!  I'm hoping to get the second part out later today, or soon thereafter!

Thanks for reading!