Calle 5 #14-32
La Mesa, Colombia
aaronlaurak@gmail.com
Easing into the Year 2008
Dear family and friends,
This morning is lovely and warm. Our water in the sink is coming out as a barely-there trickle, so its almost faster to heat water from the back tank and wash dishes that way. One of the armed groups here in Colombia recently released two hostages, then turned around and kidnapped 6 more. So besides the inconveniences of water and the shadow of armed conflict, we are still enjoying life here in La Mesa. Our semester started last week with meetings at the school, although it was mostly drinking coffee and catching up on everyone's vacation, with a little work thrown in on the side. This week Aaron says they're "really" going to work and do some concrete planning for the coming year. Unlike in the U.S., where the administration hands you a school calendar, ALL the teachers sit around put in their opinions about the calendar, and who should be what homeroom teacher. It's not the most efficient system, but everyone's voice gets heard.
It's been a fun challenge having the RAD team here so far. We're thankful that everyone is happily settled into their host families, that we got through the holidays without major emotional breakdowns, that the young women are feeling more confident in their spanish and are more independent in general. We have weekly meetings with them to hear how it's going, sing hymns, do a devotional and eat food. They just started cleaning and organizing the school library this week, which is a big task. They also visit Anapoima families with Martin and Elsy and will help with the English program at school. They all seem to be having a wonderful experience in La Mesa so far.
Anna Sophia is infusing our lives with the simple pleasures of baby gurgles and big grins. Her latest trick is rolling over and sitting for brief periods of time. Abby absolutely cracks her up and can captivate her for long periods of time with her songs and chatter. Aaron and Abby recently had their first theological conversation, with Abby concluding that heaven was where she would "play with toys, go swimming, and have God help me".
After a wonderful Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Kauffman, Abby declared that she wanted to go to Pennsylvania and Virginia to be with family. We assured her that soon enough we will be getting on plane to be with family. But how do we prepare her for not coming back to La Mesa, the place that has the only friends, church and home she's ever known? It's starting to sink in for us that we have 5 months remaining in Colombia until the life we've built here dissolves into something new. Our focus is narrowing as we prioritize for the coming months. Many Colombians we work with have strongly encouraged us to stay longer, which doesn't make the decision to leave any easier. But we are convinced that going back to Virginia is the right next step for us.
This past weekend we had the pleasure of going with Martin to the Teusaquillo Mennonite Church in Bogota, in order to share about the work being done in Anapoima. It's very gratifying for us to see members of the broader Colombian Mennonite church get excited about the Mision Reino de Dios project, and provide emotional, spiritual, and material support. We're glad to see funds coming from a variety of sources, not just from North America.
We hope all of you are getting off to a good start in this new year. We continue to appreciate your prayers and support.
Grace and peace,
Laura, Aaron, Abigail & Anna Sophia