What I learned, Final Edition

It's been awhile. Sorry about that. Just been trying to process everything that went on. I don't know that I ever fully will...Here's what I shared in church on Sunday (find the earlier segments of Things I Learned here, here, and here.).

What I learned, Final Edition

I learned Spanish! I was fully submersed and received one-on-one training giving me some of the best Spanish lessons I have had in eight years of studying.

I learned the climb can be brutal, and the journey tough, but the view from the top is always worth it.

I learned Guatemalan history from a Guatemalan perspective, both recent and from many, many years ago. I saw this history come to life as I stood in front of Tikal for my second Star Wars filming location shot.

I learned to listen to people's stories. I learned about Juliana and Rosaldo who make their living selling trinkets in the park. I learned about Sergio whose son is head of the Obama campaign and who assured my roommate and I that we were proof that our generation could be more than what we've settled for. I met Alfondo who is about 70 and plays the accordian in the park simply because he loves to make music and make people happy. I learned about Dolores, Beatriz, Elario, and Nellie and I learned about their lives, how we're different, but more often how we're the same.

I learned how to love, even when it's hard, or you don't speak the language well, or when you have to tell Alejandro for the 5th time to stop eating his colored pencil box. Every child, every grown-up too wants to be loved. Even when I'm at my worst, God helps us love.

I learned that smiles are beautiful, but sometimes as you're learning to love and learning people's stories, you find hurt beneath smiles. You find broken hearts, homes, and relationships. And it becomes hard to love the mom who abandoned four sweet smiles. But through it all the smiles stay and you remember the importance of showing love to every smile.

I learned God is bigger than our cultural differences. I don't speak perfect Spanish, but I can read out of my Bible in front of an all Spanish speaking church, because He is bigger than my inadequacies. I can sit with a host family who doesn't know me from any other gringo and have wonderful discussions about God because he's the same for me and for them. I can attend a Baptismal Service and feel completely at home because we serve the same God. And we know that He is bigger than our language barriers, our differences and our separate lives. He is big. And He is good.

I learned the importance the Latin American Catholic Church places on Christ on the cross. And this is good. It's important to celebrate this. But far more important is the Risen Lamb. For without the resurrection, He's just another man.

I learned to listen. Everyone has a story to tell. And all every child wants is someone to tell those stories to. Even when they're speaking too fast for any native speaker to understand, and when when you've already asked for clarification 4 times, they still want to be held and listened to. So when Roxi plops in your lap and says, "let's gossip" and starts to tell you about her new pet turtle, you listen. And you show her she's important and valued.

And finally, I learned I am capable of far more than I thought. Or rather, God is capable of doing things far greater than I ever could have imagined. Like taking a girl who does not want to teach* and showing her that not only is she capable of teaching, but that He will give her strength she didn't know she had and make teaching be one of the best experiences of her life. He's bigger than my doubts, bigger than my fears, bigger than my plans, and bigger than my inadequacies. And He is far bigger than the box I try to put Him in. He is big. And so, so good. He is at work in this world.

*side note. Still don't feel that I'm being called to be a teacher. Just for further clarification.