Scariest moment of Mexico

I hope I'm not boring y'all with my stories. Being a missionary is really honestly living a normal God driven life in another country. I'm not fighting off lions or wrestling lizards or anything. :)  

I have discovered a new theme for my life and I'm sad it took me this long to realize this. But looking over the last 2 years of my life I realized that my biggest goal was to be comfortable and by doing that I wasted two years of my life! I could have learned so much and grown so much but instead I sat in front of a screen or sat around. I'm truly ashamed about how I've been living my life. I'm learning so much since I came down here and it excites me! I'm learning a new language, learning how to cook n bake better, getting exercise, losing weight (I hope ;), playing instruments again, making new friendships, reading (I'm currently reading a 630 page book :O "joeys story" so far it's really good. Id really recommend it!) and starting to dream about the future again. I still deal with depression a little but it's getting better. I've spent more time thinking about big life questions while I've been here than ever before and trust it's a lot to think about. 

I'm trying to think back over my last little bit and think about what's new or interesting. Well since deciding to get out of my box and stay uncomfortable and adventurous, I've been playing sports with the kids, making new recipes, walking at the track every morning, actually getting the sleep I need, learning to sew,

hanging around people more.

On that last note I've sadly realized what a introvert I have become over the last 2 years and I wanted to sincerely apologize and I'm trying to overcome that. 

I had a sleepover with one of the girls from the children's home. That was a blast! 

On my day off this week I got to go to the historic town of El Fuerte about 45 min away with Diana. We took the bus and it was really fun! We went fabric shopping and I got inspired and sewed a skirt that night! I failed miserably but it's stuff only the seamstress could tell. We visited all the little shoppes and went to this gorgeous hotel

and I took a picture with Zorro who is apparently like the Mexican equivalent to Robin Hood. 

Sunday was Mother's Day and Mother's Day is a huge holiday around here!! I celebrated it with the Yoders. Donna may not be my mom but she has impacted me a lot while I've been down here. She barely knows me but let's me talk to her about stuff and listens to me and is so encouraging and helpful. She is well loved by her family as well and they don't let her forget it which is cute to watch. We had a party out at the San Pedro church for Mother's Day. I really struggle with the church out there because most of the church is older and my Spanish is really poor and for some reason I can blabber on n on in my bad Spanish to the kids and could care less but with the adults I feel like I'm disrespecting them if I don't understand them so I kind of avoid them. I'm really trying to over come this because I don't want to come off snobbish and because I really should be being friendly. They made a truly Mexican meal for us. Field corn on the cob covered in mayo n queso.

It was really good! I'll be honest I missed my mom a lot that day. I told one of the lady's that and she wrapped me in a good long hug. :) 

I did have a huge scare this week though. Yesterday was a very hard day for me. I took care of Boni and while he was taking a nap he had a seizure. You have no idea how bad that scared me. I've never seen a seizure before and I didn't know he had them. I thought he was dying or something! He is doing ok now I think. Boni just keeps stretching and stretching me. Like I've never changed a dirty diaper before I came down here or at least not that I can remember. I know I know. You can shake your head. :) 

As I type I'm hanging out on the roof top stargazing and hanging out with a sick puppy whom I really like and texting my best friend who I really miss (Alicia you really need to come visit me!) The puppy may look a little sick but he is so cute! We are trying to nurse him back to health.

Life in Choix is good and I'm getting more adventurous every day but recently there have been some kidnapping and murders in town so I ask you to keep Choix in your prayers!! I'm not really afraid because I know nothing will happen to me that's outside of God's will or that I won't be able to handle with his strength. And we know that all things work to together for good to them that love God. 

Cheerfully Bethany

-PRAYER REQUESTS 

1. Direction as I plan for the future

2. Choix 

3. A girl at the home that needs healing from a painful past. 

4. My mosquito bites. My legs are bit up something fierce and are only getting worse it seems. 

5. A peace in my heart about some decisions I need to make. 

Midnight Thoughts

It's midnight here but I'm wide awake trying to solve the worlds problems. I'll tell ya about my week then I'll tell you about the world's problems ;) 

Monday and Tuesday I didn't do much other than all day Tuesday I took care of Boni. We had a pretty chill day. I'm not sure if I have really told you much about Boni. Boni had a birthday on Monday so he is 8 years old now. They believe he was born normal but now he is mentally handicapped. We aren't really sure how much he understands. He kind of lives in his own little world. Getting mad at random times and nonstop smiles and laughter at other times. He can stand with the help of something and crawl. He has the longest eyelashes I've ever seen! Gorgeous! He is such a foodie, loves his food. He is a sweet kid. 

Wednesday was a normal clean house make lunch kind of day. Kyle and I ended up playing 22 games of Uno that night along with other games. We had fun making up more rules till the rules started getting crazy. Like each round we would add another number so first game was normal that the second game when u got down to two cards you would have to say dos and the next round tres and so on and so forth. I told him it wasn't fair cuz he is fluent in Spanish! 

Thursday I made fried fish for lunch! Yum! (Although I burnt some... Shhh) and then I made everybody soft pretzels! Which a lot of Mexicans don't know about pretzels! I also introduced then to the movie Cool Runnings. So lots of fun quotes have been flying around. 

"Nuff people say they know they can't believe. Jamaica we have a bobsled team!" 

"Eh wanna kiss my lucky egg?" 

"Ya wanna live there you're gonna have to marry the queen." 

Friday was a blast! It was field day. First let me say sadly I'm not athletic at all. So I took my role of videographer very seriously. They had a series of races down on the track around the soccer field at 7:30 to avoid the heat. And then went back to the Casa Hogar (children's home) and did the high jump and softball throw. It was so much fun getting to know the kids. I knew most of the girls but this time I got to know the boys and learned their names cuz everybody would be yelling the names during the event. I know most of the names now. But sadly I made a mistake I mixed up two of the boys. One is getting adopted and the other is not. And I was asking the wrong kid about "his adoption" and I found out later that it's a really sore subject for him and he wonders If he will ever get adopted. Their is a possibility for somebody to adopt him but he doesn't know yet. Please pray for this situation. He is a wonderful little boy. 

After lunch I worked till bout 7 on going through all the pics and videos and making a video collage to show the kids that night. That was a little stressful but fun as well. It was fun watching the kids watch it that night. 

The kids have become my Spanish teachers. They are so patient and kind with me about it. It has got to be tiring always haven't new people come who don't speak fluent Spanish. 

I'm gonna tell you a little bit about Tao now. Tao is 22 year old guy here who is physically handicapped but if I am not mistaken is completely normal mentally. He inspires me so much! He is always grinning and laughing and cracking jokes. He truly brightens your day. 

Something re-sparked in me Friday. My huge desire to adopt. And it's been just burning in my soul the last two days and I can't get it out of my mind which is why I'm still up and not sleeping.  Questions and thoughts flying through my head like:

Is it God's will for my life to adopt?

Well if I'm gonna adopt I'll have to find a guy who shares the same vision. A child deserves a father and a mother. 

Is this why I am drawn toward Asian people so much? 

Is it because God wants me to adopt from Asia not actually go there? 

What in the world does God want me to do with my life. 

Should I go to collage and get a degree in something so I can get into any country to teach in schools? 

Should I come back down here to Mexico for a term? 

Am I supposed to live the typical mennonite girl life? Find a husband get married young and life in a little town for the rest of my life. (Idk why I struggle with this one so much. I've always had a very go go go personality. I want to get involved in stuff and idk yea idk. I'm prob not making much sense which is why I'm up at 1 am. Trying to sort through all these thoughts.)

I just watched a whole bunch of adoption videos and stories and my mind is spinning out of control. 

If ur still reading this thanks ;) if you have any advice I'd love to hear it. Just FB message me it. I'm definitely at a crossroads in my life. I truly don't know what lies ahead of my when I get home. I don't even have a job lined up yet. :/ once again prayers greatly appreciated! 

Pray for

-health (I keep getting stomach pain and joint pain which isn't so abnormal for me as It is annoying) 

-the children at the Casa Hogar as well as the caregivers. 

-I'm trying to kick some bad habits while I'm down here and it's kinda hard (reliance on technology, amount of movie watching, holing up by myself in a room, amount of food n sugar intake, etc :) 

-my spiritual walk with God through all this. 

Well it's 1am so I shall try getting some sleep before church tomorrow. Thanks for letting me spill my guts to y'all! Night!