day ninety five - quiero aprendar

quick update...last weekend i went on a trip with alicia, blas, his nephew brian, and frejol. We left at about 8 at night. We jumped on a bus to Chunchi (about 3-4 hours away i think) and when we got there i was like...sooo are we looking for a hotel? and Blas says, ¨hotel? oh no, we never stay in hotels, i think i have a friend here. somewhere.¨ ... ummm you think? ¨ya, i talked with her on the phone once. i think she lives up this street¨. anyways it was pretty funny. we found the lady who was super nice, but didn´t have room, so asked a friend if we could stay with him. I think we paid for one meal over 3 days, the people were so nice there. There were a bunch of parties going on which basically consisted of homemade alcohol and bad music. We stayed for some of them in the first town (i always forget the name) but then made our way to Chunchi where Blas´s distant relatives were baptising their kids...Here in the catholic church it´s a very big deal. We went to the reception after and it was seriously like a wedding. that night we heard some music and went to check it out. Some people were setting up for a disco that night but it was only like 8 and no one was there yet. but we didn´t care. we just danced by ourselves like crazy people. sunday we watched argentina school mexico then caught the bus back home.

my prayer for this trip was to be stretched, to learn, and to be...humbled. i prayed that word quietly because i know being humbled is never fun. And man oh man have i ever been humbled...haha as i write it on my blog. looking back in my journal i wrote ¨heal my heart and make it clean, open up my eyes to the things unseen, show me how to love like you have loved me¨. And that was something i wanted for this trip. I can see how God has been unfolding those things in my life as well as the next lines in the song ¨break my heart for what breaks yours, everything i am for your kingdom´s cause¨. This trip has sparked so many old dreams in my heart and God has given me so many new ones. I am forever learning. I still have over a month left and thinking about it leaves me with mixed emotions. I want it to go by so slowly. I don´t want to leave. But i can. not. wait. to see my family again.
a few things i have learned so far:

love is not an emotion
i can do anything through Christ who gives me strength. anything means anything.
God works ALL things for the good of those who love him. all means all.
kids will never stop asking questions
all people just want to be listened to
out of pain comes beauty SO we can rejoice in our struggles
somehow bull fights are less disturbing to watch than chicken fights
guinea pigs should remain as pets
there is always more to learn
God is always trying to speak to us. always means always. stop for a minute to listen.
we could play it safe and stay on the beach, but you´ll never go anywhere. You could go somewhere and get in the boat but never need to trust in God. Or you could get out of the boat and through your fears and your problems, walk on the sea with your eyes focused on the creator of it all.
you can never drink too much tea
my mom actually does read my blog...

so mom these pictures are for you...my room!


oh and i guess...happy canada day! -daniela

it´s like God is sitting on the edge of his seat, just waiting until we can catch a glimpse of his love for us. ¨there it is!¨ he says. we miss it. but he throws down some more and as it sparkles in our hair and falls to our feet he smiles. ¨my child, if only you knew¨