Wow! To say that my time in Chile has been incredible would be an understatement at best. I've been here for 4 weeks now and I can't wrap my mind around being home this time next week. Viña del Mar is breathtakingly gorgeous and intriguing with a new adventure around each corner. Since the city is situated right on the coast of the Pacific Ocean I've gotten to watch more seaside sunsets than ever before which only makes me love this place even more. Learning how to navigate my way around has also proven to result in many blank stares and inevitably talking with my hands instead of the Spanish language.
My host family has welcomed me with open arms and hearts which has made my experience that much more enriching! My parents are Ariela and Horacio and they have 3 energetic, beautiful, and joyful children--Horacio (9), Consuelo (8), and Emiliano (6). These wild kids don't have a t.v. so we spend every waking minute using our imaginations to create all kinds of games and explore each inch of the house. They have taught me many new games, patience when it's tough and of course Spanish. Through playing with them I've been able to see the genuine meaning of love and the importance of quality time which I will forever cherish.
My time away from home is usually spent doing various things but every day always start at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso. I'm taking an advanced Spanish grammar class and an intercultural communications class. It's been such an eye opening experience as I get to learn about the innumerable differences between the American, Chilean, and other cultures worldwide and study the many facets of the Spanish language, most of which I often stumble over! While many days I'd rather hang out with my friends or wander through the hills of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, I've learned so much more here than I anticipated and I'm eternally grateful for that.
Serving the Chilean community has easily been one of the best parts of my entire stay. Every Wednesday night I get to go to a girl's home and play and love on girls from ages 4 to 15. These girls are full of questions and spunk and beautiful in every sense of the word. Playing with them makes me want to stay here forever! Kristen, Mitchell, Emily, and I have also gotten to serve the elderly which gave us great insight to this Chilean generation that is very prideful of their roots. I think I can say for all of us that we've been humbled in many different ways through our service and it has been so fulfilling to see the Lord's gracious hand be upon us during this time.
A constant source of nourishment for me since I got here has been Psalm 71 and in particular verses 14-16 which say, "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your might acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone." This language barrier has left me frustrated and at times feeling aimless but I've been constantly reminded of God's plan and His purpose for my time here. He knew exactly what He was doing when He plucked me out of my comfortable routine and took me 4,000 miles away from what I've always known. In these past 4 weeks I've been challenged in every way possible but from it I've grown tremendously as well. My time in Chile has been blessed by wonderful memories while also seeing the reality of life here and I'm more encouraged now to keep answering the call the Lord has placed on my life to go.
Stay tuned as more updates come in my last week! I'm sad to leave but I've got lots of stories and fun facts about Chile to share!
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