Finding the Rhythm

Gretchen awakens around 6 am to run and study while I get the girls up and ready (7:45ish). Our first class is at 9am and is a mere 10 minute walk from our apartment. Nola has a lesson with Lulu; Gretchen (and Marcie) with Luis; and I’m with Carlos this week. The language school will change all of this on Monday. These are 90 minute, one-on-one classes which can be somewhat intense and filled with much-needed work. Gretchen is much further along than me, and I even think Nola might lap me in a few weeks, but as the Spanish saying goes, “poco y poco”, little by little. We’ll often walk home around 11 a.m. and make lunch. In this culture, this is the biggest meal. Much to the sheer delight of Marcie (see picture), black beans are the staple of most of these mid-day meals. We often make eggs and beans, or bean tostadas, or beans and rice, or, for Nola, pancakes. There is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables—frutas y verduras—and we have enjoyed pineapples, oranges, guavas, papayas, and mini bananas nearly every day.

Every 3 or 4 days, we’ll catch a bite at one of many local restaurants. A meal of the day can cost $3, which could include eggs (Mexican style, cooked in a type of salsa), beans, rice, toasted bread, corn tortillas and a licuado--water mixed with some freshly squeezed orange juice. I’ll often order some amazingly strong coffee as well. (If you haven’t tried Chiapas coffee, the seminary bookstore (WTS) in Holland sells very economically-priced, free-trade packages. This is great stuff for coffee lovers, and an important way to positively impact this local economy. Chiapas is the poorest state in Mexico. Much of this coffee comes from small, indigenous owned/worked family farms—folks who are near the lower rung of the economic ladder).

In the afternoon, we’ll all study (me, in the apartment while Marcie naps; Gretchen and Nola in the sun-soaked courtyard. Nola enjoys studying a book that she received from a dear friend in the U.S.—it’s one of those books that asks you to find the differences between two seemingly alike pictures). I’ll also get in a run before our next class begins at 4pm.

Running is challenging but enjoyable here. The elevation is around 8000 feet above sea level. Like a crown, hills majestically surround the city. Elevation and hills are slightly different from West Michigan running. In addition, few others jog. In fact, I haven’t seen anyone else running while here. This being said, I have a favorite route that takes me past the old Reformed Church in America “Mission House” and into some local farms. Today I ran past a Tzotzil woman tending to eight sheep. They didn’t seem fazed.

After our afternoon Spanish lesson (with a different teacher), the sun sets and we take a daily trip to a store where we buy what we need for that day. This also allows Nola to pick up a treat at the adjoining bakery (Today, she selected a miniscule cake donut with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.). Next comes dinner, bath and bed for the girls. One of us can cross the street to the hotel lobby to check emails (and post blogs) after all is calm on the home front. We’ll also sneak opportunities for further Spanish homework and to pour into some needed reading. Besides this daily rhythm, we find time to play family games (Dora Uno is the current choice), reconnect with some RCA folks in San Cristobal, listen to endless coverage of the New Hampshire primary on CNN International, and venture off on walking tours of this amazing city.

On Sunday, we worshiped in a RCA connected Presbyterian Church two blocks away. Nola loved being with other children during Sunday School and we all enjoyed the unconditional welcome we received by other brothers and sisters in Christ (hermonos y hermonas). Life is good and we are continuously grateful (to God, Trinity, and others making this sabbatical possible) for the opportunity to find such a rich rhythm of family, faith, and renewal.

Postscript: Nola told me just before falling to sleep tonight that she missed the donut store (Sandy’s on Leonard Street) back in Michigan. Fair enough. Buenos noches.

Here are some videos of Nola with her friends. One video is of Nola at her group lesson (an English lesson. Listen carefully to what the little girl says: "Su madre esta afuera"--telling Nola that I am outside the classroom. Then I laugh.

The other video is of Nola playing in our apartment with her toys. She named them Laura, Inga and Clorox. Can you tell that we've been using a lot of bleach these days? :)