Lost in Translation

As all of you already know (or should know), Spanish is the language of Ecuador. While using Spanish is challenging and I'm definitely not fluent yet, there are some really cool differences between English and Spanish. One of them is that Spanish has two forms of the word "you". One word is "usted", which is formal and is used for elders, strangers, and showing respect. The other word is "tú", which is familiar and informal; it is used for children, family, and close friends. The cool thing about these words is how they're used in reference to God. Before I came to Ecuador, I thought that we would always use "usted" when praying, worshipping, or talking about God (considering that He's the Creator of the universe and all), but we don't. We always use "tú" in reference to God- the same word used for children, family, and friends. This is such a great reminder for me that God doesn't keep us at a distance- He's involved in every aspect of our lives. He's my Father and listens to my thoughts about anything that's going on in my life, from homesickness to understanding a language to getting my computer fixed. He doesn't call us servants or acquaintances- He calls us friends. I get to call God "tú", just like I do with my best friends and my little sister. ¡Qué chévere! (How cool!) Spanish also has two ways of saying "to know". The first word is "saber", which means to know information or to know about something. The other is "conocer", which means to know a person or a place personally. In my Spanish class this week, we talked about people who "saber" God but don't "conocer" Him- they know all about His characteristics, what He tells us to do, and what He's done, but they don't actually know Him on a personal level. There are so many people in the United States and in Ecuador who live without really knowing God- they just go through the motions and don't have a relationship with Him. It's so easy to sing the songs, listen to the sermons, and follow the rules without actually living life with God. This trip has been so challenging, but I know that God brought me here for a reason. I've been able to see another part of the world through His eyes- He loves the people of Ecuador and wants all of them to conocer Him, not just saber. Sometimes Spanish explains things more easily than English- they just get lost in translation. :)

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." -John 15:15

Computer-less Adventures

Well, it's been a long time since I've written anything, but that's mostly because I haven't had a computer for the past month. As soon as we arrived in Ecuador, my laptop stopped working. After being in the shop for a couple weeks, it worked for about a week and then stopped again. This time they said that the hard-drive is damaged and they have to replace it- hopefully I'll have it back in less than two weeks! I'm absolutely loving Ecuador and my classes are going really well. I'm learning a ton in my Spanish class and I'm able to use everything I learn outside of class. I'm getting a lot better at speaking and listening to Spanish, but I still have a long way to go. Latin Dance is a blast, but it's definitely a workout. I'm still trying to figure out how to move like I'm supposed to since I'm not the most coordinated person in the world. I got to celebrate Carnaval at the end of February, which is a big holiday here right before Lent. Everyone sprays each other with water and foam, even when you're walking around in the streets. My family went on vacation to a town nearby where my host grandma has a vacation house. There was a pool and an amazing view of the mountains. We had a great time eating delicious food and playing Carnaval together (I got thrown in the pool with my clothes on every day). After we got back from Carnaval, the Taylor group took our "spring break" trip to the Galapagos Islands. It was AMAZING! We snorkeled with sea lions, sting rays, sea turtles, and a small reef shark and got to enjoy the sun. Everyone in the group got lots of sunburn, but it was totally worth it! I managed to get lost again, but God sent help in the form of two small country children. It's a long story but a good one! Two weeks from today my mom, dad, and Aunt Karen will be arriving in Cuenca to spend a week with me. I can't wait! I've done well with homesickness so far but I miss my family a ton. I'm so excited that they're coming. :)