Erin in Tenerife

Tough times make us relatable Today is my 117th day in Tenerife (don't worry, I'm not keeping track, I just asked Google... hehehe), and I'm happy to say that the shiny newness hasn't worn off yet. That doesn't mean that I'm struggling to find my way, or that I'm not struggling in any way. In fact, I had a tough moment a couple of weeks ago when I got a text from my 10 year old nephew asking me to pray for him because he had Flu A and his nose was bleeding all over the place and it was only 7 am (Missouri time). I wanted to be able to go hug him and pray with him and help him feel better. I know his parents and even grandparents are there for him. But in that moment, I felt the distance to be so far and I may have shed a couple tears as I prayed for more than just his bloody nose.  I'm not going to philosophize or wax poetic about the beauty of the nostalgia of being far from loved ones, but it is a blessing to have loved ones near and far. In fact, ever...

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Happy Kings Day! These past holidays had a definite Venezualan/Canarian/American flavor.  Many people in the church, including the Dyes, are from Venezuela. And you can't celebrate Christmas in Venezuela without "hallacas", which are made of cornmeal dough, like tamales. The filling is made of braised meat (beef, pork, and  chicken) with raisins, capers, and olives. You make it into a little packet tied up in banana leaves and then boil them in a huge pot for an hour or so. Priscila and Mama Emma cooked everything over a couple days and then the ladies from church came over to assemble over 150 of them one day. As the ladies arrived they set up an assembly line. The Venezuelan ladies guided the rest of us as to how to cut, scoop, press, fold, tie, etc. I got assigned the end of the line where I was the only one cutting string. hehehe It was a fun and productive time! The best part was when we enjoyed a late lunch of hallacas all together. ...

  I know everyone is gearing up for Christmas now, but this is my belated Thanksgiving update. I am so happy to say that I made it safely from Springfield, MO all the way to Tenerife, Spain. It is never easy to say goodbye to friends and family, but wouldn't life be awful if it were? The great philosopher Winnie the Pooh put it this way: "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." Mom and Dad dropped me off at the airport and I am so glad they did! I ended up with four bins, three roller suitcases (including a carryon roller bag), one backpack, and one pillow. One cannot easily move that much luggage by oneself. Mom asked me how I was going to manage once I got to Spain and had to claim my luggage to get through customs, since the flight from Madrid to Tenerife is considered a domestic flight. I was worried about that, too, but I said, "I have no clue, but I'm sure God will take care of it like he has all the other details. In the end I ...