A Week In!

Today marks my first full week in Suriname! It has alternately been the longest and shortest week of my life.

I have gone to church in Dutch, complete with little headsets to translate the sermon into English; after which we had lunch downtown. I've played dominoes on game night, made s'mores on a Bunsen burner in the science lab. I've seen ghekos and lizards, both in my house. I've blown a fuse by using the wrong plug-in for toast! I've survived power outages, heat and even a bit of rain. I've almost completed a full week of school and we've baked cookies with the 6th grade. I've bought my first piece of Suriname clothing and 2 imported apples. Never even knew I wanted them, till I couldn't have them. And that's just a small sample.

There is so much that is different here. It's more open, but the air is more oppressive. You tell yourself that you're used to the heat, but really you're just getting used to being hot and sweaty. It's easy to bike everywhere but you have to brave traffic! I'm getting a bit bettter.

The school is so different. There aren't smart boards and wireless internet, in fact some days there are no internet. Sometimes even no power. But it's amazing too. The kids play soccer on a dirt field at recess and love it. They fight over the teeter-totter like it's the best thing on the playground and it might be. The breeze hits the playground in just the right way. I can't even describe the sensation of standing on that hot playground and then feeling the breeze blow.

The kids in my class are amazing. They are one of the highlights of my day. We baked cookies this afternoon all because we read "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" or as it is referred to in my class "The Cheese Book". There is no cheese in the book but does it matter? Nope.

I'm learning lots through this. Everything is one giant adventure, you really can't be that lost and that banana chips are the best food in the world! Seriously, there is no comparison. I've also been reading the kids stories about Joseph and Daniel and the Lion's Den and I'm re-learning that God will protect me and keep me safe. Even when I have no idea what the future will hold, it belongs to Him and He will see me through. Always, every time, all the time.