Many Opportunities

There is never a lack of things to do here; I seem to be busy everyday of the week. I have just recently been given another job. I have phone duty a few days a week now as well. The La Vina church has a vonage phone system at the main church in the Golden Zone and they open it up to the public to make free phone calls to the US and Canada, also free internet use. Of course someone has to monitor this and stand on the street in front of the church and hand out flyers that explain this service to the people walking by, which are mostly tourists. It’s an opportunity to get people into the church so they can walk around as they’re waiting for their turn to use the phones and see our bulletin board that shows all the outreaches that the church has throughout the city. We don’t push anything but we are there to answer questions if they have any. It is at this time that a lot of people sign up for the garbage dump tour. I’ve been doing this now for 2 weeks and one thing that I have learned is that some people are afraid of church; some people don’t even want to look at it as they walk by. Of course when we say that the phone service is free they don’t believe you, they think we are trying to lure them in and then sell them something. We are told not to push anything or tell them anything unless they ask, but yet they are so afraid that we will tie them up and make them listen to a preacher. Why are people afraid of church if they don’t believe there is a God? What are they afraid of; I think they are afraid that they are wrong. I think deep down inside they are thinking “what if it’s true, what if there really is a God”. Just because you don’t believe that God exists does not make that true. Anyway, phone duty has been fun, I have met all kinds of people from all over, and even people that know people in High Level...yeah....people know we exist up there, I was surprised too. A bonus for doing this job is that across the street from the church is one of those really posh coffee places that make a really good vanilla late, of course being that it is the golden zone it is pricy (30 pesos for a large) but I do treat myself as I only have instant coffee at home. I look forward to this coffee every time, it is so good.
Like I said I am getting to know a lot of people, on Thursday I was driving around with another women that teaches at the same school as I do, when she happened to mention how cute the little red car was that we just passed and I realized that I knew the couple in the little red car.....like a true Mexican I stuck my head out the window and hollered at them. (That’s what you do here)
I’m also excited that the Mexican lady that cleans the church has invited me to her house for supper, I just couldn’t get when out of her. She does not speak any English at all but I am sure she invited me for supper......I sure hope she did. I am hoping when I see her on Sunday there will be someone around that can translate enough just to confirm that I am indeed invited to her house before I just show up.