market day

Today Amanda and I went to the market here is roquetas. A street across from the Gran Plaza (aka the mall) is shut down every 1^st, 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of the month for the market. It was quite an experience. It was not like the touristy markets that I am use to seeing on vacations filled with t shirts towels and bags all bearing the name of the current location of the market. This market is a real market, a market for locals selling food, clothing (even underwear and socks) and cooking supplies. It was quite an experience that I enjoyed, especially the fresh churros and café.

After the market, we decided to venture out and begin some of our duties that we are supposed to be keeping up with during our stay for the next two months: visits. We decided to visit Endye (sp?) the African woman whom we had visited Monday with the Whitleys. We just showed up at her house unannounced around lunchtime (2:30) bearing some of the vegetables we had gotten the day before. She graciously welcomed us in and we ate with some of her family from one large platter again of rice and fish. The same rituals that had occurred the previous visit occurred again today.  We remained at Endyes house for 3 hours simply eating whatever she offered to us, chit chatting in broken Spanish and watching Spanish soap operas also known as tele-novellas (these are quite interesting and from I can understand This is apparently a big part of out job because the biggest thing that we can do to show Africans that we care is to simply spend time with them, no matter if we really understand each other or not. This is definitely going to be a learning experience for me, as I do have a difficult time for sitting still for 3 hours and doing a lot of nothing. I pray that God will grant me patience, as I am sure most of my friends and family pray that I have on a daily basis while interacting with me. Maybe God has put me here because he also believes my patience is something in need of improvement.

Later we go to Segundas house with two members of the Spanish Church for her discipleship. Segunda is an African woman from guinea and she has recently been saved, she has come to believe is God and wants him to be a part of her life. Rebun and his wife Maria, the two members of the Spanish Church, have agreed to drive down from Almeria every Thursday (we kind of forced them to deicide upon a consistent day lol) to help Segunda begin her new walk with Christ.  This was the first meeting so it was a little rough but her kids are adorable and hopefully the next one will go smoother ( lets just say communication gaps occurred in regards to time, it is spain after all!) Tomorrow is womans class in the morning and they will be learning how to cook a spanish dish. hasta luegooo