So a new team got here on Friday and they are from Gainesville, ga (small world right?). They are really cool and very excited to be here in Spain. Friday night we went with the to the Castillo de Alaczaba, and although I had been there before it was really pretty to see the castle at night and the city skyline of Almeria.
Saturday was quite a busy day, starting with us going grocery shopping for Endye so that she could cook an African meal for the team. At my request, she made pulyahassa (sp?) so we had to buy LOT of onions. While Endye was busy cooking for the team and for all the company she had in town we had kids club with the team. This kids club made me really sad because I knew it was to be my last kids club and my last time seeing several of these beautiful African children. This kids club was also very important because several members of the Spanish church came along with the team to help. One of the jobs of the Whitleys working here is to encourage the local church to do out reach to the African immigrants here. This has been a challenge however due to the fact that many of the Spaniards are afraid of Africans (which is just silly and ridiculous) and think dos cientos (the neighborhood that Amanda and I live in) is very dangerous,( there was a riot or 2 a few years back here and so just because of that they are afraid). Having them come to kids club and move around in dos cientos was a perfect way to show the Spanish church that these people are no different than them and this neighborhood, while full of immigrants, is not as dangerous as they may think. (though I wouldn’t recommend walking by yourself at 1 am here… or really any where for that matter.) Having amanda and I live here has also helped the church be more open to coming here. When we first got here they just couldn’t believe that these two young American girls were living all by themselves out in dos cientos. A lot of the church is participating in out reach but they still have some fears and others are just beginning to get involved. It has been really cool to see the church progress this summer and hear about the progression that has been made since the Whitleys first began working here.
After kids club and eating more delicious African food made by the beautiful Endye, we went to an African wrestling festival. This was something else. It was really cool to see all the Africans of the area come together for an even that is so close to their hearts because it is something of their African culture. There was music and dancing (which I loved) and lots of wrestling. Endye was there ofcourse, dressed in her best traditional African garb along with her whole family. It was really cool. The next night we went back, this time in our African outfits and it was a blast. The Africans love to see us all dressed up in our African clothes. It was such a cool cultural experience that I will never forget. I wont ever forget any of this summer. I can’t believe Im leaving here this Thursday! It breaks my heart, but I am also excited for the next few weeks and their adventures as well.
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| Amanda & I with Endye. |
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| All of us in our african clothes! |
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| the African wrestling. |
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