Less than 2 weeks left

So I have been building friendships with the youth and young adults my age here more this week. I had to have a talk with my friend Eliza,- she is a good singer who was having some trouble with the way she was acting during her singing in front of people in the church, and I felt like I needed to correct her on it,- so we sat and talked about it, and she was totally okay with being corrected. This 1. really humbled me, because I would probably make every excuse in the book, and 2. really touched me, that she trusts me that much to listen to my opinion and love me and stuff. I was so blessed by that, that we could sit down together and talk things out, and she was totally okay with listening to me, like we´ve been best friends for eternity. That was such a blessing. I can´t wait until we´re dancing together in heaven! That was just such a blessing. Also, my friend Hanoy and I have gotten a lot closer. I have actually been cooped up in the house a lot during the day, which is hotter than being in the shade outside, because the house doesn´t catch much of a breeze, and I told Hanoy that I was getting bored during the day (I can always tell when I get bored, because I start eating, which is a good thing and a VERY bad thing haha). So anyway, Hanoy has been rescuing me a lot from the house so I don´t go nuts. Also, like I was telling you guys, I have been really missing spending time with ¨the guys¨ if you know what I mean, especially like when I am at home and get to hang out with Hunter and David and Pat and Jeff, like, that´s so awesome for me, and having Kris there or Kaylee, was always cool for me, but too many girls is just, draining. So I got to know a couple of the guys here in the church, like the hardcore Christians, and that has been SO awesome for me. They are really rock-solid, and it is such a blessing to know them. Michel and Robert (haha, such English sounding names but they are pronounced Mee-CHEL and -roll the r-Roberrrrr) haha. They are so awesome though, and really funny too. The four of us (M R Hanoy and I) went out for Tacos and asked how many we would have to eat to be free and he told us 50, and I don´t know anyone who can eat 50 tacos by themselves, I know Uncle John is famous, but 50...tell me Uncle John, could you do it?
I guess they are pretty hardcore here. Haha. In anycase. I have been spending lots of time with Michel and Hanoy, last night we had more french fries or papas fritas a la Nora (as we call them), and just spending time with them was great. Michel´s dad died while I have been here, and so in the beginning of my trip it was not easy to get to know him, all the guys here were always at his house, trying to pray with him and stuff, and so I really wanted to keep out of the way, but he has actually talked to me about it, his dad dying and stuff, between the two of us, so that has really been a blessing to see him 1. trust me so much and 2. get through the mourning process that quickly, because he was really close with his dad. Man, it really has been a blessing to know him. And it has also just been such a blessing to see how Robert and Larry (Lau-rrrrry another friend of ours) surround him all the time with love and prayers. And I say I am from the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia doesn´t know anything haha. It´s just so beautiful the human interaction here. Seriously.
I do have a sweetheart here, her name is Guida and she is 4 years old and she is the cutest girl, oh man. Her mom asked me if I wanted to take her to the states and you don´t even know!!! She is soooooooo cute. and funny. she smiles and the whole world sings! Seriously guys, when you see pictures, you will die. Her grandmother lives next door to me here, so she´s around a lot, if her mom goes out or something. She is just too adorable.
Also, I went out with a big group of people to the dam where they make the energy (which is terrible and goes out all the time btw, it would never fly in the states) and my friends ate fish, and I ate fried plantanes because I hate fish. And we played dominoes and Robert and I lost by 5, which means I need to play again and keep practicing. Then we walked along the dam and got pictures by the plaque donated by papi leo (haha, a.k.a. Leonel, the president). And then rode back in the bed of the truck at 10 something at night with the wind blowing in our faces and giggling together about Americans and speaking English and Spanglish. Very fun, it was Eliza, Michel, Robert, Hanoy, Hanoy´s neice and I back there, and it was a great time.
SO yeah, I wanted to try and put more in about my relationships with the people here, because Drew asked me to. I have not been doing so much with kids since the VBS ended, but I have a couple that I see a lot (Guida, Papi, etc.). And that has been a blessing to me. Also, I should probably put in here a little more about me and Wilman and Eunice. We have been doing well. I was timid in the beginning, because, as you understand, there is no privacy. It´s very strange to live with people and have no privacy. Especially when they´re not your first family haha. But I have been impressed with how quickly they adapt when I ask them to do something a little more ¨americanly¨if you will. (I.e. not touch my stuff, knock before coming into my bedroom, etc.) That has been a blessing to me, seriously. Also, we have had our conflicts but NO ONE here holds grudges. This is the best part. No one does it. If you have a spat, in 20 seconds or less you´re back to normal. Oh man do I need that encouragement. The forgiveness here is incredible. I just am so humbled everytime, because that is not how it works in the states, ever.

By the way I don´t know if I told you, I have the most painful sunburn on my left shoulder, so please pray for that. It is going to peel like crazy. (and people here think it is so strange that I don´t peel the skin off the potatoes and they think it is even more bizarre that there is a dish made up of potatoe skins).

Well, please continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers, as I am going to start to mourn leaving probably pretty soon. I usually deal with things before they happen, and knowing I have less than 2 weeks left is really sad. I am going to see my sponsor child again before I leave, probably the 25 or the 26th, so please be praying for that. I am going to bring her some school supplies and I think I will try to do a drawing for her before then too. I am excited to see her again, she´s so beautiful and sweet.
So Please pray for all these things, and that God would continue to use to me be a blessing as all these people have blessed me.
I love you all and appreciate you soooo much. (btw people in the last post were in no particular order *cough* Peter! *cough* haha.
Love you all and thank you SO much!

Nora