Imagine how the chapter titled "The Hot-Potato Man and Other Mothers" would play out.
I see the main character as a big round man who is known for sweating, aka The Hot-Potato Man. In his gang along Market Street, we'd have Corn Dog Bob, the skinny and pimply street vendor; Here Boy, the short old man who grunts for his answers but comes at the shortest whistle blown just so; and, of course, Salsachup, the slick youth whose ways are as greasy as his hair. Average, or sub-average, people during the day, terrors to the neighborhood by night with their revolvers and penchants for attempting to rob any living and moving creature.
What a twist to the The Whipping Boy's chapter titled "The Hot-Potato Man and Other Matters."
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Antonio-ism #1
While playing with the kiddoes, I knelt down to pick up something Antonio dropped. He studied the top of my head while I studied the ground, and then he announced that my hair was gray.
"Gray!" I exlaimed. "I don't think so! How about yellow or brown?"
"Hmm," he said, thinking seriously over the matter. "Yes, you're right. It's gold. Pure gold."
I about died laughing right there.
Tonight he joined our teenage Bible study. He's 5. But he sat quietly and listened, later helping me prepare the snack. He laid out the napkins for each person, carefully straightening each one on the table and then counting and recounting to make sure there were enough.
I think I should nickname him Sombra--Shadow.
"Gray!" I exlaimed. "I don't think so! How about yellow or brown?"
"Hmm," he said, thinking seriously over the matter. "Yes, you're right. It's gold. Pure gold."
I about died laughing right there.
Tonight he joined our teenage Bible study. He's 5. But he sat quietly and listened, later helping me prepare the snack. He laid out the napkins for each person, carefully straightening each one on the table and then counting and recounting to make sure there were enough.
I think I should nickname him Sombra--Shadow.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
"Street" Evangelism
Antonio, Ian, and I were playing together this afternoon. We'd already played by the swings, and now the boys were flipping through a Toy Story 3 coloring book as we sat along the curb. I was reading to them from the children's Bible, attempting to translate it into Spanish.
We landed on the story about the lost sheep. Antonio was very attentive, coloring quietly and interjecting a question or two. Ian, at three years, ran around, interested neither in the coloring nor the story about the sheep.
I started to read a sentence that said, "God loves us so much..." when Antonio announced he had some bad news about God. "What is it?" I asked him.
"God dies," he said, his face downcast in due respect for the dead.
"Hmm," I said. "Well, I have some good news for you. He raises from the dead three days later." And we talked a little more about Jesus and our sins and forgiveness and God's love for us and Easter.
We returned to the story of the lost sheep, and then kicked around a little green ball that was too hard for soccer.
We landed on the story about the lost sheep. Antonio was very attentive, coloring quietly and interjecting a question or two. Ian, at three years, ran around, interested neither in the coloring nor the story about the sheep.
I started to read a sentence that said, "God loves us so much..." when Antonio announced he had some bad news about God. "What is it?" I asked him.
"God dies," he said, his face downcast in due respect for the dead.
"Hmm," I said. "Well, I have some good news for you. He raises from the dead three days later." And we talked a little more about Jesus and our sins and forgiveness and God's love for us and Easter.
We returned to the story of the lost sheep, and then kicked around a little green ball that was too hard for soccer.
Weekend Buckets
An opportunity came up to help out church families in a nearby town that is known to be fairly poor. With the home fifth graders (Mimi, Yeny, Phillip, Victor, and Brandon (4th)), we worked together to put together food bins, using money that someone had donated to be used here. Johana helped us out a ton in Chimaltenango's market, negotiating lower prices given the quantity of product we were buying. We also enjoyed the excitement of a scuffle breaking out four feet from us. As I shooed the kids to the car to drop off some purchases, I was reminded that high school isn't the only place fights break out.
With $200, we were able to make 26 bins with a little money left over to give one family whose cow died--the animal was their primary source of income. Each bin had a pound each of rice, beans, oatmeal, and sugar; soap for the pila; and cooking oil. Pam and Steve also donated avocados from their trees and maseca, corn flour Guatemalans use to make tortillas.
The kids and I attended the church service last Saturday night and delivered the goods to the church. The pastors texted the next day to let us know that there were enough bins for each family and that the people walked away with smiles on their faces.
With $200, we were able to make 26 bins with a little money left over to give one family whose cow died--the animal was their primary source of income. Each bin had a pound each of rice, beans, oatmeal, and sugar; soap for the pila; and cooking oil. Pam and Steve also donated avocados from their trees and maseca, corn flour Guatemalans use to make tortillas.
The kids and I attended the church service last Saturday night and delivered the goods to the church. The pastors texted the next day to let us know that there were enough bins for each family and that the people walked away with smiles on their faces.
Brandon
Measuring out the maseca
Ready to go!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Expectation
The buses had already left. Only a handful of students played around the principal's office, shooting marbles or running back and forth to the treehouse while waiting to be picked up. Prof William and I sat on the cement against the office wall; Anita stood guard at the imaginary line separating the anxious students from the dangerous driveway of moving vehicles.
One little boy spotted his mom pulling up to the gate at the bottom of the hill. He quickly picked up his lunchbox and shouldered his bookbag. He took a forceful step forward, as if to run; then, checked by an unseen hand, stopped abruptly. He shuffled his lunchbox in his hands and stared longingly at the white SUV just now passing through the gate and past the guard, and sighed at the delay. His eyes, locked on the vehicle, with his thoughts surely on the person within, followed it to the top.
The three of us exchanged grins as we appreciated his intensity and unabashed anticipation. Miss Anita extended her hand, and he eagerly rushed forward to grasp it, his ferry across the invisible line separating him from home.
One little boy spotted his mom pulling up to the gate at the bottom of the hill. He quickly picked up his lunchbox and shouldered his bookbag. He took a forceful step forward, as if to run; then, checked by an unseen hand, stopped abruptly. He shuffled his lunchbox in his hands and stared longingly at the white SUV just now passing through the gate and past the guard, and sighed at the delay. His eyes, locked on the vehicle, with his thoughts surely on the person within, followed it to the top.
The three of us exchanged grins as we appreciated his intensity and unabashed anticipation. Miss Anita extended her hand, and he eagerly rushed forward to grasp it, his ferry across the invisible line separating him from home.
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Post #200: Beating Me to the Punch
One of the highlights of the day is being in charge of the hand-washing line in the preschool room prior to their morning snack. The kids are super cute (as long as I don't have to teach them). I've decided this is a good time to help them practice their English.
We're working on answering the question, "How are you?" instead of simply repeating it.
This past week we began working on manners. I prompt students to say, "Soap, please," when it is their turn.
On Friday, one kid finally had it figured out. Before I even had a chance to ask him how he was, he put his little hands out together in front of him, looked up at me, and quickly said, "Fine, thank you. Soap, please."
He knows how to get things done.
We're working on answering the question, "How are you?" instead of simply repeating it.
This past week we began working on manners. I prompt students to say, "Soap, please," when it is their turn.
On Friday, one kid finally had it figured out. Before I even had a chance to ask him how he was, he put his little hands out together in front of him, looked up at me, and quickly said, "Fine, thank you. Soap, please."
He knows how to get things done.
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