Monday, August 15, 2011

Is it Weird to Love Your Office?

This morning, I said goodbye to two of the first fruits of our new office. For the past month I've been tutoring two cousins of one of the doctors that works in the veterinary hospital where our campus ministry office is located. They've been visiting from Spain on their summer break, and asked if I could help them with some English. They were sweet sweet kids, and I really enjoyed our hour together every day, where I tried to remember my British English and Spain Spanish. Sometimes just before I would correct them for some English error, I would realize,"ah, maybe that is how they say it in England." Today, as we enjoyed the Coke and salteƱas they brought to thank me one asked, which is better English from the US or from Britain? I'll leave my answer to your imaginations.
Everyday, as I sit in the office between classes grading papers or planning lessons, random students and professors drop in. Sometimes to ask about our ministry, to find out when our Bible studies will be, to ask about the English class schedule, to fill time between classes reading The Daily Bread in Spanish, or my favorite -- two professors stopped in to ask for a couple Spanish New Testaments because they'd seen someone on campus reading one and asked where she'd gotten it.

And sometimes just to hangout. I met a student who's husband is a youth pastor at their church and she has a 6 year old daughter who I hope will someday be friends with Angie. My three lovely Bible study girls come by to visit and relax on the couch when they have breaks between classes. This afternoon Paola, my good friend and colleague at the university, stopped in to chat about our families on her way home to hers.

This Friday we hope to bring them all together to decide what material we'll dig into this semester, what hours work best for everyone, and start planning our chicken coop service project. I love the excitement of the beginning of the semester. And I love this new office!

1 comment:

Lisa said...

Yes, it is weird, but in a good way! Sounds like you're building some great relationships down there, how Bolivian of you! :0