Tutoring and cooking lessons

So, this past week I went to go tutor. During my time there some how the mother and I started talking about cooking. I was asking her about some typical dishes and advice on how she makes beans and rice. She starts telling my how to make this type of salsa that you put on rice, beans, meat, or whatever. She describes it to me and then she just says in Spanish, do you want me to show you? So, of course I said, ¨ Si, claro.¨ She starts to teach me how to do it. Once I taste it, she then asks me if I have ever made huevos y salchicha. I said, I hadn`t and she starts to make them as well. It was such a blessing to see her smiling cause I know she has been going through a lot lately. I also enjoyed learning to make some easy dishes. Next week I am bringing La masa and chicken and she is teaching me how to make tortillas.....so excited. It is amazing how God puts certain people in your life that can be such a blessing.

¨Estoy Triste¨

About a month ago, I met a family from Guatemala on a routine run in the park. I helped one of her daughters with her home and we exchanged information. The mother also told me she was wanting to learn Spanish and wondered if I could teach her. My life was crazy at the time so I told her I would get back in touch with her in about a month.

A month went by and I called to see if she still wanted me to come by and help her daughter. She was enthused that I had called and so a week later I start to tutor two of her kids. It had been a while since I had seen them so I was hoping I would know if it was the right house or not. As I walked to the house I was greeted by children. I hope them with their homework and then leave.

The next week, as I am getting out of the car, one of the children tells me that his sister isn´t here. The principal had asked that she come to her office and not go to the bus. An investigator needed to ask her questions. I find out later that one of the teachers had called defacts about his sister. As I walk inside I am greeted by the mother. She said that her husband was talking to jail for driving with out a license. In order to renew your license you have to have ¨papers.¨He doesn`t so therefore he can`t drive legally. Then if you break the law you are pretty much garaunteed that you will be deported. An investigator calls the mother because he wanted to ask her some questions. She doesn´t speak English so she hands to phone to me. The investigator gives me an address and we pile into their car and I drive..... She cant drive and my car can´t fit car seats safely.

On the way to pick up her daughter I ask the mother how she is doing. She just looks over at my and simply says, ¨Estoy triste.¨(I am sad). She was being so sincere and honest. It just broke my heart.

I love my neighborhood....

As I drove into my driveway after a busy weekend in Nashville, I get a phone call. As I answer it I hear my neighbor who lives down the street asking if I am the one she sees standing in the middle of the street. She then continues to ask if I can take her and her cousins to the park. I quickly put my things away and walk down with frozen popsicles to pick them up. After much debate we end up coming to my house and end up jumping rope, and trying to beat me in connect four.

After I explain to them I am tired and need to unpack and take a shower we race back down to their house for me to drop them off. When I am at their house I meet the landlord and have a conversation about owning real estate. He tells me that I am unusual to be living in this area and tutoring Kelsey. He ment it in a good way.

On my way back I run into a guy named Peanut that just roams the neighborhood. I have given him food or gift cards on a number of occasions. He asks for food and so I scrounge to find some pretzels and peanut butter from my bare cabinets.

God has given me good relationships and I am very blessed to be in this neighborhood. It is nice to call this home. There is so much beauty in this neighborhood in the people that as you drive by you miss.

Toilet paper and wipes....

The grocery store near my house has recently closed down. I have been trying to figure out a new place to shop. There is a Kroger pretty near to where I live. I was shopping there on Sunday trying to find some italian sausage... I had a hard time finding it. An older man approaches me holding a package of toilet paper in one hand and change in another. He asks if I had any change to spare that would help him by some toilet paper. I offered to buy the toilet paper instead of give him money.

As we were walk to the register he starts to tell me why he needs the toilet paper. He says that he has crohn`s disease and it has been acting up. It has caused him to have diarrhea. He shares this before he tells me his name.

I stopped walking and went and got him some wet wipes as well. It just broke my heart that first of all he made his way to the grocery store probably know that he didn´t have enough money to purchase the toilet paper. How humbling it is to have to ask a stranger to buy you toilet paper because you are having diarrhea. It has kept coming in my thoughts throughout the day. It is hard for my to shake that image. To me it is a funny situation but so sad at the same time. It just breaks my heart.