I think LuzAdriana is trying to repay me in her own 6-year-old ways. For the past few days she has brought me flowers both in the morning and when the Kinders come back from school. She hands them to me with a huge grin on her face. She thrusts her arm out and sticks the other under her first arm and flashes me a tooth grin so big that it makes her eyes close. It makes me happy that this is how she has chosen to repay me, even though I know she can´t do much else. She thinks of me, remembers me, and tries to show she is appreciative. An important lesson: even when I don´t have much to share I can always find ways to show my appreciation and thankfulness to others.

I forgot to mention something I observed on Friday when we took the kids to the river. They were all supposed to bring lunch with them, to pack one from home. All of the kids brought rolled up taquitos wrapped in foil and carried in a plastic bag from the store. The only ones who deviated from this are two boys who don´t have other brothers and sisters at the daycare. Jesús brought his in a lunchbox while both he AND Claudio both brough prepackaged drinks. The rest of the kids brought no drinks.

Tuesday the girls and I walked to the globos (market) after work. I wanted to try to find some things but ended up buying nothing. While we were there I noticed more Americans (or Canadians) than I ever saw before. In fact, the whole time I have been here I have not seen one other non-Mexican at the globos. I know there are people who live here who go there, but I have not seen them. So, it shocked me a little to be looking at shoes at a table and to hear some young guys from up North speaking in English. Not broken, accented English, but English I am very used to.

For some reason, it made me uncomfortable. Brigida looked at me and whispered "Americanos", and I laughed and we made eyes at each other and I whispered "vamanos". I have gotten so used to being around my Mexican friends while I am out in the town. I don´t know why I avoided the situation or even felt uncomfortable, but it was sure interesting. We saw some more young kids and so I assume that since Spring Break time has started there are groups over at the Big Orphanage.

To emphasize my citizenship even more we went to the farmacia. While we were in this little store there was a large family that came in. They left the same time we did. As they were settling into their car a woman in the back held a baby on her lap, who was clearly not having a good time. She proceeded to point to me and say "Americana". Woo! I´m a walking attraction here.

If my skin were a little darker I might be able to fit in. I have seen a number of Mexicans who have paler skin and lighter hair, but as my skin is actually very pale I can´t fool anyone.

The girls I work with keep reminding me that I¨m leaving in a week, doing their mock crying and such. At a meal one day this week Geno mentioned to Mitzi (one of the toddlers) that I was going to be leaving soon. I was standing right next to her and Mitzi grabbed a hold of my arm and said "no!". I said "si", but she she refused again. Ah! I love her.

For those of you that do not know I had originally planned to stay here until the middle of April, to make it a precise three months. When I left Portland, however, I was not quite sure then how I would be getting home in April. Because there are a few things in April that I want to absolutely be sure I am home for, I have decided to come back next Saturday. A group from my school is coming down for a week and I¨m really excited. My dad leads the group every year, so I get to see him. My roommate and good friend Stephanie is one of the student leaders and so of course she will be here as well. I have not seen these people since the middle of January so I am counting down the hours until Saturday evening when I will see them at church. They will be traveling many hours overnight in a caravan, so if you think of it, remember them in prayer.

Next week I will be working with them. They always have a ton of activities planned-- visiting a couple different ministries, building a house, and working on building a kitchen for the church they visit here. They visit this church (La Hermosa, meaning "the beautiful") and stay in the homes of families in the congregation. This is the church that Geno and Brigida attend and the church I have been going to twice a week. Because of this I am going to be working with the group on the kitchen, hopefully, and doing their other activities with them.

Consequently tomorrow is my last full day with the kids at the center! It is hard to believe that I have been here nearly 9 weeks. I almost feel as though time has stopped, because it can´t be that I´ve been here 9 weeks!