Long few days

So.... yesterday was a very long day. The funeral was, well.....so hard. It was hard for me because I am not one of them and I had been taking care of this man for about a month of more. When he had Shingles, I would put cream all over his body and give him medicine and feed him when no one else was here. I made sure he was warm and that he wasn't in pain. I loved him.

However, at his funeral all of a sudden everyone seemed to care for him. It was so strange to me. I wanted to get close, but since I am a foreigner, I wasn't given the same privilege as others were. I know if it were up to Mada I could have gone anywhere, however, she was a little preoccupied with her own sadness to worry about stupid old me! So, I stood off to the side and watched as everyone got close to the graveside and said their last good-byes. I think they found it strange that someone like me was crying. I mean, I am here to work, why would an old man's death affect me? These people who don't know me, just see me as a stranger living among them. They don't know that I have the ability to love them, to care for them, to become part of a family that is not my own. They don't understand it because they have never done that themselves. Anyway, it was so hard. I am glad it is over.

I did learn some things that I never knew before yesterday. I have been to many funerals here and I thought I knew most of the customs that they had. I was wrong! I have never stayed for the entire thing. Well, yesterday I was one of the very last people that was there. We watched as they filled in the dirt on top of the casket. A group of men took turns shoveling the dirt. When one would get tired another would take over. Two men at a time did this until every last bit of dirt was put back where it had come from. However, before they had filled the grave they put a bag in with the casket. I had never seen this done so I asked one of Adolfo's daughters what it was that was put in the grave. She told me that it was clothing, food and water. She said they always do this because it was believed they needed these things for their afterlife. Now I have read that they did this in Egypt for the mummies but I never knew that they believed that here. However, after asking other people I was assured that indeed that is what many still believe.

I also learned that they don't throw any trash away at the deceased's home for 9 days. The wife doesn't bathe for 17 days and the family isn't supposed to change their clothes, bathe, or look happy for the entire 9 days. They stick to some of these things, however they laugh about others. Adolfo's daughters were laughing as they said the people would criticize them if they changed their clothes so they said, we trick them, we put on pants under our skirts! :o) He has 4 sons and 3 of them live away from here and do as they please. Mada said she had to mess up her hair a little so the people would think she looked disheveled. She is so funny!

I have to tell you what she said and then I will shut up. I was sharing with her that Adolfo was in heaven and that when she died she could go and see him there and he would be healthy and young and he would greet her. She said, "I don't want him to greet me. I am mad at him." I asked her why and she said because he left her here. I said, "Well, Mada the way I see it is, Adolfo knew he could never live here on earth alone without you, but he knew you would be fine without him. That is why he had to go first," She laughed so hard and said, " You're right, that's true, he could NEVER live here without me! But.... I'll be fine without him. Heeheeheehee!" I bout wet my pants when she said this. It was the happiest I have seen her in a long time!

Okay, enough of that. Tomorrow we will have a happy day. We will have our baptism. We hope to have 5 people and could have as many as 8. Here, you never know, there are 3 that are still undecided and will decide at the last minute. Baptism for them is a HUGE decision and they don't take it lightly. So, we are hoping that we will have those other 3 but they aren't sure yet. Anyway, there is one person who is VERY sure and she can't wait! Her name is Annie! Annie learned a lot last year when she was in the US about having a relationship with Jesus and what that means. So she excepted him into her heart last year and when we started talking about having a baptism here she chimed right in and said she was ready for that too. We are so proud of her! There will be 3 other women and one other man who are committed to this as of now. It should be a great day of fun, fellowship and following the footsteps of Jesus! Thank you all for reading, following us and for your comments, they mean a lot! Love you, Missy