Some initial impressions

One of the interesting oddities about living in Colombia is bags – milk comes in plastic bags, so does ketchup, and mayonnaise, salad dressing and yogurt. The dairy products require you to snip the corner off the bag, pour, and then fold it up and clothes-pin it shut, the condiments have little screw off caps on the upper part of the bag allowing you to squeeze out the desired quantity.

A wonderful surprise has been the national love of hot chocolate. I’m a hot chocolate fan, and now I’m living in a country where it is customary every morning to have a steaming fresh cup. There is a key difference however, hot chocolate here, is made by breaking big squares off of a special “hot chocolate chocolate bar” putting it in milk, and then heating. The process is completed by mixing it up by hand with a special kitchen utensil specifically designed for this purpose called a "molinillo."

Well, Jessie and I have been making good progress in the “getting set up” department, we are very close to having a cute apartment within walking distance of both the office and Javeriana University where we will be taking Spanish lessons. We will begin taking an intensive immersion Spanish course in January that will meet all morning, 5 days a week, for six weeks. Until then however, Jessie and I will be taking private lessons from a Spanish tutor so as not to waste any of the valuable learning time between now and January 17.

Thank you for your prayers; please press on in them. We continue to be surprised and overjoyed by the Lord's grace and provision and know that your faithful intercession is a key part of our ministry here.