I’ve been in Oxford, England for a
week today and never thought it could fly by so quickly. I live in a convent
for the sick and elderly nuns where you’d think the time slowly drags by, but I
can assure you that this is not the case. I don’t know where the hours fly off
to!
Just one week ago I was saying goodbye
to my friends in Spain. Bidding farewell to people more affectionate,
welcoming, and loving than any I’ve ever had the honor of knowing. The girls
from the salon who I taught English to invited me to go to lunch before I left
and it was so much fun! At the end of the meal, they all surrounded me and gave
me a big photo of us all together on which they each wrote a special goodbye
note. I was not expecting this and it really warmed my heart. A couple of the
girls began crying and everyone seemed to be looking at me as if asking, “Why
aren’t you crying, too?!” This actually happened more than once during my last
few days of goodbyes. I usually am a crier! This time in my life is so
different for me, though. I’ve never before felt so content with each passing
day. It’s hard to cry when you’re so filled with joy! I have to admit: I did
cry the final night.
Everyone from my apartment (plus a
few others) returned to El Bailadero as they do each summer for 15 days. My
last two days were spent there and I was grateful for this because I could
spend as much time as possible with the kids right before I left. My last night
was very calm and relaxing. When all the girls in my room were in bed reading,
I walked in and began crying because I guess it finally hit me that I might not
see my Canarian friends again. Their reaction was so touching; it just
reinforced in my mind how beautiful and special these people are! They all
started running around, trying to make me laugh and finding anything they could
give me as a farewell present to remember them by! It was quite funny,
actually, and looking back on it now it looks like a sitcom. I tried to refuse
their gifts, but this is actually IMPOSSIBLE with Spaniards. They each gave me
something that really meant a lot to them but I could tell that it meant more
to them that I have it. Of course, this just made me cry more. It was a silly
night!
And with that, my time in Spain
came to an end. I really can’t put into words the love that was shown to me
over these past three months. I have learned an incredible amount simply
through the friendships that I’ve formed and I will carry these lessons with me
throughout my life. I don’t know if I made any impact whatsoever on the people
in return, but now I can keep them in my prayers every day! Now they have one
more person praying for them. That’s quite special, if you ask me.
This brings us to Oxford! I’m in
England!! HOW COOL! So far, everything about it is like night and day compared
to Spain. I must say, however, that the people here have really surprised me as
well. I assumed they would be a little colder and more closed-off, but no!
Everyone here smiles at you on the street and says, “Ello! How are you?!” in
their cute, little British accents!
I live with 15 sisters in a convent
for the sick and elderly. They informed me that the school next door doesn’t
open until September, so I’ll just be hanging around the house until then and helping with whatever I can! The
sister in charge, Sister Anne, created a timetable for me in which each day I
spend some time engaging with a different sister. All of the sisters are so
beautiful and full of love! It’s inspiring! You feel God everywhere in the
house. These women are so holy. I have much to learn from them. Three of the
sisters who stay upstairs most of the time have dementia. I spent today with an
‘upstairs sister’, as I call them, and let me tell you…I’m going to cherish my
health and my youth more than ever. How quickly our lives will slip by! In
fact, I’m going to go for a jog right now. More to come later!
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