New Years Combo

You know how you can go to some restaraunts and request a combo plate with all your favorite items? I feel like that is how we celebrated New Year's Eve last night. Before the festivities began, I met my Bolivian friend Dani at her house so we could go to the hairdresser together to get nice and pretty (something women do here quite frequently because of the extremely low price of a manicure, pedicure, and hair-do). Dani is the kind of friend that you know would do anything for you and has made it quite clear that she is available at any point, for any reason. Yesterday, as we walked back to her house, we began discussing things we struggle with and how we can hold each other accountable as friends. We continued the conversation in her home, reflecting on the amazing grace of God to give us strength in all circumstances, and His love that is not based on what we do or how sinless we are, but on the righteousness we have through Christ alone. We prayed together and as I drove home I praised God that He's given me a friend like her to challenge me, encourage me, and give me an opportunity to be real and transparent- something I feel we are sometimes hesitant to do with our fellow Christians. Around 9 we went to our church, La Comunidad, to experience a few minutes of the youth group's talent night. We stayed long enough to sing a few praise choruses and again be reminded of our Savior who has sustained us in the past year (and all the others). Later in the evening, we added another side dish to our full course by ringing in the new year with our friend Randy, his Youth for Christ co-workers, a team from Colorado that is here working for the week, and a handfull of the men and women shoe-shiners that our friends devote so much of their time and heart to. What an interesting mix of people! A good part of the evening we learned line dances and some new swing moves, with many Bolivians looking on with smiles and giggles (only a few of them could pick up the moves, even though they are usually quite skilled in their national dances which are fairly intricate). Then, after midnight, we had a traditional New Years dinner of pork, baked sweet potatoes, and salad. Are you starting to see a theme here of late night eating? We left a little after 1am, happy to have started this year with so many wonderful people, and so many different cultures around us.