We just said goodbye once again to our wonderful friends, the Parada family. What a wonderful spirit they have. Sister Parada said through broken English how grateful she was that I shared my two sons with her. A part of my heart will be here in Colombia with these beautiful families. I am so grateful that I have had this experience with Griff, Whit and Austin. But....there is no place like HOME and I am so excited to go home to my family and the United States!
I thought so much about this experience and what I have learned from it. Here are a few things:
1. It doesn't matter how long I work at straightening my hair....10 minutes out in the humidity and it will be wavy and bushy anyway....might as well go "el naturel".
2. It's best to close your eyes when riding in a taxi....your heart will feel better that way!
3. The fruit in Colombia is "fantastico!" So many different kinds and so good.
4. When it rains in Barranquilla....run for higher ground. All the water runs down hill FAST and it will take everything in its path with it......cars, animals and people!
5. The Coastal area of Colombia is beautiful, from Cartagena to Santa Marta to Barranquilla.
6. The best way to get relief from the heat and humidity is to jump in the ocean. The water is the perfect temperature and so clear.
7. Don't eat oysters if offered to you on the beach. (Austin ate 6) They will make you pay for them.
8. We are very blessed in the United States and take so much for granted. There is no place like home.
9. The people are so simple materially but giants spiritually. They have such tremendous love for their families and for the gospel. They will sacrifice so much to make others feel their love.
10. I left part of my heart in Colombia. I know I will never be the same....I have been changed "for the good".
McNabb Family Memories
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Day 6 & 7.....Barranquilla
Whitney and I got to work out again today. We went to a little gym across the street from the hotel. The cardio machines were in the back and it was so hot. All they had were elliptical's but it was better than nothing. We had a little down time today so we went to the mall. It is really nice with lots of stores. Griff got a suit in one of the stores when he was here as a missionary so I bought Bill one. We did a lot of window shopping and then had lunch at an Italian restaurant. In the evening we went to visit Freddy and his family. They are members and Freddy is a jeweler. They live in a scary part of town but you would never know when you got inside their home. It was so warm and filled with the spirit. We had dinner there. They said that they wanted us to have a true Colombian meal. We had plantains. Freddys wife cut them in chunks and then cooked them in oil and then flattened them and then fried them again. She had made a chicken sauce and also some guacamole. We didn't have any plates or utensils. We held the plantains in our hand and put the sauce on and then ate them. They were so good. She also made us a drink made with guayaba fruit. She mixed it with milk and it was really good.
Freddy showed us some emeralds and I picked one for a ring for Caitlin. Her birthstone is emerald. We also picked out some for earrings for Kirstin. Freddy and his wife really wanted to give us a good deal. They were so kind to us. They have two daughters, Nayarit who is 21 and Angie who is 15. Every home we go into they greet us with a handshake and a kiss on the cheek. Whenever a family member comes in the house, they give each other a kiss on the cheek. They are so loving to their families.
We went from their home to the Sanchez's for FHE. Their son Carlos is 21 and still hasn't served a mission. Brother Sanchez wanted to have a FHE centered on missionary work to encourage Carlos to go. He had Austin, Whit, Griff and I share our testimonies about how Griff's mission blessed our lives. He and Sister Sanchez then shared a spiritual thought. After Brother Sanchez got done he said, "okay, the part most important....we are learning to dance!" We had a closing prayer and then the music came on and we danced! They taught us the "salsa". It was a lot of fun. Their two daughters are really pretty so Austin loved dancing with them!
Every home we have been in they express what a gift it is that we have come to visit them. They are so appreciative. They are very grateful that Griff did what he said he would.....came back to visit them.
When we were in the mall, we saw some missionaries and I knew one was American. We stopped and talked to him and I told him that Griff served in this mission. He said, "I know, I have heard of him. He was a good missionary." What joy that brings to my heart! Griff always says that he loved them and so they loved him. He said that when he first got to the mission, if he didn't like what they served him to eat he wouldn't eat it. Then he saw how much they sacrificed to feed him and he decided that no matter what he would eat everything he was served. He said that sometimes it took him an hour and half to finish it all but he always finished it. Every family we ate with looked at Griff as he was finishing eating and said, "he always eats everything." They knew that he appreciated what they had done for him. At every home we visit, I notice the mom slips some money to one of the children and they run down to the neighborhood store and buy some pop or Colombiano so that they can serve us a drink. I know it comes at such a sacrifice to them because they don't have extra money. They always want to make us feel welcome.
On Tuesday, we got up early to go to Porta Colombia to visit a family that Griff baptized. Their name is Geronimo. Brother Geronimo never did get baptized but Sister Geronimo and their son John did. They were so happy to see Griff. Sister Geronimo has a granddaughter, Melany, who was 3 when Griff was here. Griff loved to play with her. She is now 5 and in school. They went and got her out so she could see him. She was a little shy at first but then she warmed up to him. She is so so cute. We had to walk down a dirt road to get to their house. I took a picture because I wanted to see in my mind Griff tracking down those streets. What a sweet experience this has been for me!
When we got back to Barranquilla it started to rain. When it rains here....watch out! The streets become rivers and everything is swept down in their path. Griff had written home about it but we actually got to experience it. It was pretty crazy. We stayed at the hotel for about 2 hours because we couldn't go anywhere.
After the rain stopped, we went to visit a member named Tule. Griff said that she was the best cook. They live in a very nice house. Her husband isn't a member but he loves the missionaries and is very supportive of her. Griff gave her a Temple apron and she loved it.
We went back to the mall and met the Sanchez's and the Parada's. The Parada's road on a bus an hour and a half so they could spend some more time with us. Again, a great sacrifice on their part but that is how they show their love. We said goodbye to the Sanchez's there and then we went back to the hotel with the Parada's, Hugo, Jorge and another of Griff's converts, Diego and played games and had pizza. It was such a fun last night in Colombia. So many wonderful friends and memories we made. I am so grateful that I was able to experience a little bit of Griff's mission.
I now have a greater appreciation for the statement "when it rains, it pours!"
Ou Wa La
Day 5....Barranquilla
I love Sundays! Whether they are in Pocatello, ID or Barranquilla Colombia....I love Sundays! We got up early and took a van to Barranquilla. The ride was uneventful until we got stopped at a police checkpoint. Griff told us that they will stop people randomly and try to find something they can fine them for just to make money. They talked to the driver and then the policeman came to the side door. He opened it and just starred at Griff. He asked him some questions and then told him to get out of the van. He frisked Griff and then asked him why we had so many bags. Griff told him that we were family and traveling. He made Griff get his bag down from the top of the van and he went through it. I was holding my breath because I had locked my bag and I was afraid that he would think I was trying to hide something. He was satisfied after he looked in Griff's bag and let us go on our way. I'm not going to lie...my heart was pounding and I was saying a prayer through the whole ordeal.
We went to Stake Conference in Barranquilla. Griff served in 3 wards in this stake so it was so fun to see all the people that knew him. We wanted in the door and there were immediate "Oh, Elder McNabb!" with surprised joy and hugs. We were sitting in the back and one of the high councilmen came and got us to move up to the pews. They were so kind. Even though I didn't understand much of what was said, I understood the songs and felt the spirit so strongly. I sat there listening and I was so grateful that anywhere we go in the world the church is the same. The spirit is always familiar and beautiful.
After the meeting, we talked to the missionaries. One was from San Diego. He had been in Colombia for a couple of months. I could tell he was excited to talk to someone from "home". We went to dinner at the Sanchez families home. They are the first member family that Griff meant when he came to Colombia. Sister Sanchez said that Griff's Espanol (Spanish) was malo (bad) when he first got there. She would teach him new words in Spanish everyday and quizz him the next day to see if he remembered them. They have 3 children, Carlos, 21, who speaks really good English, Maia 17, and Titi 16. Their home was the nicest by material standards that we have been in so far but they are still a very humble family. We enjoyed so much being with them.
We were so tired that we came back to the hotel and took a nap. Hugo, one of Griffs friends came over and Griff gave him the gift he brought him. We went with Hugo and Jorge, another one of Griffs friends to dinner. They are a lot like Griff....they love to tease and joke, so they have so much fun together. It is fun to be with them.
Carlos playing his electric guitar for us.
Whit, Griff, Hugo and Austin
Hugo opening his gift....a Nike jacket.
Whit, Hugo, Austin and Lisa
Day 4.......Santa Marta
Happy Birthday Caitlin. She is 22 years old today! Oh, how I love her. I will be thinking of her today.
We got up early this morning and Whitney and I went for a run on the beach. I'm glad we didn't wait any longer than we did because it warms up quickly here. It was fun to be exercising again.
President Parada picked us up and we went with their family to the beach. We had to take a boat to get to the beach. Along the way we got to see just how beautiful Santa Marta is. It is along the coast but there are hills around it. The water is so clear and so warm. We just swam and talked. It was fun to get to know their family. Their three oldest children have graduated from high school and have gone to college. They are all going on the perpetual education fund through the church. To be able to use it, you have to graduate from seminary. They are so grateful to be able to go to college.
I was playing with Isabella, who is 23 months, in the water. At first she wasn't too sure about me, but then I started throwing her up and catching her and she warmed up. She would giggle and want me to do it again. She is really cute....makes me miss Kira and Kalli even more! We spent about three hours at the beach. On the way back to the hotel, President Parada took us by a really poor part of town. He said it was a really dangerous at night with a lot of drugs. All of the people do their laundry here by hand. Austin asked me why they are so poor we aren't in the United States. I told him about the promise in the Book of Mormon that says if we keep our covenants and do our best to live the commandments, that Heavenly Father promises that we will have peace and prosperity in our country. Also, that our founding fathers were God fearing people and were inspired to draft a constitution that guarantees us the rights we do. I am so grateful to live in America and to have the blessings from the Book of Mormon.
That evening we took the Parada's and the Osorio's out to dinner. There were 15 of us! What a party! Austin and I sat by President and Sister Parada, Zeneth, Nelson and Sister Osorio. Zeneth can speak pretty good English so we had a good conversation. She told me that the average person makes $500 a month in Colombia. She said that very few can afford to own their own home. The average home costs about $15,000. They told us that very few people can afford to get a drivers license, that they are very expensive. I told them that in Pocatello we don't have a taxi service. Zeneth asked how people without cars got around. I felt a little sheepish to tell her that most everyone owns a car.
It was hard when it came time to tell the Osorio's goodbye. Natalia just cried and held on to Griff. Sister Osorio and I got close and there were tears when we hugged goodbye. What sweet, sweet people. They don't have a lot materially but they are so close to the Spirit.
The Parada's came to our hotel and we played games. President Parada was so funny. Isabella got tired and Austin put her to sleep. When they had to leave, there were many tears. When Sister Parada went to hug Austin, they both started sobbing. They grew really close in the two days we were there. I hope that I can keep the perspective I have gained here. The Gospel and our families are all that really matters!
I could take her home in a minute.
Whit, Zeneth and Isabella
We had such a fun time....all 15 of us!
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