First Impression

I've been in Bolivia a day or two now, and it's given me a lot to think about. After a few flights I found myself in the Santa Cruz airport on Monday around 10am going through immigration and customs with absolutely no idea how to fill out some customs form or understand what the airport employees were saying to me. I ended up guessing on the form and handing all of my paperwork to every checkpoint I came to, assuming they would just hand back what they didn't need. Language was on my mind a lot that day. Not so much interpreting Spanish, since I couldn't, but the concept of there being more than one language. Considering how different languages could form from the same root, and then why God had the Tower of Babel dispersion occur, eventually left my mind more jumbled than before. After having maybe the worst pizza and 7up I've ever had, I had around 8 hours at the Santa Cruz airport to immerse myself in C.S. Lewis's world of Perelandra. It's an insane book. I tried to refresh my Spanish through the few people I talked to and listening to the Spanish flight announcer voice, but I just looked foolish and could barely even understand what people were telling me in broken English. Around halfway through my stay at the airport I went outside for some air and found some good trees for climbing, but realized they were covered in ants when I was about twenty feet up. I'm sure the young soldiers and few cab drivers outside the airport got a kick out of the gringo flinging himself from a tree and swatting himself all over. Later I boarded my final plane. All the take-offs and turbulence seemed to finally be taking their toll, and the usual exhilarating shoot into the sky made me feel frail and less solid. After landing and finding my 80lb suitcase, which I was half-surprised had made it to Cochabamba, I joyfully met Eva, someone I knew and that I could understand, and without whom I doubt I would have made it to the SIM guesthouse where I almost immediately fell asleep.
This morning I met Andy, Jenny, and Celia, medical or soon-to-be medical students, and we all walked with Eva and Juana, who I think is in charge of their apartment, to the burn clinic. All this morning's experiences are hazy to me because I was still tired, but an image still clearly in my head is of a man and a dog sleeping on the grass next to a railroad. It was a surprisingly peaceful, not sad, picture, crisply lighted by the morning sun. We had a tour of the hospitals today, which all seemed pretty nice and very open about how we could observe in many different units. It seems like I'll eventually get to work or observe at the hospital too, which is a pleasant surprise. I can't wait to get to know the kids at the burn clinic more and be able to play with them and make them happier or more comfortable. The most poignant thing I saw today was a girl having cream put on her extensively burnt body while laughing and waving to us. I hope, but doubt, that I would have a like attitude in a similar situation. This video deal seems to be more important than I anticipated. I can't help but think my mom would be better suited to it, since I've rarely, or never, made a serious, meaningful video. Also, I naturally lean towards making it clear that all things will point to the glory of God, so it's odd to make a meaningful video for this organization with no religious affiliation and apparently no greater reason for its work than to bring more happiness to these children. Which of course is an awesome reason, just not the ultimate reason. I guess it could bring about more worship of Him. I guess I'll just work my best as if for the Lord within the parameters and context, and try to purify my motives for serving.