Cultural Experience Close to Home

As you may recall, part of my well-being goal this year was to spend time with friends and to grow spiritually. I got to do some of both this week. I had a friend over to play a game of Phase 10 with me on Monday, some friends invited me to dinner on Monday night, and I stopped at another friend's place for lunch on Saturday. It's always good to keep your relationships nourished. 

I had a cultural experience this week as well. I was looking for a Spanish Bible study to attend and found a couple of options. On Tuesday night, I went to the one nearest my apartment. I was not prepared for the cultural shock I got when the service started. When prayer began, everyone in the room began praying aloud, each over different things, one on top of the other. They shouted, prayed, wailed, wept aloud, and fell to their knees in the most fervent show of supplication I've ever seen. The person "leading" the prayer prayed for twenty minutes straight with all that going on all around her. 

Then they began singing, and it felt as if I were in a bar. They had an electric guitar, drums, and other instruments with a huge speaker blasting the sound to the ends of the Earth, it seemed. I'm sure it did indeed reach the very heavens with how loud it all was. The song went on for forty minutes before they got out their Bibles. We read three verses and then they all started singing again! As I'm quite sensitive to sound, I ended up excusing myself. I had a splitting headache, and I only felt closer to God because I had been praying that He'd help me not pass out from the auditory overload my delicate nervous system was being bombarded with. If that's what they need in order to feel bright with the Spirit, may the good Lord bless them in it, but I need a more peaceful worship.

On Friday, I tried one a little further away from my apartment. I had to drive to get to it, but it was a lot better environment for me. I don't have the Bible they're using (I have Reina Valeria 2008 and NTV, but they're using the Reina Valeria 1960 version), so I had to order one in. They were still a dramatic bunch, that comes with Latin-American culture, but I'm looking forward to going back when it works out for my schedule. It's always a good idea to be willing to look around for what works for you! Especially when you're considering something as important as your relationship with God. 

"I searched for God, and He heard me and freed me from all my fears."

Aside from all of that, I spent the week going to classes, studying, taking care of myself, and praying that I'll get some students to tutor soon so I can meet my bill payments that will be due at the end of the month. I'm sure it will all work out soon enough, and I do have plenty to keep myself busy with in the meantime. 

I applied for my fall exchange. I have until the exchange starts to pay the fee, so that's underway. To keep up the suspense, I'll write more about where I'm going when things are closer to settled. I did a fair amount of research before deciding on my preferred campus. If all goes to plan, the place I'll be going is in the US, has decent accessibility, on-campus housing options, weather suitable to my health needs, and a Spanish-speaking population so I can continue to improve my Spanish. I think it'll be a good option if it all goes well. I look forward to writing more about it when it's closer to time.