I just LOVE getting out of the house!

I know that I said other people talk about how unfriendly Cochabamba is, but I’m just not really “seeing” that. Instead, I see people who awkwardly and warily return smiles and then others who seem shocked then so touched that someone is nice. It’s really kind of fun. I think I might smile and stuff anyway, just for the reactions!

Seriously though, it’s amazing how effective smiles and kind words are. When we’re nice to each other, everyone has more energy to do what needs to be done. The meat counter guys cut more quickly and safer, the bakery guys get to the counter sooner to take your order and the floor workers will walk the store to find what you need.

So… I’m at the line, right? It’s Saturday night, so EVERY available register had lines that were huge. But it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I’m a “line curse”… it doesn’t matter what’s going on at any other register and it doesn’t matter how fast the checker was when I walked up. As soon as I get in line, that line WILL be the slowest line in the store! lol…

There was another gal near the register I was choosing, but I wasn’t sure that she was in line. When I moved my basket closer in so that she could get past me, and she didn’t move past me, but said something about not having any room in the store… I knew that she was in the same line!

I really think that she had chosen the line slightly before I did, so I told her to go ahead of me and I said it in my broken spanish. She asked me if I was sure and I assured her that I was… again, in my broken spanish. Then she asked me if I spoke english. I said, “Si!” lol…

It turns out that she spent 2 years in D.C. with family in the U.S. She asked me why we were here and it turns out that her brother is in a Baptist mission work in Santa Cruz. We shared anecdotes about our children and found out that we had many things in common. [as I said... the lines were LONG! ]

Before she left, she gave me her card. She works at a store that sells paint. We NEED paint! But she said that if I needed anything, to call her and she would help. And she said that she would give me a good price on the paint. I like “good prices”! lol…

Her family looked so nice and her little boy is about David’s age. I think that we will all be good friends. God is so good. Who could have imagined that I would make a new friend while standing in line at I.C. Norte! And this friend knows english pretty well and wants to learn more. She said that I could talk to her in spanish and she’d talk to me in english and together we could practice.

We just never know. It kind of makes me wonder what other wonderful experiences and friends I could have made if my head had not been down that day… or if I had chosen to smile instead of being lost in my concerns… or if I had followed the leadership of the Holy Spirit and offered my place to that person who would have become my friend.

“Dear Lord, please let me not forget this blessing of friendship. Please help me to always hear You and to do Your will for me and to go where You lead.”