Good Morning, Cheater.

It is Tuesday of week three and we are finally feeling like we are now a part of Mexico.

A family of the church, the Guinto family, recently moved into a house right next to where Sara lives. 

Jeovel Guinto (pronouced "hey-oh-veyl) turned 6 on Saturday, and he invited us to his birthday party. 

We finally have friends here that want to hang out with us... even though they are under the age of ten... 

Birthday parties here are very different than the ones in the states. For one thing, it was a party for a little boy, but all the kids stayed in the kitchen while all the adults were i

n the living and dining room. 

It was in honor of the boy, but it was probably more fun for the adults.

Most of the people there were family members (making us feel very awkward and confused when we first arrived, especially because most of them are named after each other).

After a few hours, people started to leave but we were invited to play cards with the family there. 

Spoons was the game, and I was very excited because—not to brag, but I'm kinda a big deal at Spoons.

But I did not win.

Not even once. 

But this is only partly because I wasn't having luck. The other part to this was that EVERY SINGLE family member (and I mean every single one: Davíd, Nestor, Jeovel Sr., and Jeovel Sr. Sr. —the older grandfather of the birthday boy) CHEATED. 

Every time 

we dealt the cards, we made them stand up and turn around and reveal their strategy of cheating. Almost every time, we would find spoons stuffed in their pockets, cards tucked in their sleeves, or entire hands of four of the same number on their chair. 

Nestor, who sat next to me, tried to frame me NUMEROUS times by stealing a spoon, asking where it was, and then when I wasn't looking, stick it right in front of me. 

It got to the point where Jeovel Sr.  got a watergun and sprayed his family members with water when they cheated, even though he himself cheated. 

Spoons were bent, water was thrown, but we all went away with a smile and a feeling of belonging. 

It was SO much fun.

Since then, we have gone to tutoring, planned kids cell group lessons, saw a dance of the viejitos at an AWESOME restaurant Sara took us to, had coffee with two youth members (Amy and Larisa), been recognized by a Mexican woman from a Let's Start Talking party on the street and had a mini chat (that was exciting), served breakfast at a 6th grade graduation, and so much more.

On Sunday, our church (Río de Vida) met at another Christian church here called Filodelfia. Sam preached an awesome message about unity, a woman thought that I was Sam's wife (HA!), and we were greeted by the grandfather of the Guinto family with, "Buenas dias, tramposa."(Good morning cheater).

I later came up with a comeback, "Buenas dias, mentiroso" (Good morning liar), but it was too late... That happens to me a lot.

More to come!

Hasta luego

Emily