from Me to Thee, 3

Good morning “Class” (Dear Not-So-Small-Small-Group)! It’s time for everybody’s favorite thing in life: a POP QUIZ! As mentioned in the last update, I’m having the fun challenge of typing notes on an American English keyboard but with Latin American formatting (ie: what’s physically on the keyboard isn’t always what comes out – probably as with many mission stations, a very kind American donation not totally fitting the context). Best guesses only (no looking it up online)! If your computers were suddenly flipped to Latin American formatting, where on your keyboards would you find the following punctuation? ?

without shift or with shift, or

without shift or with shift )

without shift or with shift, or

without shift or with shift ¡

without shift or with shift, or

without shift or with shift /

without shift or with shift, or

without shift or with shift $

without shift or with shift, or

without shift or with shift (Answers found at end.) THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTINUED ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAYER! I’m feeling essentially 100% better, so aside from minor punctuation arguments with my keyboard at the clinic and a few itchy bites from critters that don’t mind the insect repellent spray I apply every day, I’m doing great. Thursday I gave those health talks to the Shalom home parents, where we talked about general topics like dental hygiene, healthy eating, and adequate sleep, along with being connected with our Heavenly Father who made us and knows how life works best. In hindsight, I felt I could have shared a little personal expression of thankfulness with the school parents for being here and the opportunity to serve. I believe the principal and school chaplain would have no problem with my sharing my testimony, especially as El Salvador from a population perspective (similar to the US 20 years ago) predominantly self-identifies as Christian (40% Catholic, 35% Evangelical, 20% non-religious). As a pastor’s kid (& pastor’s grandkid) who grew up in church, it would highlight the need for individual decisionmaking for Christ. I have another talk this Thursday at the school, so I’ll try to incorporate it there. Friday I saw patients at the clinic as usual and delivered the donated medical equipment, and Saturday the Home brought me to see historical town Suchitoto near the large man-made Lake Suchitlán created in 1973 for the generation of hydroelectric power – beautiful sights! Today, we went again to the 8AM service of the relatively large church where I felt I could understand more than last week (my listening skills are the most in need of improvement in Spanish), as they were celebrating Missionary Sunday, and a Salvadoran missionary to Romania preached from 1 Timothy 6. In between these activities, of course, was time spent with the kids, several of whom have felt comfortable enough to ask me to play with them (“Mika” is tag in El Salvador, holding the connotation “You’re it!”). Would you kindly pray for the following? 1. Continued health and safety 2. Effective medical care (that I’d diagnose problems correctly and offer the right therapy with the resources available) 3. Readiness of mind to learn 4. Readiness of heart to serve MUCHAS MUCHAS MUCHAS MUCHAS GRACIAS! El Dr. Wu ANSWER KEY: You would find… ? on the -/_ key with the shift, of course! ) on the 9/( key with the shift. Just close the parenthesis with the key that claims to open it! ¡ on the =/+ key without the shift, a tricky one! Rather than being a lower case “I”, this is the upside down exclamation point is unique to Spanish and is used at the beginning of exclamatory sentences…very useful signal for those reading aloud! / on the 7/& key with the shift. Totally intuitive! $ on the 4/$ key with the shift, exactly where we’d expect it! Had to throw in a curve ball in there! (tee-hee) Anyone get them all right?