Lost in Translation

Hey! Katie again... I am only posting this story because I have been told that someone else will if I don't. I'd rather have a say in how this story is told. This is a long story, but stick with me... there's a fun ending :)

On Tuesday morning I was set on working much harder than I had the day before. As a result, I found myself shoveling sand ("arena" en espanol) into a wheel barrow to take to another location. Knowing my limitations, I filled the wheel barrow about half way. Just as I was about to carry my load away, a Honduran worker came over, stuck out his hand and said, "Matt". I assummed he was intoducing himself so I put my hand in his and said , "Katie". Matt then proceeded to mime out that he would take the wheel barrow where it needed to go and that I should finish filling it up because he was "muy fuerte!". As I followed him I remember thinking, "Matt is a strange name for a Honduran, I must have heard him wrong." I continued to follow Matt around for the rest of the day and help him with whatever he was doing. I was sure that I was the best helper he had ever seen... or at least the best gringo helper he had ever seen.

Later that evening we were talking about our "highs" for the day and I explained my time with Matt. I also asked if anyone knew what his real name was because I was pretty sure that I had misheard him. Well, as it turns out, his name is Abel... which of course sounds nothing like Matt. The team helped me to recount my steps of that morning, and we realized where I went wrong. When Abel walked up to me that morning he saw the half filled wheel barrow and thought, "I will carry it... and I can certianly carry a full load. I will have this attactive young gringo fill it to the brim!" He then stuck his hand out towards the pile of sand (which happened to be right next to me) and said, "Mas" (meaning "more" in english). I then introduced myself... and looked completly insane.

I wish I could say that was my first and last embrassing moment with my friend Matt (as I like to call him), but I have made a fool of myself numerous other times while in his presence (I tend to follow him around quite a bit because I think he is a patient, kind, and an amazingly hard worker... and I kind of feel like his sidekick, "Agua Chica!"). I will miss Matt and smile often when I think of him.

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now."
Phillipians 1:3-5