LETTER 5, WEEK 3

Sun. Jan. 11
Hi, I told you I'd write on Sun!! First, happy birthday Lilly and Winston, only a few days to go, bud! I hate I won't be there. I want to tell you about some of the girls here.
First, our new Guide-on, Big Lee, is about 5'9", super muscular, big black girl w/a big tattoo on her back. She's so sweet, and kinda timid though. She's always encouraging the others. We've got our FRPs (the girls that failed PT, and have been at PI for a while).
L. is a really smart girl who went to the Citadel. She's got boy short hair and at first I thought she was gay, but not now.
B. and E. are the two who can't do ANYTHING right, get us all in trouble, and have both been to the Sand Pit at least half a dozen times already.
There are a LOT of Hispanic girls here, and surprisingly enough, I get along the best with them. I've caught myself speaking English with a latin accent :) Almost all of them are Catholic, and I had a great opportunity to witness to one of them last night and she came to church today! Andrew told me to just ask questions and talk to the girls about their faith, and they'd open up to me, so I don't have to stress about what to say. He was right. She ended up asking me how I thought people could get into heaven, and I shared the verse where Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me." I can tell she's thinking about it; and it all started with talking about tortillas!
There's a girl named R. who I swear could be Shea LeBouf's twin. I don't mean it ugly, but bless her heart...
We have a girl her named C. who looks exactly like Little Black Sambo w/ short fluffy hair. She's like 4'10.
Today we drilled so much that the grime from my M16 is embedded into every wrinkle of my hand, and it's not going anywhere, either. We also learned to take apart and clean our rifles. I LOVE messing with all the parts & bolts. It's fun to assemble a machine that will work when you're done. (and secretly, I like getting the grease on my hands) It's hand AND head work, just like my job's going to be.
Church was great, and it's awesome to see all the big, tough male Recruits and Marines raising their hands in praise, singing out loud, and I've seen a few cry. At the end of the week, all the hymns and praise songs just hit you right in the heart, and everybody is moved. And since it's just once a week, you just try to soak up as much as you can.
I love you all, and I'll try to write again soon.
xoxo Ruby