I decided it was time for another update, now that we are almost through October and fall is in “full swing.” Anyone I talk to is feeling busy, maybe stressed, and that “mid Semester hump” that we have to get through. This week was the end of the 1st quarter. It’s hard to believe we have been in school for 44 days! Wow, and I’ve been out of the country for almost 3 months!
I feel myself missing fall a lot while I am here. I miss the trees changing colors, the crisp fall weather, the apple cider and pumpkins, corn mazes and the coming of winter….ah, please enjoy it for me!
Here the weather has been constantly changing. Last week it rained all week, almost nonstop. This week it has been windy and cold and the sun has only come out for a little while….not the “fall” I was envisioning.
In September I had a few hard weeks right in a row, feeling the reality of this first year had blown me over. I have been in a good place though recently, realizing my complete insufficiency to do anything on my own and having to constantly rely on the Lord for wisdom and insight moment by moment. I have been spending a lot of time in prayer, and that aspect is yielding fruit and keeping me going, though the days are hard and long.
I adore my kids, I love greeting them every morning and finding funny things to laugh about throughout the day to make school fun, but I can’t hide from the reality of this being my first year of teaching. I have such high goals and aspirations of the kind of teacher I want to be, and yet the day to day reality of everything holds me back in so many respects. I fail daily, I struggle because my kids think school is “boring” (a word we are no longer aloud to use) and I have a few kiddos that are shaping up for a long journey in learning to love and serve one another this year.
God has been so faithful to me as I walk this road seemingly “alone” in the struggles and has ALWAYS sent what I need. My principle has been extremely supportive and sat through multiple parent meetings with me this past couple of weeks, listening and defending me and the school. My respect for him is growing with each interaction.
So as I teach, sometimes I wonder who is learning more, me, or the students? All I know is that I’m learning “un montón” every day, but it is clear that God is faithful, He has equipped me for the work of my hands, and He is carrying me through, especially on the hard days when I have to run to Him because I feel like such a failure.
I guess it’s time for me to ask for some prayer with some of my tough students. I definitely need some help in dealing with them and loving them, so 3 specific students are:
1.) Roy is my class bully – comes from a rough family situation and it shows
2.) Josué is the hard one for people to love – very annoying at times, even to me
3.) Andrés has yet to learn the power of his words and attacks people with them, as well as being the class clown and always wanting the attention.
These three are in constant “war” with each other and pester each other incessantly.
Please pray over my classroom environment and for these boys hearts, and for wisdom in each moment as I struggle to do what is “right” in leading and guiding them. I also need new ideas and strength as I know this is just the beginning in our journey together.
2nd I would ask for your prayers for parent teacher conferences next week. I am getting a little nervous for them as some parents are quite intense when it comes to their children, school, and grades. Please pray for wisdom, a guarded heart to take what they say with understanding and a listening ear, and to know how to encourage the parents in how they are raising their kids, but be able to give constructive criticism on the other hand.
Apart from school, I have been finding many outlets and enjoying different aspects of this culture and country. 3 weeks ago another teacher and I went to do a teacher training for a small neighborhood school in one of the poorest parts of town. The teachers are volunteers and right out of high school, but they have beautiful hearts to serve the kids. This was an awesome opportunity because God has already given me so many resources in this area after the 8 months in Nicaragua. We’re hoping to make a commitment to training the teachers at least twice a month and God is adding to our number teachers from school here who are willing to help, which is very exciting! Please pray for this little school and our relationship with the teachers.
Two weekends ago I went to the southern coast of Honduras to a island called Amapala with 3 other teachers. It was a grand adventure to get out on our own and spend some time on the beach, and interact with people in a different setting. We traveled by every sort of public transportation available (7 hours with a cost of $6 to get there) and on the way back we hitched a ride in the back of a truck! I attached a picture for you to get a glimpse into our adventure -- it was beautiful!
This weekend I went on a women’s retreat with my church to a retreat center about an hour outside of the city. It was a great time of getting to know the women, worshipping together, and again...sharing many adventures! We had a bonfire on Saturday night and the Spirit of God was greatly received and it was a neat time of sharing and prayer and surrender. Afterwards we roasted marshmallows…which NONE of the women had ever done before! (They call marshmallows “besitos” here – which means little kisses!:)
It was so fun watching all these women like little kids crowded around the fire with sticks of marshmallows. I attached a group picture for you to see.
After this weekend I am feeling much at home in this church family, and God is confirming that this is where I am supposed to stay and serve.
Ah, there is so so much to share, that I just don’t know where to begin and end.
God has been working in my heart and mind in many many ways, but again just showing me that He is faithful when I am obedient and surrendered to Him. I can do nothing on my own. I want to testify again to the power of prayer, and encourage each one of you to pray more, specifically for anything and everything. God directs us moment by moment as we tune our hearts to His voice and gentle leading. Don’t miss out on anything He has to show you and tell you in a day.
So brothers and sisters, I must not bore you any longer. Thank you for reading about my life and journey, but more specifically for praying for me and supporting me. I have felt your prayers, and needed your support as I continue to seek my place here and wait on the Lord to reveal relationships that He desires to bless and grow. I do miss home very much, y tengo mucho falta de cada uno de ustedes (I feel the lack of each and every one of you in my life here!) I pray God’s hand of faithfulness and joy over each of your lives and hope to hear anything and everything from you when you get moments to share.
Filled with the graciousness of El Señor,
I feel myself missing fall a lot while I am here. I miss the trees changing colors, the crisp fall weather, the apple cider and pumpkins, corn mazes and the coming of winter….ah, please enjoy it for me!
Here the weather has been constantly changing. Last week it rained all week, almost nonstop. This week it has been windy and cold and the sun has only come out for a little while….not the “fall” I was envisioning.
In September I had a few hard weeks right in a row, feeling the reality of this first year had blown me over. I have been in a good place though recently, realizing my complete insufficiency to do anything on my own and having to constantly rely on the Lord for wisdom and insight moment by moment. I have been spending a lot of time in prayer, and that aspect is yielding fruit and keeping me going, though the days are hard and long.
I adore my kids, I love greeting them every morning and finding funny things to laugh about throughout the day to make school fun, but I can’t hide from the reality of this being my first year of teaching. I have such high goals and aspirations of the kind of teacher I want to be, and yet the day to day reality of everything holds me back in so many respects. I fail daily, I struggle because my kids think school is “boring” (a word we are no longer aloud to use) and I have a few kiddos that are shaping up for a long journey in learning to love and serve one another this year.
God has been so faithful to me as I walk this road seemingly “alone” in the struggles and has ALWAYS sent what I need. My principle has been extremely supportive and sat through multiple parent meetings with me this past couple of weeks, listening and defending me and the school. My respect for him is growing with each interaction.
So as I teach, sometimes I wonder who is learning more, me, or the students? All I know is that I’m learning “un montón” every day, but it is clear that God is faithful, He has equipped me for the work of my hands, and He is carrying me through, especially on the hard days when I have to run to Him because I feel like such a failure.
I guess it’s time for me to ask for some prayer with some of my tough students. I definitely need some help in dealing with them and loving them, so 3 specific students are:
1.) Roy is my class bully – comes from a rough family situation and it shows
2.) Josué is the hard one for people to love – very annoying at times, even to me
3.) Andrés has yet to learn the power of his words and attacks people with them, as well as being the class clown and always wanting the attention.
These three are in constant “war” with each other and pester each other incessantly.
Please pray over my classroom environment and for these boys hearts, and for wisdom in each moment as I struggle to do what is “right” in leading and guiding them. I also need new ideas and strength as I know this is just the beginning in our journey together.
2nd I would ask for your prayers for parent teacher conferences next week. I am getting a little nervous for them as some parents are quite intense when it comes to their children, school, and grades. Please pray for wisdom, a guarded heart to take what they say with understanding and a listening ear, and to know how to encourage the parents in how they are raising their kids, but be able to give constructive criticism on the other hand.
Apart from school, I have been finding many outlets and enjoying different aspects of this culture and country. 3 weeks ago another teacher and I went to do a teacher training for a small neighborhood school in one of the poorest parts of town. The teachers are volunteers and right out of high school, but they have beautiful hearts to serve the kids. This was an awesome opportunity because God has already given me so many resources in this area after the 8 months in Nicaragua. We’re hoping to make a commitment to training the teachers at least twice a month and God is adding to our number teachers from school here who are willing to help, which is very exciting! Please pray for this little school and our relationship with the teachers.
Two weekends ago I went to the southern coast of Honduras to a island called Amapala with 3 other teachers. It was a grand adventure to get out on our own and spend some time on the beach, and interact with people in a different setting. We traveled by every sort of public transportation available (7 hours with a cost of $6 to get there) and on the way back we hitched a ride in the back of a truck! I attached a picture for you to get a glimpse into our adventure -- it was beautiful!
This weekend I went on a women’s retreat with my church to a retreat center about an hour outside of the city. It was a great time of getting to know the women, worshipping together, and again...sharing many adventures! We had a bonfire on Saturday night and the Spirit of God was greatly received and it was a neat time of sharing and prayer and surrender. Afterwards we roasted marshmallows…which NONE of the women had ever done before! (They call marshmallows “besitos” here – which means little kisses!:)
It was so fun watching all these women like little kids crowded around the fire with sticks of marshmallows. I attached a group picture for you to see.
After this weekend I am feeling much at home in this church family, and God is confirming that this is where I am supposed to stay and serve.
Ah, there is so so much to share, that I just don’t know where to begin and end.
God has been working in my heart and mind in many many ways, but again just showing me that He is faithful when I am obedient and surrendered to Him. I can do nothing on my own. I want to testify again to the power of prayer, and encourage each one of you to pray more, specifically for anything and everything. God directs us moment by moment as we tune our hearts to His voice and gentle leading. Don’t miss out on anything He has to show you and tell you in a day.
So brothers and sisters, I must not bore you any longer. Thank you for reading about my life and journey, but more specifically for praying for me and supporting me. I have felt your prayers, and needed your support as I continue to seek my place here and wait on the Lord to reveal relationships that He desires to bless and grow. I do miss home very much, y tengo mucho falta de cada uno de ustedes (I feel the lack of each and every one of you in my life here!) I pray God’s hand of faithfulness and joy over each of your lives and hope to hear anything and everything from you when you get moments to share.
Filled with the graciousness of El Señor,
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