Es Una Adventura...

Christmas with Family

2012-01-04T17:26:00.004-06:00

This Christmas I enjoyed spending time with all my "families." :)

Alejandro and me on Christmas Eve, just before opening presents. (Christmas Eve is a BIG deal in Guatemala.)

And after the presents, everyone gets to play with fireworks at midnight, even the littlest ones! This is a pic of Gaby (2) with a sparkler in hand. If only this picture showed the fear I saw in her face. Haha. :)

Christmas morning I was blessed with a good Skype connection that allowed me to participate in the reading of the Christmas story and the opening of Christmas presents with my family. My brother made a joke about taking a pic of us all together on the screen, but then wasn't so thrilled with actually doing it. Lol.

The stockings and group gifts all ready for the kids at the Home on Christmas morning...

My friend, Ana Beatriz, invited another interpreter friend from church (Albina) and myself to have lunch with her family on Christmas. After spending some time with the kids at NLCH in the morning, I headed out to meet them. It was such a neat experience to share Christmas with a Guatemalan family (aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents all included), and it was a special blessing to be counted as a part of the family.

(Left to Right: Me, Albina, Ana Beatriz)

Birthday and Special Visitors

2012-01-04T16:38:00.002-06:00

It just so happened, that there was a Sign Language interpreting workshop on my birthday. And the workshop was being taught by a very dear friend of mine from church. After the workshop, she and another interpreter friend from church treated me to dinner at San Martin. Since it was my birthday, all the waitresses gathered around our table, put the crazy baker's hat on my head, and sang to me. I think the below picture pretty accurately displays the combination of exhaustion and embarrassment I was feeling at that moment. Lol. (On the bright side, the cake was delicious!)

The same friend who led the interpreting workshop, was sweet enough to buy me gerber daisies for my birthday! And the next day, I received another beautiful birthday bouquet from the director of the Children's Home. Oh, and the plaque in front of the daisies was a b-day gift from a student of mine--it's a Bible verse in Korean, with the English translation below it. I love it!

The day after my birthday, I got to visit with a family from my school in Xela. The oldest girl was a student of mine the first year I taught there. I enjoyed showing them around the Children's Home, and the girls enjoyed playing with the kids here.

I can't believe she's in 4th grade now!!! :)

Signing Makes Me Smile

2011-10-26T17:28:00.002-05:00

A little over 10 years ago I fell in love with Sign Language. I’d learned little words here and there, and I’d always been fascinated by how I could fingerspell using the alphabet to get away with talking when told to be silent, but in July 2001, I really caught the passion for it. That was the first time I’d ever observed and been taught to use Sign Language in worship. I couldn’t get enough of it. From then on, I was determined to continue studying sign language so that I could also use it in worship one day. And that’s just what I did.

Making due with whatever books I could get my hands on or internet sites I could find, I studied. Eventually the hard work began to pay off. At a youth retreat only a year and a half later, I was given my first opportunity to interpret in sign language. I’ll be honest, that first attempt was pretty terrible. But once I got the nerves out, the other couple sessions I interpreted went much smoother. After that, I just couldn’t get enough.

Throughout the years, I worked with a hearing-impaired 4^th grader as a teacher’s aid in England, interpreted worship music as a part of the Trinity Baptist Church (Germany) praise team, interpreted during Sunday School for a boy with a communication disorder and later a deaf child adopted from Haiti at First Alliance Church in Kentucky, worked with a deaf kindergartner as a student teacher in Kentucky, and did some interpreting for a deaf boy at my “home church” Iglesia Buatista Agape in Illinois. The opportunities to sign came and went, but I enjoyed them all.

Then, I moved to Guatemala. I love Guatemala, and I love Spanish, but I didn’t realize how much I’d miss sign language. Eventually, I began interpreting the worship at church from Spanish to English and then into sign language (after a while this became a quick process I hardly realized I was doing). It was nice to be able to sign during worship again, but it wasn’t the same.

Last May, I attended Iglesia Biblico El Camino for the first time. Unknowingly, I sat in the deaf/signing section. Though I hadn’t intended to sit in that area, God knew just what He was doing in opening up a seat for me there. I was overwhelmed with joy to not only see sign language being used in worship again, but to see such a large group of people worshiping in that way!

After spending the summer in the U.S., I returned to IBEC and jumped right into the sign class that had started just before my summer break. After a few Saturday’s of attending class for 3 hours, rather than the regular 2, I was mostly caught up. Learning Guatemalan sign has been such an adventure. Even after the most frustrating classes, I’ve been so thankful for the opportunity to learn. And every Sunday I am overcome with joy as I join with a group of believers—hearing and not—that share the passion for praising God with their hands. It's a beautiful thing thing to see, and a wonderful experience to share with my sisters and brothers in Christ.

Un Gran Testimonio

2011-10-26T17:16:00.003-05:00

For my friends who know Spanish...

Una amiga mía escribió y publicó esta historia en Facebook el lunes. Aunque no la conozcan, los animo leerla. Su actitud a pasar de todo es un gran testimonio. Fue muy impactante para mi, y tal vez será para --ustedes, también.

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Un Asalto Frustrado

Después de un fin de semana más que bendecido, una semana empieza y el inicio es como cualquier otra, buen ánimo, un poco cansada pero optimista por las actividades que vendrán y habrán que superar. Aunque una no quiera a veces los inicios de semana o bien los días se convierten en rutina, y no digo que eso sea malo porque muchas veces se requiere de disciplina para que esa rutina se lleve a cabo. A diferencia de muchos pienso que no todas las rutinas son malas. El diccionario define rutina como un acto repetitivo, como por ejemplo el ejercicio, incluso el vivir puede convertirse en una rutina. Mi día lunes empezó de una manera muy usual, me desperté temprano sin embargo por el frío esperé un rato más en el calor mi cama, realice algunas actividades diarias, pude compartir un tiempo con mi hermana, mis sobrinos, mi abuela y mi mamá y a las 10:30 me despedí de ellos. Cuando salí de casa, mientras caminaba hacia la parada del bus, recuerdo que habían muchos pensamientos en mi mente, como es de costumbre me encanta hacer un mapa mental de las actividades que espero realizar. Pero había algo con lo que no contaba y es que hoy presencié un asalto frustrado, algo que no estaba incluido en mi rutina diaria. Esto fue lo que ocurrió:

Un joven empieza a caminar hacia la puerta del bus y habla al oído del chofer, yo imaginé que tenía algún problema, pero de repente desenfunda un arma y empieza a gritar “todos colaborando con sus celulares o aquí va pasar algo muy feo”. De repente aparece otro joven que empieza a pasar fila por fila pidiendo los celulares, llega a mi lugar e inmediatamente le doy mi teléfono, pongo mis manos en mi rostro, cierro los ojos y solamente escucho todo lo que pasa a mí alrededor. Empiezo a identificar tres voces más, por lo que intuyo que dos jóvenes asaltan la parte de atrás del bus, uno está al lado del chofer amenazando con el arma y el que pasó a pedirme mi celular se dedica a despojar de sus pertenencias a los pasajeros ubicados en la parte delantera del bus. Escucho cosas horribles, amenazas con disparar a la cabeza de un señor, golpes, gritos, palabras obscenas etc., etc., todo era un verdadero caos. Recuerdo pedirle al Señor “por favor que no le hagan daño a ningún pasajero”. Todo esto ocurrió en cuestión de diez minutos o menos. Por fin se bajan del bus, con el preciado botín, las pertenencias de los pasajeros. Abro mis ojos y veo tres niños al frente tan asustados que no hablaban, sus caritas pálidas, señoras llorando y los señores empiezan a comentar que los dejaron sin dinero y uno comenta como lo golpearon. Y pues yo un poco nerviosa, bueno la verdad muy nerviosa, pues fue una experiencia que jamás había vivido y que no se la deseo a nadie.

Me bajo del bus y empiezo a recordar lo sucedido, al principio con mucho enojo, no por lo que robaron sino por las emociones que se manejan en ese momento y además el sentir la impotencia de no poder hacer nada y tan solo ceder a lo que ellos demandan. Pero luego mis pensamientos se vuelven alabanzas para el Señor, porque aún estoy viva, porque tuve la oportunidad de un día más de trabajo, porque ahora estoy compartiendo con ustedes mi anécdota, porque pude regresar a casa y compartir con mi familia nuevamente, porque por la noche pude estar con un amigo y compartir un café, porque también pude compartir con mi hermana por la noche, porque tengo paz, porque pude orar durante el día por estos jóvenes (que es un poco difícil jajaja), porque estoy segura que hay ángeles a mi alrededor, porque estoy a punto de ir a descansar para recibir un nuevo día, porque Dios es fiel, etc, etc, etc.

Entonces entiendo que fue un “asalto frustrado”, lo único que se llevaron fue un celular que tal vez con suerte les den cien quetzales. Pero yo me quedé con lo más grande y preciado que Dios me regala: la vida, su amor, su paz, la oportunidad de tener una relación con él cada día, su presencia, su misericordia (que es nueva cada mañana), su bondad, sus cuidados, sus promesas. Y nuevamente no me queda más que bendecir a esos jóvenes y pedir que el Señor toque sus corazones y le conozcan como su único Señor y Salvador.

Rosi and Esteban Meet Alejandro

2011-10-15T16:55:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday I had the privilege of showing my sign teachers (Esteban and Rosi) around New Life Children's Home where I now live. They knew that I was working with a little boy (Alejandro) who is mostly mute, and they had expressed interest in meeting him. So, after our sign class, we drove out to the Home where I was able to introduce them to Alejandro and show them around NLCH. It was a really neat opportunity to get to know Esteban and Rosi better and to gain confidence in my signing abilities. Alejandro also really enjoyed meeting them, though he was a little crazy having new friends around. Below are some pictures from Rosi and Esteban's visit...

Then and Now

2011-09-30T19:34:00.005-05:00

This time 4 years ago, I couldn’t stop thinking about my NLCH kids. I’d returned from my summer internship in August, and from that point on, every time I looked at a clock, I’d think of what the kids from the Home and the students from the class I worked with should be doing. It took a long while to realize that not automatically thinking of them when I saw the time, didn’t mean I was forgetting them…so I thought about them and prayed for them constantly. My heart’s biggest desire was to return to NLCH after graduating, I simply had no idea where the funding would come from.

This time 3 years ago, I had just returned from my first visit to NLCH since the internship. I loved every minute I had with the kids and felt immediately at home. I was living in Xela, so I wasn’t actually at the Home, but I was thrilled to be in Guatemala, only 5 or so hours from the kids I loved so much. And though I couldn’t be with my NLCH kids every day, I was settling into life in Xela and falling in love with my first class of first graders.

This time 2 years ago, I was very-well settled into life in Xela. I loved the city and I loved my job, but having just returned from another trip to NLCH over Guatemalan Independence Day, I was wishing I lived closer. Still, I knew the Lord had called me to stay in Xela for another year. Hard as it was, I tried to remain grateful for the 3-day weekends and longer holiday breaks when I could travel to Guatemala City (Villa Nueva, actually) and hang out with my kids. The rest of my friends from school planned trips to the beach, Guatemalan ruins, Belize, El Salvador, Mexico…the trips sounded great, but I wouldn’t have traded that time with my kids (busy and tiresome as those trips were) for anything.

This time 1 year ago, I was struggling with culture shock. Moving to Guatemala City was just what I’d begged the Lord for, but the more I tried to settle in, the more I realized the city was practically a different country when compared to Xela. (Xela did try to separate once and become it’s own country…maybe that has something to do with it…) Work was busy, stressful, tiresome, difficult…and driving…well, that was a pretty stressful challenge, too. I was making it out to NLCH once a week at best. I was frustrated and disappointed that the whole reason I’d moved to Guatemala, and then to the city, was to spend time with my kids, and I was hardly getting to do that at all.

Now, today, I started writing this only as I was waiting on the rain to let up so I could drive home…to NLCH. The Lord has be so faithful and blessed me beyond belief by finally opening the doors for me to live in an apartment at the children’s home. In fact, I now live in the very apartment I stayed in during my first visit back after I'd finished my internship (refer to the above paragraph about this time 3 years ago). I’ve changed grades at school, and I LOVE teaching kindergarten. But even more than that, I love going home to my NLCH kids each day. I love seeing them all out playing as I pull up. I love when they run to the car and offer to help me carry things inside (well, except when they fight to help me…that’s less fun). I love when my sweet little Alejandro who is mostly mute, runs to my car to greet me and immediately starts trying to sign and/or talk to me. I love dropping my things in my house and then going out to play with the kids. And I love that when I’m too exhausted to go out to play, I can relax in my apartment while still listening to (and even watching them) play with one another outside.

I don’t know how I ever lived so far away from these kids. Even just a night away leaves me missing them terribly. These kids (and fellow missionaries at NLCH) make up the best stand-in family I could ever ask for. Every day I find myself overwhelmed gratitude that God chose me to serve Him here, and that he has so graciously opened the door for me to live here at NLCH. Just over 4 years ago, the Lord gave me a promise: "...I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place." (Jer. 29:10) I rejoice in sharing how He has done just that. What a faithful God we serve!

A beautiful rainbow I saw from a rooftop (ok, this was in Xela) a couple weeks ago.

While the NLCH directors were in the States, I got to help with "med call" (giving out meds...and ice...as needed to kids each evening). Here I am with a few of our sick/injured kids from my last night on duty.

My sweet Alejandro who always runs to greet me at my car when I arrive home from school. Alejandro is mostly mute, but I've been working with him on sign language, and he loves it! Even better, he's having fun trying to say the words as he signs them!

5 Day Countdown...

2011-06-05T00:58:00.004-05:00

I leave for the U.S. in 5 days! It’s strange to hear others so excited about going “home” for the summer. I remain amazed and overjoyed that God has made Guatemala “home” for me. The only downside to this is that going to the States means leaving home, not going home…and that’s not quite as exciting…Since I leave in 5 days, I’ve decided to make a list of the top 5 things I’m looking forward to in the States and the top 5 things I’ll miss from Guatemala while I’m away.

I’m looking forward to…

1. Spending time with family--NCIS with my papa before bed, Cardinals baseball game with my bro, girl nights with my sis, and lunch dates with my Mum.

2. Visiting with friends--I'm especially excited to see Jenna Klein, my best friend from 6th grade whom I haven't seen since we both lived in England for that one school year.

3. Stores and food places open past 9 PM.

4. My car! I have missed my Hyundai Elantra this year...but mostly, I've missed the sunroof! :)

5. Laura and Jon's wedding--My dear friend and former co-worker and roommate from Xela, Laura, will be marrying another great teacher from IAS, Jon. Not only do they make a cute couple, but their wedding is also going to be a big reunion of former IAS teachers!

I'm going to miss...

1. My kids at NLCH! -- If I were making a list of 50+ things I'd miss this summer, they'd each get listed by name...I love these kids as my best friends, siblings, even some as though they were my own kids. They stole my heart 6 years ago, and it hurts a little more every time I have to leave them.

2. My Family--Hugs, encouragement, wisdom, and prayers from my 2nd mom and dad (Wendy and Kendon), Mamaw and Papaw (Marilyn and Tommy), and all the other missionaries at NLCH (Jodi, Jeff, Staci, Lee, Joy, Jarod).

3. NLCH--It's my favorite place in the whole world...and I've been a lot of places in the world!

4. Corn tortillas and black beans-- Together they make pretty much the best meal ever (especially if you add some cream or maybe an egg) and it can be eaten any time of day!

5. Spanish--It's a beautiful language and I sometimes feel more able to express myself in Spanish than English these days.

2 of the many precious kids that I'll miss this summer--Michy and her "little" sister Gaby.

Celebrating our Miracle

2011-05-18T00:35:00.005-05:00

Michy with her sister (Iris) and friends (Sammy, Chicky, Josue) just after opening her gift.
Michy blowing out the candles on her cake. She was excited to share with everyone--in Spanish and English--that she blew them out. I guess it was a big deal that she did it by herself. :)

Monday we celebrated the 4th birthday of our little miracle at NLCH--Michelle (Michy). Michy came to live at NLCH in January 2008. At 8 months old, she weighed just 5 lbs. After a number of doctor visits, feedings every 2 hrs, growth hormone injections, and even testing in the U.S., the cause of Michy's small size was finally discovered--she is a primordial dwarf. I still recall the night I saw pictures of Michy and her siblings posted on Daniel and Kara Harris' blog just after they'd arrived at NLCH. I was overwhelmed with amazement as I marveled the Lord's hand of protection over Michelle's life. According to the info we had at that time, Michelle's mom was an alcoholic and drug addict and gave birth to Michelle at 7 months. Even more unbelievable is that fact that Michelle only weighed 1 lb at birth, and despite the mother's unhealthy state and the severely dangerous and poor location the family lived in, Michelle survived. I recall telling my roommate that night and many nights thereafter as I kept up on Michelle's status that God had big plans for Michelle's life. There was no reason she would still be alive if he didn't.

The more I get to know Michelle, the more certain I am that God does have great plans for her. She may be little (she's weighing in somewhere around 11 lbs these days), but she has a very big personality! She's determined, almost to a fault; her small size won't keep her for doing great things. And as you might expect, she gets LOTS of attention everywhere she goes. I can't wait for the day when she takes that attention and turns it into an opportunity to share of God's great love, faithfulness, and grace. And what great examples the Lord has given her to learn from living with the directors of NLCH, Kendon and Wendy Wheeler!

I feel tremendously blessed to be a part of Michy's life and I can't wait to see where the Lord leads her in the future. Please pray for wisdom for Kendon and Wendy as they raise Michy, and for good health for our little miracle.

Semana Santa Snapshots

2011-05-16T01:11:00.002-05:00

I promised more pics from Semana Santa but have been slow to post them...here's a few more that capture a bit of the traditional fun had during this special week at NLCH...
Traditionally we finish the week and our "Holy Week Olympics" with Tug-of-War played in a giant mud pit. It's always lot of fun and a big mess! :) A special thanks to Tommy Todd who dug the pit for us!
Melvin and Alejandro were a bit too small to participate in most the games, but they enjoyed riding around on their bikes while the big kids played the competitive games.
Every year the kids have a sleepover during Semana Santa. This year the little girls had a sleepover at Marilyn and Tommy Todd's apartment. Ashley (an old intern back for a visit) and I were invited to join them for the movies, snacks, and (lack of) sleep. :) I LOVED going to bed thinking in Spanish and waking up to Spanish again. I even dreamed that night that my parents had learned Spanish! This pic was taken just before the girls left in the morning.
Jenifer and me pausing for a picture while at the pool. Jenifer is a sweet young lady going to school to become a doctor. She has become a very good friend of mine and faithfully attends the weekly Bible study I lead with the older girls.
Sammy and Javier having a great time at the new pool we went to this year. We traditionally take the kids to a pool Monday or Tuesday, and then the "Olympics" begin on Wednesday.

Sneak Peak of Semana Santa

2011-04-25T19:02:00.003-05:00

I will be blogging and posting pictures soon of all the fun had at New Life Children's Home over Semana Santa. Until I have a little more time to do that though, I thought I'd at least give you a glimpse of the fun with one of my favorite pictures from the week. The pic is of Noah (a 6th grade missionary kid) helping little Michy paint her Easter eggs. It was so sweet to watch! :)

The Joy of Serving

2011-04-18T00:13:00.004-05:00

After a long absence due to a long illness and then a bit of busyness, I am back. Rather than ramble about that though, I might as well jump into what I wanted to share...

I was reminded this weekend how sweet it is to serve. I mean, as a missionary and a teacher, I suppose I do a lot of "serving", but I take great joy in serving in ways that are not necessarily the expectation. Yesterday, I was able to do just that.

The Wheeler's (directors at the Children's Home) finally got to move into the new directors house this weekend. They have waited very patiently for the funding and then building of the house, and it's exciting that the time has finally come for them to live in it. Having moved far too many times myself, I know the work it takes, so I offered my help in moving things. Upon arriving at the Home, however, it turned out there was a more pressing need...Orphan Resources was bringing a team in for the day so there was some "hosting" of sorts that needed to be done. As such, I got to hang out with the kids from 10-4 and help the team (h.s. students) with finding things they needed, translating, etc. It was exhausting, but tons of fun.

Once the team left around 4 PM, I was then able to actually help the Wheeler's move a few items, as well as move Michelita's clothes into her new dresser. It was really fun seeing little Michy's excitement when she came in her room and saw her clothes being put away and her toys and bed already moved in. I showed her where all her clothes were and she helped me put away the last few items. :)

In the end, I drove home around 6 PM, a little sore from lifting kids and household goods, exhausted from playing all day in the sun, and filled with joy from a day of serving a family that has blessed me tremendously this year. Couldn't be happier... :)

Sick...

2011-02-03T21:56:00.002-06:00

Please forgive the long break in posts. I have been awfully sick over the last couple weeks, and it's been all I could do just to make it through a full day at school. I started on a medicine this week, but it doesn't seem to be doing the trick. Please pray for complete healing. I will catch up on posts as soon as I am well again.

Also, if you receive my monthly newsletters, please excuse that coming late as well. So sorry.

There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays

2010-12-24T01:40:00.002-06:00

I have been feeling particularly emotional this Christmas season. Oddly enough, it's not because I miss "home" or family (though of course I'd love to be able to celebrate the holidays with them); rather, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude that God has made Guatemala "home" for me. I couldn't help but smile as I walked out of Guatemala's Wal-mart tonight and heard the intercom play, "Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays." Literally, I smiled.

Then tonight as I climbed into bed, I saw a note I received three and a half years ago. I'm so glad I held onto it then, as it's been such an encouragement to me. The note was from a very dear friend at my college who had spent most of her summer in Nicaragua the year before I spent mine in Guatemala. She sent me the note early in our senior year, just weeks after I'd returned back to the U.S. The part that amazes me says this:

"Your time in Guatemala has prepared you for what God has awaiting for you. You touched many this summer, and you have an experience that will forever be a part of who you are! May you be blessed by that and blessed that God has so much in store for you!"

Did I mention my friend wrote this note before we'd really even had the opportunity to talk about my summer? I truly believe that those words were not just from my friend, they were from the Lord. Though my first two years living in Guatemala were spent nearly 5 hours away from the children's home I love so much, I praise the Lord for those years and the experiences I had in Xela. I had opportunity to experience the culture and learn the language in more real ways than I ever could have, had I first moved right to the city.

And now, here I am, a half-hour drive from the kids that mean the world to me. Even in traffic, I think I smile each time I drive to the Home, just because I'm still so amazed that God has finally opened the door for me to be close enough to do that. Not only that, He's granted me a peace in driving to and from the Home. I've still hardly ventured out around the city--and certainly not on my own--as the thought of getting lost and dealing with all the traffic here makes me rather uncomfortable. But, the Lord has been good to me and made the trip to the Home one that I typically enjoy.

What a true blessing from the Lord to feel at home this Christmas. :) There's so much more I could say about it, but I'll save that for another blog.

Simple Trust

2010-12-11T21:26:00.002-06:00

*Oops. Wrote this Saturday and just realized I never posted...so, here it is...

Yesterday was perhaps my favorite day of the whole school year! The only other day that compares is the 100th day of school. (What can I say, God made me to be a teacher!) So, what made yesterday so special?

Yesterday was our trip to the North Pole on the Polar Express!!! Though the trip only took about a half hour, it's such a special day that we got to do a few different fun things throughout the day. One of my favorite activities from yesterday was writing our spelling words in "snow" (aka powdered sugar). Thursday evening I had painted the windows to look like it was snowing (marshmallows and white paint are perfect for such decoration!). Then yesterday I told the students that it had snowed Thursday night and I'd collected some of it for them to play in. Almost none of my students last year had seen snow, so the majority believed me from the very beginning. This year, it was a little harder to convince the students but I'd estimate half of them actually believed they were playing with snow! Maybe it makes me a bad teacher--lying to the students--or maybe it makes me a good teacher--being creative, making learning fun, and getting kids to use their imaginations. Either way, it's interesting to think that any child would truly believe that they were playing in snow.

The Bible tells us to have faith like a child and we often contemplate what that looks like. I can tell you--It looks like believing in the impossible (we're wearing t-shirts and it's the dry season--snow is impossible!) because your trusted teacher tells you its truth. It's fighting for that impossible that you believe in because you so sincerely believe all that your teacher tells you.

Just Life

2010-12-03T00:00:00.003-06:00

My parents came to visit Guatemala for the first time two weeks ago! Despite many "adventures" that occurred before and during their visit, I was grateful to finally have the opportunity to show them around the country that has become so special to me. But...I'll share all about their visit in another post...for now, just another thought that I had tonight...

This evening I had the opportunity to go out to the Children's Home and hang out with the senoritas (older girls) for a couple hours. I, along with 2 other missionaries who live on the campus of NLCH, plan to begin a Beth Moore Bible study on Esther with the girls in January. Until then, we wanted to take the opportunity to break the ice a bit, and create an open, fun atmosphere that will encourage the girls to participate in the study. Tonight, we watched a movie in Spanish (with Spanish subtitles) and then had a little fun with Zumba. While the movie was on, I was looking around at all the girls squished on the couches, and it hit me...tonight was one of the very first times (if not the absolute first) that I had the opportunity to spend time with kids at NLCH without the over-shadowing sadness of counting the days left before I'd have to leave them again. I was watching a movie in Spanish, and I understood it just fine. I was not only chatting in Spanish, but I was using "vos", which demonstrates a good friendship. I was getting into pillow fights, laughing, having water tossed on me...I've always treasured my time with the kids at NLCH, but I'm blown away at the thought of how blessed I am that fun times with those kids is now just life. It's regular, ordinary life. I'm living in a third world country, thinking in and speaking a 2nd language fluently, hanging out with and soon-to-be discipling kids who were once abused and abandoned but now so well adjusted...this is just "normal" life for me...and I couldn't be more amazed by that blessing nor more thankful for it.

A Quick Quote

2010-11-15T23:27:00.002-06:00

I've been trying really hard to keep up with the blog and post weekly, but with facebook and e-mails, I often forget I haven't posted here as well. Since it's getting pretty late tonight, I'll just entertain you with a simple kid quote...Enjoy!

1st (my class) and 2nd grade are meeting together during Social Studies each day this week for a collaborative mini-unit on the first Thanksgiving. While activating some prior knowledge of students today, I asked who was involved in the first Thanksgiving. Someone accurately named the Indians, but the kids were having trouble remembering what the other group of people was called. Then I saw a student very confidently raising her hand, and when I called on her and asked who the other group was, she shouted with a smile, "the Philistines!" :)

These are a few of my favorite things...

2010-11-06T23:50:00.002-05:00

Life continues to be very busy, but very fun. Here are a few of my favorite things I've been up to recently...

-Taking 15 children from New Life Children's Home to the Harvest Fair at school: It was tiresome trying to keep up with the kids, but so much fun to see them so excited and enjoying a simple outing.

-Visiting a children's home for kids with AIDS: Lots of running, laughing, tickling, story reading, and hugs.

-Hair cut: I was super blessed to spend an evening out at NLCH and get my hair cut by a visiting team member. I LOVE the haircut and I'm still getting compliments on it over a week after it was cut. It's wonderful how God can use every gift He gives us to bless others.

-Planning for my parent's visit!: Wish-list making, finding subs, requesting time off, and getting very excited for my parents first visit to Guatemala!

-Shopping in the market in Zone 1: A wonderful place to buy anything and everything!

-Survivor Nights: A huge blessing by a parent from school. Each Wednesday night she prepares a delicious dinner, complete with dessert, and a number of us teachers (mostly single elem. teachers) are invited over for dinner and watching the show "Survivor".

-Bible Study: Monday nights we have a ladies Bible study with other CAG teachers/staff. It's been stretching me and growing me. Also, though it hasn't begun yet, I'm preparing to begin a Beth Moore Bible study on Esther with the older girls at NLCH. Can't wait!

-Time with one of my best friends, Rachel: Sleepover when we had off school for day of the dead. Dinner outings to Miraflores (a local mall). Chatting in the car when I take her home after Bible study. Recess duties together. Hang-out time after Survivor nights. Spanglish conversations. Walking during lunch. I can't express what a blessing Rachel has been to me and how grateful I am the Lord blessed me with her friendship!

From Conferences to Cake

2010-10-23T23:35:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we had parent teacher conferences at school. I was thankful for the peace the Lord gave me about them and how well each one turned out. The best part about conferences though was that I was done by lunch! I ate lunch at school and then spent a bit of time working in my classroom before leaving for the children's home.

It was great to be able to go out there on a beautiful Friday afternoon! Traffic was better than in usually is on Saturday's and it was a sweet blessing to watch and join in with all the kids playing outside. The main reason I went yesterday (other than because I left school early) was because one of the girls--Angie--was celebrating her 13th birthday. It's been quite some time since I was able to celebrate a birthday with the kids at the Home so I really enjoyed that. I also really enjoyed my piece of chocolate peanut butter banana cake!

Highlights of the day:

-"Easy" conferences

-Playing with the kids all afternoon

-Hearing Jason Alejandro say another word (his 2nd that I'm told he actually says 3 words now.)

-Squeels and running hugs (you know...the kind where a kid runs and jumps into your arms!) from several of the newer, younger kids who finally know me well enough to get excited when I'm around.

-Birthday cake baked by Wendy Wheeler :)

-Making it home in the dark without any trouble and in pretty good time

Thanks for your prayers and notes of encouragement! It was a long and challenging week trying to work through some kinks in the new online grade program and prepare for conferences, but thankfully the Lord provided me with a sweet blessing at the end of it all. Tomorrow is a new adventure...trying to drive to church alone for the first time. Why? Because after church I'm going to play with kids at a home for children with AIDS! Can't wait to love on some more sweet kids!

Sunshine, Black Beans, First Words, and Wet Kisses

2010-10-09T19:52:00.003-05:00

There's nothing like a Saturday at New Life Children's Home to remind me that despite the ups and downs of change--new home, new roomie, new school, new students--I am just where the Lord wants me. While I always enjoy my time at NLCH, sometimes the drive itself if...well...rather stressful. Last weekend, the trip took an entire hour. Today before I left the house, a friend said she'd pray I made it there quickly. I couldn't help but smile along the way as the road was SO clear and empty (comparatively)! It only took about a half hour. :)

Because the trip went so quickly, I had plenty of time to hang out with the kids before we had lunch. I went first to visit the little boys house. As soon as I walked in, I was pulled by two little guys upstairs to where everyone was watching a movie. Then, on the way to lunch, the newest addition to our Home--Jason Alejandro--saw me and ran up to me with a big smile! :D That was huge. Until today, I was just another white face that tried to give him too many hugs and kisses. I carried him over to the dining room where I met up with everyone else and joined the little girls at their table for lunch. Our lunch for the day was was black beans and rice. Simple as it is, black beans have become a comfort food for me because they remind me of all the peaceful, joyful days I've spent at NLCH. So, I enjoyed my very Guatemalan lunch.

After lunch, I helped some of the boys to do their chores of cleaning the tables in the dining room. Then we all went out to the playground where we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful, sunny day the Lord blessed us with! There was lots of swinging and playing chase, accompanied by lots of smiles and laughter. There's nothing quite so tiresome and yet quite so peaceful as a game of tag with a little guy just old enough to be way faster than you! :) Once I tired of the game of tag, I sat down in the rocks with little Jason Alejandro. Jason is nearly 4 yrs old, but he's physically very tiny and sometimes chooses to crawl rather than walk, and he's mute. At least for now. Tests have revealed that he has no physical impairments, rather he was just never stimulated before so he's never learned to talk. I love working with children who have speech difficulties, and I love signing with those who cannot talk, so I'm pretty excited about developing a relationship with Jason Alejandro. Today one of the house mom's left just the two of us to play together on the playground. It was wonderful to hear him TRYING to talk! For a bit, he even echoed me as I counted rocks, though his echoes were not recognizable as any particular letter sound.

Later I took Jason Alejandro back over to his house, but we continued playing outside with some of the girls. While we were playing, I heard a semi-recognizable word from Alejandro!!! The first and only recognizable word I've heard him say!!! As his big brother rode away on the bike, he waved and said "Adio" (adios)!!! Praise the Lord! He said it again quite a few times throughout the afternoon.

As I was preparing to leave this evening, I gave hugs and kisses to all the little ones. As I was saying good-bye to our sweet one-year-old Gabby, I made the mistake of saying "besos" (kisses). Usually we give kisses on the cheek. Gabby doesn't quite have the kiss thing just yet, and her kisses are more like her pushing her open mouth up against your cheek. Well, as I went to kiss her on the cheek, she tried to kiss me too...which resulted in a wet slobbery "kiss" on my lips! :P I couldn't help but laugh...a lot!

I'm so grateful for each and every child and staff member the Lord has brought to work at NLCH. Today as I cuddled with one of the little boys while watching the movie, I just smiled and said a prayer of thanks to the Lord. Then it crossed my mind...this is what I was made for. This is what the Lord has called me to. And I couldn't be more grateful!

The rains came down and the floods came up...

2010-09-29T22:39:00.002-05:00

Ok, first, I must begin with that line that so many bloggers find themselves using sooner or later...I'm sorry for my long absence! I had set a goal of posting at least weekly, but somehow I fell behind and have been so busy I didn't even realize it until just recently! There's been so much going on around here, I should have more than enough to write about. However, tonight I just want to share a single prayer request.

Guatemala has experienced an excessively wet rainy season this year. We started the season with Tropical Storm Agatha, which brought a great deal of damage and flooding throughout the country. It was estimated to be the worst storm Guatemala had experienced in years. People struggled to get back on their feet, with entire houses washed away and the main roads blocked by landslides. Fixing and rebuilding has been difficult with the regular rainy season rains continuing to fall. Worse still, several other tropical storms have hit Guatemala this season leaving the land absolutely saturated. Each rainy afternoon brings with it the risk of flooding or a new landslide. And when it rains the full day as it did both yesterday and today, you can take the "risk" out of that and instead be certain more damage to roads, bridges, and buildings is occurring.

I remain grateful for the roof over my head that doesn't leak (I can handle the mold for now!), the car that keeps me dry as I travel to school, and the blankets that keep me mostly warm as I sleep. However, I know there are MANY less fortunate. The sound of rain that used to be so soothing, now brings heartbreak as I consider the lives being so negatively affected by the excess rains.

With this in mind, I plead with you to pray for the people of Guatemala. The heavy rains we're experiencing now (I believe the after-effect of the tropical storm that hit us last weekend) are expected to continue for 2 more days. Please pray that the rains will lessen and that God will provide for the poor and needy here who are hurting in the midst of all the rain. Thank you for your care and concern, not only for me as I serve the Lord here in Guatemala, but for His precious people that have grown so dear to me.

Community and Culture

2010-08-28T16:48:00.003-05:00

I was talking with a friend today about how most of the time I'm really happy to be here in the city, but how a part of me still sometimes misses Xela. That's when I think I finally realized what I like and what I miss about the respective places.

Community: I think I knew it, but I didn't...community is what I have been missing and desiring for the last two years. Sure I had a couple close friends in Xela, maybe a handful that I wanted to make plans to hangout with, but I spent a large amount of time feeling like I just didn't fit in or click with anyone. I got along with people fine, but it seemed nobody understood my passion for loving "the least of these" and few took any interest in hearing about it. My views on a lot of things were more conservative than most, leaving me home alone many a Friday and Saturday nights. I was mostly content with life in Xela, but each time I made a trip to the city I found it harder to return. Now, I recognize that it's because I experienced community here like I never did in Xela. I felt accepted and loved. I got to hang out with people who shared my passions, beliefs, and convictions. And that's where I find myself now. It's amazing, even almost overwhelming at times, to be surrounded by so many people involved in so many different ministries, but all here because they've felt the Lord calling them to preach the Gospel here in Guatemala. Some are involved with education, others with childrens homes, orphanages, and shelters, and still others with medical ministries. Then there are many who are a part of miscellaneous ministries that don't fall into one overarching ministry--aviation ministry, helps ministry, ministry to prostitutes...Some are more conservative than others. Some have been here longer than others. But we all share a common denominator--a desire to see the people of Guatemala loved into the arms of Christ. It creates a common bond that leads to almost immediate friendships.

Culture- Though I feel tremendously blessed to finally be a part of such a positive and encouraging community, I have still felt as though there is a little something missing--culture. The city is so...American. Everyone has cars, there are bigs malls and movie theaters, most shopping occurs in the grocery store, not a market...Sure it's convenient at times, but I long for the opportunity to hop on a bus for Q 1.25 (less than $0.25) to be taken across town without having to worry myself about traffic. I long to be able to safely walk the streets. I long to be able to purchase fruits and vegetables at the market and get anything made out of plastic from one of a million "plastic stores" near the market.

Today I was able to mix community and culture with a visit to the market near the children's home. It was wonderful to buy things at a more reasonable price, and to KNOW what a reasonable price is! And to make it even better, I got to do it with two friends who both speak Spanish. When we entered the market we agreed to speak only Spanish so we'd stick out a little less, and we mostly kept to that...even for a bit after we left!

As I become more comfortable driving here, I hope to be able to balance the culture and community experiences, making the most of living here in the city.

New-ness

2010-08-15T22:30:00.002-05:00

I've been here a week and it feels like forever. So much has gone on over the last 7 days! It's amazing to think that I've been living in this same country over the last two years, and yet, living in the city feels SO different...almost like living in a whole different country! Here's a bit regarding some of the changes that have been happening...

New #1: Location- Obviously, I'm in a whole new place and that's oh so apparent every day! The new place became truly official Wednesday when I moved my things down to the city from Xela.

New #2: Friends- I've got a new roomie named Tabitha and I've met a number of other teachers and families from the school. I also spent this afternoon/evening at a new young adult group and really enjoyed making new Guatemalan friends there. My roomie and I hope to attend regularly.

New #3: School- I'm really excited about a lot of things at my new school, but change is change and it will take time to get used to. For example, my new classroom is significantly larger than my old classroom, BUT I have about 4 or 5 different sized/shaped/designed desks.

New #4: Adventures- I'm learning to drive here!!!!! Let me tell you, this is HUGE! Guatemalan drivers are CrAzY, especially in the city. I don't even like driving in cities in the US, so this is a big step. My roomie is not so scared so we've had some adventures out and about getting to know the city.

(Re-) Newed #5: Passion- I've desired for so long to live close to New Life Children's Home and now I finally am! I spent all day Thursday with the kids and couldn't have been happier! When I arrived, school was still in session, so I was able to visit with my school kids and afterwards I had the afternoon to hang out with my kids from the Home. One of the highlights was definitely rolling around in the grass having a tickle fight with a few of the girls. :) I was completely exhausted by the end of the day, but it was so worth it. I love those kids SO much...words can't really express it.

So, there's an update on some of what has been going on in this past week. The days have been very full so it's hard to believe it's only been a week. I expect that this week will fly by, however, and I'll soon be starting school. Thank you for your prayers! There's lots to be done this week!

Home Sweet Home!

2010-08-12T00:22:00.002-05:00

Sunday at 10:30 AM, I left for the airport with my parents, 2 suitcases each reaching the max limit (50.5 lbs each, actually), and carry-on baggage that weighed another 50 lbs.We were at the airport early, so I had the opportunity to just sit and relax with my parents for a bit. Just after noon, I headed through the security check and onto my gate. While waiting for the plane, I got to have a sweet phone conversation with a dear friend who also has a heart for missions. It kept me busy and free from worrying about flying (which I very much dislike).

The flight to Dallas went ok. We had a bit of turbulence, but I got a little sleep and the flight went fast. In Dallas, I began to realize the weight of my carry-ons as I struggled to carry them to my new terminal and gate. And…once I arrived at my gate, I ended up having to go back to where I started just to get dinner! But the Lord was (and is) my strength, and I made it back to my gate just before boarding time with my Starbucks double chocolate chip frappacino and Mc Donalds.

The flight left about an hour late, but somehow we still managed to arrive in Guate on time. The flight from Dallas to Guate was perhaps the best flight I’ve ever had between the US and Guate. Just before the plane took off, I got involved in a conversation with a girl who has taught in Nicaragua and was coming to Guate to do volunteer/missions work. She traded seats with the only other person in my row (the middle seat remained empty) and we chatted nearly the entire way. She has an incredible testimony of how God lifted her from a life of abuse, atheism, and teenage pregnancy to become an educated, working mother with a heart for the Lord and for seeing the lost saved. She teaches in inner-city New York and the passion I saw when she spoke of her job (where she tells kids about Jesus in her public school!) showed me that teaching is definitely her mission field. However, she feels called to make short term trips to countries throughout Central and South America to help however she can. This trip, she was bringing $1000 worth of baby and toddler clothes.

So, the story sounds interesting enough, but it gets better. This new friend was scheduled to travel with another friend of hers who had thought of the idea only a week before. The other friend had the guide books and was planning where they would go and stay and give the clothes. Well, Sunday morning, that friend had a seizure as she was loading up the car to leave! She was admitted to the hospital and this girl on the plane had no way to contact her for any of the plans. She had to choose if she would come alone—without any plan even as to where she’d stay when she arrived last night—or if she’d just cancel the trip. She told me that she felt that the fact that she was the ones with the clothes was enough to convince her that God still wanted her to go. So, she hopped on a plane and she’s now in Guatemala. I was able to give her all sorts of information on places she could stay and where she could donate the clothes. Just tonight I heard that she was able to go to one of the places I mentioned and they were very blessed by the gift.

When I boarded the plane I was unaware of where the rest of my support was going to come from and merely trusting that as I stepped out in faith, God would bless my trust and provide as He has promised me all summer that He will. As the girl was telling me about her church that sounds so on fire for Jesus, I had a quick thought that maybe I should ask her to share with the congregation about me and see if they might support me. I prayed that the Lord would direct our conversation and give me wisdom to know if I should say anything and what those words should be. Less than 5 minutes later, my friend just turned to me and said “I want to tell my church about you!” We talked more about it and I shared where I’m at financially. She said her church is full of people who love to give (did you catch that this trip she’s on was just thought of a week ago and she received all the clothes and money for the trip from her church the next day!) I was excited and amazed. I was trusting God to provide all $25,000 that I need for this year BEFORE I made it to Guatemala. I believed that God wanted to send me fully supported. I truly believe that this church may be the answer to the rest of the support I need, and though the money is not in my account, the contact was made before I actually landed in Guatemala. I’m really just awestruck at the thought of it. It reminds me of the story of Abraham, when the Lord tells him to take his only son Isaac and sacrifice him on the mountain. Abraham has waited so long for a son, and now the Lord is telling him to sacrifice him! But Abraham, in faith and obedience, follows where the Lord has called him to go, trusting that God has a bigger plan than that which he can see. At the very last minute, when Isaac is already tied up to be sacrificed, God speaks to Abraham and tells him not to kill his son but rather to kill the ram that is tangled in the bushes. God brings Abraham to a point of no return. He waits to see just how much Abraham trusts him. He wants to know what will happen to his faith when he hears the Lord clearly calling, but doesn’t understand or like what the Lord is calling him to.

Thankfully, I was not called to sacrifice a kid, but I was called to sacrifice the comforts of home and the safe feeling of earning enough money to support myself. God didn’t want me doing it on my own anymore. He called me to do something that I can NOT do on my own. It’s up to Him to provide now. I heard His voice so clearly calling me to this—to teaching and CAG and living close to my favorite children’s home. But, as I walked in that direction, I did not understand why the money I needed was not coming in. I waited, and continued preparing to leave, believing that the Lord had told me when to return to Guatemala and the funds would be there by then. It wasn’t until the very last minute—when I was on the plane leaving the US—that God said, “Ok. Relax. You’ve followed me through your uncertainty. You’ve believed in me and my promises. Here’s the answer you were looking for. You have stood firm through the test and now I will bless you for your obedience.”

A-MAZING. Nothing short of it. And I write this with a strong conviction that all my support has essentially now been raised though the church in New York may not hear about me for another week or two. And don’t get me wrong. This friend did not promise that her church would give me money but she promised she would share my story and what I’m doing. And through that, God has given me a peace that I need not worry about the rest of my support.

The goodness and faithfulness and timing of the Lord just blows me away! I look forward to sharing this story in boasting in God’s great faithfulness even more when the funds arrive in my NLAI account. I cannot do this alone. I did not do this alone. But God had it all planned out from the beginning.

So, to finish up after that long story…I arrived in Guate on time and had no problems claiming bags, getting through customs, or finding the ladies that were picking me up. What a sweet blessing to be eagerly awaited by two wonderful members of my NLAI family.

Monday afternoon I received a call from a man willing to help me move my things from Xela to my new place, and all I'd have to do was pay for gas. So, Tuesday I took a series of taxis and buses and made it back to my old home. I enjoyed an evening of catching up with friends and walking through the city. Wednesday I spent the morning up at my old school (IAS) meeting new teachers, catching up with old ones, and helping out however anyone could use it. I made it back to my apartment in the city around 6 PM. There's much to be done still to get settled in, but I'm really happy to be here and have all my stuff, too.

Thanks for your prayers for safe travel and for all the financial support many of you have already given or pledged!

My Little Michelita

2010-08-03T18:28:00.003-05:00

If you've ever been around me when I'm talking about New Life Children's Home (so pretty much if you've ever been around me!), you've probably heard me share about little Michelita. She is a sweet, loving, bilingual 3 year old who moved to Guatemala in January 2008--and, she is a dwarf. She was born weighing less than 2 lbs, and now, three years later, she is 25 inches tall and about 11 lbs. The Lord has been so faithful in protecting her and providing for her already and it's truly a miracle to see her so lively and healthy and happy despite her size and the lack of care she received before being brought to NLCH.

Tomorrow Michelle will fly to the US with NLCH directors Kendon and Wendy Wheeler. A specialist in Delaware has agreed to see her and provide necessary exams at a reduced price. Please pray for safe travels and good doctor reports. Michelle (and her 3 siblings) are such a sweet addition to NLCH and I can't imagine the play without her spunk. :)

Above is a recent picture taken of Michelita in the prayer garden at the home. For more information on Michelle and her trip, please visit Kendon Wheeler's blog: kendonwheeler.blogspot.com

Faith and Finances

2010-08-02T17:24:00.002-05:00

Support raising over the last two months has been interesting, frustrating, exciting, disappointing, tiresome, and character-building, all wrapped up in one beautiful package of faith. Saying we trust the Lord is one thing. Living in a manner that requires complete dependence on Him is a whole other adventure. And let me tell you, it's one worth taking.

Worry comes easy to me. I suppose that alone shows that my faith is not always as strong as I'd like to think it is. But throughout these last two months, God has given me an amazing peace that He will provide. He has assured me time and time again that I am following His leading with this move to Guatemala City. And His Word is loaded with promises that as I step out in faith, HE will work it all out and provide for my every need, working miracles as He so desires.

I needed to raise approx. $25,000 this summer in order to be 100% funded. Currently, I'm at maybe 50% of that goal. And I fly out in 6 days. Typically, this is the point in time when I would start to panic and become very stressed. But not this time, thanks to God's great grace. I know that the Lord will provide in His way in His time. I may receive a check for all the missing amount my last day at home. Or I may leave thinking I'm not fully funded only to arrive in Guatemala and receive an e-mail that a donation for the missing amount has been sent to the NLAI headquarters in Texas. Or, maybe God has a completely different plan in mind. But what I do know, is that God is faithful to keep His promises and one of those promises is this:

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:22-24)

So, please join me in praying that the rest of my support will come in. If you are interested in joining the team of people supporting me financially in order that I may continue serving the Lord in Guatemala, please visit the following website for information on how to give: http://www.nlai.org/contributions.php

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Made to Worship

2010-05-11T20:08:00.000-05:00

A couple months back I was at Church when a little boy caught my eye and put a smile on my face. We were finishing up the praise and worship time, which in Guatemala is loud and joyful, to say the least. I looked over and saw two little boys curled up on the chairs presumably asleep. As the song finished, the church broke out in applause (also very common). Still watching the little boys, I noticed one begin to clap. He was too tired to even open his eyes, but he seemed unable to keep from joining in the worship!

Just over a week ago, I went to the evening service at church. Right across the aisle from me, a beautiful little girl—no more than two—running around and enjoying herself during the worship. She ran up to her dad, who picked her up and set her on his shoulders. The dad continued to worship, eyes closed, one hand raised and the other sustaining his daughter. Then, it was as if the daughter wanted to join in the worship. She sat there smiling on her dad’s shoulders with both hands raised and her gaze fixed somewhere between straight ahead and looking upward. It was beautiful.

After both these incidents, I simply couldn’t help but think we were MADE TO WORSHIP. There’s so much in this world that distracts us from it, but there’s something in our hearts that inclines us to praise the very One who created us.

Answered Prayers

2008-11-15T22:28:00.002-06:00

I was reminded recently that I really need to update my blog, so here goes. :)

I'm now 3.5 months into life in Guatemala, and I love it! I wake up each morning and look out the window and can't help but thank the Lord for bringing me here. Yes, I'd like to be closer to Villa Nueva, but the truth is I know I'm right where I'm supposed to be and I'm doing doing exactly what I've always wanted to do--teaching and serving as a missionary at the same time.

I love my students and there's no way anyone could deny that! And the beautiful thing is that my students love me! (They tell me it all the time! :) Sure we have some tough days in the classroom, but even when I have to move a clip, my students know it's because I love them and have high expectations for them. First year teaching is going so much better than I imagined it would!

I've also finally moved out of my host family's house. I've been ready to be on my own for about 2 months now, but couldn't find an apartment for the kinder and 5th grade teachers and myself. The kinder teacher and I finally settled on a temp. place that's really quite like dorm living. We have a big room though with our own balcony! We'll be here for a month and then on Dec. 15th we'll finally move into our very own apartment!!! We just went Friday to check out the place and it's GREAT! 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, fully furnished...and it even has a fireplace!!! And it's cheaper than what I was paying to stay with a host family.

I haven't had a migraine in 2 weeks!!! Seems like a funny thing to celebrate, but even on my preventitive medication I was having approx. 2-4 migraines a week! And let me just say that teaching with a migraine is tough! 2 weeks ago I cut bread out of my diet almost completely b/c I read the yeast can be a migraine trigger, and while I miss the fresh bread from the local bakery, I love the freedom of NOT having migraines all the time!

So there it is...a brief summary of some of the ways God has blessed me and answered prayers in recent days. I really am overwhelmed with joy and thankfulness here and I'm so grateful for the friends I've made.

A Trip "Home"

2008-09-28T13:15:00.002-05:00

Long time, no post. I know. But how about a fantastic picture to make up for it! :)

I travelled to Villa Nueva over Independence Day weekend (Sept. 13-16) to spend some time visiting my favorite little guys back at NLCH. Although I left at 4:30 AM with a huge migraine, the smiles and laughter of the little guys (and a bit of medicine) made everything better. This picture was taken of me playing with Adolfo--the newest kid at the Home--maybe an hour after I arrived. It was such a refreshing weekend being back with those little ones and it filled me with so much joy to be able to love on them again. I think the picture shows that though. :) I'd upload more but I think I'll have to wait until I have a better internet connection. School is going well and I love my students, but I'm definitely looking forward to a trip back to Villa Nueva for Christmas!

A Glimpse into my Classroom

2008-08-21T22:46:00.004-05:00

Well, it seems to be taking far too long to upload pictures and I've still got lesson plans to finish by the morning (we turn them in every Friday) so here are just a couple pictures of my classroom. The classroom is very small, but there actually is still a little more to show...maybe next time. I also have some cute pictures of my 13 adorable students, but I may just take a group shot and post that another day. The class is great. I'm really having a lot of fun with them so far and still can't believe it's my very own class! Sometimes I think about it in the middle of the day and can't help but smile. More to come later...

Our calendar area (a little of it got cut off in this pic, but you get the idea)

The whiteboard, Our class rules, A monkey themed alphabet chart, and perhaps one of my favorite things--one of those posters on the far side is a monkey-themed reading strategy poster. Also...about our class rules. The bananas are a little messy b/c one the first day I took them all off and the kids each wrote their names on a banana saying they agreed to our class rules. Then they got to decide where their banana went. (Yes, those are the Wilmore Elementary rules! :)

This pic came out really dark, but you can see my big welcome sign and the beautiful curtains that I bought the fabric for and had a Guate and Colombian friend make using a pair of scissors and a hot glue gun! They look SO much better than the other old curtains in the school! And they only cost about $20.

My bulletin board that I LOVE!!! I was going to put each child's name on a monkey but then decided that might be too much. The tree part along the side is actually felt and it's stuffed so it sticks out and is "3-D".

Cows, Lizards, and Vultures, Oh my!

2008-08-12T17:31:00.002-05:00

You just never know what you might find when you accept a teaching position at a school sight unseen. The school facilities here are very small which requires some serious creativity in room arrangement, but the location is beautiful. The school is right at the top of a hill and the view from my classroom is great. That being said, I almost laughed out loud by some of the other views I saw on the way out of the library and to my classroom today...

-I step out of the library and straight ahead of me I see 2 cows! Second glance revealed they were just on the other side of the fence.

-Turn the corner to walk down the sidewalk and there I see my friend the lizard with the blue tell running across the path! I saw him last week and considered catching him for a class pet but decided I don't know enough about how to care for them.

-Only a short while later I looked out the window of the room I was in and saw a huge flock of some sort of vulture like bird circling around! They're not exactly vultures...we were told the name of them and I forgot...but apparently they live in the trees all around the school campus.

All that being said, set up in my classroom is going well except that I feel about a week behind. My bulletin boards and walls are looking great but I've got tons of stuff to sort through that previous teachers left--a lot of it old and not worth keeping, and all of it VERY dusty. Kids come on MONDAY!!!

The Class List!

2008-08-07T19:15:00.003-05:00

We received the much anticipated class lists today! Boy do I have my work cut out for me! If this year doesn't prepare me to be an incredible teacher in the U.S. where extra assistance and resources are available, I don't know what will! So here's the break down (subject to change):

13 Students Total

-9 girls

-4 boys

-11 ESL students

-7 students who repeated kinder

-2 students with ADD/ADHD*

-1 student with a learning disability*

-1 student with a behavior disorder*

*Guatemalans seem to have little to no understanding or acknowledgment of special needs. I received an info sheet on each child from the kinder teacher and she identified the students as probably having these disorders. (One student with ADD actually has a father who claims it.) With the basic info supplied, it sounds like she's probably right on. It also sounds like the child with the BD may have sensory issues.

So...I've definitely got my work cut out for me! I have to say, the info sheet on the child with the BD was one of the first I read and I actually got very excited. The school does not accept children with "severe" disabilities because we do not have the resources to meet their needs, and since working with behavior disorders is something I'm very passionate about, I was pretty thrilled about that one. I definitely think he's going to be a challenge, but I'm looking forward to meeting him and finding ways I can help him manage his behavior.

It also sounds as though the majority of my students are somewhat behind academically, be it due to limited English skills or inattentiveness. One more week and then they're all mine! Oh boy!

Some Starter Pics

2008-08-06T23:00:00.004-05:00

Here are some pics of some of the events I've mentioned already. I'm finding the internet is very slow at uploading pictures so I think I'm just going to leave you with these for now. Enjoy!

Some of the teachers at the Fuentes Gorginas...natural hot springs not far from here.

(Becky-Middle School Science/History, Laura-Kinder, Kim-H.S. History, Me-1st)

The Fuentes

Another pic of the Fuentes. They were beautiful and SO warm! :)

Fernanda, as she's sometimes called--daughter of one of the office ladies at the school. It wasn't quite that cold, but Guatemalans like to bundle their kids up.

A view of Xela from the roof of our Principal's house.

Men climbing trees outside the stadium to watch the soccer game! I wish you could see how high they really are! It's crazy to watch them get up b/c the city has cut all the low branches off so people don't do this, but soccer is everything to these people.

As I said, soccer is everything...that and celebrating. This guy was just sitting on the fence waving a torch around. Others were setting off fireworks from the stands. And the final score...0-0!

Laura (Kinder teacher), me, and Kim (H.S. History teacher) sporting our new Xela jersey's at the game.

Some of the fireworks set off from the stands at the game.

Estoy Aqui!

2008-08-03T17:18:00.002-05:00

Thank you for your prayers as I travelled on Friday! I made it safely, on time, and with all my (very heavy) luggage to Guate City where I received a very warm welcome from the director (Michael), principal (Josh), and other new teachers of the school. It was almost overwhelming how kind and joyful they were, considering the other teachers had only arrived hours earlier. (I myself was pretty exhausted.) Immediately we began building great community and it felt a bit like being amongst a group of Asburians. I can't say I enjoyed the ride back to Xela--you see, they're blasting through the mountains/volcanoes to create (more) roadway and well, the rocks and some landslide mess is still all over the road--but I did enjoy the conversation in the bus. I finally arrived at my host family's house around 11 PM.

Yesterday, was the "Xela Shuffle". Josh and Michael took us all around the city, showing us all the important places, including the Wendy's with free Wi-Fi from which I am writing this and enjoying an authentic Guatemala Frosty. Haha. Josh and Michael helped us to change over money and get cell phones so we were all set. We had lunch at Josh's house where everyone was initiated into IAS by an attempt at Guitar Hero! We had some free time in the afternoon and then last night was the big immersion into the culture...we went to a Xela soccer match!!! It was a blast! I didn't watch the game so much but enjoyed watching the crowd and getting to know the other teachers as we chatted throughout the game. It ended with a 0-0 tie. I have some pics and video of the game I hope to upload soon, but I forgot to bring my camera cord to Wendy's...and it's an awful long trek back home.

Today all the teacher's went to the Fuentes Gorginas. The Fuentes are natural hot springs up in the mountains. They're beautiful and VERY warm...ok, hot! It was beautiful and so relaxing. And since several of us have not had the chance to shower since arriving, myself included, it was a welcome substitute.

Tomorrow work starts. I'll catch the bus to school at 7:20 AM (which is going to be hard since I'm not sleeping well), and arrive around 7:30. We have a full day of training scheduled, including a tour of the school. I finally get to see my classroom!!! Michael said that I'll have a full class-15 students.

I think that's about it. It really is beautiful here and the staff that I've met are great! We've really hit it off well. I'll post pictures as soon as I can. Thanks for your continued prayers as I prepare to meet my students in about 2 weeks!!!

And So It Begins...

2008-07-14T19:56:00.003-05:00

After spending almost 9 weeks in Guatemala last summer, my heart was hooked. I had fallen in love with the people, the place, the culture, the climate...you name it, I loved it. But I still had another year of college to complete before I could even consider returnign to the country that God had so clearly called me to.

Shortly after returning to the U.S. and starting my senior year at Asbury, I received an encouraging note from a dear friend who had spent the previous summer in Nicaragua. I found that note again when I was packing up to move out of the apartment this May. God spoke clearly to me and encouraged me through one particular line in the note: "Your time in guatemala has prepared you for what God has awaiting for you." Re-reading those words at the end of the year assured me Guatemala is exactly where I'm supposed to be next year.

I have now purchased a one-way plane ticket to Guatemala City, leaving on August 1st. I will be living in Quetzaltenango (also known as Xela--pronounced Shay-la) and teaching first grade at the Inter-American School of Quetzaltenango (www.ias-xela.org). I also hope to be doing some more mission work at New Life Children's Home in Villa Nueva (www.nlch.net) during my school breaks.

I am starting this blog in order that you might remain informed of what is happening in my life while I am in Guatemala. I'll e-mail or post other contact information in the near future. Thank you for prayers that have already been prayed during the process of seeking and finding this job!