Teaching

I was about ready to give my dog away because no one was willing to just take care of him for a year, then give him back. But literally at the last minute, someone found him a home with the school librarian. Ricardo has a huge yard and a labrador retriever. Tova is so happy running and playing all he wants. He can stay there until January, and then I need to find another home.
Classes started on Wednesday. Since we weren't told exactly what classes we were teaching or what our schedule was until Monday, I'm very far behind in my planning. There are only ten sixth graders, and they're a great group - I really enjoy teaching them, and I had their names down within the first ten minutes of class. There are 20 fifth graders, soon to be 23 because it's normal in Honduras for students to come late. I had a horrible time with them the first day - they were all speaking Spanish (which isn't allowed in English class), and I couldn't keep their attention for more than 30 seconds at a time. But by Thursday I figured out a discipline method for them, and it worked like magic. I've been doing nothing but teaching, planning, eating, and sleeping for 3 days, but I've loved the teaching part.

Please pray for my ability to plan creatively and efficiently. Also that I would be able to breath easily - I've been having trouble taking deep breaths, which happens when I'm dealing with a lot of stress.

I'll leave you with my favorite answers to the questions I asked my students in a survey on the first day. I recorded them with the questions, just as they were written:
3 words to describe myself are... I distract with anything, intelligente and a nice boy.
I need some extra help with... my actitude on class.
The one thing I really want my teachers to know about me is... that I love my teachers.
When I grow up, I want to be... Doctor. because... the doctor they help the people that are sick.
What I like most about school is... learn about the things.
What I like least about school is... They they not have mirrows.
In the classroom I behave... well very good. because... I want a good future.
What I like most about school is... my teachers. And that everyday I learn something new.
When I grow up, I want to be... engineer. because... I love electricity.
The person I most admire is... 1) Funcky, 2) Jesus. because... 1) I love the music. 2) I like to be like he.
In the classroom I behave... participain turn old H/W. because... I like
The one thing I really want my teachers to know about me is... I am consentrate.
My favorite book is... the bible. because... is very good.
Anything else you want to tell your teachers? that don't be berry mad.
The person I most admire is... God, Jesus. because... because how he did all the things of the world, wrote the bible, etc...
In the classroom I behave... not being mad don't being talkin. because... if I don't talk, I can have better my grades and being patient.
I am really good at... Doing homework i like to do homework so much. But not so much like 3 or 4.
The person I most admire is... Jesus. because... he died on the cross for our sins.
I am really good at... language class and science class and I like do letters like this one: K [a block letter], besides I am really good doing that kind of letters
Anything else you want to tell your teachers? Because she is beutiful and she are my favurite teacher.
The person I most admire is... My mother because she work a lot and she is happy in the time that we not have money but she work and work.
Anything else you want to tell your teachers? Your is beutiful
Anything else you want to tell your teachers? that we are a good grade but sometimes we do bad things
My favorite book is... the 3 little pigs. because... the pigs win
What I like most about school is... stay with miss Emily [drawing of a heart]

Christ's love compels us. -2 Corinthians 5:14 (the theme verse I chose for my classroom)

All things work together for good

After several days of cleaning, unpacking, and organizing, we were just about settled in. Then we were informed that because of some unforseen, unpreventable changes in plans, I was going to have to move to a different room in the teacher's house, and Heather and I were going to have to use the kitchen, living room, and bathroom on the other side of the house in order to give the only male teacher his own separate space. We spent a 12-hour day cleaning our new kitchen and sorting through the things left behind by past teachers. Then another day or two organizing our bedrooms and making that side of the house livable. It was hard to have a good attitude about it at first, but I actually enjoyed the chance to take inventory of everything in the house and do a better job organizing my room. My new set-up is much homier, and there are a bunch of reasons why it's turned out to be better on this side of the house. Kind of like the situation where I was named the 5th and 6th grade teacher, even though 3rd and 4th grades were my first choice...but I turned out to be happier with this position and declined when given the option to switch. It was an exhausting first week, but we're finally settled in. You can see before and after pictures in my online album.

The other U.S. teachers got here on Saturday. They are a great group, really friendly and ready to learn. They've had plenty of culture shock already, but they've shown they're willing to adapt. Two other girls and one guy live in the teacher's house with me and Heather (the guy has one side to himself, though he always hangs out with us), and three other girls live in a house down the street.

We started orientation on Monday, and parts have been boring, but other parts have been helpful or inspiring. I've gotten to know some of the Honduran teachers, and I'm getting a better idea of what is expected of me and how to go about planning my curriculum - the school has no curriculum, but the project this year is to develop one. The best meeting was when one of the founders came to tell us the history of the school, which was established in 1990. It is a story full of faith, prayer, and God's provision. The woman told us of two or three occasions when they were praying for funds, and the exact amount of money they needed came in from unexpected sources at just the right time. Getting to see and listen to one of the people that made this school a reality made me think of Hebrews 12 and filled me with a sense of purpose. You can read more about the school here: www.ceehonduras.com

Everyone is scared of my dog, which makes me feel protected. This is just one of many instances: I took him outside the school gate to go to the bathroom, and a young man walking down the street threw his hands up over his head, ready to defend himself with his bag until I called Tova to me. There's been a problem having the dogs on school property, though. They've escaped the fenced-in area because my oh-so-smart dog figured out how to open the gate using his mouth. They also bark when people pass by, and these two issues are going to be huge when there are students here. When added to all the other issues I won't take your time to mention, it seems the only solution is to send the dogs somewhere else for the school year...Georgia is going to live with Heather's boyfriend, and I'm still looking into options about what to do with Tova. It's really upsetting, but the school has already tried to work things out, and there's no other way. So pray that I'll find someone I can trust to take care of my dog until next year when hopefully I'll find a house away from the school with a yard where I can have a dog.
I'll end with a few positive/comical notes about life in Honduras...

The weather has been amazing. Every day has been warm and sunny, and it has rained every night. It also rains in our bathroom because there are leaks in the roof, but hopefully that will be fixed soon.

Occasionally, we hear a loud bang, but we've come to learn that it's mango season, and what seems to be a door slamming open is really just a mango falling from the tree in the yard onto the roof. I tried to eat one of them, but I stopped peeling it when I found a worm.
My last year in Honduras, I lost ten pounds, but I gained it all back over the summer. Then I got in shape and gained another five in muscle weight. When I saw a Honduran friend for the first time since May, he was impressed by my muscular arms and kept commenting that I was bigger. At one point, he pointedly asked me how many pounds I had gained. Which is completely acceptable in Honduras and not at all offensive, so I told him.

So if you pray for me, thank God for His faithfulness, and pray for my dog. Also pray for me and my coworkers to have time, wisdom, peace, and joy in our lesson planning and teaching. Thank you.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. -Hebrews 12:1

Home in Honduras

Monday was a long day that began at 1:30 am and ended at midnight according to my biological clock (10:00 Honduras time). But it was glorious. Heather and I got seats next to each other on the plane from Georgia to Honduras. We kept turning to each other and saying, "We're going to Honduras!" Then when we got here, we kept telling each other, "We're in Honduras!" It feels as though we never left, and we appreciate everything, from the familiar stores to the random guys on the streets professing their love for us. I spent Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday unpacking and settling in, and I'm not completely finished. I left a bunch of stuff in storage here, and I brought a lot back with me from the States, so it's been a project. Tuesday evening, I picked up my dog, Tova. He's enormous! I took a picture and put it in my online photo album that you can see by clicking on the picture on my blog. You can skip to the end by bringing the mouse to the bottom of the screen and clicking on a thumbnail picture at the end. I have my work cut out for me with Tova, teaching him not to jump on people, not to drag me down the street like he did when I brought him home, to go to the bathroom in the right place... Please pray that the situation with Heather's and my dogs will work out, because we have a tiny space to keep them in during the day, and the teachers will be passing through that area. I'm making plans to get together with friends this week, and on Saturday, the other teachers from the U.S. will be arriving. Pray for unity and flexibility. Thank you.
P.S. - The only hint of the political situation so far were a few graffitied walls in San Pedro.

As I go

I will be in Honduras in a week! These are my prayer requests:
That God would grant me love, wisdom, and creativity in my dealings with my students.
That there would be unity among the teachers and staff.
That love would define the relationships between me and my housemates, and everyone else with whom I come into contact.
That God would lead me to the right church, so I can have a body to which I belong in Honduras.
That God would continue to provide all my needs out of His abundance - spiritual, emotional, financial, physical (health and safety).
*That my life would be for the praise of His glory.*

Please let me know if I can add your name to the list of those committed to pray for me on a weekly basis. So far I have three names.
I could also really use however many copies anyone wants to send to Honduras of the book I listed in my last blog.
Thank you for any prayer, emotional, or financial support you're able to give. Just knowing that there are so many people interested in what I'm doing is a huge encouragement.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.-Philippians 4:19