Beginning a new year

It's good to be back in Honduras...I feel like I never left. I'm living in a really cute house a couple of blocks from the school with two Canadian housemates, Rachel and Robin. They're great. We're very different, but we share a lot in common as far as living together goes. The picture at the top right of my blog is now linked to my new photo album, where you can see pictures of my house and housemates. I really do miss the conveniences of the U.S., and I've had some stomach problems and headaches/migraines in these first weeks back in Honduras. Nothing serious, but definitely uncomfortable, so please keep me in prayer.

So far, we've had orientation for the English teachers, then orientation for the entire staff, and now we're preparing for classes, which start on Wednesday. Orientation included Bible studies given by a couple of local pastors, and I was the designated translator for my fellow gringos most of the time. I really enjoyed translating. One pastor in particular, Pastor Carlos, the father of a former student of mine, always had a moving, practical message, and it was an honor to translate for him. I've seen a couple of students either downtown or when they've come to school for a meeting or to get supplies. When one of my incoming 6th graders, who was my 5th grader last year, saw me the other day, his face lit up, and he said, "Yay!" Carlos, the son of Pastor Carlos, stopped into my classroom today to say hi, hang out, help me hang up posters, and talk about his summer and his nervousness about starting high school this year. It's so great to come in this year knowing people.

I have several prayer requests...
I've been reading notes left behind by last year's 4th-grade teacher about the incoming 5th graders. It seems many of them come from very difficult situations - a few live in a children's home, one has a background of abuse, another recently grieved the death of her brother, several have parents who live in the U.S. or in another place far away, and a couple of others have parents who have recently gone through serious illnesses. I need prayer for the ability, grace, and love to be to these children what they need me to be. Last year's teacher had a very hard time with this group but was able to gain a lot of ground with them.
My incoming 6th graders were my 5th graders last year, which gives me an advantage starting out this school year. They are a wonderful, exuberant group. I love that I can get them excited about learning. Last year, I had a lot of trouble with classroom management. I got them to behave like angels after a few months, but I lost that ground over Christmas and never got it back. I need prayer for grace, favor, and wisdom with them.
This is the rainy season in Honduras, and there has been a lot of flooding, destruction, and death in places like Tegucigalpa. Please pray. Thank you so much for your support.

"Who is like you - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?" ~Exodus 15:11