Giving thanks in all circumstances

Our school has been going through rough times. A high school student was recently kidnapped for a ransom. Thankfully, he was returned to his family unharmed after five days but is still recovering emotionally. Two Mondays ago, one of our English teachers didn't show up to school. The U.S. embassy is on the case, but we still don't know where he is. There have been other things happening as well, but I won't go into the details. Just keep our community in prayer. Our school has been turning to God in the midst of all these trials. The day our student was kidnapped, we had a prayer chain so that prayer was continually being lifted up by one grade or another for an hour. We had a prayer meeting one night for all who wanted to attend, and I was comforted by the trust everyone put in our God to work everything out for good. There was another prayer meeting to give thanks to God after the student was returned.

Many of the school staff are also experiencing serious problems in their families. Profe Edith's husband, Profe Sandra's husband, Doña Ketty's husband, and Profe Sonia's dad are all having major health trouble. Profe Allison's husband has been without work for a while. Please keep them in prayer.

I really have been having a difficult time, and I was so distressed one night this week that I decided I needed to change something. The only thing I could change was my attitude, so I sat down and made a list of all the things I am thankful for. I felt much better, and the next day was the best school day I have had yet this school year.

David, one of my 6th graders, is leaving with his family for Spain as missionaries at the end of this week. He is a very pleasant kid and a natural leader, and we will miss him. Please keep him and his family in prayer. He is the boy standing next to me in the picture below (they are a crazy class):

Last year, I had a bit of an issue with flirting going on between two 5th graders. Now that they're 6th graders, the flame has died down, but I have a new problem. Two other students developed a crush, and recently a love triangle seems to have formed. Oh boy. That's all for now. Please see the new pictures in my online photo album - they tell about the events I didn't write about here.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Prayers needed

This is how running water works in Honduras: Every house has a tank that gets filled, usually every other day, by a pipe bringing city water. The water from the tank supplies our faucets. Every house also has a reservoir for the times when the tank runs out. The city water isn't potable, so most people buy filtered water in huge bottles - one bottle costs about a dollar and lasts my household of three a couple of days. We use it for drinking, brushing teeth, and food prep. Those of you who have been following my blog from the beginning know that we were constantly praying for water in my first house in Honduras, and in each of the three (now four) houses I've lived in, I've run out of water completely at least once. It happened again. Our tank ran out of water on Saturday, and water hasn't come from the city since then. We've been using water from the reservoir to wash dishes and hands and flush the toilet. We've been taking showers at coworkers' houses all week. The reservoir has gotten really low, so we've started using our filtered water to wash hands and the necessary dishes - the rest are building up in the sink and attracting ants. I was informed that there is a problem with the tank that supplies water for our neighborhood, but that it should be fixed by the middle of the week. The middle of the week has come and gone, and we're now on day seven without water. I just pray that it will be fixed soooooooon. The weekend is the hardest time to be without water because we're actually home.


I'm enjoying my 6th graders. They're so smart and fun. They greet me joyfully in the morning, and I know that they like having me as their teacher. One student wrote on her homework, when she had to use the word "happiest": "When Miss Emily teach us I am the happiest person in the world."

My 5th graders are a different story. They don't pay attention, understand little, and are a serious discipline issue. I don't feel like I'm getting through to them at all and am at a loss for what to do. I don't understand how any of my 5th graders could enjoy my class, but I've been told differently. One of my studious 5th graders is the daughter of the school administrator, Karla. Esther, the English program coordinator, tells me that last year, Karla would often come crying to her because of how unhappy her daughter was in school, no doubt because of her classmates. This year, though, Karla goes to Esther about three times a week crying because of how happy her daughter is with her English class this year.

I have been so stressed this school year because of busyness, frustration, and the difficulties of living in Honduras that I literally tried to quit. I had it all planned out - going home after the first quarter ended, living with my parents, getting a job at home. But my boss and my conscience talked me out of it. I really, truly want to go home, but I know I'm having a positive impact and feel I have so much yet to accomplish here and that it would be unfair to my students to leave them. I'm just going to need an incredible amount of prayers, support, and encouragement. Thanks for taking the time to read, pray, and respond.

"He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." ~2 Corinthians 1:10-11