Monday, March 12, 2012

Ps.34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good...

And now school is in full force! I have 74 students in all, not counting one adult that comes to my house on Saturdays. Spanish is so much more ........than English. It's a repetitive language. Many times you repeat yourself, like "a mi me gusta" which literally translated means "to me it is pleasing to me", but actually means "I like." One of my student's father said he likes English much better because it is brief. You don't repeat yourself. Oh well, such are languages. Good news! My former tutor is coming to my house to help me continue with my learning. AND she wants to learn English! Woohoo! And since she will be learning from me, I don't have to pay this time. Thank you Lord!

The weather here is so unseasonal. It has been raining a lot , and cool enough that even I wear a light jacket to school. It has started to get hot about 2:00 in the afternoons, but yesterday and today the sun is actually shining at early morning. I am so thankful for that.

Today I didn't have to go to school. One of the teachers has to pick up workbooks for the 7th-9th grades to use to learn English. Therefore there are no classes for them today. No such thing as substitutes. I have really prayed for the Lord to help me change my attitude towards using this program. Many schools here use such programs, but the teachers nor the students can converse or understand English when it is spoken to them by a native English speaker. So we will see how it goes. The program means less work for me, but...I just turn on the CD and let it do the speaking. The kids repeat, and fill in the blanks in their books. These books would be ok if the kids already had 5-6years of English. I have one student who told me that she has had 5 years of English. Really? Bless her heart. However, she can't speak it or understand it! But praise God, Eva is teaching the 2nd-4th grades and that is a big blessing. And I will continue to have the students practice speaking and listening everyday with their partners. Last night on the way home from church, a mother and her two children were riding in the car with us. The little boy was counting in English, and then he started to sing Old McDonald Had a Farm. I recognized the tune more than his English. I have no idea which school he goes to, and he probably wasn't older than 2nd or 3rd grade. But he's learning.

The first two years that I was here, all I did basically was teach and study. This year I believe the Lord has a different course for me to follow of which I am so thankful. It's to meet more people here and to know more about Valle and Honduras in general. I am attending a very small church on Sunday evenings. I go with one of the teachers from the school. That was a prayer answered, because I was so tired of doing everything by myself. And I prayed about it. Lo and behold, here came Doris and invited me to her church. They pick me up and bring me home. It has brought us closer together, and I praise the Lord for that because she was one who use to just drive me crazy. I couldn't understand her when she spoke, and I never knew when she was teasing because of the tone of her voice. Now I know. God takes care of his children in everything if we just tell him our hearts. And, boy, do I!

So today, I have to buy groceries for me and some school supplies for one of my sponsored students. I asked Doris to find out if she needed anything, but at the same time, I didn't want to take responsibility away from her parents. So some school supplies it is.

What else has happened? A couple that came with the team from McPherson gave me a bilingual Bible. I am so thankful. Mine was stolen at the church in San Jose last year. The team was here from Feb. 23 to Mar.3. We went to San Pedro Sula to help build 2 rooms onto one of the schools there. It was hot!!! I love to go with the teams to help them and Becky, but when I'm gone, my classes do not receive English! The same thing happens when I go to the states every three months for my visa requirement. This really bothers me. So I am applying for residency here. Therefore I won't have to leave but can if I want. And of course I want to see my kids. But I will be able to choose the weeks when we don't have school here in order to go home. Evidently my age will have a lot to do with the requirements for residency. And from what I have heard, it's better than being younger. I will not have to renew it every year. Woohoo, and I can earn money if I want. Well, I don't think I will do that. The Lord sent me here to teach English, and freely he has given to me so freely I will give to them. (And of course, I am to be a witness of his glory and mercy, etc. That is a given). So here's hoping all goes well.

We still need teachers at the school, and the money to pay them which comes from the sponsorship program. So please pray for more sponsors for our students.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Amen.