Thursday, April 10, 2014

Newsletter

Hello from Honduras                                                                                    03/2014                                                                               

Dear Friends                                                                                                                          

I hope this finds you all walking in the blessings of our Lord! And speaking of His blessings, seven of our students accepted Jesus as their Savior yesterday during our devotional time at school. The moving of the Holy Spirit is an awesome thing to behold. As they were asking Jesus to come into their lives, I saw some of the seventh and eighth graders praying and wiping tears from their own eyes.  And I was especially blessesd when I saw the boys doing so.  So many times the teachers work and pray and see nothing for all their labor, and then it happens. Fruit is born.  We sometimes forget that seeds are growing under the soil before we ever see a little seedling. God is so good not wanting any to perish. He has a plan for each of these students, and my prayer is that I fulfill my part in their lives.
The English classes are going well.  The kindergarten teacher is teaching English to the second graders fulfilling  part of her university requirement to become a certified teacher. This is so great. She had them when they were in kindergarten and they remember some of the things she taught them at that time. They want to learn English, and they asked their regular teacher to learn with them. And she is. PTL! I really do see this school as a bilingual school in the future. What a blessing for this area that is looked down upon by many of its neighbors. But isn’t that just like our Lord to lift up the poor and downtrodden?
Besides teaching at the school in the mornings, I now have six coming to my house in the evening or late afternoon. There are three adults and four girls.  One of the adults is a teacher here in Valle at the public school. Most of them know English words and phrases, but cannot carry on a simple conversation. They make my day because  they are so eager to learn. I also had a chance to teach some literature classes in one of our schools in San Pedro Sula when a team from McPherson, Ks came at the beginning of the school year to help build two school rooms. (They didi an excellent job)! The school is bilingual so it was an easy teach for me.  Even though the students read every word correctly, they did not understand all that they read, so it was a blessing that I was able to explain those things. When it was time to leave, they asked me to come there and teach, even to the point that the they asked Mario, the National Director of LACC in Honduras, to send me there. He didn’t because that’s not where I’m súpose to be!! But it’s a great feeling to know that you’re wanted!! Also one of the teachers told me that they need North Americans to come and help them learn the correct pronunciation of English words. Do you hear the call?
The biggest prayer right now for the school is to have more qualified teachers and the money to pay them. Our kinder class has 60 plus students, and  our principal is now helping our one teacher. Our first grade has 50  students and one teacher.  The fifth grade has 34 with one teacher. We need more sponsors for our students because part of that money helps pay our teachers. Several of them come from Tegucigalpa on the bus everyday. It is a need not a want. Once again a BIG thank you to all of you that support me both prayerfully and financially. May God continue to bless you for your faithfulness.  
In His service,
Beverly                                                                                            beverly.blumer@gmail.com                                                           
                                                                                                           beverlyblumer.blogspot.com
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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Ps.15:7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

One more week and then a week's vacation.  Yeah!!! This coming week I will be giving the 9 week tests. The 7th-9th grades will be oral. The 5th and 6th graders will be matching English and Spanish vocabulary. The week after Santa Semana will be for recuperation. Those that didn't pass their tests will have to take them again. 

I have experienced two firsts in the last two weeks. Last week I went to my first Honduran baby shower. It was a lot of fun, and they basically do the same things that we do in the states. However, there were some fathers there, and they had to participate in some fun activities just for them. It was hilarious to watch them. And yesterday I went to one of my student's celebration of her 15th birthday. That birthday is a big deal for the girls here. They are not adults, but at the same time, they are not considered little girls either. It took place at the church. The pastor gave a small message encouraging the young people there to keep Christ first place in their lives, parents next, and then the church. There was a time of praise and worship. I was able to meet her parents which was a blessing. And then, shock of all shocks, one of my former students came and gave me a hug, and then said that she was his sister. Are you kidding? No, he wasn't! What a difference, and I'm sure he told me that his father was a cop when he was in my class.  Well, that wasn't true! Oh, well.

The church that I now attend has a new place to meet, and it's right around the corner from where I live. I was praying that it wouldn't be far from the village, but I didn't know that the Lord was going to put it so close. Bless his name!

I started this a couple of days ago, so I guess I'd better finish it. I always try to call my brother very four to six weeks since he doesn't have or want a computer. We giggle all the time, over dumb stuff, but that's what brothers and sisters do, yes? Anyway, as we started talking he proceeded to tell me that he was going next week to pay his funeral bill. Oh, boy, another funeral conversation! In the past month, our family has lost three people that was fairly close to some of us. And that brought up the subject with my youngest son and his wife about what will happen to dear ole mom if something should happen to her in HN. And then my youngest daughter told me about a dream she had of me and my coffin! It seems that she was somewhere with it, and she couldn't keep track of it. It just kind of disappeared from her possession at times. And she said it was one of those dreams where everything was all messed up and confusing. I still laugh because I can see this picture clearly. It wasn't funny to her at the time of the dream, but really, a runaway coffin? That would be me, no? Not really. My personal belief is that the Lord gets us prepared for that event. There are so many in the Bible that knew they were going to die.  And it's interesting to note that when I worked in the medical field, they always went in three's. Eva says in sixes or sevens here!!! Oh, well, I've had no "premonitions" or anything else in that category, so kids, be at peace. Now those are interesting words, huh?

So all the tests that I left to give are to my 5th and 6th graders. And then on to free time for a week. Although Eva has asked me to help her with her homework for the university, but that won't be everyday.

It is so dry and smokey here. We need a rain, but the dry season is here for a couple more months. It's smokey because the farmers are burning their land getting ready to plant the next crop. But it sure plays a number on the breathing! And it's HOT! Finally.

I had a couple more people ask me to teach them English. I had to decline. I was sick a couple of days last week and just bone tired. The Lord let me know that I was not to take on more students. And then a couple of people basically said the exact same things to me that didn't know what the other had said or what the Lord showed me. I praise Him for taking care of me, and that He will confirm His word to us. I also have a better understanding of how people can let their ministry take over their lives to the point of losing focus of everything else including their families. Not a good road to go down.

It's my turn with one of the other teachers to do the devotional on Friday for the teachers. So I need to
ask my Father what His will is for that time, and that He will open our ears to hear, our eyes to see, and our hearts and minds to understand, and then to do whatever it is that we need to do to serve Him.