Monday, June 25, 2012
3 Years in the Making
I live in the town of Curia and work a mile down the beach at the school in San Jose. The school in Curia is strictly Catholic and for the last 3 years has never been open to Christians coming into the school. BUT last night one of the parents of a child in Curia asked why we had not been teaching English in the school in Curia also. When we expressed that the principal was against it the parent went and got permission from the principal to allow us into the school. SO today for the first time we were able to go into the school in Curia and teach English! The kids were so excited! The principal has agreed to give us a trial run this week! Please pray that the principal is impressed and will continue to allow us to come into the school!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Captured!
Today was a fantastic day at school! Along with Megan and Anna-Kate, I taught the 5th, 6th, and 7th graders. We reviewed family members and numbers to 100. We played hangman, a card game, and raced to the correct number written in chalk on the ground. With the use of skittles I taught the kids how to say "My favorite color is..." The kids are so smart and so eager to learn and impress us Gringos (white people) with their English! The seventh grade class is my favorite. Today we laughed the entire time as we played a game similar to slap jack reviewing numbers!
Last week the first group of the summer arrived. We painted the school. This week my sister, Emilie, is here with the high school group from Savannah Christian Church. Emilie being here is such a blessing. I needed a little piece of home! I love being able to share my life here with her and watch her love on the kids here.
Emilie's group is building a fence around the soccer field in Curia and doing a sports themed VBS everyday.
On Saturday Joanna and Allison came over and we made, I mean burnt, brownies. We started playing a game similar to Scattergories and were having so much fun that we forget about the brownies, but I would trade burnt brownies for laughing with those girls any day!
Yesterday was a huge day here! Five people in the church were baptized. Two of our cooks, Marjorie and Gladys, were baptized. Gladys' husband, Isidro, and two others were also baptized. We had a huge celebration with cake and games as we welcomed them into God's family!
God is capturing the hearts of the people here!
Last week the first group of the summer arrived. We painted the school. This week my sister, Emilie, is here with the high school group from Savannah Christian Church. Emilie being here is such a blessing. I needed a little piece of home! I love being able to share my life here with her and watch her love on the kids here.
Emilie's group is building a fence around the soccer field in Curia and doing a sports themed VBS everyday.
On Saturday Joanna and Allison came over and we made, I mean burnt, brownies. We started playing a game similar to Scattergories and were having so much fun that we forget about the brownies, but I would trade burnt brownies for laughing with those girls any day!
Yesterday was a huge day here! Five people in the church were baptized. Two of our cooks, Marjorie and Gladys, were baptized. Gladys' husband, Isidro, and two others were also baptized. We had a huge celebration with cake and games as we welcomed them into God's family!
God is capturing the hearts of the people here!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Home Sweet Ecuador
Every day I fall more in love with this place.
I had the privilege of visiting Chimborazo a couple of weeks ago. Chimborazo is the tallest mountain and volcano in Ecuador. It was breathtaking, literally. We drove to 16,000 feet and it got harder and harder to breath. The snow-peaked volcano and the blanket of clouds beneath me covering the patchwork quilt farmland reminded me how good God is.
I have been teaching ESOL(English to Speakers of Other Languages) in the elementary school in San Jose everyday. Two college students from Savannah Christian Church, Meagan and Anna-Kate, arrived last Sunday. They have begun helping me in school. I love teaching alongside them and Karen, the pastor's wife. We play games and sing songs to teach colors, numbers, family, fruits, school supplies, and other English basics.
On Thursday a short term team arrived from Savannah Christian Church. They will be here for a week. It has been so awesome to see the team love on the children here despite the language barrier.
A few weeks ago the Georgia Tech group set up a computer lab in the school in San Jose using computers donated by Point University. I had the privilege of watching the kids use the computers for the first time. They were amazed. I have never seen someone appreciate a computer so much. They shouted "Mira! Mira!" ("Look! Look!") the entire time as videos of sharks and other sea life swam across the screen. Thank You Point! I am so excited that these kids will know how to use a computer, giving them the ability to succeed in high school and maybe even college one day!
I absolutely love the kids here. Their joy is so contagious. We are constantly laughing.
Karen, the pastor's wife, is my best friend here. Last weekend we had a sleepover. We have been learning to surf and I was actually able to ride a wave, once!!! Karen knows about as much English as I do Spanish and she has been so instrumental in helping me learn more Spanish. I talk to her in Sopanish and she answers in English. When I get stuck she is able to help me find the right Spanish word. We are constantly picking at each other and laughing together!
This summer, we are working to create a program for the older teenagers here. Our kids program is growing, but we really want to minister to all age groups. Yesterday, we invited Joanna and Allison, 18 and 14 year old sisters over to make Rice Krispie treats. Dessert is expensive and unrealistic for most families here, so it's a special thing for the girls here to learn to make desserts. I love to bake, so I was so excited to teach the girls. We made the Rice Krispie treats and then played an intense game of Chinese Checkers. God is so good. We had an incredible time, laughing and enjoying our dessert. I now know enough Spanish to be able to communicate pretty effectively and Joanna is taking Enghlish class in high school, so we have been able to get to know each other!
Every Tuesday night we have choir practice. It's definitely my favorite night of the week! About 5 church members come and we practice the songs that we sing in church. It's always hilarious as they laugh as I stumble over Spanish lyrics and we all worship Christ with joy and singing. Joanna, Allison, Jeanette, and I have been leading worship at church. AND the church here is growing. Now 9 families are coming. This morning, 2 new girls came!! In the next few weeks 4 church members are being baptized.
Three ladies cook for the groups whenever short term groups come. I have been able to get to know them, Gladys, Marjorie, Magdalena, and their families, very well. This past week Gladys and her mother-in-law began teaching me to crochet paja. Paja is a palm-like plant used for making hats. I'm a slow learner, but it has been so awesome to sit in these ladies' homes and learn from them. During my first lesson I was sitting in Gladys' mother-in-law's living room and a donkey just walked in the room with us. I just love Ecuador, for real! Even the donkeys!
Thank you so much for your financial and prayer support. God is doing big things here!
I had the privilege of visiting Chimborazo a couple of weeks ago. Chimborazo is the tallest mountain and volcano in Ecuador. It was breathtaking, literally. We drove to 16,000 feet and it got harder and harder to breath. The snow-peaked volcano and the blanket of clouds beneath me covering the patchwork quilt farmland reminded me how good God is.
I have been teaching ESOL(English to Speakers of Other Languages) in the elementary school in San Jose everyday. Two college students from Savannah Christian Church, Meagan and Anna-Kate, arrived last Sunday. They have begun helping me in school. I love teaching alongside them and Karen, the pastor's wife. We play games and sing songs to teach colors, numbers, family, fruits, school supplies, and other English basics.
On Thursday a short term team arrived from Savannah Christian Church. They will be here for a week. It has been so awesome to see the team love on the children here despite the language barrier.
A few weeks ago the Georgia Tech group set up a computer lab in the school in San Jose using computers donated by Point University. I had the privilege of watching the kids use the computers for the first time. They were amazed. I have never seen someone appreciate a computer so much. They shouted "Mira! Mira!" ("Look! Look!") the entire time as videos of sharks and other sea life swam across the screen. Thank You Point! I am so excited that these kids will know how to use a computer, giving them the ability to succeed in high school and maybe even college one day!
I absolutely love the kids here. Their joy is so contagious. We are constantly laughing.
Karen, the pastor's wife, is my best friend here. Last weekend we had a sleepover. We have been learning to surf and I was actually able to ride a wave, once!!! Karen knows about as much English as I do Spanish and she has been so instrumental in helping me learn more Spanish. I talk to her in Sopanish and she answers in English. When I get stuck she is able to help me find the right Spanish word. We are constantly picking at each other and laughing together!
This summer, we are working to create a program for the older teenagers here. Our kids program is growing, but we really want to minister to all age groups. Yesterday, we invited Joanna and Allison, 18 and 14 year old sisters over to make Rice Krispie treats. Dessert is expensive and unrealistic for most families here, so it's a special thing for the girls here to learn to make desserts. I love to bake, so I was so excited to teach the girls. We made the Rice Krispie treats and then played an intense game of Chinese Checkers. God is so good. We had an incredible time, laughing and enjoying our dessert. I now know enough Spanish to be able to communicate pretty effectively and Joanna is taking Enghlish class in high school, so we have been able to get to know each other!
Every Tuesday night we have choir practice. It's definitely my favorite night of the week! About 5 church members come and we practice the songs that we sing in church. It's always hilarious as they laugh as I stumble over Spanish lyrics and we all worship Christ with joy and singing. Joanna, Allison, Jeanette, and I have been leading worship at church. AND the church here is growing. Now 9 families are coming. This morning, 2 new girls came!! In the next few weeks 4 church members are being baptized.
Three ladies cook for the groups whenever short term groups come. I have been able to get to know them, Gladys, Marjorie, Magdalena, and their families, very well. This past week Gladys and her mother-in-law began teaching me to crochet paja. Paja is a palm-like plant used for making hats. I'm a slow learner, but it has been so awesome to sit in these ladies' homes and learn from them. During my first lesson I was sitting in Gladys' mother-in-law's living room and a donkey just walked in the room with us. I just love Ecuador, for real! Even the donkeys!
Thank you so much for your financial and prayer support. God is doing big things here!
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